Adding an adjustable rear sight to a SW Model 10 or Model 64

[dverna]

As the title states, is there someone you can recommend to install adjustable sights on these guns?

I am considering purchasing two of these guns and hope I can find a load that shoots to POA. These will be used primarily for informal target and plinking use. They will also be used for home self defense. If I cannot find an accurate load, I will want to add adjustable sights.

Also, if adjustable sights are not available, how is a fixed sight revolver adjusted to address windage? I have filed down a front sight to move POI up...that is simple.


Thanks,

[Char-Gar]

Back in the day, the gunsmith removed the cylinder, laid the revolver across two Babbitt metal bars. One bar was under the grip and the other under the barrel. The joint of the barrel/frame was them struck with another Babbitt bar. This moved the barrel a smidge right or left. The gun was test fired and repeated if necessary.

These days, the barrel is turned a smidgen right or left to correct windage.

I will say how you hold the handgun can determine the right or left point of impact. If you have two fixed sighted Smith and Wessons that are off the same direction, the problem is most likely you.

If you feel you must have adjustable sights, it would be cheaper to not buy the fixed sighted revolver and buy one with factory adjustable sights.

For me, most any fixed sight 38 Special service revolver shoots dead nuts on with factory or handloaded ammo that duplicate the load for which it was sighted.

[Outpost75]

For what you would pay to have the frame professionally milled, buy a rear sight, have it installed and have a new front sight of correct height installed to match and the gun reblued, you could buy a new revolver with adjustable sights.

My recommendation is to stick with one bullet weight and standard load in your model 10 and have a gunsmith turn the barrel, if needed, to correct windage. As for adjusting sights on a fixed sight gun, this is how it is done:

When I worked for one of the big name revolver makers in the 1980s fixed sight revolvers for government contract orders were commonly zeroed using the specified ammunition provided as government furnished material. While specs varied in accordance with the contract specifics .38 Special or .357 revolvers would commonly be shot off sandbags at 20 yards, aiming at a 2-inch bull, or if at other ranges the aiming point being scaled to one inch per ten yards. At the 20 yard distance most often used, a 3" circle was printed on the target, surrounding the aiming point and tangent to it at 6:00. Five out of six rounds were usually required to strike within the 3" circle. The correct front sight height would be determined by firing a ten-board sample of revolvers with the contract ammunition to obtain the correct elevation, that sight then being installed on all revolvers for that batch. Windage adjustments were be made, when necessary by rotating the barrel in the frame using directed strikes with a babbit bar against the ejector rod shroud forged onto the barrel. On Colts or others not having a barrel lug, the barrel is clamped in a barrel vise and the frame turned with a frame wrench. The adjustment "tweak" is measured using a dial indicator fixture zeroed fore & aft on the bore and rear frame notch, reading the correction off the indicator on the front sight.

In revolvers point of impact for elevation is determined more by bullet weight than velocity. In .38 Special either standard pressure or +P loads of the same bullet weight generally shoot close to the same point of aim. As a general rule heavy bullets will shoot higher, lighter bullets will shoot lower. In ordinary production intended for civilian retail sales it was common to use .38 Special 148-grain wadcutter ammunition in .357s also, because zeroing with that ammunition doing provides a useful point of impact for most commonly used ammunition. Lead wadcutters also provide a better functional check to detect "spitters" in which a new fit-up might over-rotate the cylinder (Up to about 5 degrees being intended and OK to compensate for in-service wear).

To determine how much to adjust the fixed sights use the formula X=RE/D where:

X is the amount of correction needed, such as shortening the front sight to move the impact up, or installing a higher front sight to lower point of impact, or rotating the barrel tighter in the frame, moving the front sight left to move impact to the right, etc.

R is the sight Radius in inches.

E is the error correction needed between point of aim and point of impact, and

D is the target distance.

Again ALL dimensions are in inches.

In extreme cases an old cop gun may have a bent frame from being used as an impact weapon, and/or the crane may be bent out of alignment. A competent gunsmith can fix these. There is absolutely no reason why a fixed sight .38 snubby cannot be zeroed precisely and shoot accurately. I expect an S&W or Ruger to shoot ten-ring, 25-yard groups with wadcutters, and quality defense or service loads should do likewise in a mechanically correct gun.

Attachment 216394

[Hickory]

Try this site:
http://www.dlsports.com/sandw_kln_frame_sights.html

[Green Frog]

You might look into the FDL Wondersight™ which has been around for a half century or so... in the old days, the top side plate screw on a 5 screw S&W was the ready-made anchor point. With your more modern models, you'll need a single hole drilled and tapped at that same location.

Froggie

[historicfirearms]

Thanks Outpost75, that was one of the most useful replies.

[dverna]

Thanks guys!

[samari46]

If adjustable sights are your goal than you would be better off with either a S&W 65 stainless or S&W model 15 both with adjustable sights. I alternate between a model 10 and the model 15. Lately find myself going for the model 15 as my eyes grow older. Frank

[EMC45]

If adjustable sights are your goal than you would be better off with either a S&W 65 stainless or S&W model 15 both with adjustable sights. I alternate between a model 10 and the model 15. Lately find myself going for the model 15 as my eyes grow older. Frank

Model 65 is a fixed sight .357 Mag. Model 67 is the adj. sight .38 Special in stainless. The Model 15 is the blued K Frame adj. sight gun.

My advice if wanting to stick with a fixed sight K Frame is a good 158gr. bullet over some Unique or Bullseye and you're done. They will shoot POA-POI barring any damage to the gun. That is my go to load for my fixed sight K Frames. 158gr. bullet with 3gr. Bullseye.