Posted: 4/26/2026 6:28:48 PM EDT
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So, I’ve recently acquired a smith 28-2 and 67-1 and have been on quite the struggle bus when it comes to shooting them accurately at distance. Out to 25 yards I can shoot both pretty well double and single action, any further than that I’m struggling to connect consistently. I’m partially blaming this on the factory sights on the smiths. The 28-2 has a black ramp and the 67 has a faded red insert on the ramp. I’ve painted both ramps completely orange, but I believe that has hurt more than helped at distance. I’m accustomed to a Dawson fiber front sight and can connect with a 1911 or Glock with said sights without too much effort. All that rambling to ask if anyone has some recommendation for training with these types of sights. Also if there’s a preferred way to paint these sights. I wouldn’t mind sending one or both to get a newer style replaceable sight with a fiber but not sure how much $$ that’ll set me back. Attached File |
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Fiber optic front sight S& W Installation requires gunsmith mill the front sight to fit this. You pistol pre-dates this style of sight. Your other option is to have a gunsmith cut the red ramp into the front blade. While at the gunsmith if you have not installed a lighter trigger return spring that is helpful. It can also help accuracy to re-cut the crown on the barrel . |
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I've put Dawson sights onto my 6" 686 and my 3" 60. Other revolvers I shoot cannot take Dawson sights, and I painted the ramp white, then orange. The white really helps beighten up the orange I've heard you can get replacement inserts. |
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Originally Posted By PoppaCapp: I've put Dawson sights onto my 6" 686 and my 3" 60.https://i.imgur.com/JmudJ6f.jpg Other revolvers I shoot cannot take Dawson sights, and I painted the ramp white, then orange. The white really helps beighten up the orange I've heard you can get replacement inserts. @PoppaCapp who added the dawsons for you? I'm probably going to need to go that route. |
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Both of these revolvers came with removable blades. I made the measurements, ordered, and replaced them myself. I believe yours will need to ne milled. Maybe contact Dawson and see if they can do the milling, or recommend someone who can. Seems a shame to irreversibly alter some fine revolvers. Like my 1st post said. On my fixed blade revolvers, I painted the blade white, then orange. This is MUCH brighter than orange without the white. Being more of a shooter, and not a collector, I've given the safe queens away to son and nephews. What I have kept, I shoot. I really like the Dawson sights, and have put them in every handgun that will accept them. All others have gotten the white/orange paint. |
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Originally Posted By PoppaCapp: Both of these revolvers came with removable blades. I made the measurements, ordered, and replaced them myself. I believe yours will need to ne milled. Maybe contact Dawson and see if they can do the milling, or recommend someone who can. Seems a shame to irreversibly alter some fine revolvers. Like my 1st post said. On my fixed blade revolvers, I painted the blade white, then orange. This is MUCH brighter than orange without the white. Being more of a shooter, and not a collector, I've given the safe queens away to son and nephews. What I have kept, I shoot. I really like the Dawson sights, and have put them in every handgun that will accept them. All others have gotten the white/orange paint. I originally painted the front sight white and then orange, and to me, it's bright but not a refined enough aiming point. I realize adding a dawson would be a irreversible alteration, but I'm unlikely to ever get rid of it if I can shoot it well. And I realize this all might be a skill issue. My hit % past 25 is much higher with the 67, which has a better K frame trigger and much less blast & recoil. |
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I'm gonna go out on a limb here... Buy a set of Pachmayr Gripper grips. They're fairly cheap, and the shape is perfect. I had some on my 1St 686, and on my 28-2, so I know they have some to fit both of your pistols. I like to compete with my revolvers, and went down the grips rabbit-hole. For me, these Grippers are perfect. I found the rubber Hogues too big, and not shaped well. I was competing heavily with the 686 in the pic, and and was using heavily dremeled Hogues because the K/L Grippers won't fit my round butt 686. Also, the poster who suggested an action job was spot-on. Comfortable grip and good trigger help a lot. Spring kits are a great cheap start. |
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Originally Posted By PoppaCapp: I'm gonna go out on a limb here... Buy a set of Pachmayr Gripper grips. They're fairly cheap, and the shape is perfect. I had some on my 1St 686, and on my 28-2, so I know they have some to fit both of your pistols. I like to compete with my revolvers, and went down the grips rabbit-hole. For me, these Grippers are perfect. I found the rubber Hogues too big, and not shaped well. I was competing heavily with the 686 in the pic, and and was using heavily dremeled Hogues because the K/L Grippers won't fit my round butt 686. Also, the poster who suggested an action job was spot-on. Comfortable grip and good trigger help a lot. Spring kits are a great cheap start. I do have a set of those for the 67. I'm kinda lukewarm to them honestly. A spring change on the 28 might help some but I have a lot of hard primers, which is the reason I've avoided them so far. |
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Don't take this the wrong way but the majority of pistol shooters have no business going beyond 25 yards. It's just plain hard and requires a lot of practice. I rarely go that distance. Honestly can't remember the last time I shot handguns at 25 yards. Most of my shooting is at an indoor range, fifty feet is plenty long for me. Sights and grips are a very subjective issue. Everyone has their preferences. I like fiber optic front sights but only have them on a few revolvers. Depending on the make and model it can be a simple swap or major surgery. I've tried all sorts of paint in all sorts of colors. Plain old Testors model paint works about as well as any. Grips I generally default to the original Pachies or Uncle Mike's. I don't recall ever doing a trigger job on any of my revolvers. I have a spring kit in a few, very few. Come to think of it I had my local guy do a fluff and buff on a Trooper Mk III, which did improve things. None of my 50+ Smiths have needed anything. My dozen or so Rugers are stiffer but still manageable. Dry firing helps, especially on double action. Practice when watching TV. Smiths don't need snap caps but they're not a bad idea. I do use them in Colts. I don't bother in Rugers. |
I shoot mostly at 50 and some at 100 yds with my revolvers, and I hunt with them almost exclusively. In my experience, and in most light conditions, a black Patridge sight is simply best with a black ramp close behind. Bright colored sights tend to wash out in bright light. I used the factory sight with the orange insert on my 29-10 for a while, but then switched to this Patrtidge- I've even gone so far as to convert some of my ramp Ruger Blackhawk front sights to pseudo-Patridge-   I am acquainted with a small handful of shooters who hunt with revolvers and shoot at long ranges too. They almost universally use black Patridge front sights. Fermin Garza makes custom pin-in front sights that work very well. |
"People tend to have a proclivity towards an object rather than their own skill."
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Originally Posted By ggibbs: I shoot mostly at 50 and some at 100 yds with my revolvers, and I hunt with them almost exclusively. In my experience, and in most light conditions, a black Patridge sight is simply best with a black ramp close behind. Bright colored sights tend to wash out in bright light. I used the factory sight with the orange insert on my 29-10 for a while, but then switched to this Patrtidge- https://i.imgur.com/gPu6mVVl.jpg I've even gone so far as to convert some of my ramp Ruger Blackhawk front sights to pseudo-Patridge- https://i.imgur.com/KYbUk8Pl.jpg https://i.imgur.com/4M2QM1Cl.jpg I am acquainted with a small handful of shooters who hunt with revolvers and shoot at long ranges too. They almost universally use black Patridge front sights. Fermin Garza makes custom pin-in front sights that work very well. Thank you, I was hoping you'd chime in. I guess washing out probably best describes what I'm experiencing. I'm committed to being able to shoot out to 75-100 so I can hunt with it this year during our straight wall season (while limiting my shots on game much closer). With my other iron sighted autos, 50 and even 100 is very doable if I'm not shooting trash ammo. Now I just need to decide if I want to modify this 28 or buy another pistol. |
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Originally Posted By ARK_Ginger: @ggibbs Do you blacken your sights with soot from a lighter? I have rifle sights when I used to shoot High Power matches, but that only works on the range. In the field, one trip in and out of a holster would wipe the soot off of a ramp sight. The Patridge-type sights, especially those that have groove on the rear, don't need any treatment. |
"People tend to have a proclivity towards an object rather than their own skill."
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Another option is to mill or file the front blade off and have a novak dovetail cut into the base. Gives you tritium and fiber optic options. Had this done to a couple of my custom revolvers. I had a 28-2 years ago that had a dovetail cut that had a marbles gold bead front sight mounted. Very nice sight picture. 581 with Novak tritium   28 with gold bead, barrel was also shortened, so couldn’t use the base.  Still have the 581, wish I had kept the 28. Keep in mind, these mods were done when revolvers were cheap and plentiful. Your 28 will most likely lose resale value if you mod it. To me, I don’t let that get in the way of what I want. |
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Originally Posted By 80sgyrene: Another option is to mill or file the front blade off and have a novak dovetail cut into the base. Gives you tritium and fiber optic options. Had this done to a couple of my custom revolvers. I had a 28-2 years ago that had a dovetail cut that had a marbles gold bead front sight mounted. Very nice sight picture. 581 with Novak tritium https://i.postimg.cc/Vv142X0h/IMG-6064.jpg https://i.postimg.cc/zXMRFHzC/IMG-1116.jpg 28 with gold bead, barrel was also shortened, so couldn’t use the base. https://i.postimg.cc/RVy77wHm/IMG-1190.jpg Still have the 581, wish I had kept the 28. Keep in mind, these mods were done when revolvers were cheap and plentiful. Your 28 will most likely lose resale value if you mod it. To me, I don’t let that get in the way of what I want. Thank you. A dovetail or a pinned front sight is what would really make it more shootable for me currently, I'm just going back and forth on modifying the 28-2. My 67-1 is an ugly duckling and I wouldn't mind having one installed if I could get it done at a reasonable price, magna-port was more than I wanted to spend on that one. I acquired a 625-3 that I'm installing a dawson fiber front on and I'll be able to compare them directly soon. |
