Ports in S&W topstrap ????

L

Lavan

New member
WHAT is the deal with ports in the topstrap of my new S&W 63 with 5" bbl?

I just got the gun and was sighting it in and it shot well but not great group.
Then just now I was looking at it and the whole rear sight assembly is loose.

Took off the sight assy and here's 3 ports drilled in the topstrap and the front one is right in front of the cylinder/barrel gap junction.

WHICH of course means that the flame of the powder was porting out UNDER the sight base and was probably what loosened it.

Are those ports for scope mount? Can they be filled? At least the stupid FRONT one that is probably going to repeat the blowoff of the sight assy.

I Loctited the screw in the sight base and it might hold, but I'd like to know if I should somehow fill that front port.

Thanks in advance.
:confused::confused::eek:
 
S

Slopemeno

New member
It's holes for mounting a scope base. No, it probably didn't contribute to your sight being loose- I've installed scores of mounts like that and never had an issue with them coming loose.

Clean the parts, reassemble. Maybe a little blue loctite on the front screw that holds the sight on. No big deal.
 
L

Lavan

New member
Okay, that's exactly what I used.

There was a lot of scorch under the sight from firing.

hmmmm.
 
D

dgludwig

New member
Plug screws is a great idea. However, I'd Loctite them in too-wouldn't be a good thing if they started backing out.
 
K

kle

New member
the "scorch" that gets under the rear sight leaf is propellant residue (which, in a revolver, gets everywhere). It isn't anything to worry about.
 
L

Lavan

New member
The CAUSE of the scorch was enough to loosen the sight screw.
Plugged the front hole today.
MUCH better.
A hole in the topstrap right next to the cylinder gap is poor engineering if you ask me.

And THIS scorch was also scrape-able. Some real gas escape was going on.

And the plug can't back out with the sight base on top of it. And without the gas escape, the sight base should STAY on top of it.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top