JAB Posted March 9, 2020 Share Posted March 9, 2020 So I have this 686 sitting in the safe for the last 7 or 8 years never shot it I got on a trade but the person never told me it had one of these plastic adjustable front sight on it. I hate them I bern told from a gunsmith that I'm prity much stuck with them because of how smith and Wesson put them on the barrel. My other choice I can see would be to cut the barrel shorter and put on the sights I want but living up here in Canada finding a good gunsmith is like picking the winning ticket for the lottery and then there the cost $$$$ so I thought that someone on here might know if a new type of sight can be put on sorry I dont have a picture of it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RePete Posted March 9, 2020 Share Posted March 9, 2020 To castrate the barrel, to remove the front sight, make it a tad shorter than 4" - prohib. A friend found that out. You have 2 choices. 1. Find a 6" barrel for your model and have it cut and installed. It will be harder to find the barrel. 2. Sell the gun and buy another one. The better option. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
10mmdave Posted March 9, 2020 Share Posted March 9, 2020 Really like to see a pic of this "plastic" sight ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toolguy Posted March 9, 2020 Share Posted March 9, 2020 Me too. I can't visualize which one that would be. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Powder Finger Posted March 9, 2020 Share Posted March 9, 2020 sounds like the old 4 position "metal animals" gun. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cuz Posted March 9, 2020 Share Posted March 9, 2020 I have one too. It’s for silhouette shooting. You can set 4 different heights for specific distances and then it’s easy to rotate the wheel under the sight for each sight. I haven’t shot mine in years. My kids will someday get to figure out what to do with it. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RePete Posted March 9, 2020 Share Posted March 9, 2020 Also it was used in PPC. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toolguy Posted March 9, 2020 Share Posted March 9, 2020 The silhouette sight is made of steel. It is not plastic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tampa-XD45 Posted March 9, 2020 Share Posted March 9, 2020 Check out page 3 of this thread for pics of the old front wheel sight: https://www.smithandwessonforums.com/forum/s-w-revolvers-1945-present/2782-686-adjustable-front-sight-3.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ysrracer Posted March 9, 2020 Share Posted March 9, 2020 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cuz Posted March 9, 2020 Share Posted March 9, 2020 Yup, that’s it. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RangerMcFadden Posted March 10, 2020 Share Posted March 10, 2020 I’m not a gunsmith or machinist but if you really wanted it looks like you could mill out some metal an install a GP100 style front sight. Might be cheaper to buy a new one though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
10mmdave Posted March 10, 2020 Share Posted March 10, 2020 Yeah, don't think that's plastic. Maybe the owner has a collectable here and can figure a trade of some sort to get what he wants/needs? If not then I'm sure there's enough meat there to install a Weigand sight base and snap in front sight. Might look a bit funky but it should work. Good luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RePete Posted March 10, 2020 Share Posted March 10, 2020 (edited) This is a 6" 686 that I had castrated to just under 4.25", and still restricted, and the Weigand front sight base installed, along with a HiViz sight. Edited March 10, 2020 by RePete Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JAB Posted March 19, 2020 Author Share Posted March 19, 2020 Ysrracer that's the front sight is there any collectors value to this gun they way it is Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ysrracer Posted March 20, 2020 Share Posted March 20, 2020 8 hours ago, JAB said: Ysrracer that's the front sight is there any collectors value to this gun they way it is No clue, I just posted the picture. Sorry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cuz Posted March 20, 2020 Share Posted March 20, 2020 Search it on gunbroker and you can easily find out. Personally, I don’t think so. Does anyone even shoot silhouette or PPC anymore. I haven’t touched mine in over 10 years. My kids can figure out what to do with it someday. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
686 Posted May 12 Share Posted May 12 I know this thread is old..but..here's what I did and solved 2 issues.. 686-4..plus...4" barrel fixed front sight Swapped in a 3 inch barrel with adjustable front sight I'm sure you know the barrels screw in.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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