[Notch width on LPA rear sight?]

I have several and I think from the factory they are about .120 but with a SDM front sight there was not enough light on the sides for my old eyes, so I opened it up to about .140 (using 5 inch barrel)

This has worked well, and I do like the large flat rear blade

[Weaver mount (lowest?)]

Thanks all,but all I am looking for is just the Weaver base that bolts to the top strap . I know that Weaver and others make them and from the photos all seem to have differ heights and I am just looking for the lowest one.

[Weaver mount (lowest?)]

I am planning to mount a red dot sight on my 627 that has a Weaver mount on it. I would like to find the lowest sight base adapter ,can anyone advise which sight base adapter might be the lowest?

[38 "Medium" Colt]

I have trimmed over 4k 38 special Federal cases to .900 (38 super length) and they work great. I use the spring steel moon clips from Revolver Supply

for my 627 as I have gone to a magnetic clip holder and at my level they work just as good as the TKC ones, I do use the TKC ones when I use Starline short colt cases as they do hold them just a little tighter. Also the first time I bought 38 short colt cases from Starline I asked

them about the case groove and was told that all 38 special ,long colt and short were the same size.

If you have the cases and time to trim them it is worth it,and right now Starline is out of short colt brass

[Need Load Data for .38 Short Colt / Bayou 160 grn.]

My IRC load was Bayou 160,3.0 gr Solo 1000 with a 1.20 aol. The bullet weighed in at 160.8 for a power factor of 125.

I have been using Solo 1000 for sometime now and really like it, very clean burning. The only problem is it does vary from lot to lot.

[need help finding compatible plain black rear sight for my 686]

Order directly from here

http://www.precisionsalesintl.com/Product/TXT_product_page.html

I have found this sight to be the best.I have been using a .300 SDM front sight for a perfect match

[Which speedloader ? COMP III or Jet]

I am going to build up a new gun for ICORE classic division and need to buy speedloaders. I see comp III and JET are the most popular.

In checking prices at Brownell's The Jets cost a few dollars more ,are they worth the extra money?

Any info would be helpful

[Trimming 38 special cases]

I have been using both Clays and Solo 1000 in both 38 special and 38 short colt cases. I tend to like the Solo 1000 better as recoil seems softer.

As to dies, I see that most use a combination of 38 special and 9mm dies with Dillon machines. I been reloading a long time and have several Star reloader machines and had

a custom set of 38 short colt dies made. Now that I am loading the cut down 38 special case I just backed them out and so far they have been working good

[Trimming 38 special cases]

Thanks for all the good ideas, As I am retired I do have more time than money now so I am going to give trimming a try. Today I made a mandrel that is .880

long to replace the pilot at the end of a Foster trimmer shaft, the case can be slipped over it and pushed in trimming the case. I chucked the trimmer shaft in a 1/2 drill

and held the cases with an old Lee hand priming tool. I was suprised how easy the brass cut . I did about 200 cases and case length was very uniform ,

of course the cases then have to be chamfered and this is also very time consuming .

I then loaded them up with 160 grain round nose Bayou Bullets and did not see any case bulging so this looks like an idea that might work

Thanks again

[Old eyes are getting on my nerves]

Just another thought, I use Smith wraparound eyeglasses with Rx insert set to focus on the handgun front sight . If you are going to shoot TAc Ops you can use a 1x4 or 1x6 scope and set the scope to focus with your glasses on. Also this will allow you to still see the front sight on you r shotgun

This setup is not perfect but at handgun and shotgun range you will be able to identify your target without any problems and have the scope for longer range rifle targets

Adapt and overcome is part of getting old

[Trimming 38 special cases]

I have just started shooting a S&W627 and on the advise of other shooters I have aquirred several hundred 38 short caes. I find these much easier for reloading and ejection than the 38 special cases. But before I buy more short cases,I have searched the forum and found that a 38 special trimmed to .90 maybe just as good. Also right now I have about 6k once fired 38 special cases and if I could just trim them I could save money (new Idea)

Now over the years I have trimmed many rifle cases and have several different trimmers (RCBS and Gracy) but I have never needed to trim pistol cases or this large amount of cases

Is there a trimmer out there that would make this job (somewhat) easier?

Any info would be helpful

[New Sights for S&W 617]

I do not know if the sight height of the 617 is the same as a 627 but I think they are close ,

and that is the exact sights I just put on my 627. The .300 SDM front and the LPA make

a great combination

[627pc trigger job]

If I may ask what hammers have you installed in your 625, and are they mim or forged?

[627pc trigger job]

I have a new 627-5 that bought mainly for steel plates as 8 seems better than 6. Question can the hammer lock parts be removed or is it uneccessary to remove to obtain a better trigger pull. I know very little about the newer Smiths as my 12 or more Smiths all have the firing pin mounted on the hammer.Yes I know I am old

Thanks

[bullets backing out?]

I have found that .468 works very well,I use mostly mixed brass that has been loaded more than once and have found that headstamps with brass made by Remington(R-P, UMC,ect)even though they measure .468 on the outside will sometimes leave the bullet loose. Depending on the type of crimp you use (roll,taper) the thickness of the case will effect how tightly the bullet is held. Also I have found that I sometimes can tell when these cases enter the machine as less effort to size and prime is required , so maybe even the brass is softer than other manufactures brass

[steel challenge with a 6 shot?]

I have only shot several steel challenge matches and at this time all I have is my 625 so I feel you pain, I found this link and found it very helpful. I found the idea of "one shot one plate" to be most helpful.

Here is the link: http://www.krtraining.com/IPSC/Information/steeltips.html

[625 Titanium cylinder]

Thanks for all the good info. I knew it was an older model and there might be a problem. The cylinder is alittle peened but not that bad, I bought the gun about a month ago,it looked alittle rough . I fit a new cylinder stop and am getting ready to replace the floating hand and clean up the action so I thought I might just replace the cylinder at the same time but I do not want to do that much work to make it fit.

[625 Titanium cylinder]

I have a 625-3 will the factory Titanium cylinder fit?

[New rear sight for 625]

I have installed Weigand rear sight blades on 4 S&W revolvers and they all work well. The nice thing about the Weigand rear sight is they are available with different width sight notches.

[Steel Challenge]

Thanks for the replies.I should have waited just a day as last night I received an confirmation e-mail from the 2012 Smith & Wesson US National Steel Championship and it had their 2012 rules. They have no power factor at all and they recommend

shooting slower loads for safety reason as well as for a competitive advantage.

As I really have never shot this type of match I do not know if this just for their match or all Steel Challenge matches

Thanks again

[Steel Challenge]

Thanks. I have some Bayou Bullets(great service and bullets) so I will drop the load back a bit and give it a try

[Steel Challenge]

I have never shot this type of match and am going to try it with my 625. I am going over the ammo rule and all it says is that the ammo must be safe and for the appropriate gun . Then in the scoring section it states that the ammo should have a 120 power factor for the stop plate if they use an impact actuated.

So do I have to load to 120 PF or can I use a lower PF?