Different front sight blades for 629?????

[msinc]

I have a 629-8 that I really like. I was never much of a 44 magnum guy until I got this gun and tried it...now I am in love. A strange thing happened this weekend...I have not shot this gun for a while and decided to take it out and go thru a few rounds. It was hitting low.
Previously, I just went to the gravel pit and shot dirt clods at all different ranges. As stated, the gun was always dead on accurate to the point of being impressive as I am not the most stellar shot with a pistol.
This time I tried shooting it at a target at measured 20 yards just to see how it would group for me. It was hitting very low, so low in fact that I had to raise the rear sight as high as it goes and hold dead on as opposed to the normal 6 o'clock hold I use normally. I am shooting the same ammo, 240 grain bullet with 21.0 grains of 2400...not exactly a screaming hot load, but no slouch either.
I have never had a gun change POI this bad. Are there different, in this case shorter front sight blades available??? Can anyone tell me the height of their 629-8 {629 Classic} front sight blade???? It seems like I normally in the past used to shoot this thing at like 30 or 40 yards...maybe I need to back up and try it at the range I used to shoot because I am worried that having no elevation left I will be shooting low again at say 50 or 60 yards. Any ideas what is going on here???
Thanks in advance for any info!!!

Edit: The thought occurred to me, maybe it is the rear sight blade that is different heights????

 

[armorer951]

Front blade heights/rear sight blade heights are sized according the barrel lengths. If you would like to chage (raise) your POI, the easiest way would be to replace the rear blade with a higher one, unless you already have the highest one installed. Or, if your front ramp is the type fit with a "plunger" type spring loaded blade insert, you could just go to a shorter blade.

Since you indicated you are "not the most stellar shot", is it possible you are flinching and "heeling" the gun in anticipation of recoil? Have you let someone else shoot the gun to confirm it is the sights?

 

[msinc]

Front blade heights/rear sight blade heights are sized according the barrel lengths. If you would like to chage (raise) your POI, the easiest way would be to replace the rear blade with a higher one, unless you already have the highest one installed. Or, if your front ramp is the type fit with a "plunger" type spring loaded blade insert, you could just go to a shorter blade.

Since you indicated you are "not the most stellar shot", is it possible you are flinching and "heeling" the gun in anticipation of recoil? Have you let someone else shoot the gun to confirm it is the sights?

Thanks for the reply!!! I do in fact have the plunger type front blade...and I also checked and found that the rear blade is a .146" it should be a .160" as this is a 8 3/8" barreled gun. However, I do not believe the rear alone will do it, as the rear sight is jacked up way more than .015"...next question, where can I get this shorter front blade and .160" rear??? I have and like the white outline rear and the red ramp front, but at this point I would just as soon have a gun that hits dead on for a 6 o'clock hold.
I just got a new Brownell's catalog in the mail yesterday...I am unable to find the blades, front or rear.

 

[armorer951]

Probably be easier to contact S&W Customer Service for the parts you need. You may be able to swap out the front blade for a shorter one.
1-800-331-0852

 

[Pisgah]

Let's see -- the gun, ammo, and shooter are the same, but now it shoots 'way low. Gee, I wonder which is most likely at fault, gun, ammo, or...?

 

[k22fan]

I would go direct to S&W for sight blades. They used to sell a kit of different height interchangeable front patridge blades marked in meters for silhouette competition. They were plain black but you can paint them. Those are the only ones I know of that are shorter than standard. The routine is swapping rear blades. If you can live without the rear white outline or paint it on yourself consider buying a Model 41 rear blade. Formerly S&W sold rear blades as tall as 0.222 inch. They were for the 10 5/8" .44 Magnums. In the past they used a 0.180" blade on 8 3/8" .44 Magnums but discontinued revolver blades taller than 0.160" at least 10 years ago. The blade marketed only for Model 41s is the only blade taller than 0.160" that is still made. I think Model 41 blades are 0.190" but I have not double checked that. Model 41 blades used to be used in conjunction with tall patridge fronts on 6" Model 14s in Distinguished Revolver class PPC which allowed very little customization.

Revolver rear blades are normally sold in a kit that includes a windage bolt and nut. They were about $14 ten years ago. You break the old bolt removing the old blade because its nut is staked on. You might have to buy the windage bolt and nut separate from the Model 41 blade. Instructions for changing rear blades are in 500 Magnum Nut's Frequently Asked Questions sticky in the Smith-Wessonsmithing sub-forum: http://smith-wessonforum.com/s-w-smithing/94072-faqs.html You do not have to buy the spanner for the windage nut. You can easily file a small flat head screw driver to fit. Be careful not to loose the spring and plunger that hold windage settings.

Notice that I presumed you are not flinching. I am a good shot but I have not shot standard .44 Magnum cartridges since the local outdoor range was forced to close so I might have to over come flinching the first time out with one myself. How tight were your groups? Tight groups that are off point of aim indicate sight adjustment is needed to match your eyes, grip, etc.

 

[msinc]

Let's see -- the gun, ammo, and shooter are the same, but now it shoots 'way low. Gee, I wonder which is most likely at fault, gun, ammo, or...?

Maybe I did a bad job of clarifying that I only ever shot this thing informally at dirt clods in a gravel pit. Whenever I shot it that way it really seemed like it was dead on. I was blowing up just about everything I shot at.
Yesterday was the first time I sat down and shot it at a paper target and tried to get the best groups the gun and I could get. It probably always shot low. I say this because after checking, it has a .250" front blade and a .146" rear. The 8 3/8" barrel calls for a .160" in the rear. As jacked up as the rear sight is it could probably stand the .190", but it doesn't appear that one comes with a white outline.

 

[k22fan]

I'll add two things. Nothing else flings plinking targets as far as hitting underneath them. So long as white dots are not involved you can easily file down a too tall rear blade. I'd rather do that than change the blade a second time.

 

[msinc]

I would go direct to S&W for sight blades. They used to sell a kit of different height interchangeable front patridge blades marked in meters for silhouette competition. They were plain black but you can paint them. Those are the only ones I know of that are shorter than standard. The routine is swapping rear blades. If you can live without the rear white outline or paint it on yourself consider buying a Model 41 rear blade. Formerly S&W sold rear blades as tall as 0.222 inch. They were for the 10 5/8" .44 Magnums. In the past they used a 0.180" blade on 8 3/8" .44 Magnums but discontinued revolver blades taller than 0.160" at least 10 years ago. The blade marketed only for Model 41s is the only blade taller than 0.160" that is still made. I think Model 41 blades are 0.190" but I have not double checked that. Model 41 blades used to be used in conjunction with tall patridge fronts on 6" Model 14s in Distinguished Revolver class PPC which allowed very little customization.

Revolver rear blades are normally sold in a kit that includes a windage bolt and nut. They were about $14 ten years ago. You break the old bolt removing the old blade because its nut is staked on. You might have to buy the windage bolt and nut separate from the Model 41 blade. Instructions for changing rear blades are in 500 Magnum Nut's Frequently Asked Questions sticky in the Smith-Wessonsmithing sub-forum: http://smith-wessonforum.com/s-w-smithing/94072-faqs.html You do not have to buy the spanner for the windage nut. You can easily file a small flat head screw driver to fit. Be careful not to loose the spring and plunger that hold windage settings.

Notice that I presumed you are not flinching. I am a good shot but I have not shot standard .44 Magnum cartridges since the local outdoor range was forced to close so I might have to over come flinching the first time out with one myself. How tight were your groups? Tight groups that are off point of aim indicate sight adjustment is needed to match your eyes, grip, etc.

O.K. some positive news at last...I remembered that I had some S&W sight parts in a little bag in my tool box from about 10 years ago. I had a "Model of 1989" 357 and tried the Vee rear and red dot front. I sold that gun and the new owner didn't like that particular configuration, so I swapped 'em back and it laid in the box ever since.
When I removed the rear blade it actually measured out to be .130". I bought this gun new and never did swap sights on it. The Vee blade measured .160" and the front red dot fiber sight measures .250" just like what was in it.
I am happy to say that I shot the gun just now {gravel pit is actually in my back yard, I own it} and was able to zero it at 20 yards no problem. I backed up to 30, 40 and almost 50 and no problem.
It does still look like the rear sight is raised a little bit more than I am used to see, and it looks like a .190" rear blade would be perfect but it is definitely acceptable. I will call S&W tomorrow and see if they have the red ramp that is shorter and a .190" rear with a white outline. Thanks armorer951 for the number!!!
As far as accuracy is concerned, I was able to shoot a couple nice 2" groups at 30 yards on paper from a decent rest.
Sad to tell it here, but a buddies SBH shot some 1" groups with the same ammo so I knew it wasn't the loads.
Thanks again for all who posted replies.

 

[msinc]

I'll add two things. Nothing else flings plinking targets as far as hitting underneath them. So long as white dots are not involved you can easily file down a too tall rear blade. I'd rather do that than change the blade a second time.

I agree and I believe that is exactly what was going on. The 44mag is one of those guns where if you are shooting in a pit you just really need to get close...and here it had me thinking I could shoot!!!
I am stuck with changing things...the rear blade needs to be taller or the front needs to be shorter. The front blade has a red ramp insert so I cant even cut it down.
I am just amazed I found my special rear sight lock ring screw driver after all these years!!!!

 

[SLT223]

Im pretty sure it's you and not the gun, so dont be so fast to mess filing and replacing sights. Try lighter ammo on paper. As stated above it sounds like you're flinching.

 

[msinc]

Im pretty sure it's you and not the gun, so dont be so fast to mess filing and replacing sights. Try lighter ammo on paper. As stated above it sounds like you're flinching.

You could be right...but it's too late, as I have already swapped 'em out and the gun appears fixed. Well, you seem so sure its me, at least if it starts shooting high at some point in the future I'll know I must have quit flinching!!!
I will say that many times I have seen guys that do flinch {myself being one of them!!!} drop the hammer on an empty chamber and the muzzle almost always drops down and for certain, the mighty 44 mag is a gun that will help you learn to flinch.
I never had much use for 44's for a long time. Everytime I had the chance to shoot one it was always the same scenario, some idiot at the range would make a stupid comment like "you know boy one day that 357 is gonna grow up to be a 44!!" "Come on over here and shoot a REAL mans gun boy!!!" You know the type...cowboy hat with the feathers all the way down the back, big silver 8" diameter belt buckle, pointy boots and a bolo tie. He would have the gun loaded so hot you couldn't hit the target with it. Finally after 30 years of idiots like that I bumped into a normal guy that said, " here try this one" and it was loaded right and I was impressed enough to go buy the one I have now. Been in love ever since and haven't been flinching when I forget to count rounds. Thanks again for all the replies!!!!

 

[k22fan]

[...] I was able to shoot a couple nice 2" groups at 30 yards on paper from a decent rest. [...]

It would take a VERY consistent flinch to produce a 2" group at 30 yards.

 

[SLT223]

It would take a VERY consistent flinch to produce a 2" group at 30 yards.

Yep, and i did it before i started reloaded.