How to remove the front sight on my 629-6

.460 Magnum · Mar 6, 2020

I have my brand new 629-6 6.5" full underlug barrel and I have not having any luck at trying to remove the front sight, or even to get it to move. Is it pinned in there? Or does it have the easy sight system that you slide the sight back and it pops out? I tapped the pin out of the barrel by the front sight, and it still would not move or budge at all. I tried pushing back towards the cylinder with pliers (tape on the plier's grips), and lightly tapping the front sight rearward with a square piece of plastic, still no go. I dripped some gun oil down in there so that might help. What are your thoughts on how to get this out? Looks like the new/ old sight might need a little sanding if it fits this tight. Sorry for the crappy pictures, camera can't zoom in close

Lou_the_welder · Mar 6, 2020

Should be easy. Sometimes they're a little stuck. You will have to compress that spring in there however you can first. I've used a bit screwdriver with the bit removed and pushed the sight back towards the cylinder, and then lift the front tip up first then it slides right out.

.460 Magnum · Mar 6, 2020

Lou_the_welder said:
Should be easy. Sometimes they're a little stuck. You will have to compress that spring in there however you can first. I've used a bit screwdriver with the bit removed and pushed the sight back towards the cylinder, and then lift the front tip up first then it slides right out.

Yes that is what I thought, how it slides back, then up and out. My .460 S&W does this with no tools needed. Really weird how this 629 sight is not budging at all. And how i even rapped on it lightly with a hammer and a piece of plastic (to not mar it up).

Protocall_Design · Mar 6, 2020

I clamp mine in a vise with smooth jaws. Then I can use the whole gun to push on the sight with. The sight that's in there is too tightly fit. It should just be a slip fit. You can file a little bit off the sides of the sight where it fits down in the slot once you get it out.

Lou_the_welder · Mar 6, 2020

.460 Magnum said:
Yes that is what I thought, how it slides back, then up and out. My .460 S&W does this with no tools needed. Really weird how this 629 sight is not budging at. And how it even rapped on it lightly with a hammer and a piece of plastic (to not mar it up).

I took some pictures on how far it goes in. Then in the same motion I use my fingers to pull the front part up . Then it goes into an angle and slides out.

On one gun, I remember, I did have to remove the pin. It may make it easier.
Hope this helps.

.460 Magnum · Mar 6, 2020

Protocall_Design said:
I clamp mine in a vise with smooth jaws. Then I can use the whole gun to push on the sight with. The sight that's in there is too tightly fit. It should just be a slip fit. You can file a little bit off the sides of the sight where it fits down in the slot once you get it out.

I just tried to get it out again. I removed the pin in front of the sight so I could put something in there and slightly rap on it with a hammer. It took 2 guys to get it to move at all... We moved it back as far as it would go, and it popped up some. So I put padding on the sight, and used some pliers to clamp on it and try to pull it up, no go at all.... Brand new gun and it is taking 2 guys to replace the front sight and I still can't even get it out. I am very frustrated right now. I do not know what to do. I tapped the sight forwards again, and put the pin back in. Now the sight is sitting with a gap between it and the barrel... I just wanted to replace the red ramp front sight with a fiber optic one.

.460 Magnum · Mar 6, 2020

Lou_the_welder said:
I took some pictures on how far it goes in. Then in the same motion I use my fingers to pull the front part up . Then it goes into an angle and slides out.

On one gun, I remember, I did have to remove the pin. It may make it easier.
Hope this helps. I removed the pin, and use a small punch to gently rap on the sight. Got it to move back as far as it would go, and it popped up a little (air under the front of the sight). Put padding on the front sight, and use pliers to try to ease it up and out, no go there... Tried all kinds of things, and still no go. I put it back to where it was, put the pin back in the barrel, and now there is air under the front sight, so it is not fitting flush, Grrrrr. My brother and my self own .460 S&W and we have both replaced the front sights on them, and you use your hands to slide the sight back and out. This 629 is nuts on trying to remove it. The sight now does not look good on it, and it is still on the gun. Thoughts? Anyone have a sight they can't remove?

.460 Magnum · Mar 6, 2020

I hate to think I have to send it back to S&W for a simple sight removal. Sorry rant over, I am just frustrated.

Lou_the_welder · Mar 6, 2020

At the shop we used to say, it wasn't born in there! That sucker'll come out.
On the center pin (drilled through)front sights to pull em off. I'd use two half moon pieces of cut brass(or you could use an old penny cut in half) sandwiched with a pair of vise grips, to give the sight a good yank out.
It's what I would do if I've exhausted all other tries.
The sight installed may have too much material and once the sight is removed, the new sight may have to be clearanced on each side to provide a perfect fit.

.460 Magnum · Mar 7, 2020

Lou_the_welder said:
At the shop we used to say, it wasn't born in there! That sucker'll come out.
On the center pin (drilled through)front sights to pull em off. I'd use two half moon pieces of cut brass(or you could use an old penny cut in half) sandwiched with a pair of vise grips, to give the sight a good yank out.
It's what I would do if I've exhausted all other tries.
The sight installed may have too much material and once the sight is removed, the new sight may have to be clearanced on each side to provide a perfect fit.

Ok I will be giving it another try. I will be sanding the new sight down for sure/ trimming the spring coil a little if the new sight is to hard to go in. I will let you know how I make out. Thanks!!

Protocall_Design · Mar 7, 2020

Don't trim the spring. That will make a correctly fitted sight come out too easily, and may get lost.

.460 Magnum · Mar 7, 2020

Protocall_Design said:
Don't trim the spring. That will make a correctly fitted sight come out too easily, and may get lost.

It is all good, I got it out finally. Will be posting pictures here soon. I ordered a new front fiber optic front sight for it, as I did end up marring the red ramp front sight getting it out. I did no damage to the gun, just the sight.

.460 Magnum · Mar 7, 2020

I ended up tapping the front pin out again, and grasping the front sight with a pair of vise grips ( I tried using a spacer and clapping the spacers to the sight with the vice grips, but they just slipped off.) So I ended up just clamping the vise grips right to the sight, and yes it did mar the finish on the sight. I finally got it out after lot of taping on the vise grips. That bugger was in there!! Once I got it out, I found 2 little scratches on both sides of the barrel where the sight sits down in (this was causing it to fetch up when removing it). I did not want to send the gun back to S&W for a simple sight removal, lol. I did not damage the barrel/ gun at all. Just the front sight as you can see. I have my new fiber optic ordered, and will be sanding the old sight down to see if I can get it to slip in right now. Once I get the new sight this old one will be thrown away. Thanks again guys for the help.

.460 Magnum · Mar 14, 2020

Took a pile of sanding on the new sight to get enough material off for it to slip right in. Going to have to keep it oiled I guess to keep from rusting. Weird how tight the sight groove is on this barrel. Oh well, the old saying is make the sight fit the barrel, and not the other way around. I feel a lot better sanding a 20 dollar sight than messing with the barrel, lol. Thanks again Lou the Welder for the help

sparkyvega · Mar 14, 2020

Wow, I thought mine wad difficult to remove, .460 Magnum. I ended up buggering up the sight ramp a little, but it's still very usable unlike yours. In the end I agree, make the sight fit the gun, not the other way around.

.460 Magnum · Mar 14, 2020

sparkyvega said:
Wow, I thought mine wad difficult to remove, .460 Magnum. I ended up buggering up the sight ramp a little, but it's still very usable unlike yours. In the end I agree, make the sight fit the gun, not the other way around.

Right!! I was shocked at how tight the OEM sight was in the barrel!! It was crazy tight. I might buy the red fiber optic front sight down the road, and change back and forth between the red/ green. I might pick up a rear fiber optic sight before hunting season also, but I am not sure yet. We will see

.460 Magnum · Mar 14, 2020

Protocall_Design said:
Don't trim the spring. That will make a correctly fitted sight come out too easily, and may get lost.

I ended up not needing to trim the spring like you said. Just a pile of sanding later, and it fits how it should now, like a glove!! lol

Oracle · Mar 16, 2020

My 629-6 OEM sight can be removed by placing the flat front of the sight on a table edge and pressing down. The after market fiber optic sight is another matter, they sometimes will dislodge while holstered and out the bottom of the holster they go never to be seen again. I pack spare fiber optic sights while hunting.

.460 Magnum · Mar 17, 2020

Oracle said:
My 629-6 OEM sight can be removed by placing the flat front of the sight on a table edge and pressing down. The after market fiber optic sight is another matter, they sometimes will dislodge while holstered and out the bottom of the holster they go never to be seen again. I pack spare fiber optic sights while hunting.

Lucky your OEM front sight came out so easy!! Mine got destroyed removing it. The new sight fits so much better than the old one, as I made it fit the gun barrel (sanding). I have yet to loose a front sight. On both my .460 and 44 Mag the front sights are in there.

SLT223 · Mar 17, 2020

Stand it up right, and put a few drops of oil in the hole. Let it sit over night. The next day start working it back and forth. The blade and plunger will come loose. At least that’s been my experience.

How to remove the front sight on my 629-6

Member

Attachments

Member

Member

Vendor

Member

Member

Member

Member

Member

Member

Vendor

Member

Member

Attachments

Member

Attachments

Member

Member

Member

US Veteran

Member

Member

Similar threads