Looking to upgrade my S&W 686 revolver sights

[shootist26]

My 686 currently has the stock factory sights, which are the red ramp front sight and white outline rear sight.

I'd like to set it up so its the same as my other guns. So ideally, a tritium front sight with a plain black rear. Any recommendations?

[rsa-otc]

My 686 currently has the stock factory sights, which are the red ramp front sight and white outline rear sight.

I'd like to set it up so its the same as my other guns. So ideally, a tritium front sight with a plain black rear. Any recommendations?

Do you have a removable front sight? On my early 4" 686 the front sight is intergal to the barrel and would have to be machined to change the sight. Some of the newer ones are either pinned or actually can be changed without tools.

Possible sources of Tritium Front Sights:
http://www.opticsplanet.com/meprolight-night-sights-for-smith-wesson-pistols-revolvers-and-shotguns.html

http://shop.revolverarmorer.com/SW-Revolver-Night-Sights-387000042.htm

Plain Black Rear Sights:

http://www.brownells.com/handgun-parts/sights/rear-sights/s-w-revolver-rough-country-rear-sight-prod31965.aspx Jerry Miculek uses this sight.

http://www.jackweigand.com/smith_wesson_rear_blade.html


If you need to have the front sight machined you should talk to a reputable gun smith and he can probibly use a good pistol front sight in combination with one of the rear sights above.

[shootist26]

it's a new 686, and it looks like the front sight is pinned on

[jetfire]

Best fixed rear sight for serious duty use are the Cylinder & Slide Extreme Duty sight: http://www.cylinder-slide.com/index.php?app=ccp0&ns=catshow&ref=ExtremeDuty. The only downside is they're generally regulated for heavy bullet weights, like 158 and up. So if you're shooting 125s with a factory height front sight, you'll hit low unless you file the front sight down.

For a tritium front sight, I'd actually recommend an XS Standard Dot, because the Extreme Duty rear pairs nicely with the small dot. I actually opened up my rear sights with a file to get even more light around the Standard Dot, but not everyone will find that necessary.

[Robinson]

Tritium replacement for front sight only:

http://www.dawsonprecision.com/CategoryProductList.jsp?cat=SIGHTS+FRONT%3ASmith+a nd+Wesson+Revolver%2C+Pinned+Front+Sight:Smith+and +Wesson+Revolver%2C+Pinned+Tritium+Inserted+Front+ Sights


You should be able to purchase a plain black rear from S&W directly or maybe through MidwayUSA or Brownells. Another really good option is the Bowen Rough Country rear sight.

http://www.bowenclassicarms.com/parts_store/ruger_rough_country_adjustable_rear_sights.html


Keep in mind that if you change out your front sight you might need a different height rear sight as well. Bowen and S&W both offer a few different rear sight heights.

[Tamara]

*linked to Hamilton Bowen's site*

Oh, man, I made the mistake of clicking over and browsing around on BCA's website again.

I'll be in my bunk. :o

(Went and visited his shop once with Gunsmith Bob. Hamilton ran a few rounds through my Webley Self-Loader (http://cosmolineandrust.blogspot.com/2006/11/webley-scott-pistol-self-loading-455.html) in his back yard. The place was like Santa's frickin' Workshop.)

[Robinson]

And Mr. Bowen still answers emails and phone calls personally.

Did ya notice the K Frames with Kieth Brown stocks?

[shootist26]

I ended up getting the Dawson tritium front, and the Bowen plain black rears (oooph my wallet hates me).

[Robinson]

Keep us updated on this -- I'd like to know how they work out for you. I think you will like that setup though.

[GJM]

My favorite front sight is the Bowen DX, which is vertical black with a white stripe. I now leave the rear S&W sight alone, although perhaps with a different blade, as it has more adjustment than the Bowen rear.

Absent a special application like my mini .44 magnum, that I shoehorned L frame Hogue grips onto, I can't imagine a K/L/N frame without adjustable sights, as I see large POI shifts between various loads.

[66L]

Looking at the Dawson website, they have a link for S&W "classic" front sights (quick change) w/ tritium, but it doesn't have any listings. Anyone have experience with this or know if they could make one reasonably? Night time stages are becoming more popular in competition and night sights are becoming more necessary.

[shootist26]

Keep us updated on this -- I'd like to know how they work out for you. I think you will like that setup though.

Still waiting on my Bowen rear sights to come in, but I did get the Dawson tritium front installed. It is .230" tall, which I think may be a bit short? I need to bottom out the elevation on the factory rear sight to get a 6-o-clock hold at 25yd. Otherwise it shoots way high.

Aside from that, the front sight is so much better than the factory one.

[shootist26]

Best fixed rear sight for serious duty use are the Cylinder & Slide Extreme Duty sight: http://www.cylinder-slide.com/index.php?app=ccp0&ns=catshow&ref=ExtremeDuty. The only downside is they're generally regulated for heavy bullet weights, like 158 and up. So if you're shooting 125s with a factory height front sight, you'll hit low unless you file the front sight down.

I also purchased this today just to try out. Since my Dawson front sight is a bit shorter at .230" than the factory .250" height, I'm hoping these will match POI/POA better for me than for you.

[shootist26]

UPDATE:

Installed my Cylinder-Slide Extreme Duty fixed sights today and tried it out @ 25yds. It worked fantastic and the sight picture is great. With the .230" Dawson front sight, it is pretty much a "dot hold" sight picture with standard 130gr practice ammo, which is the same sight picture as my Sigs and Berettas. With 158gr it shoots very close to POA/POI. The rear notch is glare free and has a deep notch, which allows you to see the whole front dot. The factory S&W rear sight is so shallow that it will cut off the bottom of the tritium rings.

I would highly recommend this setup for anybody looking for a simple and rugged "serious use" sight setup for their 4" S&W revolver.

http://i39.tinypic.com/2j65tli.jpg

http://i43.tinypic.com/2zqveqw.jpg

http://i44.tinypic.com/2hd1bm1.jpg

[Robinson]

Thanks for posting the updates. I have one of those C&S fixed rear sights and have had it installed on a couple different revolvers -- never sure if I really liked it or not.

Do you still plan to try out the Bowen Rough Country sight? I'm interested to see how you think it compares.

[Clyde from Carolina]

Great thread. I'll have to pass this on to my buddy and mentor who has a "thing" for the 686. He used to carry them at work and shoot them in competition and he has a hard time not buying one when he runs across them. :-)

Love this forum. Opened this thread for the 686, and got a nice side trip to Webley autos. :cool:

[AdioSS]

Using advice from this old thread, I upgraded the sights on my 686-6.

https://i.imgur.com/jBUxlEwl.jpg

Meprolight Tru-Dot Sure Shot front
Cylinder & Slide Extreme Duty U-Notch fixed rear

[03RN]

Using advice from this old thread, I upgraded the sights on my 686-6.

https://i.imgur.com/jBUxlEwl.jpg

Meprolight Tru-Dot Sure Shot front
Cylinder & Slide Extreme Duty U-Notch fixed rear

Perfect