Model 642 Front Sight Questions

[vetgas]

Couple of questions about shooting my new 642 and the front sight. Do most people hold the front sight level with the rear sight when aiming? In other words do you hold a fine bead or a heavier bead?

I have also considered painting the front sight for greater visibility. What color would probably give the best result? I know our eyes see green better, but any opinions on colors? Does anyone have any suggestions on the brand or type of paint to use and any preparations before painting?

Finally, I am considering Crimson Trace grips. According to the company website you actually want to aim with the laser being lined up above the front sight. Do you just use the laser almost as a red dot scope basically still having to take the time to aim instead of just point and shoot? Just asking for opinions since the front sight on the 642 seems a little inadequate and obviously there does not appear to be any options for replacement.

Thanks,
Thomas

 

[wrangler5]

I paint the front sights on my stainless guns with red nail polish. (I use a Revlon color, I think there's a "coral" in the name. It's pretty bright, and close to orange.) I wipe the surface with lacquer thinner on a Qtip first and let it dry - be careful doing this on the 642 as I gather it has a "painted" finish that may not take too well to solvents. I do one or two coats of white nail polish first, then two coats of red on top. I also paint the rear notch with flat black.

For my aging eyes, this makes a big improvement in most lighting conditions.

 

[Edmo]

I also painted my 642's front sight and have the Crimson Trace factory grips. I highly recommend both.

For paint I used some "Lure & Jig Finish" I found at Gander Mountain. It is for fishing lures and dries to a hard plastic-like finish. One coat of the white and a finishing coat of blaze orange. For a brush I used a round toothpick. It will pick up enough paint to do the job and the sharp point puts it where you need it.

Edmo

 

[everReady Rob]

Seems like a lot of us walk down the same path.

On my 642, I started my learning curve by using both front and rear sights w/front a little above the rear. Limited success, wasn't happy.

Painted the front sight a fluorescent orange color, no improvement.

It was really bugging me, was I going blind, why couldn't I improve my shooting. And mind you this is at close range.

Tried the Crimson Trace. BINGO. Overtime I've settled into the red dot above the rear sight and once again its fun to go shoot. Its really more of a point shoot system I suppose, but call anythng you like, it works for me. The only negative I have is its not good in bright sunlight (dark sunglasses seem to help with that).

 

[RGMoore]

sights on a 642

I use a standard 6 oclock hold with my 642. This gives me 5 out of 5 hits on a beer can at 10 yards, good enough for PD. With the laser it is point and shoot but if I take my time it is capable of 1-2 inches at 10 yards, again plenty good enough to stop a bad guy.

 

[Pef]

I practice point shooting more than aiming with sights with my 642. It's not a target gun, and if I ever have to use it, I probably won't have the luxury of time to aim with sights.

I do, however, also practice with sights - i.e., trying to align as quickly as possible. Using a 6 oclock hold it's a surprisingly accurate little gun with 125 gr Golden sabers or their ballistic equivalent.

 

[TACC1]

I guess I'm in the same boat as a lot of other seasoned shooters.
I've tried white, red, and orange. Not a lot of help.
I,ve not tried blackening the rear sight, thanks for the tip.
When using a Hi-Viz front sight, with its green dot, I find I
can pick up the front sight instantly. My next sight painting
effort will include lime green on the front and black on the rear.
I've had little success using the C-T grips in daylight, but
those C-T grips are pretty comfortable to shoot with.
Just my opinion, hope it helps. TACC1.

 

[andyo5]

I was surprised (and delighted) to find that my 642 shoots to point of aim with a conventional sight picture at 7 yards. I have not painted the front sight yet.

 

[vetgas]

When you refer to a conventional sight pattern, how much of the front sight can you see? I have been holding the top of the front sight level with the top of the rear sight. Since I am not that great of a shot yet I am not being very consistent.

Thanks
Thomas

 

[M3Stuart]

When I shoot the 642 I use 158gr std power reloads, front sight even with the rear, and it hits Point-of-aim = point-of-impact. I hit 87/100 pts (ten shots) at 7 yards the first time and have gotten better since then.

The front sight relative to rear sight will be different for each type of ammo because the muzzle naturally rises when you touch off the round. I've been told that the factory calibration (for front even with back) is for 158gr loads. Not sure if thats std or +P, but I can tell you that the standard 158 gr loads shoot fine (with sights even) for me. I think a load heavier than 158gr the front sight would be a little below the rear, and load lighter than 158gr would be a little above the rear. That's what I'd try anyway.

I paint my front sights with some fluorescent orange paint that sticks to metal that I got at the hobby store.

 

[03gringo]

Lime green paint on the front sight and some flat black on the rear sight has really helped me with shooting my model 60-7. I just can't see that stainless front sight very well without the color on there.

Kenny

 

[vetgas]

Appreciate all the help. Buying my first revolver has opened a bad hole in my wallet.

Thomas

 

[ImprovedModel56Fan]

I have been holding the top of the front sight level with the top of the rear sight.

That IS a conventional sight pattern.

 

[rrobertson]

I hold the top rib(not the main top) of the front sight even with the rear sight and with staging the trigger and consistently hit poa-poi at 25-40ft all withing the black of a b16 target (5 1/2in). Also have the CT-305 grips on it and theyre also fantastic.

 

[Clean Break]

I've used white Krylon spray paint sprayed into a paper cup and painted on with small brush or toothpick, let dry thoroughly, and then top coat with fluorescent orange Krylon. The undercoat with white is crucial. Clean Break.

 

[cornfed83]

Someone asked about sighting in lasers on their CT grips. There are 2 generally accepted ways of doing this that I am familiar with. The first is sighting in at a known distance. This can make for issues when shooting at longer ranges than what you would likely shoot with a J frame but since that is not the topic of discussion here I won't go into that too much. Deviation of POA/POI at most distances that you would use a J frame won't be too excessive to put you entirely off target unless you are going for "brain box" hits. The other method that I'm familiar with is offsetting the laser the laser to firing a parallel beam to the plane of the bore. This is much more important on a rifle being used beyond close quarters distance. You can do this a couple of different ways, using a laser boresight at multiple distances and adjusting until both points stay in the same place or by determining sight picture and measuring the distance on a grid target from sight picture to laser position. When I was in the Marines we knew the position on an M16 stock to put our PEQ-4s to adjust them on a grid target to a parallel plane with the sights.

 

[frankw]

I have the CT LG-105 laser grips on my 442. I picked a normal distance of about 10 yards and set the laser to hit dead on. I figure an inch or two difference at combat distances are not going to make much of a difference.
I also like to paint the front sights. I just paint the top part, not the whole serrated part. That way your eye can see where black ends and bright starts.
Always use a white base layer. refrigerator touch up paint works great. I like fluorescent green and find it in an acrylic in the model airplane paint or testors makes a paint pen you can sometime find in the craft stores.
This is an interesting article on the subject. Improving Your Snubs Sights

 

[fishcreekrim]

My experience is that heavier loads shoot high light loads shoot low. This may be less critical w/short barrels, I don't have experience with stubbies.