Advice on replacing a pinned front sight

lrrifleman · Jan 9, 2020

Hello!

I am looking to replace the factory Red Ramp sight on my 686+ 3" with a McGivern (style) front sight. I have a few questions.

1) can the initial installation of a pinned front sight be done relatively easily by the owner with common hand/power tools?
2) if not, can anyone recommend a reasonably priced, reliable shop/gunsmith that has experience installing front sights?
3) once a pinned front sight has been installed, can the average owner easily exchange pinned front sights?

Thanks for your help!

dfariswheel · Jan 10, 2020

Replacement is easy IF the new front sight is already drilled for the pin.
If not, that requires some finesse to get the new hole properly located and to not damage the barrel rib.

It's NOT recommended to drill the new sight with it on the barrel since anything goes wrong, you can damage or ruin the barrel.

Simple replacement requires a pin punch of the correct size and type.
A flat end sight pin needs a flat face punch, a rounded end needs a cup-tip punch.
Care must be taken not to dink up the pin or slip and scar the barrel.
Drive the pin out from Left to Right, and the pin back in from Right to Left.
make sure the gun is well positioned on a pad to prevent scaring of the finish and to prevent the gun from moving or bouncing and risking a miss-strike damaging the finish.
Have the cylinder open to prevent damaging the yoke or locking systems.

If the new sight has no pin hole, put the sight into the slot making sure it's seated all the way, then use a drill bit HELD IN THE HAND OR A PIN VISE, and use it to mark the hole location in the new sight.
Remove the sight and put a small center punch dimple to get the drill started then use a drill press to drill the hole.

"Choke up" on the drill bit so only a short length is out of the chuck. This helps limit drill bit flexing and an off-center hole.

Hondo44 · Jan 10, 2020

Pretty simple on your 686.

Doesn't it have a black sight blade with a roll spring pin (hollow)? If so it's much easier to drive in and out. It can be driven out from either side and driven in and out from the same side.

Also tape a piece of brass or copper sheet to the side of the sight base with a small hole in it to allow access to the roll pin. Use a straight flat tip pin punch slightly smaller than the pin so the hole in the sight base is not enlarged or burred. The stainless steel base is soft. Even a small nail with the point blunted will work, it's not hardened like a pin punch.

Then follow dfarriswheel's excellent instructions.

dfariswheel · Jan 10, 2020

I didn't know that S& was now using "roll pins" (actually tension pins).
If so, use a special roll pin punch to avoid damaging the pin.

Also, anything you can do to protect the finish and metal is good.
Tape is your friend and it's a lot cheaper then a new barrel.

Where a craftsman shows his skills is in the little things, like getting everything in a firm no bounce-no move set up.
Use wood blocks or what have you to do the braced set up.
If anything moves or bounces the force of the blows can be dissipated and that can cause pins to distort and lock even tighter.

Hondo44 · Jan 10, 2020

Actually Spring Pin, generically. Manufacturers tend to manufacture their own "names".

dfariswheel · Jan 11, 2020

Like Kleenex and Zerox, "roll pin" has become a default name for the thing.

Advice on replacing a pinned front sight

lrrifleman

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dfariswheel

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Hondo44

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dfariswheel

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Hondo44

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dfariswheel

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