Recommendations for installing red ramp in older Smith revolvers?
Anyone know of a quality gunsmith that will still mill and install red ramp front sights on K and N frame Smith and Wesson revolvers?
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July 11, 2026, 04:20 PM
YooperSigs
Brownells has a kit to do it. But...You have to file the slot into the sight blade by hand. Not a task I would want to do without some kind of experience!
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July 11, 2026, 04:56 PM
pulicords
It looks like SDM has discontinued sales of their gold bead front sights, but they are still advertising green and red inserts on S&W ramp front blades. Worth a try!
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July 11, 2026, 07:19 PM
sigfreund
AI Trigger Warning. I asked the AI Gemini about gunsmiths that offer the service you’re seeking, and got these as a response:
https://clarkcustomguns.com Offers the service in “existing” sights. I don’t know if that means the slot has to already be present, but at the modest price, probably.
https://www.lawweapons.org/ Law Weapons & Supply (Illinois); I didn’t check the services they offer, but they were mentioned in the search results.
https://tkcustom.com Same as the above regarding the actual services they offer.
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July 11, 2026, 09:49 PM
David Lee
MagnaPort still does this. The dovetail for the insert is not a critical cut for the insert. Also, they offer C More sights which are a quality colored sight.
July 11, 2026, 10:06 PM
jer830
I had a friend, who is no longer with us, who did this at all the local gun shows here back in the late 80s early 90s. He was a retired Riverside County deputy. He used a Dremel to cut a notch in the front sight then filled the cutout with an epoxy mixture (the customer got to pick their color preference) in series, where he put a little in, dry it under a heat lamp and blow dryer and build it up. He filed the sides up with a file and if the gun was blued he applied cold blue.
Customers would drop off their guns and they would be ready in a couple hours depending on demand. I watched do a dozen of these over the years. He did a couple for me and they were as good as the ones I had from the factory.
July 11, 2026, 10:46 PM
9mmepiphany
quote:
Originally posted by jer830: I had a friend, who is no longer with us, who did this at all the local gun shows here back in the late 80s early 90s. He was a retired Riverside County deputy. He used a Dremel to cut a notch in the front sight then filled the cutout with an epoxy mixture (the customer got to pick their color preference) in series, where he put a little in, dry it under a heat lamp and blow dryer and build it up. He filed the sides up with a file and if the gun was blued he applied cold blue.
Customers would drop off their guns and they would be ready in a couple hours depending on demand. I watched do a dozen of these over the years. He did a couple for me and they were as good as the ones I had from the factory.
This was a fairly common service offered at gunshows during the 70s and 80s.
It wasn't a high tech modification as they'd do it while you wandered the gun show. I seem to remember that Brownell's sold the epoxy kits.
The big difference between what they offered and OEM was that the gunshow versions weren't usually dovetailed into the front blade; so they were a bit less secure if you were shooting a high recoiling gun
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July 19, 2026, 08:03 PM
jljones
quote:
Originally posted by YooperSigs: Brownells has a kit to do it. But...You have to file the slot into the sight blade by hand. Not a task I would want to do without some kind of experience!
Brownells USED to have a kit to do it
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July 23, 2026, 08:25 PM
badguybuster
Alex Hamilton at TenRing Precision did mine Dave Lauck at D&L.Sports is also.an option
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August 09, 2026, 08:46 PM
jimmy123x
Paint it on with nail polish. It works the same and is super easy. Tape the sides really carefully with good tape.
August 09, 2026, 11:51 PM
jljones
quote:
Originally posted by jimmy123x: Paint it on with nail polish. It works the same and is super easy. Tape the sides really carefully with good tape.
no.
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August 11, 2026, 02:12 PM
SIGWALLY
quote:
Originally posted by jljones:
quote:
Originally posted by YooperSigs: Brownells has a kit to do it. But...You have to file the slot into the sight blade by hand. Not a task I would want to do without some kind of experience!
Brownells USED to have a kit to do it
CRAP! That was one of the things I thought would always be there for me when I was ready to buy it.
August 11, 2026, 06:40 PM
GOTSIG
I sent my Model 27 in to Smith & Wesson two years ago along with some other work and the red ramp insert works fine. I don’t think they have the setup to do it regularly anymore, however they took care of me. Might be worth a call.
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August 11, 2026, 07:24 PM
jljones
That is sharp
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August 11, 2026, 07:51 PM
GOTSIG
Thank you jljones. Been so long since I posted a pic I had to relearn how!
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