Adjusting Windage on the Sheild

[ptf18]

Apparently S&W doesn't "recommend" moving the rear sight to correct for windage errors on the Shield. One is to utilize the (tight fitting) front sight.

My understanding is that the rear sight is "secured" in place by the visible set screw AND loctite.

If this so true is there any reason one could not address the loctite issue (heat), loosen the set screw and make whatever windage corrections needed?

[armorer951]

There is no Loctite in the dovetail. The rear sight does have a visible allen head set screw that is for all practical purposes, unnecessary.

Both the front and rear sights are very tightly press fit, and are difficult to move without the proper sight pusher.

[Dave686]

I would guess they tell you not to adjust with the rear sight because if you move it much; its hanging over the side. That and all the people that strip out the rear sight set screw trying to remove it could be the reasons; but that’s just my WAG.

[TMan51]

Originally Posted by armorer951

Both the front and rear sights are very tightly press fit, and are difficult to move without the proper sight pusher.

You bet!

If you don't want to entertain the expense of a sight pusher, just to adjust one sight, you may find it easier to "drift" the FRONT sight after a couple of drops of a penetrating oil.

I have a pair of Bodyguard .380's and a pair of Shield 9's. They all wanted to shoot left by a few inches with anything at 15yds, (everything?), I fed them. NP, just tap the front sight a couple times, not. You can wear out a brass drift tapping away

You do want to place something under the slide to keep it from moving around, but if you let them sit for a bit, (I used 3 in one penetrating oil), you will find the sight quite a bit more cooperative. Use a brass drift though, as they tend to grab the steel a bit better than a steel drift without deforming the sight itself.

I've been drifting sights for about 50 years. The S&W sights will never fall out, but they take some extra to get them to drift.

[sandog]

On all the ones I've changed sights on (4), the rear sight is much easier to move than the front. My sight pusher wouldn't budge the front sights, so I used a brass drift.
If you have to move the rear sight very much, you might want to split the difference and move the front sight the opposite way.
That way your rear sight isn't as far off to the side.

[epj]

This may be of interest. A slightly updated version of the pusher is available in the classified section.

Shield sight change Picture heavy

[TMan51]

Originally Posted by sandog

If you have to move the rear sight very much, you might want to split the difference and move the front sight the opposite way.

My auto's were all off to the left with a six o'clock hold by 3"-5" at 10yds/15yds. Because it was so consistent, I suspect it may be the way I grip the guns, ??, but I don't know that. The sights looked to be very close to perfectly centered.

What I did see, was that it takes only a tiny amount of drift to correct for that, as the sight radius, (especially on the .380's), is so short that very little adjustment is actually required. Less is more, as they say.
To tell how much adjustment a tap or two was worth, I used a sharp pencil to mark the right side of the sight slot, and checked it every couple of taps to see if it moved. I needed a magnifying glass to really see the difference. Only about 5-10/1000's did the trick. I.e., don't use a big hammer

The effort is worth it though, as all four of the guns will keep multiple shots on a 6" bull at the yardage I do most of the shooting at, with the different guns. (I don't have to remember any Kentucky windage). My Shield 9's will put a good beating on a 6" bull out to 25 yds if I'm having a good day.

[Eric300]

Yeah, it can be a little tough using a brass punch and hammer, but, it can be done. I just did mine last week. I'd prefer to use the appropriate sight-pusher tool, but I don't do this enough to buy one. I have access to one, but, not readily available when I decided to adjust my REAR sight. Anyway, a block of wood, brass punch, and hammer was all I needed to drift the REAR sight just a smidge to the right to get my Shield M2.0 9mm to zero. And, I didn't even 'booger-up' the rear sight!

[seldon14]

When I worked in a shop we had many people bring in handguns "shooting to the left" , usually low and left, but sometimes just left. 1 of them was the gun shooting left, literally all the others where the shooter. We had a handful of people bring in guns "shooting right" they where all left handed.