Night Sight for a Snubbie Revolver? - Page 2

QKShooter · August 14th, 2009, 11:21 PM

D&L SPORTS Front & Rear - Beautiful work. - Not cheap though.

Eirerogue · August 14th, 2009, 11:32 PM

++1 on M&P340 PD sights as well as the X/S. Fast target acquisition in low light.

retsupt99 · August 15th, 2009, 12:55 AM

Wouldn't be a bad idea. I like night sights on all my SD weapons...great for six-decade old eyes.

Thanis · August 15th, 2009, 01:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by redrick

I love the night sight on mt M&P 340 it almost makes it worth the extra money over a 642.

Agree, only negative IMO of 642, in the 340 vs 642, for most SD situation. However, I'm thinking the $300 saved could go toward laser, and you would still be $100 less than 340.

highoctane · August 15th, 2009, 01:27 AM

Not a revolver but i just put a xs big dot on my g23 and love it! If this is an option its what i would go with.

Gideon · August 15th, 2009, 07:02 PM

I've been researching this too for over a month. The options are limited and really the info out there is "mis-leading". first if the gun doesn't have a pinned front sight you're talking $300-$500 at lease once you pay for the sight, send it to a smith, have the work done and pay for the right home. The D&L sights shown above are the best of the best with nothing close to them but you'll pay as much for them as a new revolver. It's over $500 to get them w/night sight inserts plush shipping.

HOWEVER, if you have an all stainless gun and you're going to keep it for life and then pass it down in the family and can afford it, you'll end up with a true treasure. In my opinion it would be a waste of money to do this with an Airweight because the refinishing options are VERY limited for the frame of the airweights since it's aluminum alloy combined with stainless steel components.

Have a 642; add laser grips or leave it alone and save your money.

If you have something with a pinned front sight then it's easier but I don't think ANYONE who's actually changed a front sight on a J frame will say it's EASY! It's a pain (or it can be) to get the pin out and no matter what sight you buy you often have to do some fitting and you can easily mess the sight up or the gun. Typically you have to drill the new sight and if you mess that up while trying to do it with the new sight clamped in the gun you can ding up your barrel if you're not real careful.

Search the web and you'll find a guy who posted doing it on a 640 with an XS big dot.

They do have XS big dots that fit a 640 but you won't find them on line where you can just buy them, you have to call them and even then there can be some minor fitting required.

There are a number of gunsmiths who can put one on for you and I've talked with several but the cost will be more than a set of LG405 laser grips. So it's a hard choice.

I just bought a 640-1 .357. I'm tempted to try installing a night sight myself which means buying the right sized punch, some new pins, the new sight and a new drill bit. I'm just paranoid though about messing up the gun! Still I think a single night sight up front would be perfect.

I've debated about the LARGE XS big dot or the standard sized XS night sight, or some other regular sized night sight. I think i'd like the normal size sight because it still gives me the night sight i want but the smaller dot will fit the channel a bit better than the larger XS and I want to be able to line it up a tad easier than the larger dot might allow but it's hard to tell since i've never shot the large dot.

I'm determined to find a way to do this as I don't really want to start using lasers on any of my guns.

If I could afford it, I would send my 640 to a gun smith for a complete action job, then get the D&L sights with tritium inserts and then have the entire gun re-finished with a fine bead blast finish and it would be my special revolver for life!!

Good luck on the path you take!

hamlet · August 16th, 2009, 04:19 AM

I have two Colt snubs: Detective and Cobra. I've used orange nail-polish which gives some visibility, but they're old ramped sights part of the body; I like the guns a LOT and do a lot of point-shooting work.

ilts · August 16th, 2009, 07:28 AM

Try nitesighters.com,I put them on 3 of mine including c.a.bulldog

ExSoldier · August 16th, 2009, 09:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EW3

IMO, the XS Big Dot is the best night sight you can get for a snubbie.

Agreed. Don't sweat the rear sights either for a snubbie, you won't be that precise in the dark at any range. I'm probably going to go with the XS Big Dot on my Smith 642.

Brady · August 18th, 2009, 01:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ilts

Try nitesighters.com,I put them on 3 of mine including c.a.bulldog

nitesiters.com

I put them on my Sigma. They have to be charged with a bright light or ultra-violet light before they are any good. When things go bump in the night you don't have time to charge them. I also put them on my other guns that didn't already have white dots.

The one I put on the front blade kept coming off as I carry IWB (warm&moist). I cleaned it over and over and put on another one with the same results.

Any ideas? I thought about covering it with some clear nail polish. Wonder if that would filter out the needed light to charge it?

August 14th, 2009, 11:21 PM	#11
QKShooter Assistant Administrator Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Off Of The X Posts: 23,490	D&L SPORTS Front & Rear - Beautiful work. - Not cheap though. __________________ Liberty/Tyranny ___________________________ Ain't That A Shame! Be Happy! *http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2OG3u...1&feature=fvwp*

August 15th, 2009, 12:55 AM	#13
retsupt99 VIP Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Central Florida Posts: 22,780	Wouldn't be a bad idea. I like night sights on all my SD weapons...great for six-decade old eyes. __________________ "That I cannot do." "Give this to, uh, Clemenza. I want reliable people, people who aren't going to be carried away. After all we're not murderers in spite of what this undertaker thinks." *********************************** NRA Life Member

August 16th, 2009, 07:28 AM	#18
ilts Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: lost in ny state Posts: 20	Try nitesighters.com,I put them on 3 of mine including c.a.bulldog __________________ Always be alert and aware!!!

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August 14th, 2009, 11:32 PM	#12
Eirerogue Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Pasadena, CA Posts: 202	++1 on M&P340 PD sights as well as the X/S. Fast target acquisition in low light.

August 15th, 2009, 01:27 AM	#15
highoctane Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: tn Posts: 614	Not a revolver but i just put a xs big dot on my g23 and love it! If this is an option its what i would go with.

August 15th, 2009, 07:02 PM	#16
Gideon Distinguished Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Missouri Posts: 1,209	I've been researching this too for over a month. The options are limited and really the info out there is "mis-leading". first if the gun doesn't have a pinned front sight you're talking $300-$500 at lease once you pay for the sight, send it to a smith, have the work done and pay for the right home. The D&L sights shown above are the best of the best with nothing close to them but you'll pay as much for them as a new revolver. It's over $500 to get them w/night sight inserts plush shipping. HOWEVER, if you have an all stainless gun and you're going to keep it for life and then pass it down in the family and can afford it, you'll end up with a true treasure. In my opinion it would be a waste of money to do this with an Airweight because the refinishing options are VERY limited for the frame of the airweights since it's aluminum alloy combined with stainless steel components. Have a 642; add laser grips or leave it alone and save your money. If you have something with a pinned front sight then it's easier but I don't think ANYONE who's actually changed a front sight on a J frame will say it's EASY! It's a pain (or it can be) to get the pin out and no matter what sight you buy you often have to do some fitting and you can easily mess the sight up or the gun. Typically you have to drill the new sight and if you mess that up while trying to do it with the new sight clamped in the gun you can ding up your barrel if you're not real careful. Search the web and you'll find a guy who posted doing it on a 640 with an XS big dot. They do have XS big dots that fit a 640 but you won't find them on line where you can just buy them, you have to call them and even then there can be some minor fitting required. There are a number of gunsmiths who can put one on for you and I've talked with several but the cost will be more than a set of LG405 laser grips. So it's a hard choice. I just bought a 640-1 .357. I'm tempted to try installing a night sight myself which means buying the right sized punch, some new pins, the new sight and a new drill bit. I'm just paranoid though about messing up the gun! Still I think a single night sight up front would be perfect. I've debated about the LARGE XS big dot or the standard sized XS night sight, or some other regular sized night sight. I think i'd like the normal size sight because it still gives me the night sight i want but the smaller dot will fit the channel a bit better than the larger XS and I want to be able to line it up a tad easier than the larger dot might allow but it's hard to tell since i've never shot the large dot. I'm determined to find a way to do this as I don't really want to start using lasers on any of my guns. If I could afford it, I would send my 640 to a gun smith for a complete action job, then get the D&L sights with tritium inserts and then have the entire gun re-finished with a fine bead blast finish and it would be my special revolver for life!! Good luck on the path you take!

August 16th, 2009, 04:19 AM	#17
hamlet Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: new york Posts: 126	I have two Colt snubs: Detective and Cobra. I've used orange nail-polish which gives some visibility, but they're old ramped sights part of the body; I like the guns a LOT and do a lot of point-shooting work.