Options for improving an integrated S&W front sight?

[HeavyDuty]

I have a S&W 619 that I’m quite fond of, but it suffers from the usual silver on silver sight picture. It has the integrated front ramp, on the shroud in this case.

What are my options for improving the front sight picture? I saw the XS Big Dot in mmc45414‘s J frame thread, but I think I’d prefer a pinned front blade, possibly a Patridge with gold bead like I have on my 69. For the time being I plan to paint the ramp bright orange over white to see how I get along with that, and I may also play around with chemically blackening the rear sight trough and face.

I remember years ago seeing people who added a tritium dot below the center of the rear notch, but I haven’t seen that in a while so it may not have been a good idea long term.

I know the best way of improving the sights is to get an adjustable sighted 620, but I have a thing for heavy barrel 3” and 4” S&W revolvers and would like to tweak this one a little to improve the usability.

[Tennessee Jed]

I will be following this, because I've got an S&W 65 that I love, but as I get older, that front sight gets harder to see.

The only solution I've come up with so far, which actually works pretty well, is raiding my teenage daughter's fingernail polish collection. Black polish on the rear sight, and white then neon-freaking-yellow on the front sight.

I like fingernail polish better than other paints, because the polish hardens and seems less susceptible to wear. Also very easy to remove if you want to try a different color later.

However, if you go this route, keep in mind that polish hardens with some thickness to it. First time I used polish, I couldn't figure out why my 65 seemed to always shoot low. Later, I realized that I effectively raised the front sight with that polish.

[Totem Polar]

My eyes are probably worse than both of yours. What I’ve found out: cylinder and slide will dovetail whatever front you want and hog out the rear notch for you, and do a good job (I had a C&S M10 with a dovetail gold bead). It’s not inexpensive, but neither are new guns. At some point, my 3" M65 will go to them for a big dot XS, and milling an integral u-notch to match.

Other than that, I’ve gone to other brands, namely Ruger, Colt, and Kimber—all of whom are embarrassing S&W with sight upgrades.

I sold my beloved Denny R-tuned NY-1 to a buddy here, rather than chop up the gun with dovetails. Since the 3" M65 is on my short "only one gun" list, I’ll go ahead and ugly it up.

JMO.

[HeavyDuty]

My eyes are probably worse than both of yours. What I’ve found out: cylinder and slide will dovetail whatever front you want and hog out the rear notch for you, and do a good job (I had a C&S M10 with a dovetail gold bead). It’s not inexpensive, but neither are new guns. At some point, my 3" M65 will go to them for a big dot XS, and milling an integral u-notch to match.

Other than that, I’ve gone to other brands, namely Ruger, Colt, and Kimber—all of whom are embarrassing S&W with sight upgrades.

I sold my beloved Denny R-tuned NY-1 to a buddy here, rather than chop up the gun with dovetails. Since the 3" M65 is on my short "only one gun" list, I’ll go ahead and ugly it up.

JMO.

Interesting - it looks like about $150 if I’m reading their page right (SR048 + SR300.) Including shipping, maybe $200?

[Totem Polar]

Interesting - it looks like about $150 if I’m reading their page right (SR048 + SR300.) Including shipping, maybe $200?

I seem to remember it being more like 3 and change, but I may have been adding DAO conversion or something. I’ll see if I can find the email they sent me.

[Tennessee Jed]

Watch out for those shipping charges. I am no way an expert on this topic, although I do remember having to spend hundreds on shipping my S&W 65 from TN to Denny Reichart in Indiana for a trigger job. I recall that FedEx required it to be shipped overnight/next morning, and that was the only way I could ship it.

[BN]

Is the front sight pinned? If so, just replace it with the sight of your choice.

Here is what I had my local gunsmith do to my Model 15. He removed the old sight, cut a Novak dovetail and installed a 1911 sight and cut it to the correct height.

[HeavyDuty]

Is the front sight pinned? If so, just replace it with the sight of your choice.

Here is what I had my local gunsmith do to my Model 15. He removed the old sight, cut a Novak dovetail and installed a 1911 sight and cut it to the correct height.

Nope, not pinned - it’s like a HB 10, 13, 64 or 65. The only difference is that it’s a shrouded barrel.

I sent C&S an email, let’s see what they say.

[Totem Polar]

I sent C&S an email, let’s see what they say.

Here's what they told me last year:

You have a couple options for an improved sight picture on a S&W fixed sight revolver:



Option 1 –



Install XS standard or big dot dovetail front sight on integral front model = $165.00 (includes cost of sight)

#SR106 Machine ½ ghost ring rear sight cut on fixed sight rear model = $105.00



Option 2 –



#SR058 C&S Extreme Duty rear sight with C&S dovetail front sight installed on fixed sight S&W K, L, or N frame = $389.85 (includes cost of sights)

This rear sight can be opened up to work with an XS big dot front, the XS standard dot fits in the U-notch rear (same sight setup as on the S&W Night Guard revolvers). Specify the U-notch rear if you want to run the XS standard dot or big dot. Otherwise we’ll use the standard square notch version in plain black or white dots, your choice. Front sight inserts available for additional cost: white dot = $35.00, fiber optic = $86.00, tritium = $112.95, gold bead = $163.34

Test fire = $44.50

[HeavyDuty]

Here's what they told me last year:

You have a couple options for an improved sight picture on a S&W fixed sight revolver:



Option 1 –



Install XS standard or big dot dovetail front sight on integral front model = $165.00 (includes cost of sight)

#SR106 Machine ½ ghost ring rear sight cut on fixed sight rear model = $105.00



Option 2 –



#SR058 C&S Extreme Duty rear sight with C&S dovetail front sight installed on fixed sight S&W K, L, or N frame = $389.85 (includes cost of sights)

This rear sight can be opened up to work with an XS big dot front, the XS standard dot fits in the U-notch rear (same sight setup as on the S&W Night Guard revolvers). Specify the U-notch rear if you want to run the XS standard dot or big dot. Otherwise we’ll use the standard square notch version in plain black or white dots, your choice. Front sight inserts available for additional cost: white dot = $35.00, fiber optic = $86.00, tritium = $112.95, gold bead = $163.34

Test fire = $44.50

Thanks! I’m liking option 1...