Thoughts on the LPA rear sight?

[matteekay]

I've always ignored these because they don't look like they're meant for standard S&W revolvers, but I guess they just added a shroud to the standard mount. Anyone use one? Any advantage over a stock unit with a Weigand blade?

[Toolguy]

To my eyes, they are the best S&W rear sight ever. Amazingly, they work with the normal front sight (on my guns at least). It looks like they would be too tall, but somehow they're not. They have a new model out now, with a little pic rail on it, so you can mount an EDC red dot without removing the rear sight if you want to change back and forth. Also, they come in plain black or fiber optic.

Edited May 21, 2022 by Toolguy

[21 shooter]

Ive seen several 617’s at Steel Challenge matches.  With the fiber optic front/rear they are fast.  I use a fiber optic rear on an L frame Smith and it works really well. 

[radny97]

I love them 

[AzShooter]

Best rear sightI've ever used.  I mated it with a Dawson Precision front sight and it lets me pick it up very fast.  It's especially good for Steel Challenge shooting.  Makes it easier to see the front sight.

Edited May 22, 2022 by AzShooter

[Squirrel45]

Would you guys think this is superior to the rough country sight?  

52 minutes ago, AzShooter said:

Best rear sigh I've ever used.  I mated it with a Dawson Precision front sight and it lets me pick it up very fast.  It's especially good for Steel Challenge shooting.  Makes it easier to see the front sight.

 

[matteekay]

Appreciate all the feedback! Definitely going to look into them.

 

On 5/21/2022 at 7:24 PM, Squirrel45 said:

Would you guys think this is superior to the rough country sight?  

 

 

Personally, I didn't like the adjustment method on the Rough Country. Mine also loosened under fairly mild recoil.

[DS-10-SPEED]

I have one on my 617-2, I like it but I had to modify the LPA to work with the stock front sight. I don't like taller front sights so I milled out some material on the base of the LPA to get it sighted in. I first tried it on my 4" 617-6 (in first picture) but it was still a little high, it worked better on my 6" 617-2.

 

Edited May 23, 2022 by DS-10-SPEED
Added info.

[Mountain09]

Had a great experience with them !

[GMM50]

6 hours ago, DS-10-SPEED said:

I have one on my 617-2, I like it but I had to modify the LPA to work with the stock front sight. I don't like taller front sights so I milled out some material on the base of the LPA to get it sighted in. I first tried it on my 4" 617-6 (in first picture) but it was still a little high, it worked better on my 6" 617-2.

 

His revolver had a short barrel (4 inch I think, and a low profile front sight) and the stock LPA rear would not go down far enough.  But it could me machined to go lower.  Unusual combination.

[Carmoney]

I personally find the LPA product to be rather unsightly on a S&W revolver, but they work perfectly well.  Fiber-optics in a rear sight is a dumb idea, in my view--the last thing you want to attract your focus is the rear sight blade.  

 

Weigand blades are OK, but they have three flaws:  (1) hassle to install, (2) wiggle around, and (3) the edges turn silver when the anodizing wears off, and you can't touch them up with cold blue.  I would like the Weigand blades a lot more if they fit a little better and they were made out of steel.  

[pskys2]

41 minutes ago, Carmoney said:

I personally find the LPA product to be rather unsightly on a S&W revolver, but they work perfectly well.  Fiber-optics in a rear sight is a dumb idea, in my view--the last thing you want to attract your focus is the rear sight blade.  

 

Weigand blades are OK, but they have three flaws:  (1) hassle to install, (2) wiggle around, and (3) the edges turn silver when the anodizing wears off, and you can't touch them up with cold blue.  I would like the Weigand blades a lot more if they fit a little better and they were made out of steel.  

Agreed, the wiggle doesn't seem to cause any accuracy but frets my OCD!  There is an Aluminum Black solution that works though.

[matteekay]

3 hours ago, Carmoney said:

Weigand blades are OK, but they have three flaws:  (1) hassle to install, (2) wiggle around...

 

Yes! They seem to go one way or the other - the one on my V-Comp has that up/down wiggle and the one on my hooptie is so tight it barely moves. 

 

 

2 hours ago, pskys2 said:

Agreed, the wiggle doesn't seem to cause any accuracy but frets my OCD!  There is an Aluminum Black solution that works though.

 

Glad it's not just me, lol. I use Aluminum Black, too. It doesn't seem to take as well as cold blue does to steel but it works well enough.