LPA rear sight for S&W

[HighVelocity]

I recently replaced the rear sight on my 686 with the LPA replacement sight. I really like the wide black target blade. On the front, I have a red SDM FO that's .250" high.

With a 10 yard zero using 158gr bullet, I have the rear sight almost bottomed out. There may be 2-3 clicks left. If I replace the .250" front with a .300" front, Am I going to have to jack up the rear like a 72 El Camino with air shocks? How dramatic will the adjustment have to be? The reason I ask is that I broke the FO on my .250 and already have a spare .300 in the toolbox but it's not drilled yet. I'll just order another .250 if changing the height will create adjustment problems.

Thanks,

Gary

[Tom Mainus]

How did you break the front sight? If it is just the rod itself, you can order replacements without changing the whole sight.

http://www.fiberopticproducts.com/Flourescent.htm

Tom

[HighVelocity]

Not sure how I broke it. I must have hit it on a barricade last weekend. The SDM fiber optic rod is staked in. It's not a pull through and melt deal like most fiber optic sights.

[Carmoney]

You can still replace the F/O rod in an SDM sight, you just have to glue the front end of the new rod it in place, then expand the rear end of it with a lighter.

Or, better yet, drill the sight all the way through so you can more easily change out the F/O in the future.

I've done both of these options, neither is particularly hard.

[Carmoney]

To more directly answer your question, though, it sounds like the .300" SDM sight would be a better choice anyway.

[Round_Gun_Shooter]

You never told us or I missed the barrel length but it sounds like the .300 is what you want. That is the combo I use on the 25-2 with a 6" barrel. I like the LPAs but I usually widen the notch a little for a better sight picture. Also, I zero at 25 yards

Edited March 28, 2008 by Round_Gun_Shooter

[HighVelocity]

Thanks for the tips guys. The barrel is a 4" (max idpa for revo). It's pretty rare that I see shots past 20 yards around here but I do practice on the 25 yard plate rack at Haltom City Rifle and Pistol club with it and POI with the 10yard zero hasn't been an issue.

I especially like the idea of drilling the sight all the way through. That sounds like the best solution all the way around.

THanks,

Gary

[DMG]

Thanks for the tips guys. The barrel is a 4" (max idpa for revo). It's pretty rare that I see shots past 20 yards around here but I do practice on the 25 yard plate rack at Haltom City Rifle and Pistol club with it and POI with the 10yard zero hasn't been an issue.

I especially like the idea of drilling the sight all the way through. That sounds like the best solution all the way around.

THanks,

Gary

Gary: I really like the idea of drilling through as well. If you do it, let me know how it turns out. David G.

[Carmoney]

Gary: I really like the idea of drilling through as well. If you do it, let me know how it turns out. David G.

Somebody needs to tell Scott Mulkerin he should change the design of his front sights so they're drilled through. Redmist knows him....maybe he can tell him!

[MichiganShootist]

I told Scott that 2 years ago and he said that he thought that the "bulge on the front of a sight that was drilled through was just plain ugly".... a little artistic view I felt.

So I'm guessing he hasn't changed his POV. I have a bunch of his front sights installed and I have drilled them all. That does leave VERY little metal and they can be flattened or bent pretty easy if you happen to bump a wall or such very hard.

But you can change a FO element in a minute which has saved my butt a couple times. There is nothing like pulling out your 625 at LAMR and seeing that the FO element is gone:(

[mwx40x40]

Gary: I really like the idea of drilling through as well. If you do it, let me know how it turns out. David G.

Somebody needs to tell Scott Mulkerin he should change the design of his front sights so they're drilled through. Redmist knows him....maybe he can tell him!

While we are at it. Does anybody have any connections with LPA? It would be cool it they had a wide notch option.

[Carmoney]

But you can change a FO element in a minute which has saved my butt a couple times. There is nothing like pulling out your 625 at LAMR and seeing that the FO element is gone:(

Yep, I've had that happen. I alway go ahead and shoot, and the funny thing is, even though I'm aware of the difference, I do perfectly fine looking at a black serrated blade with a hole in it!

I talked to Jerry about this phenomenon once, and he told me sometimes he will switch to a different front sight just before a big match (i.e. red to green, green to gold bead, etc.) because it helps him re-establish his visual focus on the front sight where it belongs.

Maybe the "iron sight of the future" is a fiber-optic sight that changes color before every stage. Let's get Bob Perdue going on this......