Airedale Posted September 2, 2011 Share Posted September 2, 2011 I am prepping a 686 no dash for ICORE retro. I would like to install a FO front sight. The front on this is a pinned .160 height sight. I can't find this height anywhere. S&W says they don't exist. Any ideas? Thanks, Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toolguy Posted September 2, 2011 Share Posted September 2, 2011 (edited) If you have some room to go down on the rear sight you could use a .150 front, if not then a .200 front. Or you could get a custom one made. Or get that one made into a F/O sight. Edited September 2, 2011 by Toolguy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anachronism Posted September 2, 2011 Share Posted September 2, 2011 You have a pinned front sight on an early 686? Mine's machined as part of the barrel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Airedale Posted September 2, 2011 Author Share Posted September 2, 2011 You have a pinned front sight on an early 686? Mine's machined as part of the barrel. Yup- Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chirpy Posted September 2, 2011 Share Posted September 2, 2011 Don't remember if mine is dased or not but it doesn't have a pinned in sight! I had the FO front dovetailed in. Richard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Airedale Posted September 2, 2011 Author Share Posted September 2, 2011 Mine is an ACM prefix. The SCSW puts it about 1983. Brownells has a Hiviz J frame pinned sight with .150 height. Anyone know if this can be fitted? Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Palmetto Sharpshooter Posted September 4, 2011 Share Posted September 4, 2011 You must have a 6-inch barrel. If you swap it out with a taller front sight, the fix would be to install a taller rear sight also. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bushman66 Posted October 3, 2011 Share Posted October 3, 2011 I just put a Dawson Precision sight on my 4" 686-5. Didn't even have to adjust the rear sight after the install. DP only lists the one sight for S&W 686's. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Boudrie Posted October 3, 2011 Share Posted October 3, 2011 If you have no dash of a 586 or 686, check for a M below the 686 under the yolk. If it's not there, you need a free replacement of the hammer nose bushing under the recall of about 20 years ago (send it to S&W off-season and they will do it for free). S&W cautions that failure to have this replaced can cause problems when used with 357 loads. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
COF Posted October 3, 2011 Share Posted October 3, 2011 I replaced the front sight ramp on my 686 with a Weigand (http://www.jackweigand.com/interfs.html) sight ramp You just mill off the sight ramp front ramp and replace with a the Weigand sight ramp. Then you can use any DX Classic front sight. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom E Posted October 3, 2011 Share Posted October 3, 2011 You have a pinned front sight on an early 686? Mine's machined as part of the barrel. Yup- Dave This looks like the .168 S&W also uses on the 617's. Measure your rear blade to see what height it is. It's worth adjusting your front blade height to allow using a .160 rear. It has a deeper notch (and give a better sight picture) than the shorter rear blades. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
earplug Posted October 8, 2011 Share Posted October 8, 2011 Buy a plain S&W front sight blade and a collection of fiber optic rods from a shop such as Midway. Cost less then $20.00 Fit the sight to the barrel, drill it for the correct roll pin. I have upsized to a 1/16. Easy to find. Put it in a vice and use a center drill to get a hole started lengthwise for the fiber rod. Then finish drilling the hole for the optic rod. File or dremel across the sight to uncover the hole you drilled and leave some steel to support and hold the fiber optic. I like to have the fiber resting on the bottom for strength in case I knock it on something such a the top of a firing port. I like to leave at least two spots on the steel sight slotted length wise to squeeze the fiber rod to hold it in place. Rear of the fiber rod is melted into the center drill hole recess. You can use cold blue or a torch and oil to reblue before installing the sight and rod. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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