Springfield Mil-Spec: Low and to the left.

[RavenVT100]

Just what it says. It's a nice 1911 but I'd been having some problems with it--not hitting the paper, for instance. I thought it was me, but it braced myself against a sandbag and it groups--just about six inches low and to the left. at about 10 yards.

It has the sights that it came with, which are the "standard" non-adjustable three-dot sights. What's the best recommended course of action?

 

[waynedm]

I'm sure you're still going to get a lot of 'it's you', but even on that model you should be able to drift the rear sight back and forth.

 

[Baphomet]

I'm not saying your sight's AREN'T out of whack, but I'd have another competent shooter put a couple mags downrange to confirm it before you start having the sights pushed to compensate. If the sights do prove to be out of whack, I think I'd start by having a polite conversation with SA's customer service about it.

 

[Outlaw Man]

Try some other ammo, too. I was consistantly shooting low with mine until I switched to a lighter bullet. That brought them up to where they needed to be. Afterward, just for kicks, I used a laser bore sight. It indicated the sights were dead on.

That, and drifting the rear sight a little to the right might fix you right up.

 

[Rob96]

I had this same exact problem. Shooting to the left is either you or you just need to drift the sight a little. Shooting 4-6" low is the sight itself. Contact Springfield at, 1-800-680-6866 and tell them you need this part # PI5341. They will send you the sight, and it easy to swap out. I am going to Friday to shoot mine to see how it worked out.

 

[Master Blaster]

You could be flinching, even off a sandbag.

It happens to me, I actually shoot a handgun worse off a sandbag than i do offhand. The way to determine this is to buy and randomly load a snap cap or two in the magazine ( have somone else load the magazine) with live rounds. When the snapcap comes up and you pull the trigger all will be revealed.

If you reload you can make your own snapcap with a fired case and a bullet of your choosing.

 

[Trebor]

Low and left is the most common sign of a trigger control problem with a right handed shooter. You can do that even off sandbags. Have someone else shoot the gun before you muck with sights.

If it is a flinch, try alot of dry-fire to cure it.

 

[DogBonz]

Well

Your sights may me outta wack, but before you go crazy, here is a little trick that I use. Have someone else load a mag for you and have them ramdomly substitute a snap cap for a live round. Then you slow fire paying very close atention to your front sight. if the hammer falls on that snap cap and your front sight doesn't move, then you know that it's your sights. If it takes a dive, then you know it's you.

Just my $0.02

 

[RavenVT100]

Rob and others:

Yes, I've done the snap cap technique. I don't think I'm jerking these shots. It's been doing this since I got it a few years ago. I've just now started to analyze it.

I had this same exact problem. Shooting to the left is either you or you just need to drift the sight a little. Shooting 4-6" low is the sight itself. Contact Springfield at, 1-800-680-6866 and tell them you need this part # PI5341. They will send you the sight, and it easy to swap out. I am going to Friday to shoot mine to see how it worked out.

Is this the front sight or the rear sight?

 

[Rob96]

Is this the front sight or the rear sight?

They will send you a new rear sight. The shooting low problem is nothing new to Springfield 1911s. The thing I don't understand is why they don't kust put the sight in that they end up sending anyway. I have only ever had this happen to me with this Springer and one other that I got to shoot. Never had this with the two Colts I had and the three previous Kimbers(that is when they actually worked )

 

[RavenVT100]

I called them today. They told me that basically, the way it's shooting a new sight wouldn't do any good. That doesn't engender much confidence, if you ask me.

I'm taking it out tomorrow to test, to get a more accurate reading of exactly where the rounds are going, using factory ammo, and then provide the data to SA. If I have to send it back, then so be it.

I just hope there's nothing irreparably wrong with it. I like this gun.

 

[Rob96]

Well I will let you know today, as I am hitting the range after the gym this morning.

 

[Rob96]

Well I am back from the range. With the new rear sight they sent me, I am now only shooting 3" low instead of 6". I have another email into the associate wh took care of me. Everyone is out of the office right now for the Easter holiday.

 

[RavenVT100]

Heh. They just called me and are sending me the sight now, too. I suspect once I get it I will be in your situation. But I'll give it a try.

How'd you replace the sights? Brass punch?

 

[Rob96]

I knocked the old sight out with a steel punch. Didn't worry about that one as it was shooting 6" low. To install the new rear, I used a wooden dowel to tap it into place. I tapped it in until the center mark on the sight was just to the right (if looking down from the grip end) of the center line on the slide. This put the impact perfectly centered. Being 3" low at 7-10yds isn't bad. It is only really pesky when shooting at 20-25yds.