Author Topic: Express Sights...??? (Read 580 times)

benny · « **on:** January 14, 2006, 05:29:52 AM »

Hello,

My first post here since starting to hunt this year with a S&W 657. Got a nice little deer for the freezer the third day out in our extended season. Just wondering how many use express style sights on their handguns for hunting. I use the standard ramp that the 657 comes with and I am thinking of switching to the express style, gold bead front and shallow v notch rear, as they are much easier for my eyes to pick up.

Any comments are appreciated, as well as suggestions on where to find sights that will fit my gun.

Thanks,

Ben

slave · « **Reply #1 on:** January 14, 2006, 06:02:50 AM »

Ben,

Welcome new myself. I like a scope set from 2.5 to the 3x range for hunting deer. If my eyes were better and I could hunt without assistance I would still opt for a electronic projection sight 1st or a red dot type 2nd over any type of iron sight for handgun hunting. They just seem to work beter for me in hunting conditions.

doncisler · « **Reply #2 on:** January 14, 2006, 08:06:22 AM »

whatever works best for your eyes is best for you. at least it wouldn't hurt to try them. just don't make the changes permenent.
the style you describe (generally express sites have flip up blades for different ranges) might be hard to find but shouldn't be too hard to make out of replacement sights - grind front blade narrower and silver solder brass bead, back sight - grind down, cut a slot and fix a blade in the slot.
that way if it doesn't work out for you in the field as well as it does at the range you can simply replace the original sights.

Old Griz · « **Reply #3 on:** January 14, 2006, 06:43:44 PM »

:cb2: I had the gold bead front / V notch rear on a Ruger Redhawk and loved them (just didn't like the Redhawk). I could shoot a whole lot better, had tighter groups, and wondered why they didn't put them on all of their guns. Traded the Redhawk for another Bisley, and I'm about to send it to Gary Reeder Custom Guns to have them put on the Bisley.

www.reedercustomguns.com/

Good luck and welcome to GBO. There are lots of smart people around here. I'm always learing new stuff, and the company here is top notch.

Biscuits · « **Reply #4 on:** January 14, 2006, 08:30:09 PM »

Congrats on your first deer with your .41mag!
I got my first antelope this year with my .44 as well.
As far as the express sights go I have the gold bead front and shallow v rear on my Freedom .454 and I love them out to about 50yds past that I have a hard time getting a proper sight picture on targets. They are however very fast and accurate under 50yds. I am gonna order some standard target sights from Freedom for open country antelope, deer, and elk. I will put the express sights back on for Alaska for the things that go bump in the night. If the target sights work well for you, and I think they do (after all youve got meat in the freezer) I say stick with them.
Happy hunting and God Bless

olywa · « **Reply #5 on:** January 16, 2006, 07:22:58 AM »

Try giving XS Sights a call or check them out at:

http://xssights.com/store/handgun.html

Their catalog shows that they do have Express sight sets for some of the Smiths.

I'm like you, my old eyes pick up the V-notch rear with a vertical white line real well. I've got a Ruger MKII set up that way with a Hi-Viz fiber-optic dot in front. I'd like to set up my Security Six and Super Blackhawk that way as well. No problem fitting the Ruger V blade into their existing rear sight, but I'm not sure how to go about changing the pinned-in front sight blades on these revolvers. I can't find any replacement front blades with a white bead/dot or a fiber optic insert.

JD HHI 6092® · « **Reply #6 on:** January 16, 2006, 02:29:31 PM »

I like the express sights. I have a custom Ruger Redhawk that I had a Freedom Arms front sight base installed on it. I like it because of all the different sight and site hight combo's it allows. I currently have the FA gold bead and rear V notch installed.

corbanzo · « **Reply #7 on:** January 16, 2006, 05:46:43 PM »

You might try a little nail polish on the front sight, that really helps me to pick it up faster, especially if the back and front start out the same color. I just stole some from the girl, and tried a few different colors till I found what best worked for me. The good thing about this is that if you don't like it, or get tired of it, you can just scrape it off, or if you are worried about your pistol, use cleaner to take it off. They make sight paint... but nail polish works fine for me. One thing I've seen, but never tried, is I saw a fella who got a little plastic jewel, and glued it to the back of his front sight, to make it sorta fake fiber-optic, seemed strange, but he liked it.