replacing fixed, integral front sight on J frame

magnumb · Dec 23, 2023

On my 642 the front sight is part of the barrel. It's not easy to see in good light, and impossible to see in low light.

I am looking for options to mill down the front sight and replacing with a fiber optic sight, tritium sight, or even better a fiber optic tritium sight.

XS sights has the big dot you mill you existing ramp sight down to a little rectangular stub, then jb weld the replacement. Not sure what you do 12 years later when tritium vial gives up.

I saw an post on the internet where someone milled down the ramp to leave a dovetail notch to drift in a new sight.

Does anyone have an success with either approach?
thanks, Magnumb

mikerjf · Dec 23, 2023

Easiest solution is to paint the front sight with day-glo Testor’s paint, or similar nail polish.

Next harder is to file a notch and do a bright color insert. I’ve done both and the paint method is way easier and looks better, (doesn’t last forever but will work for a long time).

Your Big Dot approach is probably next harder. I’m sure 12 years later you just plier off the old one, clean it up, and install new (unless they do vial replacement).

I’ve seen the dovetail method, make sure you find someone who knows they can do it.

Good luck, post pix when yer done!

Well Armed · Dec 23, 2023

magnumb said:
On my 642 the front sight is part of the barrel. It's not easy to see in good light, and impossible to see in low light.

I am looking for options to mill down the front sight and replacing with a fiber optic sight, tritium sight, or even better a fiber optic tritium sight.

XS sights has the big dot you mill you existing ramp sight down to a little rectangular stub, then jb weld the replacement. Not sure what you do 12 years later when tritium vial gives up.

I saw an post on the internet where someone milled down the ramp to leave a dovetail notch to drift in a new sight.

Does anyone have an success with either approach?
thanks, Magnumb

It should be simple, easy, and not that expensive for a shop to mill the rectangular slot and a pin hole. I personally don't bother, and I use glow in the dark red acrylic paint that can be found at Walmart and other retailers that sell hobby supplies.

mike campbell · Dec 23, 2023

magnumb said:
XS sights has the big dot you mill you existing ramp sight down to a little rectangular stub, then jb weld the replacement. Not sure what you do 12 years later when tritium vial gives up.

Magnumb

This. I installed a big green fiberoptic, no tritium, in less than an hour using only hand files and epoxy. I drilled and pinned afterwards.

The important thing was to document the POI with a certain load at 10 yards. That allowed me to adjust the POI when I installed the new sight. In my case, the fixed sights had always printed a bit to the left. The new dot is mounted a tad left of center and it now shoots right to point of aim.

haywood · Dec 23, 2023

I paint my sights. I use red nail polish and white glow in the dark paint over a base coat of white paint. I can see it in most light just fine. 10 seconds under a bright light gives you about 20 minutes of glow. The brighter and longer it’s exposed to light the better. At night I place it close to a Nightlight. If I pic it up it glows for several minutes. This paint shown was bought at a craft store for less than $4. I have used Glow-On in the past. This works as good as glow on and is way cheaper. You also get way more paint.

oink · Dec 23, 2023

On my original model 60, which I still have, I painted the front sight and had the real milled out a little wider. I found that to work well.

Shibadog · Dec 26, 2023

I too am a paint guy. Don’t understand why Smith doesn’t install real sights on most J frame. The ones on the 340 M&P and 351PD work great for me. Why not on the other models ? Until then it’s orange fluorescent for me&#55357;&#56847;

replacing fixed, integral front sight on J frame

magnumb

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