S&W 629 front sight

**keyser soze** · February 20th, 2011, 07:59 PM

I just bought a Smith and Wesson 629 classic with 6.5 in barrel. I had a model 29 back in the late 70's/early 80's and always regreted trading it. I shot a couple of deer with the old one and plan to deer hunt with the new one. I've been to the range once and it shoots well, just like the old one did. When I came home from the range I noticed that the front sight was slightly loose and wiggled. I did a search online and found that the front sight is spring loaded and changeable and that the looseness is not uncommon, but I'm not too wild about a loose front sight. Any one else have any experience with this? I don't know if the slight looseness will affect accuracy, or if I need to worry about pulling it out of the holster in buck season and not having a front sight on it.

**brian** · February 20th, 2011, 08:03 PM

if it is spring loaded, and easily changable, there will be some looseness. i'm betting that it will have no noticable effects on accuracy.

**Guns N'at** · February 20th, 2011, 08:22 PM

Originally Posted by keyser soze

I just bought a Smith and Wesson 629 classic with 6.5 in barrel. I had a model 29 back in the late 70's/early 80's and always regreted trading it. I shot a couple of deer with the old one and plan to deer hunt with the new one. I've been to the range once and it shoots well, just like the old one did. When I came home from the range I noticed that the front sight was slightly loose and wiggled. I did a search online and found that the front sight is spring loaded and changeable and that the looseness is not uncommon, but I'm not too wild about a loose front sight. Any one else have any experience with this? I don't know if the slight looseness will affect accuracy, or if I need to worry about pulling it out of the holster in buck season and not having a front sight on it.

My 6.5" 29 Classics front sight can wiggle, but I would not call it loose; more like under spring tension that returns to position. Might remove the sight and make sure the plunger is fully moving in the bore, that it fits well in the sights 'notch', and that the spring is the proper type and in good (strong) shape. In my case, it takes A HELL of a lot of effort to remove the sight, and I can see no way drawing from a holster would remove it if it's sound.

These are great revolvers, have the endurance package from the factory, and as I'm sure you have or will experience; accuracy is stellar with a great trigger.

**DavidTM** · February 20th, 2011, 08:27 PM

Smith puts that same kind\style of sight on there model 29 44 mag's. I have a replaceable gold bead or florescent orange sights.

I hunt with my 44 using the open sights and keep the gun in a leather holster. One day I pulled it out and my front sight was "missing". Well, the sight got stuck in the holster....as you were wondering, because of the loose fitting front sight and because of the not so strong spring.

So, what I did was I used some arrow plastic fletching glue and inserted the front sight and let it dry. It hasn't came out since.

FWIW....that's what I did.

DAve

**keyser soze** · February 21st, 2011, 01:13 PM

Thanks for the help! It seems to me based on your experiences that mine might be looser than normal. I think I'll have someone take a look at it and see if the spring needs to be replaced, and if not I think I'll got with a little glue as Dave suggests to be safe.