Clue me in on SW J frame sights.

Glenn E. Meyer · December 11, 2012, 07:20 PM

Help an old mod's eyes.

I have a 327 Mag J frame with adjustable sights and a pinned front (like a Model 60). However, the old eyes don't like black on black with a gap. I'm thinking about a rear sight with the white U and a front fiber optic. SW seems to sell them.

Opinions? Experience? Options?

It's a neat gun. Fun to shoot and a sweetheart with 32 Longs. Not cheap ammo though.

Nanuk · December 11, 2012, 10:42 PM

Glenn,

I am starting to have the same issues. I like the fiber optic front and plain black rear. I just ordered a set of TFO's for one Glock. I do really like the sights that came on my 640 Pro.

Obambulate · December 12, 2012, 07:48 PM

Sometimes a few drops of the right color paint on the front sight can make a big difference. Bright green or bright orange glow paint is what I use.

Webleymkv · December 12, 2012, 08:41 PM

Even though I'm relatively young, my eyesight is pretty terrible (inherited from my mother). I find that a brightly colored front sight works well for me. In my experience, painting the front sight with white fingernail polish and then painting over that with red fingernail polish makes it stand out very well against a black rear sight.

Brian48 · December 12, 2012, 08:49 PM

Never really thought much about the sights on my Mod 60. I do mostly point shooting and similar drills at close range (7 yards or less) with my jframe. The sights are so small on this thing, I've learned to not rely on it a long time ago. For longer ranges or target shooting, that's what my other guns are for.

bikerbill · December 13, 2012, 09:28 AM

yeah, j-frame sights are terrible, but they really are designed to be useful at the distances you're likely to be using them, say 15 yards in ... target guns they are not, but I've found that practicing has made me a better shot with my 637 over time ..

badge851 · December 13, 2012, 10:33 AM

This is what forks for me..........

Glenn E. Meyer · December 13, 2012, 12:03 PM

Yeah, I thought about painting them and that's what I did on my fixed sights J frame but since the 632 has removable sights, I was thinking about a front fiber and rear White U shaped.

I shoot the black on black OK in the bright sunshine but indoors, it's a problem. Old - sigh.

carguychris · December 13, 2012, 01:51 PM

If S&W makes a white outline rear sight blade in J frame size, it's fairly easy to install it on your revolver; IIRC J frame rear sight blades are a slightly different size than the more common K/L/N blades, but I could be wrong about this.

Swapping the rear blade is not what I would call difficult but it DOES require special tools. From an earlier post of mine...

Quote:

...the job isn't necessarily hard, but you'll need a couple of special tools and a replacement windage adjustment screw and nut; however, the sight blade kit should come with [the screw and nut].

The windage adjustment screw has a countersunk end that is staked to the nut to retain the screw within the sight base. The screw is removed by tightening it until it snaps, then unscrewing it out of the sight blade. To reinstall, you use a special forked tool to hold the nut, tighten it down, and loosen it 1/4 turn to allow it to rotate. The screw is then staked to the nut with a pointed punch. The special forked tool and the punch are available direct from S&W and from companies such as Brownell's.

Two warnings:

1) There is a little bitty spring and plunger on the side of the screw head to provide the "click" micrometer adjustment; these parts are very small and WILL come flying out as the screw is pulled out of the sight base, so be ready to cover them with your thumb, or disassemble the parts inside a plastic bag. [EDIT: some people advise ordering spares as they are relatively cheap.]

2) S&W rear sight blades come in several different heights. Using the wrong one on your revolver may mess up the elevation adjustment range. I recommend calling S&W customer service so they can look up which sight blade is on it now. If you don't do this, you may be the guy posting on this forum to ask why his revolver hits 6" high @ 15yds with the elevation nut cranked all the way down.

OTOH I have been advised not to try installing a pinned S&W front sight myself because the hole for the pin must be drilled through the new sight while it's installed in the barrel. Without a drill press and a good deal of skill using it, IMHO this is best left to a gunsmith.

Nanuk · December 13, 2012, 02:53 PM

These are the sights on the 640 Pro.

Glenn E. Meyer · December 13, 2012, 04:06 PM

Nanuk - that's what I'm talking about. More info on them? Where did you get them, etc.

Thanks so much.

Alnamvet68 · December 14, 2012, 08:51 AM

You may want to consider www.dlsports.com

pic_2008_01_06_jframe_007_large.jpg

pic_2007_12_02_jframe_192_large.jpg

pic_2007_12_02_jframe_187_large.jpg

carguychris · December 14, 2012, 09:43 AM

Quote:

Nanuk - that's what I'm talking about. More info on them? Where did you get them, etc.

AFAIK the topstrap and barrel of the M640 Pro and the hammerless version of the M632 (sku# 178046) are specially dovetailed to accept standard M&P sights. I've not seen this verified in an official press release or anything, but I remember some folks on the S&W forum saying that these revolvers come with the same sights that are used on the M&P9/40c.

The dovetails are visible in the profile view of the M632 on the S&W website:

http://www.smith-wesson.com/webapp/w...layErrorView_Y

I have no idea what it would take to install these on a revolver designed to take a standard S&W target sight base. The sights referenced in Alnamvet68's post or a set of Cylinder & Slide "Extreme Duty" sights would probably be easier to install.

Nanuk · December 14, 2012, 01:15 PM

Glenn,

Those sights on J frames are specific to the Pro series. They are crisp and clear. From what I read at S&W a standard model 60 does not have the thickness for the milling for THIS sight set up.

http://www.dlsports.com/dl_jframe_sw_sights.html

These folks may be able to help you.

Alnamvet...just saw your link........Great minds think alike.....

Glenn E. Meyer · December 14, 2012, 01:26 PM

Thanks!

Glenn

December 11, 2012, 07:20 PM	#1
Glenn E. Meyer Senior Member Join Date: November 17, 2000 Posts: 20,064	Clue me in on SW J frame sights. Help an old mod's eyes. I have a 327 Mag J frame with adjustable sights and a pinned front (like a Model 60). However, the old eyes don't like black on black with a gap. I'm thinking about a rear sight with the white U and a front fiber optic. SW seems to sell them. Opinions? Experience? Options? It's a neat gun. Fun to shoot and a sweetheart with 32 Longs. Not cheap ammo though. __________________ NRA, TSRA, IDPA, NTI, Polite Soc. - Aux Armes, Citoyens

December 11, 2012, 10:42 PM	#2
Nanuk Senior Member Join Date: January 2, 2005 Location: Where the deer and the antelope roam. Posts: 3,082	Glenn, I am starting to have the same issues. I like the fiber optic front and plain black rear. I just ordered a set of TFO's for one Glock. I do really like the sights that came on my 640 Pro. __________________ Retired Law Enforcement U. S. Army Veteran Armorer My rifle and pistol are tools, I am the weapon.

December 12, 2012, 08:49 PM	#5
Brian48 Senior Member Join Date: December 21, 2001 Location: Boston, People's Republic of MA Posts: 1,615	Never really thought much about the sights on my Mod 60. I do mostly point shooting and similar drills at close range (7 yards or less) with my jframe. The sights are so small on this thing, I've learned to not rely on it a long time ago. For longer ranges or target shooting, that's what my other guns are for. __________________ Proud to have served.

December 13, 2012, 09:28 AM	#6
bikerbill Senior Member Join Date: September 19, 2007 Location: Lago Vista TX Posts: 2,425	yeah, j-frame sights are terrible, but they really are designed to be useful at the distances you're likely to be using them, say 15 yards in ... target guns they are not, but I've found that practicing has made me a better shot with my 637 over time .. __________________ "The welfare of humanity is always the alibi of tyrants." Albert Camus

December 13, 2012, 10:33 AM	#7
badge851 Senior Member Join Date: April 25, 2005 Location: Olympia, WA Posts: 326	This is what forks for me.......... __________________ Only two defining forces have ever died for you: 1. Jesus Christ. 2. The American Soldier, Sailor, Airman, & Marine. One died for your soul, the other for your freedom.

December 12, 2012, 07:48 PM	#3
Obambulate Senior Member Join Date: February 22, 2011 Posts: 582	Sometimes a few drops of the right color paint on the front sight can make a big difference. Bright green or bright orange glow paint is what I use.

December 12, 2012, 08:41 PM	#4
Webleymkv Senior Member Join Date: July 20, 2005 Location: Indiana Posts: 10,446	Even though I'm relatively young, my eyesight is pretty terrible (inherited from my mother). I find that a brightly colored front sight works well for me. In my experience, painting the front sight with white fingernail polish and then painting over that with red fingernail polish makes it stand out very well against a black rear sight.

December 13, 2012, 12:03 PM	#8
Glenn E. Meyer Senior Member Join Date: November 17, 2000 Posts: 20,064	Yeah, I thought about painting them and that's what I did on my fixed sights J frame but since the 632 has removable sights, I was thinking about a front fiber and rear White U shaped. I shoot the black on black OK in the bright sunshine but indoors, it's a problem. Old - sigh. __________________ NRA, TSRA, IDPA, NTI, Polite Soc. - Aux Armes, Citoyens

December 13, 2012, 04:06 PM	#11
Glenn E. Meyer Senior Member Join Date: November 17, 2000 Posts: 20,064	Nanuk - that's what I'm talking about. More info on them? Where did you get them, etc. Thanks so much. __________________ NRA, TSRA, IDPA, NTI, Polite Soc. - Aux Armes, Citoyens

December 14, 2012, 08:51 AM	#12
Alnamvet68 Member Join Date: December 13, 2012 Posts: 27	You may want to consider www.dlsports.com pic_2008_01_06_jframe_007_large.jpg pic_2007_12_02_jframe_192_large.jpg pic_2007_12_02_jframe_187_large.jpg

December 14, 2012, 01:15 PM	#14
Nanuk Senior Member Join Date: January 2, 2005 Location: Where the deer and the antelope roam. Posts: 3,082	Glenn, Those sights on J frames are specific to the Pro series. They are crisp and clear. From what I read at S&W a standard model 60 does not have the thickness for the milling for THIS sight set up. http://www.dlsports.com/dl_jframe_sw_sights.html These folks may be able to help you. Alnamvet...just saw your link........Great minds think alike..... __________________ Retired Law Enforcement U. S. Army Veteran Armorer My rifle and pistol are tools, I am the weapon.

December 14, 2012, 01:26 PM	#15
Glenn E. Meyer Senior Member Join Date: November 17, 2000 Posts: 20,064	Thanks! Glenn __________________ NRA, TSRA, IDPA, NTI, Polite Soc. - Aux Armes, Citoyens

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