Model 28 - building a 100 yd. gun

[truedge]

First let me admit that I am very fond of the model 28. For several reasons they are usually very good guns and very good value.

My current project has come about due to a particular game that is played by some of us at my local range. We shoot at orange clay targets placed on a dirt berm from distances of 80 to 100 yards. This is done with iron sighted handguns. The gun I am interested in using for this presently is a late 70s Model 28 with 6" barrel. Endshake is near perfect at .004. Ejector rod is straight and cylinder lock up is very good. It is getting an action job from a good local gunsmith who has done that work for me on several Smiths.

I want to improve the sights. The factory sights are fine for closer range but with the distance involved and size of target they are just not very good. They obscure the target and lack the precision required. I am thinking about having the integral front sight thinned on both sides and a small insert of white placed in the blade. The rear sight blade may be changed to a v-notch from the square factory blade.

If anyone has experience trying to accomplish something like this I would appreciate hearing about it. Also, any ideas or innovations you might think of would help.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Chopper1388]

I played the same game with some of my friends. I had some success with my Model 27-2 with an 8 3/8" barrel and my Model 25-2 with a 6 1/2" barrel; both have Patridge sights. The only advice I could give is to find a load the gun likes and practice, practice, practice.

 

[gtoppcop]

truedge,

Call Chris McVety at Amerigun. He is an artist and can most likely give you what you desire. He and his crew make their sights and mill off the front (if it's not pinned) and implant a new sight.

Often times, they don't need to re-blue. They're that good.

 

[Wee Hooker]

I'd try painting a thin white stripe on the front sight before chopping on the old girl. Also, you might try finding a narrower rear sight blade/ assembly. Any non-reversible mods will surely lower it's value if she's more than shooter grade.

 

[JohnRippert]

I'd try painting a thin white stripe on the front sight before chopping on the old girl. Also, you might try finding a narrower rear sight blade/ assembly. Any non-reversible mods will surely lower it's value if she's more than shooter grade.

That is what I was thinking. Degrease the sight thoroughly and mask the outer edges leaving the width you want. Then fill in the middle with a good white.

 

[DWFAN]

As a long time target shooter I never liked anything white. This can cause blurred edges. A slightly V cut front sight and very sharp blackened edges front and rear will get you a great sight picture. A ramp sight won't do that for you.

DW

 

[Drm50]

What DW said. I have always hated ramp fronts, especially the
orange insert ones. They are fine for a cop to scuff a bad guy in
low light but don't give a defined top to your sight. On a couple
S&W low end shooters ( they don't make them anymore) I have
cut the blade off the top of ramp and filed a dovetail into the
ramp. This allows you to use any standard rifle sight for a front.
I have always used Marbles Patridge sight on the smiths. I did
a Sherd Bead on a Ruger SBH/ with Omega peep rear. If you
have a nice gun you may not want to go this route. I recently
bought a nice 27-2, 83/8" off a member. The Patridge front on
this gun is all I need to hit 71/2" saw blades at 100yds, a world
of difference compared to my 28-2, 6". And the 28 shoots well
it's just the front sight. My eyes are getting any better either.

 

[MarkL_01]

If having the sights obscure the target is a big part of the problem, how about sighting for a six o'clock hold so that the clay sits on top of the front post?
-Mark

 

[dave1918a2]

Take a look at the front sight on My 100 and 200 yd gun. 10 minutes with a file, cold blue and then smoke the sight at the match. Also smoke the rear sight and set for a 6 O'clock hold. Develop an accurate load and practice, practice, practice. Good luck.

 

[BUFF]

Remington, and others I'm sure, market a spray-on sight blackener in a small spray can. It cleans off easily and may be easier to find than the traditional sight smoker, a carbide lamp.

 

[jimmyj]

Try using bright orange paint on the front sight blade. Use heavy bullets and sight in where the 100 yard clay rests on the tip of the front sight.

 

[keithherrington]

Not a S&W but...

I've been shooting long range with irons for a while now and find that V notch rear blades don't work for precision work. They are fast but not at all precise, even with a bead front sight, which they are designed to work with. You are right that the stock S&W blade is too wide for precision work at distance, that is why long range guys have shot fine bead front sights with U notch rear blades since the 20's and 30's. The fine bead (if your eyesight is good enough or correctable enough to focus on them) allows for a great deal of precision while aiming and the U rear notch allows the shooter to see the entire bead and most important keep the bead in the center of the notch. You might want to give that combo a try.

 

[BAM-BAM]

If having the sights obscure the target is a big part of the problem, how about sighting for a six o'clock hold so that the clay sits on top of the front post?
-Mark

This was my first thought......... not sure you can find or make a front sight blade that doesn't cover a 4" clay at 100yds....................

 

[Old Corp]

Recall an old article (was it Skeeter or Elmer?) where 3 very fine strands of gold wire were inlaid, horizontally on the face of the front sight.
By holding up a determined amount of front sight over the rear blade,using the gold wire as a elevation increment, one could make very good elevation adjustments without adjusting the rear sight.

Must've been Elmer, as he was a proponent of 'front sight holdover' for long range.

 

[truedge]

Thanks

Thanks to all for the advice and experiences. They have been very helpful in thinking through what I want to accomplish

I am going to go with a milled down ramp and install a small bead front sight. Probably gold as this will still give me the option of blacking it if the light conditions require.

To aid in sighting for all my range handgun target shooting, I had a single lens made for my ancient pair of Decot Hi-Wyds in the correct focal distance for front sights. Very inexpensive and gives these 70 plus year eyes a good sight picture. For close quarter defense shooting (under 25 feet) I don't use sights anyway.

For the rear sight blade I am going to try the original square notch with the new bead but also get a v blade and try them both.

Again, thanks to all who responded.

 

[S.B.]

truedge,

Call Chris McVety at Amerigun. He is an artist and can most likely give you what you desire. He and his crew make their sights and mill off the front (if it's not pinned) and implant a new sight.

Often times, they don't need to re-blue. They're that good.

Dave Clements down in Virginia did my model 63. He does excellent work.

Steve