fixed sight adjustment on S&W

railer12 · February 27, 2009, 01:07 PM

I recently purchased a S&W model 547, 3 in. barrel. Love this little 9mm revolver, but it shoots about 2-3 in. left at 25 yds. Is there anyway to adjust the front sight? (this gun has fixed sights). Sight needs to go left just a bit, but don't want to take a chance on breaking it.

James K · February 27, 2009, 01:31 PM

Not a lot you can really do except to hold off. There will likely be a lot of ideas about bending, welding, filing, etc., but those things are easier to say than to do without wrecking the gun. 2-3 inches is not much at that distance from what is basically a short range revolver. I would rule out my shooting (let another good shooter try it from a rest) and then if it is confirmed, just live with it.

Jim

hunter11 · February 27, 2009, 01:32 PM

Put a small dab of fingernail polish on the side of front sight. Dan

railer12 · February 27, 2009, 02:21 PM

Thanks Jim, I think your right.

I don't get the fingenail polish on the sight theory, could you explain hunter11.

Scorch · February 27, 2009, 02:25 PM

Something else you might want to try is firing several types or makes of ammo to see if there is a POI shift right or left. You may find a load that shoots right on.

railer12 · February 27, 2009, 02:33 PM

Good point scorch. My sig sp2340 is exactly like that. I've only shot Remington 115 gr.FMJ in this.

madmo44mag · February 27, 2009, 02:42 PM

If you have trouble getting it sighted in and just cant live with it, you can give it to me - lol!
Sight off the left side of the front blade and line it right behind the right rear side site
I have a Rossi 44Spl snubbi that way and it has adjustable sites.
Work for me.

railer12 · February 27, 2009, 02:53 PM

LOL... thanks Madmo, but I think Jims post is the best I've heard so far.

Japle · February 27, 2009, 04:18 PM

That's within factory specs for a fixed sight revolver.
You can open up the right side of the rear sight notch if you can live with a wider notch. You can also have the barrel cranked a bit to the left and the cylinder gap adjusted. Don't try this at home!!

Seriously, there's not much you can do except experiment with loads and see if you can find something that shoots closer to your POA.

HiBC · March 2, 2009, 09:07 PM

When I bought a Uberti .45 LC single action a cowboy shooter friend advised I experiment with loads.It worked,and not only on elevation.
Another possibility would be to try different grips,like Hogues or Pachmayers.

Just for info sake,if you convert ther sight radius and the range to the same unit of measure
say 0.5 ft and divide it into the range (75 ft) you would know the multiplier of a sight change,in my hypothetical case 150.So,with a 6 in sight radius,moving the centerline of the blade or notch .020 would move POI 3 in at 25 yds.Someting to remember is the effect is split in half if you cut one side of the blade or notch,as you still center the sight picture,so I would have to take .040 off one side to move the center line .020.

.040 is a lot! It would look like something was wrong.

I am telling you this to re-enforce getting the dremel out ( :-) isn't the best plan here.

kraigwy · March 2, 2009, 11:53 PM

I know this is gonna sound stupid, but it works sometimes. Change ammo. differant ammo affects differant guns in differant ways. Change bulles, change powder charge, change brass, change primers. You'd be supprised.

I had a 547 that was off, (forgot, which way, but is was one side or the other). I kept playing with it until I found a charge of powder bullet combo that worked. I was by using the lyman 356402 146 grn bullet. I forgot the powder charge, it was a while back and I got rid of my notes when I sold the gun (which was a stupid move on my part). I loved that little gun.

February 27, 2009, 01:07 PM	#1
railer12 Member Join Date: December 4, 2008 Posts: 52	fixed sight adjustment on S&W I recently purchased a S&W model 547, 3 in. barrel. Love this little 9mm revolver, but it shoots about 2-3 in. left at 25 yds. Is there anyway to adjust the front sight? (this gun has fixed sights). Sight needs to go left just a bit, but don't want to take a chance on breaking it.

February 27, 2009, 01:32 PM	#3
hunter11 Member Join Date: January 31, 2009 Location: Florida Posts: 66	Sight adj. Put a small dab of fingernail polish on the side of front sight. Dan

February 27, 2009, 02:25 PM	#5
Scorch Senior Member Join Date: February 13, 2006 Location: Washington state Posts: 15,248	Something else you might want to try is firing several types or makes of ammo to see if there is a POI shift right or left. You may find a load that shoots right on. __________________ Never try to educate someone who resists knowledge at all costs. But what do I know? Summit Arms Services

February 27, 2009, 02:42 PM	#7
madmo44mag Senior Member Join Date: December 29, 2008 Location: Ft.Worth, Texas Posts: 1,522	If you have trouble getting it sighted in and just cant live with it, you can give it to me - lol! Sight off the left side of the front blade and line it right behind the right rear side site I have a Rossi 44Spl snubbi that way and it has adjustable sites. Work for me. __________________ Texas - Not just a state but an attitude! For monthly shooting events in DFW visit http://www.meetup.com/TexasGunOwner-DFW

March 2, 2009, 09:07 PM	#10
HiBC Senior Member Join Date: November 13, 2006 Posts: 8,283	When I bought a Uberti .45 LC single action a cowboy shooter friend advised I experiment with loads.It worked,and not only on elevation. Another possibility would be to try different grips,like Hogues or Pachmayers. Just for info sake,if you convert ther sight radius and the range to the same unit of measure say 0.5 ft and divide it into the range (75 ft) you would know the multiplier of a sight change,in my hypothetical case 150.So,with a 6 in sight radius,moving the centerline of the blade or notch .020 would move POI 3 in at 25 yds.Someting to remember is the effect is split in half if you cut one side of the blade or notch,as you still center the sight picture,so I would have to take .040 off one side to move the center line .020. .040 is a lot! It would look like something was wrong. I am telling you this to re-enforce getting the dremel out ( :-) isn't the best plan here. Last edited by HiBC; March 2, 2009 at 09:19 PM.

February 27, 2009, 01:31 PM	#2
James K Member In Memoriam Join Date: March 17, 1999 Posts: 24,383	Not a lot you can really do except to hold off. There will likely be a lot of ideas about bending, welding, filing, etc., but those things are easier to say than to do without wrecking the gun. 2-3 inches is not much at that distance from what is basically a short range revolver. I would rule out my shooting (let another good shooter try it from a rest) and then if it is confirmed, just live with it. Jim

February 27, 2009, 02:21 PM	#4
railer12 Member Join Date: December 4, 2008 Posts: 52	Thanks Jim, I think your right. I don't get the fingenail polish on the sight theory, could you explain hunter11.

February 27, 2009, 02:33 PM	#6
railer12 Member Join Date: December 4, 2008 Posts: 52	Good point scorch. My sig sp2340 is exactly like that. I've only shot Remington 115 gr.FMJ in this.

February 27, 2009, 02:53 PM	#8
railer12 Member Join Date: December 4, 2008 Posts: 52	LOL... thanks Madmo, but I think Jims post is the best I've heard so far.

February 27, 2009, 04:18 PM	#9
Japle Senior Member Join Date: October 12, 2004 Location: Viera, Florida Posts: 1,340	That's within factory specs for a fixed sight revolver. You can open up the right side of the rear sight notch if you can live with a wider notch. You can also have the barrel cranked a bit to the left and the cylinder gap adjusted. Don't try this at home!! Seriously, there's not much you can do except experiment with loads and see if you can find something that shoots closer to your POA.

March 2, 2009, 11:53 PM	#11
kraigwy Senior Member Join Date: June 16, 2008 Location: Wyoming Posts: 11,061	I know this is gonna sound stupid, but it works sometimes. Change ammo. differant ammo affects differant guns in differant ways. Change bulles, change powder charge, change brass, change primers. You'd be supprised. I had a 547 that was off, (forgot, which way, but is was one side or the other). I kept playing with it until I found a charge of powder bullet combo that worked. I was by using the lyman 356402 146 grn bullet. I forgot the powder charge, it was a while back and I got rid of my notes when I sold the gun (which was a stupid move on my part). I loved that little gun. __________________ Kraig Stuart CPT USAR Ret USAMU Sniper School Distinguished Rifle Badge 1071