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Replacement Sight S&W Model 10

3K views 6 replies 5 participants last post by  Salmon278 
#1 ·
Hi folks, I have been trying to find a front sight for a pre model 10 S&W 38 special. The gun was made in 1943 and had a 6 inch barrel. Someone bobbed the barrel and now it is just 4.5 inches. I had a gunsmith look at it and he said the barrel is too thin to mill a groove for a dovetail type sight. There was a rather modern looking sight epoxied to the barrel. The smith was able to remove the sight and now I am looking for something that would look more "1943ish". A half moon would be great but it has to have a base that can be epoxied onto the barrel which means the base has to have a curve.

I still have the old sight but it really looked bizarre and the former owner had filed the blade so low it is not useable.

I have looked online at such places as Brownells, Midway, Numrich and checked the auction sites such as ********* and eBay. So far no luck. Does anyone have a lead on where I might find the sight as described? Thanks for any help.
 
#2 ·
Your gunsmith should be able to fabricate one. They use to be blanks available. It is just a matter of silver soldering it to the barrel (that is the easy part). The trick is getting the correct height to adjust the point of impact compounded by the fact the barrel has been shortened and there is only a "v" in the top strap of the pistol for a rear sight. A direct replacement will be very hard to find, short of cutting one off another barrel. I have an old Harrington Richardson revolver that actually has an Indian Head penny for a front sight, just the way I bought it.
 
#3 ·
Like TyeDye1971, my first thought was half a coin - probably a nickel to get the thickness right. It would be easier to cut and file to the correct height than steel.

Also like TyeDye, I thought silver-soldering was generally used for this kind of repair. Is epoxy superior now?
 
#4 ·
Making your own from a blank is a better plan, anyway. You can have it made high, which will make it shoot low, and then file down to raise point of impact.
 
#5 · (Edited)
Silver solder will require a reblue of the barrel. JB weld or similar epoxy can attach the sight without screwing up the blue.

Epoxy, done correctly, will hold. BUT (ain't there always a but?) I bought a used gun with the front sight attached (and broken off from)epoxy. The silver-solder replacement has not come lose.


edit: don't you hate it when you find typos the next day?
 
#6 ·
You can take a piece of probably 3/8 inch black steel pipe and cut length wise slices out of it. You wind up with arched strip of metal. You can make them big enough around to wrap most of the barrel which is stronger or you can take smaller pieces that can be glued or soldered on. I use Gorilla Glue mixed with graphite because it swells as it dries. I suppose you could Dremel a 1/2×1/8 slot in the base to hold a piece of 1/2×1/8 steel. I have not done this. What I do is thread one of the pieces for a screw. I use 10×32 nylon screws which show up great in the woods but is horrible against white paper. If I use a big enough section of pipe I can rotate it to set windage and clamp it with the screw and put a little glue under it. The screw can be cut drown to adjust elevation. You can practice and fool around with small CPVC pipe and other screws.
 
#7 ·
Hey folks, thanks for the replies. Looks like I will be downstairs in my shop fabricating a sight. I was hoping I could purchase something but given your answers it seems something made by myself or a smith is the way to go. I'll let you know how I make out but it will not be until this winter. Too many fish to catch right now!
 
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