Anyone using gold bead front sights?

[jmr986]

Just got a 586 L comp. Love the gun, but as pretty much everyone has said the front sight sucks. The vial is just too small to see. Especially, with my old eyes.

I have a gold bead on one of my other guns and really like it. I've read some reviews regarding the SDM and the reviewer said it dropped in and no changes were needed to the rear sight. I really don't want to start screwing around and tweaking sights. Especially on a snubby. They have 2 sizes, I'm thinking the .250" height, width is .125". May swap out the rear at some point with one of those D&L sights.

Anyone have any experience?

 

[chief38]

I've got gold beads on at least a half dozen or so long guns. IMHO they are OK, but not great. From time to time I polish them with Flitz to make them a little brighter but they are still just OK. The guns I have them on came that way from the Factory and I did not install them after the purchase, and can live with them.

My late 1950's Browning Superposed 12 Gauge has two Ivory Beads and I like them more than the Gold ones as they are more visible. I own no hand guns with them but after experiencing my long guns I would not bother to either. They just are no great sighting aid for me.

 

[Capt. F.]

I have them on a couple of guns and for my 69 year old eyes, they work great. Pic is a custom built .44 Special.

The best sights I’ve used, and I only have them on my rifles, are the old Redfield Sourdough blades. You can Google them.
They’re a blade cut at a 45 degree angle and fitted with a square insert. Before hunting each year I’d give them a quick polish with a pencil eraser so they’d shine. Very quick pick up when the gun is brought to the shoulder.
Unfortunately they’re not made anymore, but possibly a member here has some or any gunsmith should be able to make one.

 

[reddogs]

I have the sdm gold dot on my 686 ssr.It is real gold and in the sun it shine's to much sometimes.I wish i had a u or v notch rear for the gold dot and fiber optic.The ssr is quick change front and sometimes black or red insert work's better.The sdm has stayed shiny without polishing for over 2 years.My eye's are 58 nothing is perfect for me.

 

[muddocktor]

I have 3 N frames that have the factory gold bead (in reality, brass) front sights and love them. The first gun that had them was my 27-5 "Outnumbered" gun, which came with them. After shooting that gun, I liked it so much that I bought the quick change gold bead sight blades for my 627 Pro and my 629-3 Classic. With my 61 year old eyes I find them much easier to pick up than a Baughman ramp sight of even the regular patridge front sight.

 

[oldbrownhat]

I have them on a couple of guns and for my 69 year old eyes, they work great. Pic is a custom built .44 Special.

The best sights I’ve used, and I only have them on my rifles, are the old Redfield Sourdough blades. You can Google them.
They’re a blade cut at a 45 degree angle and fitted with a square insert. Before hunting each year I’d give them a quick polish with a pencil eraser so they’d shine. Very quick pick up when the gun is brought to the shoulder.
Unfortunately they’re not made anymore, but possibly a member here has some or any gunsmith should be able to make one.

New England Custom Gun has angled gold Patridge front sights, but they only fit their own ramps. Very classy, though.

That's a nice-looking .44, Capt. F. I've been thinking of an SDM gold bead on my 625-8. I also like white-line front sights iike XS make; Novak I think also does some, although not for revolvers.

 

[Capt. F.]

New England Custom Gun has angled gold Patridge front sights, but they only fit their own ramps. Very classy, though.

That's a nice-looking .44, Capt. F. I've been thinking of an SDM gold bead on my 625-8. I also like white-line front sights iike XS make; Novak I think also does some, although not for revolvers.

Dave Clements, Clements Custom Guns, built that for me about 5 years ago. Great shooter.
I understand Dave is no longer working on Smiths. Shame, he did great work.
I have a Model 28 project gun I'm working on and have been trying to find a Patridge red insert front sight. Smith is not producing them anymore and I haven't been able to find any after markets.
I'm sure they won't "pick up" under low light conditions like the gold beads but it's the "cool factor" I'm looking for.
At my age I'm grasping at anything to look cool and relevant!
Best,
Forrest

 

[oldbrownhat]

...At my age I'm grasping at anything to look cool and relevant!

Funny- at my age (probably not much different than yours) I'm trying to stay away from stuff that's "cool and relevant". Hence I'm more interested in "old-fashioned "things like revolvers. When I feel the urge for gun porn, I often look at Bowen Classic Arms' website.

 

[WC145]

I'm a fan of gold bead front sights and have them on a number of my 1911s. If you can't find something specific to you L-Comp you might be able to find a 'smith that can install one in your existing sight. Mark Hartshorne drilled the Heinie front sight on one of my Commanders and fit a S&W revolver gold bead in it.

 

[GunarSailors]

I really like my gold bead.

 

[Bullseye 2620]

I have them on a couple of guns and for my 69 year old eyes, they work great. Pic is a custom built .44 Special.

The best sights I’ve used, and I only have them on my rifles, are the old Redfield Sourdough blades. You can Google them.
They’re a blade cut at a 45 degree angle and fitted with a square insert. Before hunting each year I’d give them a quick polish with a pencil eraser so they’d shine. Very quick pick up when the gun is brought to the shoulder.
Unfortunately they’re not made anymore, but possibly a member here has some or any gunsmith should be able to make one.

Here's mine. This gun has been lettered and it left the factory this way on March 17, 1975. That gold bead just pops right out and makes target acquisition extremely fast.

By the way, I live about 25 miles from David Clements and keep inventing reasons to go by and visit with him. He has over a year's worth of orders for his custom cowboy guns. The man is a genius, for real. I have learned more from him about the care and maintenance of P&R'd Smiths than anyone, and I have known a few pretty good S&W armorers over the years.

 

[Capt. F.]

Funny- at my age (probably not much different than yours) I'm trying to stay away from stuff that's "cool and relevant". Hence I'm more interested in "old-fashioned "things like revolvers. When I feel the urge for gun porn, I often look at Bowen Classic Arms' website.

Bowen? I can’t afford to even look! Magnificent stuff though.

 

[Capt. F.]

Here's mine. This gun has been lettered and it left the factory this way on March 17, 1975. That gold bead just pops right out and makes target acquisition extremely fast.

By the way, I live about 25 miles from David Clements and keep inventing reasons to go by and visit with him. He has over a year's worth of orders for his custom cowboy guns. The man is a genius, for real. I have learned more from him about the care and maintenance of P&R'd Smiths than anyone, and I have known a few pretty good S&W armorers over the years.

That sir, is Monet quality artwork. Just stunning.

 

[K Frame Keith]

I have a gold bead sight on my Garthwaite customized Hi-Power. I'm very impressed with the sight picture it produces. Wish I could afford a few more.

 

[Capt. F.]

I have a gold bead sight on my Garthwaite customized Hi-Power. I'm very impressed with the sight picture it produces. Wish I could afford a few more.

I understand Hi-Powers are no longer being made?
I had one with adjustable sights years ago. Traded it off for something else. I may have to re-visit some of the auction sites.

 

[Skeptic 9c]

Gold beads were the best available low light sights, back in the 1930s and 40s and 50s and even into the 60s when S&W offered them as an option on many revolvers. The extreme was the "Pawn Brokers" sights which was 3 gold shotgun bead sights put into drilled and tapped holes on the front sight and above the rear sight on a S&W Model 10. I was shown this revolver by a retired Cleveland Detective at the pistol range at the Bay Village Gun Club (Long destroyed by political correct politicians) back in the 1960s when everyone in a small town knew every cop and part timer.
Now days we have tritium night sights wrapped in Gorilla Glass (TM) a much better solution.
Geoff
Who is feeling his age and arthritis this morning.

 

[lawandorder]

The everyday carry gun.........

......that I use is a model 649 in .38 Special. After a trip to Cylinder & Slide for some improvements it wears a gold bead front. I am experimenting with a paint addition to the trough rear site.

Browning Hi Power wears a gold bead front & Heine slant pro rear thanks to my neighbors over at Nighthawk.

I like the beads.

 

[Bullseye 2620]

I just bought an S-prefixed 3-1/2 inch Model 27-2 in blue from Forum member ben_g1. It's beautiful, like everything else I've bought from him.

Like other 27-2s I have seen, the font sight base is integral to the barrel. But, this one, unlike the other 27-2s I have seen (N-prefixed) has the Baughman front sight blade pinned to the sight base and is not integral to it.

I would like to have the front sight blade replaced with a blue Patridge blade with a gold bead insert, as was done with the nickeled 27-2 I posted above.

How difficult is this likely to be? My main concerned is that in removing the front sight blade, the surrounding bluing is not compromised. I suppose a skilled smith can remove the pin and then replace it without any damage, but that is my assumption, not fact.

I also presume that I can find a gunsmith who can fabricate an exact duplicate of the Patridge blade as found on the nickeled revolver I posted above, except in blue, and install a gold bead just as the factory did in 1975 on that nickeled gun.

Thoughts? Recommendations? Warnings? Your comments and experience are much appreciated!

 

[raygixxer89]

My old 627 has a gold bead front. I think it looks great. Was thinking of getting some for 1911s and Hi-Power.

 

[Breakaway500]

Gold bead McGivern sight is my favorite and most of my iron sight guns have one.