Gold bead without new front sight blade?

[45times6]

(I'll preface this by admitting to no small degree of ignorance regarding gunsmithing)


I have a model 25-2 with a serrated (no colored insert) ramped front sight, which I'd like to replace with a gold bead.

I've looked at the SDM gold-bead blades, but these seem to work only if you're replacing a pinned-in front sight blade. Mine does not appear to be pinned, and I'm not sure I want to go to the expense of having the front blade milled off, etc.

As an alternative, is it possible to drill into the existing blade and install a piece of gold (or brass?) rod with a bead on the end? The Cylinder and Slide website offers a service that sounds like this, but there's no description, so I didn't want to assume... is this what they'd do?

 

[missiondude]

I have drilled and installed a gold bead on a stock M&P 9 FS front blade. I had to remove the sight, and that sight has a white dot which serves as a starting dimple to help in the drilling. If you are going to do it, get a real gold bead as brass will tarnish, and buy a good american made steel drill bit, as sights are HARD and will dull even a good bit. **** bits will not get it done. The bead mfgr will recommend the correct drill size. I used red locktite and mine has thousands of round through it without any movement.

 

[klondike]

I drilled the front sight on my 625 and inserted one of my wife's orphan gold earrings. Works pretty well.

 

[imashooter2]

I also drilled my 625 front for a bit of brazing rod, but mine was a Patridge type sight with a nice flat face for starting the drill. Your difficulty is going to be starting a long shank drill straight and centered on a sloped serrated surface. You could drill straight through from the front to exit out of the ramp, but then what sort of "bead" would you put on that would look correct on the ramped surface?

I think this is a no go.

 

[45times6]

Thank you!

Thank you for your replies. I think I'll just need to see how stubborn I get about it... and how much I'd be willing to spend to send it to S&W (or Bowen Classic Arms, or other shop) that could do the milling, etc., and tranform it into a pinned-in blade w/ a bead.