Night sights and can take moon clips?

[Bonjourmate]

Does anyone have a list of S&W revolvers that have both night sights and can accept moon clips? I love my 686 Plus, but when I start adding up the costs of having the cylinder machined to accept moon clips and the cost of having night sights installed, it just makes sense to leave it stock and buy a second revolver.

 

[Bonjourmate]

I did some more research and it looks like the 586 L-Comp and Governor Black are the only options. If anyone knows any I'm missing, please let me know.

 

[chase45]

640 Pro checks those boxes

FWIW I think the moonclips are a bit overrated in 38/357

I actually traded my 586 L comp for a 686 plus lol

 

[Bonjourmate]

640 Pro checks those boxes

FWIW I think the moonclips are a bit overrated in 38/357

I actually traded my 586 L comp for a 686 plus lol

Thank you! I believe I checked out the 640 Pro and didn't like the size. I have a 686 Plus now (and love it) and am going to check out 586 L-Comp tomorrow.

 

[paladin42]

It's really easy to add night sights to any S&W revolver with adjustable sights.
MEPRO TRU-DOT(R) ADJUSTABLE SIGHTS - Meprolight

 

[colt_saa]

Does anyone have a list of S&W revolvers that have both night sights and can accept moon clips? I love my 686 Plus, but when I start adding up the costs of having the cylinder machined to accept moon clips and the cost of having night sights installed, it just makes sense to leave it stock and buy a second revolver.

Welcome to the Forum

I very much like 357 Magnum revolvers that have been enabled to function with moon clips. Especially if we are talking about a self defense firearm. I presently own more than a dozen 357 Magnum revolvers that utilize moon clips.

However the bulk of the Smith and Wesson revolvers that come with a front sight that has a Tritium lamp in it do not work very well for most people, especially those of us with older eyes. For the Tritium lamp to fit into the sight blade manufacturers use a lamp of smaller diameter. Therefore it contains less of the Tritium gas and does not glow as bright. As most people get older their night vision gets worse and thus the factory supplied Tritium front sights look either dim or dead to quite a few people

So if a usable front Tritium site is something that you really desire you are better off buying one of the Ashley Express sites and attaching it to your firearms. If your particular 686 has a pinned on front sight a competent gunsmith can easily install an aftermarket site. If you're from sight is integral to the barrel then that requires a lot of machine work to mill off the old site and cut a slot into the site ramp

The L-Comp is a revolver that I carry and shoot quite often, I very much like it. But I do not consider it's night sight to be much of a plus

Since all of the performance center model 627 revolvers are designed to utilize moon clips and come with the Smith and Wesson IFS (Interchangeable Front Sight) changing the front sight blade can be done in under 60 seconds with your fingers. Rear sight with two Tritium lamps is a little more difficult as the sight blade needs to be changed

This 27 year old Model 627 has had both of its sight blades changed to one's containing Tritium lamps . This arrangement ends up being much brighter than the factory supplied front sight that's Smith and Wesson uses

 

[Bonjourmate]

Since all of the performance center model 627 revolvers are designed to utilize moon clips

I didn't realize most of the performance center models accepted moon clips and that installing night sights was so easy. That opens up a lot of options. Thanks!

 

[Beju]

I didn't realize most of the performance center models accepted moon clips and that installing night sights was so easy. That opens up a lot of options. Thanks!

Just be warned that some of the replacement pinned front sights may require some fitting/filing.

So don't go pounding it in with a hammer, breaking the tritium vials, like some of the UC model assemblers were said to be doing.

 

[Richard Simmons]

Maybe one of the Night Guard series?

 

[Imshootin]

Night sights and moon clips. My 310 Nightguard meets those requirements.

 

[colt_saa]

Just be warned that some of the replacement pinned front sights may require some fitting/filing.

So don't go pounding it in with a hammer, breaking the tritium vials, like some of the UC model assemblers were said to be doing.

The 357 Magnum Performance Center 327s and 627s do not have pinned in front sights. They use the Factory's IFS. The sight can be changed without tools in under 60 seconds.

The pin in the front of the sight base is where the removable sight's front leg hooks in.

The location of this pin is one easy way to spot an IFS equipped revolver.

Tho hole in the front of the rib is an additional way

A pinned in front sight should be changed by a gunsmith that possesses the proper skills and tools to complete the job

 

[KurtC]

625-4 with Performance Center upgrades.

 

[Bonjourmate]

The L-Comp is a revolver that I carry and shoot quite often, I very much like it. But I do not consider it's night sight to be much of a plus

I ended up getting the L-Comp. I see what you mean about the night sight. I'll replace the stock night sights soon with something that lights up much better.

 

[bananaman]

My 686-6 Pro Series came to me with moon clips. Has the easy change front sight. The other thing is that has a 5" barrel. 7 shot & smooth action. Not shown, but currently has Hi Viz F.O. sight Bob

 

[Bonjourmate]

Since all of the performance center model 627 revolvers are designed to utilize moon clips and come with the Smith and Wesson IFS (Interchangeable Front Sight) changing the front sight blade can be done in under 60 seconds with your fingers. Rear sight with two Tritium lamps is a little more difficult as the sight blade needs to be changed

Is the IFS covered somewhere in the manual that I'm not seeing?

 

[Beju]

Is the IFS covered somewhere in the manual that I'm not seeing?

No, S&W uses a few different styles of front sights. colt_saa
covered the IFS (DX) front sights.

The 586 L-Comp uses the most common (pinned) style of sight attachment on current production K/L frames. Replacing these is typically considered to be a gunsmith job. It's easy to mar the finish as you drive out the pin, and a lot of the replacement front sights require drilling a new pin hole in the sight. Some of the sights may also require fitting with a file.

 

[Glenn54]

I recently sent a rear sight for a 1911 to Amerigun in North Branch Mi to get Tritium inserts put in. I tried hard to find sights with Tritium already in them but could not. I had never heard of this place but Trijicon told me about them. Just a FYI.

 

[Bonjourmate]

The 586 L-Comp uses the most common (pinned) style of sight attachment on current production K/L frames. Replacing these is typically considered to be a gunsmith job. It's easy to mar the finish as you drive out the pin, and a lot of the replacement front sights require drilling a new pin hole in the sight. Some of the sights may also require fitting with a file.

Thank you for explaining that.

I'll probably look into getting the front and rear sights replaced with night sights on both the front and rear on both my S&W revolvers. I don't particularly enjoy my Sig Sauer P320-M18, except for the night sights on both the front and rear sights that make seeing everything in low light super easy.