Tritum Night Sight Installation

I Purchased a .44 Magnum S&W Model 629 with a 6" barrel for hunting deer and hogs. Now that deer season is over in the North Texas area where I hunt I'm wanting to replace the factory open sights with the MEPROLIGHT Tritium Night Sight for night hog hunting. If anyone has installed this sight system I'd appreciate your input. Specifically how do I remove the red insert in the factory front ramp sight so I can insert the new part from MEPROLIGHT? Upon installation of the new part in the front insert dovetail is it simply a mechanical friction fit or does it require something like Loctite®?

I'd still like advice on the job but found the manufacturers instruictions.

After intentionally breaking the windage adjustment screw per the instructions say to reuse the detent plunger and spring. Problem is that the detent plunger and spring are larger than the hole in the new windage screw provided by Meprolight. I have since spoken to Kimber who imports the Meprolight Night Sights who is unaware of any problem and is sending me a new screw incase the supplied one was drilled wrong. Has anyone experienced this problem. Maybe S&W changed the detent plounger and spring diameter. I'll report back if the new screw from Kimber works.

I just got the same sights, the plunger did not fit in the windage screw provided by MEPROLIGHT. I had to go to a local gunsmith and get a new screw.

Removal of the front sight is accomplished using either a pin push to remove the factory pin or drilling out the factory pin and then put in the new front sight. Once the new pin/sight blade are installed the pin can be slightly expanded using a punch. If you don't have access to proper clamping and a drill press I'd let the work be done by a gunsmith.

I'm curious how your firearm shoots with the new sights, mine (6" .44 with 240 grain factory loads) shoots a good 3-5 inches high 25-50 yards when shot from a stand and I have no adjustment left on my elevation screw :smt022

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Originally Posted by pops

I Purchased a .44 Magnum S&W Model 629 with a 6" barrel for hunting deer and hogs. Now that deer season is over in the North Texas area where I hunt I'm wanting to replace the factory open sights with the MEPROLIGHT Tritium Night Sight for night hog hunting. If anyone has installed this sight system I'd appreciate your input. Specifically how do I remove the red insert in the factory front ramp sight so I can insert the new part from MEPROLIGHT?

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Whack it with a hammer and Nylon or brass punch. Make sure the punch is only touching the plastic insert on one side, and when you smack it, it should pop right out of it's dovetail.

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Upon installation of the new part in the front insert dovetail is it simply a mechanical friction fit or does it require something like Loctite®?

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I used LocTite, whichever was recommended by the instructions (I forget the number/code). I also lightly dimpled the face of the dovetail cut with a center punch, to help it hold the new insert AND the LocTite. If your new insert is a tight fit, you might not have to do the dimple thing; mine was a teensy bit loose.

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I'd still like advice on the job but found the manufacturers instruictions.

After intentionally breaking the windage adjustment screw per the instructions say to reuse the detent plunger and spring. Problem is that the detent plunger and spring are larger than the hole in the new windage screw provided by Meprolight. I have since spoken to Kimber who imports the Meprolight Night Sights who is unaware of any problem and is sending me a new screw incase the supplied one was drilled wrong. Has anyone experienced this problem. Maybe S&W changed the detent plounger and spring diameter. I'll report back if the new screw from Kimber works.

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More info on rear sight replacement can be found in this HandGunForum.net thread:
http://www.handgunforum.net/smith-wesson-gunsmithing/12086-rear-sight-blade-686-a.html