amazingflapjack
US Veteran
red ramp for carry/quick access and Patridge for "Target" work, for me.
Red ramp or partridge sight?
- Thread starter K W C
- Start date
Kudos to Pizza Bob. Even I might remember it now.
Pizza Bob
Kernel Crittenden
US Veteran, Absent Comrade
S&W made a 6" M686 with a Patridge front sight, but it also had a Power Port. The product code was 104272. That is one of the few factory standard Patridge sights I'm aware of on a M686 that was not a Performance Center gun.
With the -5 and later M686's the standard ramp front sight was pinned, so it could easily be replaced. Prior to that the front sight was integral to the barrel. To replace it with something else required machining.
BTW, Patridge, since it was a guy's last name, should always be capitalized. Like Watts, or Hertz, or Colt.
With the -5 and later M686's the standard ramp front sight was pinned, so it could easily be replaced. Prior to that the front sight was integral to the barrel. To replace it with something else required machining.
BTW, Patridge, since it was a guy's last name, should always be capitalized. Like Watts, or Hertz, or Colt.
Pizza Bob
Member
...or McGivern or Call
Kernel Crittenden
US Veteran, Absent Comrade
S&W put the Patridge front sight on a lot of their K-frame .22's from the '80's on. Like the M17, M617, and M648. Also, many of the M16's. It was also standard on the "Model of ..." guns, which were mostly N-frames, but but a few L-frames too.
AveragEd
Member
There were some early standard production 686s made with Patridge front sights. Here's a no-dash 6" withput a PowerPort. Sorry the sight is out of focus but you get the idea.
I don't know how many were made with that sight but you don't see them often.
Ed
I don't know how many were made with that sight but you don't see them often.
Ed
I got an early-production 686 back soon after they first came out. It had a patridge sight. I dunno, I guess I'll chime in and say that I like the red-insert sights on many S&W revolvers. I like patridge too. I like a gold bead. I like a fiber-optic. I like black ramp sights. They all work pretty well.
I have an early 586 with a Patridge sight that is integral with the barrel. All of the red ramp sights on the standard guns seem to be integral with the barrel. I have seen some 686s with black Patridge sights and all of them were pinned. They do not show up often.
Later guns and specialty guns seem to have the pinned sights. I think some L frames might have the interchangeable front sight, like what came on the early DX .44 Magnums and later 627s.
Later guns and specialty guns seem to have the pinned sights. I think some L frames might have the interchangeable front sight, like what came on the early DX .44 Magnums and later 627s.
Kernel Crittenden
US Veteran, Absent Comrade
That's interesting. Sometimes those pins can be near impossible to see. Polished flush and blued.
Early M686's with Patridge sights, and it's looking like more that a few. I wonder if there's anything in the SCSW on that.
OIF2
Member
S&W made a 5" 686 with a Patridge front that was a limited edition for CA Police PPC shooters back in the early 90's. Bill Davis sold them. Awesome revolver.
Bob
I don't think anyone has mentioned that Patridge sights are often undercut to go further to reduce glare. Black ramps are usually grooved for the same reason. I've always wanted undercut Patridge sights on my Pythons that have black ramps, but it wasn't important enough for me to change them. If anyone knows, they can tell whether a true Patridge sight is undercut, which is what I've always believed. Some friends had some factory 686s in the 80's that we're undercut. I know the sight was factory, but we were all competing together and someone may have added the undercut, as they all used the same local gunsmith for action jobs other work.
ironhead7544
Member
That sharp edge can help you if someone grabs your gun. Easier to make them let go.
See OIF2's post - the picture of his .45 - but really, I think the Patridge design is a square post, and the addition of the undercut does make it something else, as he says.
I remember those early 6-inch 586s with the Patridge blade integral with the ramp and rest of the barrel. A friend of mine had one - and it was a Holy-terror! That thing was one of the most accurate revolvers I've ever been around. For some reason he decided he needed something else... and sold it before I could buy it away from him.
riverrambler
Member
- Joined
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Your lucky, my spell checker puts in totally off the wall words like patronage for patridge.
I bought my 586 from a FFL that sold guns on the side out of his house. Didn't know anything about guns at the time, assumed my revolver would come with a red ramp sight cause that's what I saw in the gunshops, and thought they looked cool and would give a good sight alignment. I ordered a 586 6" and when it came in it had patridge sights on them. I was kind of bummed until I shot it. It works really well and I've never seen another 586 that had them so I liked them even more as time went on so I'm glad it came with them. If I had a choice, I'd pick the patridge sights.
I actually like the partridge, but hate wiping poop off my barrel.
I think the red ramp sucks. When I was young and had good
eye sight I didn't like them, 50 yrs later I like them less. I can't
think of anything they could have put on them that would be
worse. The blade front gives much better sight picture for my
eyes.
eye sight I didn't like them, 50 yrs later I like them less. I can't
think of anything they could have put on them that would be
worse. The blade front gives much better sight picture for my
eyes.
DS-10-SPEED
Member
Same here! I have a red ramp on my 686, I would prefer a black Patridge.
I also don't like the new fiber front sights.
