I have never owned a fixed sight S&W but several of the model 10 threads here have got me curious about changing that.

So.......Do the fixed sights of the model 10/36 etc impose any "real" shooting limitations as opposed to adjustable sights such as the model 15, 14 or 19?? I mean in theory adjustable sights MUST be better (because they are adjustable for different ammo), but are they better in actual practice??

Thanks, Bill

For short range work, 20 yards or less, I like them fine. I do stick with 158 gr bullets, to keep elevation consistent. I would like them even better if the blades were easily changed for fiber optic, or nite sight options.

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Eric

Though most of my handguns have adjustable sights, I don't think they really help my marksmanship. 30 years ago I would not have said that, but my eyes aren't what they were back then. At average ranges, say 15 to 150 feet, I think fixed sights will serve you well. You'll probably be surprised how well it shoots.

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Geoff. Since 1960.

It depends on what type of shooting you do. For defensive purposes or casual shooting within typical ranges there is probably no difference; as you noted, for multiple loads or longer distances I would guess most would prefer adjustable sights, somewhat due to their higher profile.

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Alan
SWCA LM 2023, SWHF 220

Bill, I have both fixed and adjustable Smiths. I love them all and find that the fixed sights just suit me better in a close range sight picture.

Yes you can adjust for ammo, distance and even windage if you are that "fixed" on it but I tend to set my adjustable sight guns to about 15 yards and leave them there and then adjust my aim to make up for the difference.
T

I used to do a ton of target shooting with gorgeous target guns with big honkin rear sights and loved em. That being said, as soon as I fired my new 681, I was instantly sold on fixed sights. Sure they have their limitations, not as large of a notch to see the front sight, no adjustments, but when using fixed sights, its very easy to adjust where the the rounds are going just by pointing it in a slightly different spot. Of course that is not bullseye shooting, but perfectly acceptable for plinking, action shooting, and self defense.

I only have a few fixed sight Smiths, but I'm quite stunned by how beautifully they're regulated. My 10-5 couldn't be more "on" if it had adjustable sights. My (dreaded internal lock) 642-2 is also very, very close. (I have had fun doing "head shots" on IDPA targets further than fellow shooters thought possible...only because the sights work.) I took delivery of a LNIB 36-1 a couple weeks ago. My first jaunt to the range showed me it was also very well regulated. I've come to the conclusion Smith fixed sight guns really don't give up much in their intended role.

PC

Fixed sights are great if they shoot to point of aim, but they often do not, and you are usually restricted to bullet weight. That said, I own more fixed-sight guns than not.

I've owned several fixed sighted handguns over the years and they do have an advantage in consistancy and ruggedness. Anything that can be adjusted can get unadjusted. Not so with fixed sights. Sure you may be restricted in regard to bullet weight but generally the fixed sights are regulated to the standard (proven) bullet for the chambering. With load development and sight alteration ( have used a lot of JB Weld to heighten front sights) you can get them to shoot you pet loads "dead on" and the plus is the gun will always be sighted in.

If they shoot to POA, and mine all do, then they are wonderful . . . and you get that same, always consistency when you shoot! You never have to wonder, "Geez, did I adjust the sights last time I took it to the range to try that new "wonder ammo" by XYZ?

Fixed sights are great!

Adjustable sights are too . . . once you adjust 'em and LEAVE 'em there! LOL

Learn your gun. I shoot my Mod 10 alot. I know what loads to use The windage is right on so all i have to do is adjust for distance

I have a 6" 10-5 that outshoots my Model 14 with an 8 3/8" barrel and a worked trigger

Fixed sight 4" .38 and .357 revolvers GREATLY outnumber target sighted revolvers in my collection. I am a fixed sight duty gun fanatic.

I have regularly shot out to 100 yards with my fixed sight revolvers, and have quite a few in DAO such as my Ruger GPNY model.

I have several Model 10's and a 6" M&P made in 1920 and those guns will do the job just the same as any 67, 15, etc.

I have a 64-8 and a 66-7 and you can't tell the difference in groups on paper between those guns, at any range from 5 yards to 50.

Thanks guys. I'm kinda surprised at the number & depth of the responses.

The old saying about "Beware of the man with only one gun, he probably knows how to use it" comes to mind.

An old timer told me simply. "Learn the gun" With fixed sights you have to learn the gun, and when you do, you can be very very effective with it.

I carried a fix sight magnum for many years as a LEO. I learned that gun and I made it really hot for a guy with a 30-30 at 85 yards one day. Course I was dancin' like a bug on a hot rock gittin' off the bullseye too.

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Eccentric old coot

Adjustable sights might be better in theory. but shoot, I never adjust them anyway. Kentucky windage works with both.

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John 3:16 .

If you shoot a lot of different bullet weights at long (for a handgun) ranges, maybe you really need adjustable sights. However, I really believe most folks adjust them once then leave them there for perpetuity.

But different bullet weights will be close enough to dead-on at accross-the-room type ranges. And isn't that the type of shooting handguns were designed for?

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You're shy a few manners.

I have both. I like fixed sight revolvers better. At my age and my physical limitations I only shoot out to 15 yds at the range. My M&P pre-10 4 inch is more accurate than me with 158 gr 38 specials. Actually so is my model 13-2 4 inch. I have a model 19 and 66 but don't adjust the sights. They are both fine looking revolvers but for most shooting distances the fixed sight revolvers are accurate enough. I actually shoot my fixed sight revolvers more than my adjustable sight revolvers.
Regards,
Howard

I will have to add that while I do enjoy the fixed sights on my 681, I am going to try painting them flat black today. Stainless isn't the easiest to see...

+1 What Geoff said!

This one shoots as well as any revolver I have ever fired:

Do note the front sight painted black.

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-jwk-
US Army '72-'95

I for one despise shooting fixed sight revolvers bigger than a snub J-frame. I could say it's because I'm old & can't see the smaller fixed sights, but I have never liked 'em. Heck, back when model 10's sold for $85 new, I always paid the extra dollars (about $15 more for a model 15) & bought model 15's & 19's to get adjustable sights.

Fixed sights is all I use now...my model 10-6, model 49, and my model 681 are all fix sighted revolvers. Now all my auto's are fix sights also. The military has fixed sights on there handguns. All my guns shot to POA. At this point in time, I have no hand guns with adj. sights.
With adj. sights if you forget you changed the sights, you are shooting high or low. Forget to tighten screw tight and you could loose the sight! Guilty on both accounts, I can admit it!
In the end it will be your choice! I have always wondered how S&W could always get them to POA!

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2 Timothy 1:7

I started with adjustable sight revolvers, which do have their advantages if you're playing around with a lot of different bullet weights and velocities to be able to dial the load in. A couple of years ago I bought my first fixed sight gun, a 3" Model 13, and found that it shot my normal IDPA loads with 158 grain bullets very well. I later picked up a 4" Model 10, and likewise found its sights to be spot on with same load. I've used both guns in competition, and know that nothing could possibly have gotten out of adjustment or set to the wrong load. The only gun breakage I ever experienced while hunting was with the rear sight on a Ruger Super Blackhawk, went to take a sight picture on stand and realized the rear sight blade had broken and gone missing. Both sighting systems have their places, but I've come to appreciate fixed sights as very practical and reliable.

I worked up a good load with my 4" mdl. 10 and squirrel hunted with it a coupel of times. Cast bullets didn't tear them up anymore that .22 LR's. It was accurate enough to bring them down from the treetops if you did your part.

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S&W Accumulator

I also just like the look of guns like Model 10's, 64's, 58's etc. a lot better than their target sighted counterparts.

I have a 2.5" 66 and never carry it, because if God forbid I need to use it in self defense I am certain the odds of me even using the sights are so remote as to not even be a factor. I would rather have something like my Model 60 or a 4" Model 10 for CC and not have a sharp piece of metal to worry about catching on my clothes when it's in my IWB holster.

If you are going to shoot one load at a single distance, at a large target and don't care where you hit within the target area, then fixed sights are ok. Otherwise, adjustables are the only way to go. Why settle for just OK ?

In a hunting or self-defense scenario, the range you shoot at will not always be known before-hand, maybe not even known very precisely at the time of the shot.

So unless you have a fantastic memory or carry around copious notes with you at all times, you may not be able to adjust your sights "on the fly" anyways. Not to mention that time considerations may preclude any such fiddling around even if it were possible.

I think we have all conceded that adjustable sights do have some advantage for paper punching at the range.

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You're shy a few manners.

You'll never have to wonder about your fixed sight gun if it gets dropped or banged on something. Also, you don't have to worry about tiny springs and screws that might loosen up and fall out. Keeping it simple is a good thing for a carry gun.

I have both. With my target sights I notice I have every one of them cranked over to the left.

Honestly, not unless you're target shooting. Given that the fixed sights are properly regulated of course. I prefer to find the most accurate load for fixed sight guns and then have my gunsmith tweak the sights to make POI coincide with POA. In my experience manufacturers rarely get the fixed sights regulated to my liking. They use ballistics formulas to determine where a bullet of given weight and velocity should hit given a particular sight height and windage alignment and then use those figures to produce or mill all the sights. Using this procedure there is naturally going to be wide variation in POI. Two guns with identical sights coming off the assembly line back to back will not have the same POI with the same ammo.

Not everyones eyes are the same. As I pointed out above, why do I have my rear sights all cranked over to the left? On the other hand now that I am old, and have the shakes I probley cant tell the differance anyway. For the most part over many years I would always take my gun soon as I bought them, shoot them off the bench, adjust them and leave them alone.

S&W uses, or used, lead blocks called babbits to "tweak" the frames of the fixed sight revolvers and in some cases target sight revolvers to get them to the right POA to POI. This was "back in the day" when S&W techs would fire the guns from a rest to get them to hit where the sights pointed.

It is a common and wrong misconception that the fixed sight S&W's are not as accurate or "only good for close range". I don't have a single fixed sight S&W that is not properly regulated to POI to POA with the correct ammo, and I have many fixed sight S&W's. Keep in mind these are duty guns, and are zeroed to the popular duty rounds of the period. For example, my 10-6 is zeroed to standard 158 gr. while my 10-14 is dead on with 130 gr. +P. I also have a 10-6 that is so accurate that I wouldn't hesitate to use it in a Bullseye match if I could ever find one to enter.

My 6" 10-5 shoots cloverleafs at 25 yards and is one of my best shooting handguns. I am so used to the sight picture of fixed sight revolvers, since they vastly outnumber target sight guns in my collection, that I actually shoot better with them. I like the low, clean sight picture and to me, a target sight gun has sights that sit "high" to me, if that makes any sense. One of my Model 10's comes straight up to a natural sight picture for me, where when I bring up my 4" 66 I sometimes feel like I'm searching for a sight picture for a second.

It is really neat when your fixed sighted gun shoots you chosen load to POA, it is really irritating when your f/s gun doesn't shoot your chosen load to POA. This little piece of reality causes me to buy revolvers with adjustable sights.

fcr

In my case, it depends on the type of revolver. I don't mind fixed sights in smaller carry guns (and I actually find them more aesthetically pleasing than adjustable ones). But I prefer adjustable ones in my larger revolvers.

I play around with different loads in my .357s and .44s, and quite often shoot at 55 yards. So I find adjustable sights quite handy. Most of them are also easier to see than fixed sights.

However, the most ridiculously accurate revolver I've had was a no dash Model 10.