Re-mounting sight after shortening barrel?

P

Preacherman

New member
Hi, folks. I have a question for those who've done this before.

I've just bought a couple of S&W Model 65's, with 4" barrel and square butt. I plan on modifying them to 3" barrel and round butt. The round-butt conversion I can do myself (hellooooo, Mr. Dremel! :D ), but I have a concern about the barrel shortening.

As you know, the Model 65 has fixed sights. Lopping off an inch of barrel will remove the front sight. I'm thinking of fitting a shotgun bead of the appropriate height (either a TruGlo or an Express Sights bead, with either fiber-optic or tritium illumination). I can get the height to use by measuring either my 3" Model 65 or my 3" Model 13, so that's not a problem.

Has anyone done such a conversion before? If so, how durable has it proven to be? Any problems with the front sight flying off under repeated heavy recoil? Are there any alternatives to a shotgun bead to mount as a front sight?

Thanks in advance for the answers.
 
I've used these methods....

Using a dovetail file to cut a 3/8" dovetail. This allows for some windage adjustment and for switching from a post to bead configuration.

A 1/8" slot milled parallel with the barrel axis on a S&W 625 and using a piece of like thickness steel serrated with a checkering file and retained by a cross pin in the rib. This allows for changing the height as required and also replacement of a damaged sight.

For a round barrel, a band with integral post retained by a cross pin (similar to many military rifles) makes a solid sight. Initial sighting can be done before drilling the crosspin hole ans subsequent windage done by filing the sides of the post.
 
Had this done to my M15 after the PO had a hack partridge installed.
fiberoptic.jpg


Works very well. Too wide for precision work, but the pistol is DAO with a bobbed hammer, smooth trigger, and designed for defense (and CCW when I get the heck out of the PRK!).
 
Some good ideas, but many rely on a barrel shroud. The model 65 doesn't have a shroud - just a good ol' heavy barrel. I think there's enough metal to allow for cutting a dovetail, but with .357 Magnum pressures involved, I think I'll get Clark Custom Guns to look at it and give me a definitive answer!

As for mounting the Weigand sight ramp: yes, that would work for the front sight, but given that there's no rear sight as such - just a sight channel in the frame - I may not be able to use it. I'll do some measuring and find out.

Anyone used a bead-type sight on revolvers? Any feedback?
 
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