Question on Taurus Heine Sights

[nate392]

Hello everyone, I recently bought the Taurus 24/7 pro in 9mm and overall I am pleased with it . 200 rds no jams, trigger pull was fine, and it felt good. I am fairly new to handgun shooting, and I thought this would be a good gun to start with. I used Remington ammo(the stuff at walmart), and at 25ft it seems to be shooting low 3-4' for the most part. I am used to rifle shooting, and this just seems embarassingly inaccurate on my part.
Now this could be one of three things im thinking, either my shooting technique needs work, familiarization with the gun, 2). My ammo is the cause or 3). I am confusing with how to light up these sights. I kept lineing up the rear sight box with the front dot so its solid, instead of the rear dot and front dot because they blindly dont line up, is this correct?. Does anyone have a picture of how these sights are used?

 

[Baba Louie]

2 things.

I am fairly new to handgun shooting

Do you keep your head up and raise the gun to your eye level or do you lower your head when aligning the sights as most long gun shooters do? Keep head up and squared away (if you're not)

They're called figure 8 sights for a reason (and you can figure it out pretty easy vis a vis alignment configuration)

If ammo is consistant on POI, it ain't the ammo.

Play with your stance (head posture) technique first. See if that helps (if indeed it's part of the problem to begin with).

Maybe. Hope that helps

 

[The Real Wyatt]

I have a 24/7 in .45 ACP and had a similar experience. I spoke with Taurus about it and they informed me that my sight picture was incorrect for the Heinie sight. Taurus says that you don't use the normal "6 o'clock" hold with Heinie sights, you are supposed to align the sights to make a figure 8 and point the front dot at the CENTER of your intended point of impact.

I tried this at the range and, sure enough, my shooting improved with the gun. But since I have hundreds of guns and each could potentially be used in a defensive situation, I made the decision that I, personally, couldn't be bothered to use a different sight picture depending on which gun I happened to have at the particular moment. Because I, like you, liked the Taurus 24/7 quite a lot due to its capacity, tight grouping and rock solid reliability, I took my gun to a local gunsmith and had him replace the rear sight with an adjustable model. Now the same sight picture as I use with all my other guns hits the same point of impact. Problem solved and the Taurus is now a keeper.

I can't help but notice the similarity between the name of this sight and the name we, as children in my neighborhood, used for a particular part of the anatomy. 'Tis my considered opinion that this is exactly where they should shove these sights.

 

[Jim Watson]

point the front dot at the CENTER of your intended point of impact.

I recently saw something to the same effect for the more common three dot sights. Row up the dots and put the front one OVER the target.

This is, in my opinion, a mistake. And was not always the case with spotted sight makers. The early installations were made for a normal Patridge sight picture; square post in a square notch, level across the top, bullet strike either at the top of the post for a center hold or above it for a 6 o'clock hold. You were supposed to use the spots only for fast shooting in poor light where the difference between the spots and the blades was insignificant.

That said, you may well be pushing the gun in anticipation of recoil and struggling with the mushy trigger. Try shooting it from a sandbag rest or hand it to a known good pistol shot.

 

[Gator]

The two dot Heinie sights have what is called a "straight eight" sight picture, the dot on the front sight blade sits above the dot on the rear sight, making it look like the number 8. That is for quick shots at close ranges. For a more precise sight picture, center the front blade in the rear notch, with the top of the blade even with the top of the rear sight, and ignore the dots.

 

[CypherNinja]

The sights on my CZ75 are setup so you align the sights properly, and place them so the top of the front sight bisects your intended POI.

I don't shoot at bullseyes, only silhouettes, so the idea of a "6 o' clock hold" is pretty weird to me....

 

[Eightball]

Taurus says that you don't use the normal "6 o'clock" hold with Heinie sights

What do they define as the "normal 6o'clock hold"? For that matter, is there an overarching "general" definition of it? I keep seeing conflicting instructions as to what that is.....

 

[Gator]

Six O'Clock hold:



Mostly for target shooters, so you don't shoot out your aiming point.

 

[hershey]

hi guys, i have posted this on several sights, the quick fix if you can stand to do it is to file the front sight down and cut the white dot in half then blacken everything out w/ a paint marker. i did that first w/ reluctance to my 24/7, then when i bought my milleniun, i carried the file to the range and took five shots to verify the point of aim and started filing on my brand new gun, it's the cheapest fix and it works.

 

[elprofeloco]

There have been many postings on this and a few other fourms on the Heine 2-dot sights (standard) on many Taurus pistols.

Some like 'em, some don't. I don't seem to see as many posts on other types of (factory standard) sights. Costs money to change 'em.

One would hope that the Taurus factory would pay attention.

 

[Son35]

I have a PT-1911 and have the same problem of it shooting low. I've been shooting pistols for many years and am a good shot. I contacted Brownell's and asked about possible replacements (3 dot) and was told that Taurus used a propriety cut for their Heinie sights. The sights are licensed from Heinie but made in Brazil.
Unfortunately that leaves people with a Taurus stuck for now with the issue sights


Son

 

[weregunner]

Here goes. Have you gone over to www.taurusarmed.net and taken a look at the FAQs they have there. There are also many threads in the Taurus Semi auto board as well as the Gunsmithing section. a lot of the advice here is good. Just thought you could use another source since there are a lot of PT1911 owners there as well as here.This all has to do with using the Heinie sights over there.

 

[Sisco]

From Heinie's website:


Taurus 24/7 Pistol Sights

Taurus is using sights, which were designed by Richard Heinie specifically for the Taurus 24/7 Pistol. Taurus manufactures the sight under a license agreement with Richard Heinie and Heinie Specialty Products, Inc.

These sights are designed to be used as follows: Point of Aim Point of Impact, at 20-25 yards. In simple terms, Dead On. These are not designed to be used with a six o'clock hold.

Richard has personally tested several Taurus 24/7 Pistols in 9MM, 40S&W and 45ACP...each of these pistols have performed as stated above. If you are shooting low, be sure you are using the correct hold and that you are not pulling the pistol down during the trigger stroke.

Heinie Specialty Products, Inc. does have replacement sights for the Taurus 24/7 Pistols. At this time we offer our Heinie SlantPro Straight Eight Night Sight Set and our Heinie 3-D Night Sight Set for these pistols. If you have a problem with the Taurus 24/7 Pistol or the sights that come with it, please contact Taurus Customer Service.

 

[hershey]

reply back to sisco, it sounds like you are speeking on behalf of taurus, or at least heine, why can't you just give us guys that have shot for years and years one way what we want and are used to? self defense is to big an issue to be switching back and forth from one sight picture to another just because you changed handguns. i already posted how i cured my problem, but why must it be this way?

 

[aubie515]

It took me a couple times to the range with my PT1911 to get used to the Heinie sights. I am now used to the sights and like them a lot.

One thing you might want to try is a different ammo. I noticed that the Remington/UMC ammo at wal mart is a little hot compared to the CCI blazer brass ammo. The CCI shoots soft compared to the UMC, so give that a try.

 

[Sisco]

reply back to sisco, it sounds like you are speeking on behalf of taurus, or at least heine, why can't you just give us guys that have shot for years and years one way what we want and are used to? self defense is to big an issue to be switching back and forth from one sight picture to another just because you changed handguns. i already posted how i cured my problem, but why must it be this way?

Just posting what Heinie has to say about the Taurus sights.
I have a PT145 MilPro with the Heinies and I don't like them. I'd much rather have three dots but no one makes direct replacements.