3rd Gen sight issues

[model3sw]

On the 1st & 2nd gen, the sights work well enough but leave room for improvement. On the 3rd Gen 3 dot sights, I'm at a deficit.

Even when younger, my eyes did not wrap around 3 dot sights very well. Granted I could get them all in a certain area, but pulling tight groups with anyone's 3 dot sights just doesn't happen for me.

I do much better with the factory S&W w/o rear and red front. I do superb with the Millett white outline rear and blaze red front. The problem is that early 39, 59, 1st Generation and 2nd Generation require a gunsmith installation of the front sight only after the factory sight is milled off, flat. The front sight being "staked" in. I have done that a few times and have the Millett tools to install the dual crimp front but now that these 1st and 2nd gen autos are getting more valuable, I wouldn't do it to another unless a lesser finish, lesser valued gun.

Only S&W and MMC (that I know of ) manufactured fully adjustable rear sights for the 1st Gen S&W's that did NOT require the replacement of the front sight. Millett makes an outstanding 1st gen rear sight but requires gunsmith installation of the front.

Thankfully the the 3rd Generations, the sights are dovetailed. I had purchased 3rd Gen S&W Millett target sights. The 2 type are for those 3rd gens factory equipped with target sights and another set for those equipped with factory fixed sights.

On a 5906, the difference between the factory adjustable (white service guard) 3 dot sights and the Millett white outline rear / blaze red front, is remarkable.

Perhaps it is just my vision and how I my eyes perceive the 3 dots vs the with outline, but I don't think I'm alone here.

I'm wondering if anyone else has the same issue.

Anyone who has used the older Millett White outline rear and blaze red (or white lined) front sights please check in for your evaluation.

I need a Millett front but I have extra rears white outline, more than I need. Any direct contact please use the e-mail link in this forum under my profile. Please do not PM me as the box is stuffed.

 

[model3sw]

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[KSDeputy]

The 3 dot system is fine for me, I am so used to it that even aging has not presented a problem.

 

[TTSH]

Thankfully the the 3rd Generations, the sights are dovetailed. I had purchased 3rd Gen S&W Millett target sights. The 2 type are for those 3rd gens factory equipped with target sights and another set for those equipped with factory fixed sights.

On a 5906, the difference between the factory adjustable (white service guard) 3 dot sights and the Millett white outline rear / blaze red front, is remarkable.

Perhaps it is just my vision and how I my eyes perceive the 3 dots vs the with outline, but I don't think I'm alone here.

I'm wondering if anyone else has the same issue.

Anyone who has used the older Millett White outline rear and blaze red (or white lined) front sights please check in for your evaluation.

I need a Millett front but I have extra rears white outline, more than I need.

Not sure if anything I'm going to say is going to be helpful... but back when I was looking to replace the factory adjustable sights on my Model 5906, I was able to find the Millett adjustable rear sight but couldn't find the Millett front sight anywhere. I finally gave up and I just live with the factory adjustable now. Sounds like you are in the same situation, albeit for a different reason. My 5906 factory rear sight was a bit messed up from the day I bought the gun. In your case, you are looking for a different sight picture altogether.

On that certain large auction website that rhymes with "payday", there is currently a mystery Millett dovetail-type front sight, possibly for an S&W, that might work for you. The seller doesn't know what he has got but there is lots of info and dimensions posted on it. It is blaze orange, a color that doesn't work well for me but apparently works well for you. Could be a crazy long shot but you may want to check it out.

BTW, sight picture has never been an issue for me. Some are certainly better than others but even with my aging eyesight, there is no one sight picture that works better or worse for me. I'm able to do reasonably fine with them all... although your standards for accuracy may be a lot higher than mine.

 

[model3sw]

Not sure if anything I'm going to say is going to be helpful... but back when I was looking to replace the factory adjustable sights on my Model 5906, I was able to find the Millett adjustable rear sight but couldn't find the Millett front sight anywhere. I finally gave up and I just live with the factory adjustable now. Sounds like you are in the same situation, albeit for a different reason. My 5906 factory rear sight was a bit messed up from the day I bought the gun. In your case, you are looking for a different sight picture altogether.

On that certain large auction website that rhymes with "payday", there is currently a mystery Millett dovetail-type front sight, possibly for an S&W, that might work for you. The seller doesn't know what he has got but there is lots of info and dimensions posted on it. It is blaze orange, a color that doesn't work well for me but apparently works well for you. Could be a crazy long shot but you may want to check it out.

BTW, sight picture has never been an issue for me. Some are certainly better than others but even with my aging eyesight, there is no one sight picture that works better or worse for me. I'm able to do reasonably fine with them all... although your standards for accuracy may be a lot higher than mine.

Thanks for the reply.

Up to 15 years ago I shot bullseye, local completion, regularly. Having shot formal "bullseye" competition it is difficult to accept anything less than tight groupings. I have a Ransom Rest with the 52/39 S&W adapters, Colt 1911, High Standard and a few others, for this very reason.

I'm just now retiring and plan to shoot regularly, whenever I can. Time and preparations, testing different sight arrangements, different rounds at different distances in different guns is just the beginning. I have only attended formal bullseye matches but never shot in a National competition. Those rules are much more strict.

With the factory plain white dot sights I can get them all "in" but with no specific pattern. It is more problematic at an in-door range where the back lighting is either awful or non-existent.
At an outdoor range, it is much less of an issue.

Also, it takes me more time to more carefully aim 3 dots while with the Millet white outline rear and orange keyway shaped front, I pick up the alignment quickly and accurately. Almost as good with the factory rear white outline with front red/orange front insert. I pull a tight, consistent, grouping.

With the old full black iron sights I keep losing my alignment with black front, black rear and black NRA bullseye target. If 6 O'clock hold, good. Dead bullseye hold, not good. With a white target background, I'm good.

I did find on a few front Millett 3rd Gen dovetail sights I needed for the 5906s.

Now that the 39 and 39-2 are getting up there in value, I'm not about to start machining off the front sight to pin in a new Millett front again to match the Millett rear which is much higher than the factory lollypop or fully adjustable rear sights. This same configuration (integral front with easily replaceable rear) on the 39 or 59 is a snap to install.

I also purchased a few sets of S&W factory rear full adjustable 39/59 S&W sights a few years back when a member had some for sale, but again, they are all black.

The factory S&W rear (fully adjustable) lays low to the frame, designed to work without altering the factory integral front sights.

 

[TTSH]

I did find on a few front Millett 3rd Gen dovetail sights I needed for the 5906s.

Okay, I misunderstood. I thought that is what you were looking for.

The level of precision bullseye shooting accuracy you are talking about is far beyond my expertise or current capability with most of my Smith & Wesson pistols with the possible exception of my Model 41's. I never was what anyone would ever call a great bullseye shooter even in my 20's and early 30's. Therefore, I broke with the family tradition early on and focused mainly on gunsmithing and collecting. These days, fully into retirement, I'm happy to produce semi-respectable targets with a wide variety of handguns, most with fixed sights. I do better than most of my friends and that's good enough for me.

I can now see what you are talking about with the various sight issues and what you are trying to achieve. I wish I could offer you some meaningful advice but I can't. You just have to do what works for you. Age takes an awful toll on all of us. Some may do better... a lot may do worse. The fact that you are still in it after many folks would have retired the sport speaks well of you. Good luck.