Origin of Quick Draw Front Sight

[Doc44]

What became the Baughman Quick Draw front sight on .357 Magnums was first discussed and described in a letter dated December 30, 1935 to D. B. Wesson from FBI Agent, I. E. "Bill" Nitschke. The two pages of the letter are shown below. In a return letter dated January 2, 1936, Mr. Wesson tells Agent Nitschke his Magnum has been assigned Registered #753 and will have the special front sight. The .357 Magnum order form shows a drawing of the front sight by S&W who filled out the form and the shipping invoice for REG. #753 shows a drawing of the special front sight and describes it as a Sp. 1/10" lined to prevent reflection, avoid sharp corners-Fast draw.

Apparently, D. B. Wesson knew Frank Baughman and Bill Nitschke, so why Baughman received the credit for the quick draw front sight is unclear. Perhaps Agent Baughman was able to provide more orders for the new .357 Magnum?

Bill

 

[22hipower]

Wow, how great is that to have that original correspondence. Thanks for posting it.

Jeff
SWCA #1457

 

[RKmesa]

Fun read. Thank you Bill!

 

[SS336]

That’s a great piece of history for sure. I always thought, like most people, that Frank Baughman invented it.
Mr. Nitschke seems to be the one who did. How cool is it to be able to write S&W and say “ Dear Doug”.
Thanks for posting this.

 

[quinn]

Is it possible that the concept of the quick draw sight was a collaboration between the two?

Is there any difference between the first of these sights (RM #753) and the later RM 'quick draw' sights?

 

[lestert357]

Is there any difference between the first of these sights (RM #753) and the later RM 'quick draw' sights?

The front sight drawing in post #1 above appears to show the sight blade mounted on a standard square base. At some point it must have become apparent that the square base could still get caught on clothing or drag on a holster. Most of the RM’s and NRM’s seen today with the Baughman QD front sight are mounted on the plain (not reflector) King Ramp base as pictured below. This was the front sight configuration for all 476 Magnums that were shipped to the KCPD in 1939/1940.

 

[Hawg Rider]

Modified .44 HE 3rd Model

Interesting thread...I was wondering about the evolution of the Baughman front sight. My 1927 .44 HE 3rd Model (Wolf & Klar Model of 1926) was modified with a barrel rib and Baughman front sight sometime "back in the day", and then re-nickeled. An early owner must have liked the Baughmans that he saw on the RMs and NRMs, and decided to replace the half-moon sight on the .44 with a rib and Baughman-style sight. Not sure when the work was done, maybe the 1940s or 50s?

 

[Wiregrassguy]

Does your barrel serial match the grip serial? I ask because it looks like a barrel replacement to me.

 

[19leben]

Interesting. Maybe Baughman already had one made by S&W before Nitschke’s request?

And I’m guessing the “handles” that Doug was trying to find a name for that Nitschke refers to would be the famed Magna stocks? I’m curious to more about this as well.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Doc44]

Bill Nitschke ordered his Magnum with the first quick draw front sight on December 30, 1935. It was fitted on REG. #753 shipped on January 24, 1936. Frank Baughman's Magnum fitted with a quick draw front sight was ordered about eight months later and REG. #1345 was shipped on August 26, 1936. Regardless, Agent Baughman is credited with designing the quick draw front sight blade.

The handles referred to in the letter are the new Magna stocks that were introduced on September 17, 1935 and soon became standard on .357 Magnums (although regular stocks with a grip adapter attached or unattached could still be ordered).

Bill

 

[lestert357]

The S&WCA Pre-War .357 Magnum database lists the front sight on REG 753 as a “King Ramp” and the comments state “first ramp FS”. There is no condition estimate so the entry may be from factory documentation. Regardless, if the database is accurate, then apparently the Quick Draw front sight has been mounted on a King Ramp from the very beginning even though the drawing submitted by Mr. Nitschke (illustrated in post #1 above) appears to show a ramp blade on a square base.

 

[S&W ucla]

Reg 2916 was sent directly to an FBI agent in OKC June 30, 1938. It was ordered thru Baughman. It has the ramp front on a standard base, looks kind of funny. 4" barrel.

 

[lestert357]

Reg 2916 was sent directly to an FBI agent in OKC June 30, 1938. It was ordered thru Baughman. It has the ramp front on a standard base, looks kind of funny. 4" barrel.

Do you have the factory letter for REG 2916? If so, can you post a picture of it, or state how Dr. Jinks described the front sight? Sometimes he mentions the base.

 

[Doc44]

Terry...the invoices for REG. #753 and REG. #1345 do not mention a King ramp base and the drawing on each invoice does not show it either. My guess is the King ramp came later.

I was unable to locate the records for REG. #2916.

Bill

 

[S&W ucla]

All I could easily find was the letter. I did get SWHF documents, but it and the gun are in storage. I remember there were 2 documents that were filed with them. A letter from Baughman to Wesson about "round butting" the RM to keep from wearing out lining on coats. Wesson's response was deferring things like that to gunsmiths, "the ole debble overhead" was to much. Maybe Bill can find them by SN.

 

[lestert357]

All I could easily find was the letter.

Thank you for posting the letter which I have reposted in large size below. It clearly states “Baughman front sight on plain ramp”; I would interpret that to mean the gun was originally shipped with the Baughman QD front sight blade on the plain (non-reflector) King ramp base, the configuration pictured in post #6 above.

 

[S&W ucla]

As I said earlier, it is on the standard RM base, not a king base. I've seen a lot on King bases, but maybe 2 or 3 on the standard base. It really looks funny. It is like the drawing above where they just cut and serrate the patridge on the standard base. I think in the SWHF documents, it called it "Baughman Q. D."

 

[Doc44]

Documents for .357 Magnums made with King sights usually include a purchase order for the sight blade and base. There is no such purchase order for a ramp base for REG. #753. I don't know about Agent Baughman's Magnum, but there is no mention of a ramp base on the invoice.

The sight on REG. #1878 shipped on February 24, 1937 to a Patrolman in Tuscaloosa, AL is described on the invoice as Special Quick Draw (Baughman). No mention of a ramp base.

Bill

 

[S&W ucla]

Found an old pic on old computer from seller. Quick and dirty cellphone pic from screen. Obviously standard RM base. No sign of alteration.

 

[lestert357]

Bill/Steve, I have updated the S&WCA Pre-war .357 Magnum database for REG 753, 1345, and 2916; the Front Sight field now lists “Baughman QD” with no reference to a King Ramp base.

Steve, if you give me a condition estimate for your REG 2916 I will add it to the database.