Just got a new 986 in March and have just noticed the front sight is very loose and slides from side to side easily. Any ideas on how to fix or should I send it to S&W. Appreciate any responses.
986 loose front sight
- Thread starter ruger 22
- Start date
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You can locktite it. Some lazy employee probably tried filing it to fit it as fast as possible to go home at 5 on a Friday. Dovetails aren't hard to fit, but 10 minutes with a file is hard for some people. The K6s has its dovetail fitted with one of those crank doohickeys they use on all the autos to be tight as new leather pants.
Considering that the wobble will require that you move your rear sight to align with however you glue it, I recommend you have smith fit a new sight.
TLDR;
Send it back
Considering that the wobble will require that you move your rear sight to align with however you glue it, I recommend you have smith fit a new sight.
TLDR;
Send it back
The long barreled 986 uses the Smith & Wesson IFS system for the front sight while the short barreled 986 is a dovetailed front sight
You do not mention which revolver you own
Movement in the longer barrel would indicate the spring is weak, movement in the short barrel would indicate a loose fit
Either way, let the Factory take care of it. Call them up and they will pay round trip shipping
I’m betting on snub with dovetail it’s a known thing that happens to those.
You’re going to need to take up the slack in the dovetail to create more tension so it holds
What I would do is. One of two things
One
Build up the flat bottom underside of the sight dovetail. Then file and stone to fit the sight to the dovetail slot on gun. This would be the best method but more difficult to do properly. You’d want to do a test fit with brass shim stock till it installs with good tension.
Measure the height of stock sight. Tig build up. File and stone back to original height plus brass shim stock height and maybe plus .0005 to .001 taller than that so you ensure you get a good solid engagement
Two
Cut a strip of brass shim stock. Maybe .005 thick and as wide as the bottom of the dovetail, and maybe two inches long so it’s easier to work with Thickness could vary instead of .005 could be best at .003 for your application.
You can get a pack of brass shim stock from the K&S bin at ace hardware. Can’t remember exactly but it’s got a few thicknesses in the package like .001 .002 .003 .005 of something like that
Slip that into the dovetail slot, drive sight into dovetail with brass round. Then trim off excess right and left with an exacto knife, just light and carefully scoring the brass multiple times till it winds up cutting thru.
You’re going to need to take up the slack in the dovetail to create more tension so it holds
What I would do is. One of two things
One
Build up the flat bottom underside of the sight dovetail. Then file and stone to fit the sight to the dovetail slot on gun. This would be the best method but more difficult to do properly. You’d want to do a test fit with brass shim stock till it installs with good tension.
Measure the height of stock sight. Tig build up. File and stone back to original height plus brass shim stock height and maybe plus .0005 to .001 taller than that so you ensure you get a good solid engagement
Two
Cut a strip of brass shim stock. Maybe .005 thick and as wide as the bottom of the dovetail, and maybe two inches long so it’s easier to work with Thickness could vary instead of .005 could be best at .003 for your application.
You can get a pack of brass shim stock from the K&S bin at ace hardware. Can’t remember exactly but it’s got a few thicknesses in the package like .001 .002 .003 .005 of something like that
Slip that into the dovetail slot, drive sight into dovetail with brass round. Then trim off excess right and left with an exacto knife, just light and carefully scoring the brass multiple times till it winds up cutting thru.
Protocall_Design
Vendor
I have used Loctite on both front and rear dovetail sights several times. It works fine. It's an easy solution to a common problem.
OP
Thanks very much. I called S&W and they emphatically asked me to send it to them for repair. They seemed very apologetic since it should never have gotten out of the Performance Center that way.
