Methods, tools for sighting in revolver

[Guy B. Meredith]

I am all over the place trying to sight in my S&W M66 with 4" barrel. I need to eliminate as many variables as possible and get it done correctly.

I am open to any and all tips and advice. I have been shooting from a bag rest and am thinking about a V handgun rest, but am concerned about possible issues with the B/C flame.

 

[9mmepiphany]

Will need a few questions answered first.

1. Which ammo are you sighting in with?
2. What distance are you shooting at?
3. Which sight picture are you using?
4. Which target are you shooting at?
5. How are you using the bag for support...what are you resting on the bag?

 

[IlikeSA]

What size are your groups? Do groups move over the target as you adjust the sights?

 

[Guy B. Meredith]

1. Reloads. .38 spl 158 gr at about 900 fps

2. I am trying to sight in at 25 yd. Is this correct for sighting in expecting to do most shooting under 25 yd, but some out to 50 yd for an ICORE standard stage?

3. Standard S&W adjustable sights, front centered between and top level with back. Top of front set for impact point.

4. Shoot N See previously, but will be going to commercial sighting in targets.

5. I haven't had the bag out for a while, but I believe the trigger guard and hands to prevent burning the bag.

 

[Guy B. Meredith]

The groups are not near tight, but do group. Maybe 8 to 12 inches at 20 yards offhand. Yes, they do move over the target with adjustment.

There are too many variables. One problem is glasses, another is seeing the sights. I want to make sure the setup and method I am using is not adding more.

 

[Guy B. Meredith]

Maybe I should explain that part of the problem is that I am not sure which focus point is correct. I was shooting about 8 or so inches high on plates at 10 yards, but I don't know whether a poor sight picture due to the glasses/sight visibility/focus/poor grip is causing that or whether the sights are set too high.

 

[9mmepiphany]

1. Reloads. .38 spl 158 gr at about 900 fps

Do you know the accuracy potential of these reloads...how tight will they group?

I recommend that you start with 148gr target wadcutters that you know will group. You can go back to your load of choice after you get the gun sighted in.

2. I am trying to sight in at 25 yd. Is this correct for sighting in expecting to do most shooting under 25 yd, but some out to 50 yd for an ICORE standard stage?

You're starting too far out. Much like a 5.56x45mm rifle which you'd sight in at 25m before moving out to 200m, you need to get it into a group first.

I recommend you start out at 7-10 yards. At that distance, all your holes on target should touch. From there you can adjust your POI to where you want before moving back to your desired distance. I'd personally check zero at 15, 20, and 25 yards before moving to 50 yards

3. Standard S&W adjustable sights, front centered between and top level with back. Top of front set for impact point.

If you have the white outline around the rear notch, I'd paint it black

4. Shoot N See previously, but will be going to commercial sighting in targets.

You don't say which size your Shoot-n-See is, but the 1"-2" ones are very good. I can also recommend shooting at a brightly colored 2" square rotated 45 degrees, so it looks like a diamond. That would be at the further distances. When you start out (7-10 yards) I'd shoot at a 1" square

5. I haven't had the bag out for a while, but I believe the trigger guard and hands to prevent burning the bag.

I'd put a bag under your wrists and another under the barrel. If you only have one bag, one under your wrist will offer a greater stability. Don't rest the butt of the gun on the bag.

The groups are not near tight, but do group. Maybe 8 to 12 inches at 20 yards offhand. Yes, they do move over the target with adjustment.

The rule of thumb is that you can't really make adjustments smaller than the group you can shoot.

Off a rest, you shouldn't have much trouble shooting a 2" group at 25 yards

 

[burrhead]

Lose the Sight and See and instead use just a simple piece of paper with a +/- 1" black dot. Simple and uncluttered.

Use a bag and don't rest the barrel or bottom of the stocks on it. I prefer to just rest my wrists on the bag.

Shoot single action. Breath and squeeze. Take you time. Each shot is a separate, discreet event.

Wad cutters. They are generally accurate and low recoil. We ain't killin' bears here.

As already said, your too far from the target. 10 yards is more than enough.

Good luck.

 

[rcmodel]

All you need to know about shooting a handgun is FRONT SIGHT.

Focus on the front sight, and let the rear sight and target blur out.

The rear sight notch out of focus?
Your brain will take care of centering the brightest cracks of light.
(Just like peeking through a key-hole in a door.)

Not that you have ever done that.

The target & rear sight doesn't need to be in sharp focus if the 'in focus' front sight is centered on it.

FRONT SIGHT! FRONT SIGHT! FRONT SIGHT!

Should be all you focus on!!

rc

 

[Steve C]

As RC posted regarding front sight. You may have difficulty doing that because of any correction on your glasses being for distance and reading at shorter than arms length. I had a pair of glasses made for the computer screen that worked perfectly for pistol sight distance when old age presbyopia set in.

First I have to disagree with using a target at too close a range. A large target swallows your sight. A proper target to sight in on would be a 25yd bull on an NRA 25 yd pistol target designed to be shot at that distance. From a supported bench you should be able to hold the black and make adjustments to bring your rounds into the target center.

I move the target to 10 to 15 yds and shoot a small spot to see where the gun hits at that close of a range in case I ever need to hit that small a target like between the eyes of a perp holding a family member hostage.

This was shot at 25 yds off the bench to test the ammo's accuracy which was 158gr JHP's loaded with 14.5 gr of 2400. The target is a 25yd timed and rapid fire however the bull size is the same as the 25yd slow fire target.



This was messing around aiming at the little man at the bottom of a 25 yd target set at 10 yds with a .38 snub nose.

 

[joem1945]

You might reduce the charge a bit. I load 158 SWC @ about 650 to 700 FPS. Model 10 S&W shoots point of aim at 25 to 40 yds.

 

[Guy B. Meredith]

Thank you for the replies and suggestions. I appreciate that.

I have been pretty competent offhand up to about 15 yards, doing the drills with 5" targets and 3 x 5 recipe cards. I then decided to take it out to 25 yd and everything went to hell a week ago, even at 10 yd.

I am now questioning whether whatever caused that to happen was part of something I'd been unknowingly accommodating and want to get to a dependable base condition.