Iron sights for .357 Handi project??

[Rather-B-Huntin]

Im new to Handi Rifles, but am enjoying them quite a bit!
I want a .357 with open sights!!  But nobody wants to come off of one, so I'm going to make one. Going to buy a new .357 Handi from Gander Mountain (by the time I buy one online and pay shipping and transfer its just as cheap to go there), have it cut to 16.5", and have a set of iron sights installed by my 'smith when he does the barrel for me.
What kind of sights do you pros recommend, and where can I get them?? No receiver style sights, as I'm going to scope it in deer season for my son and want to be able to screw on a base and slap on a scope, then remove the scope in the off season for plinking with cast bullets.
 

[terryrudd]

Hi there Rather,

I would consider buying a rifle-caliber Handi and sending it in for a 357 barrel, if you are ok spending the extra $100 for the second barrel. Having the rifle frame opens up a lot of options for the future.

Sorry I'm no help on the sights, but I believe the FAQ stick has some info.

Good luck,
Terry

[petemi]

terryrudd, It's not 100 dollars.  My standard accessory barrels currently cost me 146.90 including Michigan Sales Tax, and not including the cost of shipping the frame to H&R.  I've bought three in recent months.

The Talo Trapper .357 is 18.75 inches and comes with open sights, drilled and tapped for a scope.  If you can find one, that's what I would do.  Then I'd rent the reamer here and make it a .357 Maximum.

Understand, that if you buy a new .357 Handi it will have a SB1 frame and will only take shotgun and pistol caliber accessory barrels.  You will not be able to add stuff like .223, 7mm-08, etc.  You need a SB2 for that.

This all comes back to the old "Want","Need" "cost be damned".  Were I in a glitch to put this rig together and not sweat the bucks, I'd buy a SB2 frame here in the classifieds. (I always keep 3 spares on hand) Then scare up a .357 barrel, either in the classifieds here or at H&R.  I'd pack it all off to my smithy for sights, cutting to 16.5 and REAMING TO MAXIMUM.  Just make sure he uses a rifle reamer and not a pistol reamer.  If your Smith is worth his salt, he'll have a set of sights that'll work for you.

Pete

[AccelR8]

 I'm working on a smilar project. I don't have first-hand experience with these sights but I've been looking on-line at the Marbles sights. You can find their website easily. What interests me specifically is the wide range of options as far as heights, barrel diameters, and different apetures and beads. Take a look at the #30 universal rear sight and the front ramp with dovetail. 

[rdlange]

You could feed a family OK with a 357 Maxi & 20ga combo. (rent the GBO reamer)  18.5" is a nice length for looks, balance and Maxi performance.  16" never excited me, unless you get a short stock, too.   JMHO...

[hoytcanon]

There is alot of sense in buying an SB2 gun in the standard configuration and sending it for an accessory .357 barrel complete with sights... for sights, consider a rear peep and fiber optic ramp... I have barrels with the Williams WGRS (http://www.brownells.com/rifle-parts/sights/rear-sights/wgrs-receiver-sights-prod16154.aspx), the Skinner Black Gold (http://www.skinnersights.com/page_16.html) and the NDS-38 Ghost Ring (http://www.nodakspud.com/)... with the Williams and NDS I use the one piece Williams Fire Sight ramp (http://www.brownells.com/rifle-parts/sights/sight-parts/ramps/one-piece-fire-sight-ramp-prod22190.aspx)... I used the 0.634" height and it is perfect from 25-150 yards... With the Skinner Black Gold, I use the Marbles dovetail ramp in .6875" barrel diameter and 0.225" height (http://www.brownells.com/rifle-parts/sights/sight-parts/ramps/dovetail-front-ramp-prod8809.aspx), in the Marbles dovetail I inserted a Skinner brass blade in 3/8" diameter and 1/2" height (http://www.skinnersights.com/front_sights_5.html)... these all work well... I particularly like the NDS-38/Fire Sight ramp combo... I was originally not happy because the Ghost Ring aperture is very large, so I tapped the aperture to receive the Skinner screw-in peep apertures and now I can choose my sight picture... it is perfect this way on my 18" .44 Mag barrel, which is nestled into a handmade Walnut/Cocobolo Mannlicher stock... If you do decide to buy an SB2 rifle and get the accessory barrel, I would recommend a caliber that will complement the type of hunting that you do, only you can answer that question... good luck. 

[terryrudd]

Pete,

Thanks for the correction on the price, I forgot about the other charges. Glad to know the pretty much exact price whenever I get around to ordering one.

Thanks!
Terry

[Spanky]

Get on ebay and pick up a set of Remington 700 sights. I've bought complete sets for less than $20 bucks and they work great on Handi's.
Mount the rear sight mid-barrel like it is on the 700 and you'll be able to mount a scope with no problems. That way you could use some over/under scope mounts and use the open sights without taking off the scope.
 
 
 
Spanky

[cjrjck]

H&R is out of 357 Mag barrels. That option is off the table.

[Rather-B-Huntin]

Get on ebay and pick up a set of Remington 700 sights. I've bought complete sets for less than $20 bucks and they work great on Handi's.
Mount the rear sight mid-barrel like it is on the 700 and you'll be able to mount a scope with no problems. That way you could use some over/under scope mounts and use the open sights without taking off the scope.
 
 Spanky

That's a great idea! I think I'll give that a try. Does the barrel diameter matter??

Though new to Handi Rifles, I do own some. I've got two SB2s and an SB1. Money isn't that big an issue, so I'd rather just buy the whole gun.

[rdlange]

Per Spanky...  Rem 700 sights on a 22" Handi w/scope also.

[casca1]

REMINGTON 700 sights on my 44 MAG &  308 win.  work nice it was $50 to have em mounted.
 
BUT will tell you when you wanna find a set on EBAY, you will have a hell of a time or end in a bid war.
go on ebay and look for something else- Probably find several then !!
 
casca

[devil60]

I just did this on my .357 Handi, used and old Rem 700 front sight but used a Williams peep that is made to go right in the  factory scope mount tapped holes. Works great, you do have to drill and tap but that is super easy, I used 6/48's.

[PigBoy Crabshaw]

Well It seems like a lifetime since I checked in. I was going to ask the same question.
(Sorry to thread jack) Background - I bought a 35Rem barrel in gray lam stock from Rem a few years ago (Feb 2011) with a extra bonus Talo 357 barrel with sights. It's been in the box and untouched ever since. Thanks Quick and everyone's for the information and help with the secret handshake on getting this ordered after the move.
I took a little range trip yesterday with the 357 attached and some reloads (2400 - 158grRNFP) Big fun at 50 yards. I'm also looking for a better front sight. These old tired eye's need a fiberoptic I think. Want to use the short barrel for piggies and want to get the front sight issue ironed out before moving to the MAX ream like I did on my full lengh 357 that I did a few years ago. Is that old 357Max reamer still making the rounds from Quick and how many Maxies has it done? 
I see the Rem 700 front sight will fit the Talo 357 barrel. My curent stock front sight is attached with a single 5/64 Allen screw. I just want to swap out the front and not play with the rear. I've had mixed results with the fiberoptic's in the past as there easily damaged .Any success stories here? -gary
 

[quickdtoo]

Welcome back Gary! I've been using fiber optics on muzzleloaders for a long time, we can't use glass optics during ML season, so fiber optics and a peep rear are the go-to sight for my old eyes if I can't use a scope, I've never broken a fiber optic, even had one on the end of the 34" barrel of my .50 Lancaster flinter, never had a problem with it. I'm real careful with any iron sighted firearm, fiber optic or not, so I guess YMMV. 

The first Maxi reamer that I donated has done about 150 barrels, I've since retired it after resharpening it once.  Cowboyup453 donated another PTG Maxi reamer sometime during that time and it's still going strong, just sent it to Catncarp.

Tim

[PigBoy Crabshaw]

Well after reading hoytcanon's suggestions, I made a decision and ordered up the Williams Fire Ramp front sight (.634) and a Nodak NDAS-38 Rear. I'll take it from there and see where it gets me.  I'm having so much fun since I started reloading. And coming back on to the Handi singles just makes it that much sweeter. Thanks CWLongShot and Quick for pushing me as I teetered on the edge the reloading cliff  for years. -gary
 
 

[quickdtoo]

You're welcome Gary, always glad to corru er... infec...er..... help a fellow Handihaulic! 

Tim

[PigBoy Crabshaw]

Here's the stock set-up:

The rear Nodak peep went on fine, except I did a farmer tight and the torx tip broke off on the rear screw. 

The front FireSight is lined up with the current screw hole. It looks to be about 1/2" to long so I need to bore a hole back up the pipe!

Gonna take it to a new smith tomorrow to get'er tapped straight. -g
 
 

[hoytcanon]

Weeeelll... I hope you are not mad at me, 'cause I forgot to mention that the Williams ramp required tapping due to the front hole location... it is worth doing though... I set-back the front ramp 1/2" behind the muzzle, for just a little protection up front... as a side note; the Marbles dovetail ramp with a Williams Fire Sight dovetail insert is good to go with the factory hole locaton... but I still prefer the one piece ramp. I really like that laminate straight grip stock... looks sharp.