Sighting Pistols

[cruzans]

I was asking a Q on the XD thread but thought this was really a new question. I have heard often about not adjusting your sights, it is the shooter that is usually off and just get to know the gun and you will shoot better. That doesn't make sense to me, even though it seems to be the way to do it. My reasoning is I have numerous guns like most of us, and I want to shoot each gun naturally, the same way - and don't want to have to think about which gun I am shooting, and how I need to shoot it. I take a few guns to the range each time, and shoot a few dozen rounds through them. Once I feel I have a nice tight pattern, I adjust my sights so I am dead on. Once I do this with all guns, I leave them alone, then I shoot each gun the same, and it is dead on. When I buy a new gun, I do the same thing.
Thoughts ? Thanks, I enjoy hearing the responses. Everyone in hear is great, giving honest feedback w/o trashing and talking down, even if it is a dumb question - lol

[Jim1911]

I have more than one pistol with either the front sight filed down or some creative filing of the rear sight. I do not worry about resale value because I have never sold a gun.

I use my High Standard M101 as the base line to compare all others to. I have had it the longest and it has always been dead on.

Unfortunately 1911s require a point of aim sight picture and there is not enough meat on the sights to match the M101's 6 o'clock sight picture. I have become accustomed to using two different sight pictures with my hand guns.

I have considered sending one of my 1911s out to one of the companies that make and install sights to have a taller rear sight put on so that I can use a six o'clock sight picture instead of a point of aim sight picture. Has anyone done that?

[Lycanthrope]

I've had to adjust the sights once on most of the pistols I've owned.

I wager installing an adjustable BoMar on the rear of the 1911 would give you enough height to use a 6 O'clock hold.


Lycandependsonthetargetthrope

[bert]

....and if your pistol has fixed sights?

[synergy]

I was asking a Q on the XD thread but thought this was really a new question. I have heard often about not adjusting your sights, it is the shooter that is usually off and just get to know the gun and you will shoot better. That doesn't make sense to me, even though it seems to be the way to do it. My reasoning is I have numerous guns like most of us, and I want to shoot each gun naturally, the same way - and don't want to have to think about which gun I am shooting, and how I need to shoot it. I take a few guns to the range each time, and shoot a few dozen rounds through them. Once I feel I have a nice tight pattern, I adjust my sights so I am dead on. Once I do this with all guns, I leave them alone, then I shoot each gun the same, and it is dead on. When I buy a new gun, I do the same thing.
Thoughts ? Thanks, I enjoy hearing the responses. Everyone in hear is great, giving honest feedback w/o trashing and talking down, even if it is a dumb question - lol

I dunno what to advise, other than not to tweak the sights.

When I was working as an RO and constantly had people coming to me asking if their sights were off, I pretty much shot their all guns, right on. Some might have been a hair one way or another....but I usually chalked that up to me.

What I'm saying is that just picking up a random pistol (every make and model out there, pretty much) I'd shoot them pretty dead on. Sometimes a group would be a hair R/L, but nothing compared to what people were complaining of.

I think if you really just learn the fundamentals well, you shouldn't have to move the sights at all. If you have multiple good shooters shoot it, and it is off in the same direction for all of the shooters... then yea, move the sights.

I dunno, that's just what's worked for me and my peers.

[Ronnies111]

[QUOTE=cruzans;830635]I was asking a Q on the XD thread but thought this was really a new question. I have heard often about not adjusting your sights, it is the shooter that is usually off and just get to know the gun and you will shoot better. That doesn't make sense to me, even though it seems to be the way to do it. My reasoning is I have numerous guns like most of us, and I want to shoot each gun naturally, the same way - and don't want to have to think about which gun I am shooting, and how I need to shoot it. I take a few guns to the range each time, and shoot a few dozen rounds through them. Once I feel I have a nice tight pattern, I adjust my sights so I am dead on. Once I do this with all guns, I leave them alone, then I shoot each gun the same, and it is dead on. When I buy a new gun, I do the same thing.
Thoughts ? Thanks, I enjoy hearing the responses. Everyone in hear is great, giving honest feedback w/o trashing and talking down, even if it is a dumb questiesired

I have never cared about adjusting a Pistol's factory sights. I do some shots to see how it's POI is & that's it. If it's shooting my POI an inch high, next & all shots aim 1 inch low. Nothing difficult each pistol has it's own quirks. .Now red dots, as ACOG, & EoTechs those I take the time to make them perfect...as possible. PS:Slow is smooth. Smooth is fast.

[cruzans]

fixed sights, s-o-l i guess on all the rest, my thoughts are they make them adjustable for a reason. i make sure to shoot the gun often, and if i shoot high, then low, or left then right, i don't touch them, i just keep adjusting myself. but if i consistenly shoot and inch left, or an inch high, i tweek the sights ???? i guess it's personal preference, i agree i don't want to adjust and adjust and adjust, and only do it after many rounds if i do. thanks for the feedback !

[FMJ]

I posted a thread last week about sighting my XD and I got pretty much the same replies.. "it's not the sights. it's the shooter."
Who am I to argue? I have to perfect myself before I can start blaming the gun.

[cruzans]

Have you adjusted your XD sights yet ? I tried, and can't budge the front or rear one's, am I missing something ? I've put over 100 rounds through it, and all are tight pattern about 1.5" left of center. I guess I could shoot 1000 more and hope for the best, but with my luck, I'd finally get it dead on, then pick up one of my other guns and start shooting 1.5" right !

[FMJ]

Have you adjusted your XD sights yet ? I tried, and can't budge the front or rear one's, am I missing something ? I've put over 100 rounds through it, and all are tight pattern about 1.5" left of center. I guess I could shoot 1000 more and hope for the best, but with my luck, I'd finally get it dead on, then pick up one of my other guns and start shooting 1.5" right !

Nah, I haven't touched the sights. I trust the guys here... if they say it's me, well then I gotta believe it's me.. at least until I can prove them wrong. I learned that if I actually do go slow enough.. take time (enough time) between rounds to get the sights in and then stand, grip, breath and squeeze, they go where I aim. At least improved on where they were going. It's very difficult to notice that you're moving just before firing because the recoil of the 9mm hides it. I'm not saying that's your issue... but my issue doesn't seem to be the sights right now but the jury's still out on it.