Drill and tap for red dot on model 24

LostintheOzone

LostintheOzone

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Just curious if anyone has had S&W drill the top strap of a model 24 for a red dot mount? I know the new models come from the factory to accommodate a plate. I have one on my 625-8. Seems like it would be a fairly easy job. I know Ruger will do it for a MKII because they did one for me. Not sure about S&W though.
 
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it would be a job for a gun smith or a machinest
 
cmj8591 said:
It's your gun but I'd think long and hard before I started drilling holes in a 24. There are some good options that don't require drilling.
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I don't have one yet. I want a 44 Special with a red dot and the only way I can see to do that is a model 29-4 or later, which is a 44 Mag. 696 might be an option but people want crazy prices for those.

44 special has been set adrift by most manufacturers. It's a cowboy cartridge now days and most everything being built is single action. I don't shoot the cowboy games.
 
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Just asking since I don't have a Model 24 and don't know, but doesn't someone make a Picatinny rail that replaces the sight assembly for it that uses the factory mounting screws?

Other possibility on this is a plate like the dovetail ones I use on my auto's for red dots, that would use the same holes on the revolver instead of the notch in a slide, but, I'm far from an expert on S&W revolvers and don't know all the details and just curious on what is out there.
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Don't know if they are still available, but I'm pretty sure B-Square made no-drill scope mounts that replaced the rear sight on S&W revolvers. I would not want to put extra holes in a Model 24 as doing so, even the most professional of jobs, diminishes the value of these sought after revolvers.
 
Drill it, tap it, shoot it, enjoy it. A competent smith can do the job without going through the top strap. I know that serious collectors devalue a drilled gun but in all honesty if you remove the mount and replace the rear sight what does it really hurt? I didn’t buy any of my guns for someone else to critique. I bought them to shoot and enjoy.
 
I'm not sure if this mount is still made but I have used it on several revolvers and it works great. There is a tab that fits in the slot for the rear sight elevation screw and the clamp goes around the frame just behind the barrel. There is no need to drill anything. I'm the first one to modify a gun to fit my needs but I'm loath to drill a gun that was made in limited numbers and will probably never be made again. It's a bit like drawing a mustache on the Mona Lisa with a magic marker.

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The B Square "no drill" scope mount will work, but I would rate a 38 Wad cutter load as top load for recoil. I've had to have a machinist drill out and re thread the small sight screw that holds that mount on when using standard velocity 158 grain 38's. I believe it is intended for .22's.
 
Drm50 said:
Got to be careful with some of the No drills. Clamps move under recoil of magnums and will marr the blue.
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You definitely need to make sure that everything is tight. Especially the rear screw that goes into the sight slot. I used blue Locktite but even then I checked often. The B Square mount held up well on a couple of 66's that I shot a lot of magnum loads with. It is not as good as bolting a mount to the frame but sometimes you just don't want to take a drill to your gun.
 
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