Broke the rear sight on my new 686, help me out

[SIGfiend]

I broke the rear adjustable blade sight (with the upside-down, white, "U-shape" sight). I dropped the belt which had the gun holstered in it. The holster protected the rest of the gun but the exposed rear sight took damage and bent. I tried unbending it and it broke off.

How do I remove it?

I tried to take it off by turning the adjustment screw to either of the ends and it wouldn't come off that way...

 

[Standing Wolf]

Contact the good folks at: http://www.millettsights.com

Their sights are much better than Smith & Wesson's.

 

[dfariswheel]

The S&W rear sight is riveted together.
You'll have to buy a rear sight windage screw and blade KIT. You cannot use JUST the blade.
The kit contains a new rear sight blade, a windage screw, and a tiny windage screw nut.

You have to order the kit to fit your Model AND barrel length of revolver.

Here's how to change out the blade:

First, the S&W windage screw is designed to break during disassembly.
You MUST have a properly fitted gunsmith's screwdriver to disassemble the sight. The S&W screwdriver that comes with the gun usually WON'T do.

Screw the windage screw all the way over counterclockwise until it stops.
TWIST the screw farther counterclockwise until the windage screw shears.
The screw has a weakened area in the center, so it will break cleanly in half.

Remove the windage screw by tapping gently on the bench until the screw comes out far enough to be pulled the rest of the way. CAREFUL, don't loose the tiny spring and plunger under the screw head.

Push out the other half of the windage screw, and remove the sight blade.

Clean the sight and apply a coat of lube to everything.

Screw the new windage screw onto the new sight blade.

Insert the tiny spring and plunger into the sight base and depress and hold it.

Insert the windage screw and sight blade into the base, being sure the spring and plunger are in proper place.

Put the new, tiny windage screw nut onto the windage screw and tighten it down with a S&W sight spanner, or a pair of needle-nosed tweezers until it stops turning.

Back the nut OFF 1/4 turn.

Use a ROUNDED OFF, large center punch to rivet the end of the windage screw, locking the nut in place. Rest the windage screw's head on a brass block while riveting the nut in place.

 

[Preacherman]

I strongly second Standing Wolf's recommendation to use a Millett rear sight to replace the S&W unit. It gives a much superior sight picture, and doesn't mess around with inserts that can break. Highly recommended.

 

[Tom C.]

Parts to fix your S&W sight are available from Brownell's. Substitute sights, like the Millett, are also available from Brownell's. Peruse the catalog and enjoy.

 

[bdhawk]

i agree with the millett recomendation. i have the white outline sights on my S&W 586. they are awesome.

 

[Standing Wolf]

dfariswheel:

Thanks, eh? I knew a very little of all that, but hadn't ever seen the whole story. Whew!

 

[Tony Mig]

Another option is the Williams Fire Sights. They use the fiber optic beads on both the front and rear sights. I put a set on a Ruger GP-100 that I use for Bullseye Matches, and they really helped.

I assume they make a set for the 686, and I'll be looking into it as I plan to sell the GP-100, and replace it with a 6" 686 as my centerfire Bullseye gun.

 

[SIGfiend]

another thing to factor into the equation; can any of the aforementioned sights here withstand the drop that felled my last set of sights (i.e. is it more rugged and durable)?

 

[WT]

Now you know why self defense experts do not recommend an adjustable sight on a pistol.

 

[riverdog]

You may want to consider replacing the adjustable sight with a SMITH & WESSON EXTREME DUTY SIGHT. Never tried it, but it looks much more robust that the standard S&W rear sight.

 

[SIGfiend]

thanks for the help river, that one you showed is a little pricey for just a set of sights that arent even iridium, and i dont want to have to cut apart the gun to fit it...

are there any other reasonably priced, robust, fixed rear sights i can buy to replace this with?

 

[dfariswheel]

I don't think so.
Adding a fixed sight to an adjustable sighted revolver isn't too popular, so nobody else sells any.

One question to ask: How many times do you plan on dropping your revolver?

I ask this, because other than dropping on a hard floor, there isn't much that goes wrong with sights.

Truth is, drop ANY sight on a hard floor and it's going to get damaged, and fixed sights are NO exception.
True, a fixed MAY take more of this, but again, how many drops do you plan on?

Replacement sights by Millet and others are nice, but no more resistant to drops than the original S&W sight.

You can protect your sights better by buying a holster with a built-in sight protector.
This is an extension on the top of the holster that partially covers the rear sight, and both protects it from damage, and prevents the sight from wearing holes in your clothes.

My suggestion is, just replace the broken blade, save the money you'd spend on a replacement, and buy ammo.

 

[SIGfiend]

i believe the blade cant be replaced in the OEM sight...so far i stil have a broken rear sight. i dont know what smith charges for a new one

but thanks for your long input, i read all of it and i agree that i dont want to waste money on an expensive sight and rather put it toward ammo too

 

[ChristopherG]

i believe the blade cant be replaced in the OEM sight

Yes it can; that's what dfariswheel told you how to do in the lengthy post above.

You can get replacement sight blade kits from S&W or Brownell's; at Brownell's, they're less than twelve bucks. Just be sure you order the same height as they one you have.

 

[Gillster]

Which top strap do you have, the factory drilled and tapped or the older non-drilled and tapped model?

Chris

 

[SIGfiend]

drilled and tapped one