S&W 410 Front Sight

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Mike Irwin

Staff
My S&W 410 in .40 S&W shoots about 2 inches low for me.

I've been looking for a shorter replacement front sight to bring the point of impact up, but I'm not having much success.

First, does anyone know if the front sights listed for the 4000 series pistols will fit the 410 (which was the value line)?

Failing to find a replacement, I'm thinking of filing down the front sight.

The question is, how much. Years ago I had a formula that allowed one to figure that sort of thing out, but I have no clue where I saw it.

Anyone have any ideas? Or do I just start cutting and shooting, cutting and shooting?
 
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rock185

New member
Hello Mike, I can't remember for sure if the standard front sights will fit the Value Line guns. IIRC, they will not.
For elevation and windage corrections, I use sight radius X amount of correction desired ÷ by distance to target in inches.

For instance, if I wanted to change POI at 25 yards by 2", and say my sight radius is 6", it would be 6" x 2" ÷ 900" = .013". A taller or shorter front, or drifting the front right or left, by ~.013" moves POI 2". Good luck, been there done that with front sights many times.
 
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Mike Irwin

Staff
Thanks for weighing in, Rock.

That seems to be what I'm coming up with as well, but it's all kind of confusing because nothing really says for sure, and I can't find dimensions on dovetail width and depth.

I'm also not coming up with a lot of 410-specific options for replacements.

I'm going to try changing the ammo I've been shooting out of it, and if I don't get any joy from that, I'll get a file out...
 
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rock185

New member
Too bad about having to get a file out. If you were closer, I'd be happy to mill off however much you needed. I had a custom HI Power years ago, and decided to shoot and file the front sight,etc. Ended up filing a bit too much, and gun ended up back at the gunsmith for about a year to replace the silver soldered in front sight and refinish the slide.

BTW, agree with you about dogs. Just doesn't feel right around here without one:)
 
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Mike Irwin

Staff
Well, this wouldn't be the first time I've had to say "Hold mah beer and watch this!" when it comes to home gunsmithing...

Generally I've been pretty successful. :)

I went two years between my last dog and this one. Yeah, life without a dog sucks.

Except when they jump on you at 3 in the morning... Hey, Dad, whatch' doing? :p
 
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T. O'Heir

New member
Gunparts says the 410 uses the same parts as Models 909, 910, 457, 457D. They also have replacement front sights(Product # 1642620) at $26.50 each. No mention of heights but it might be worth a phone call.
How good are your hand filing skills? It's one of the first things you get to do in machinist school. Square and flat.
 
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NoSecondBest

New member
I had a 410 for quite a few years and got rid of it last year. I'm pretty sure that front sight is plastic, not metal. It should be very easy to file some off. FWIW, in all the time I owned that gun and shot it, it never mis-fed, always ejected, and digested anything I put through it. I've been kind of sorry I got rid of it. Anyway, put a magnet on that sight and see if it's metal or not. I know the guide rod's plastic. For an inexpensive gun, mine was utterly reliable.
 
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RickB

New member
To file the front sight, get a long file, place it on the bench, flip the gun upside down and use the rear sight to help stabilize the sights while you push the slide along the file; use a piece of heavy paper or a credit card on the part of the file that the rear sight is riding over.
I've done this at the range when fine-tuning the elevation.
 
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Mike Irwin

Staff
"To file the front sight, get a long file, place it on the bench, flip the gun upside down and use the rear sight to help stabilize the sights while you push the slide along the file; use a piece of heavy paper or a credit card on the part of the file that the rear sight is riding over."

Rick, if doing that, I think it would be much better to take the slide off the gun. That way you have better control and it's not so top heavy.



"The 908 front sight is your shorter option (product # 1642640 at Numrich)."

JS, thanks!
 
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RickB

New member
Rick, if doing that, I think it would be much better to take the slide off the gun. That way you have better control and it's not so top heavy.
Click to expand...

That's probably true.
I haven't used the technique to remove 1/8" of material, just a few .010s for final zero.
 
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