I have just come from browsing through RKmesa's excellent thread (on this forum) entitled "K-22 Outdoorsman Appreciation and Photo Thread". It starts off with some stunning photographs of one his equally stunning Outdoorsman's-----and some other stuff.

One of the items of other stuff is an illustration of a S&W brochure of the times entitled "As Accurate as a Watch; As Sturdy as a Tractor" where we are regaled with the attributes of this fine revolver----including the sights. There is one comment on the sights which has me completely bumfuzzled----and I will be eternally grateful to any and all who would take a few moments to explain it to me----because I just don't get it.

It reads as follows: "The adjusting screws are so threaded that one turn will change the point of impact one inch for each 10 yards of range."

Up until now, my understanding of the sight adjustment has been one full turn of the adjusting screw will change the point of impact one inch at 50 yards. I get that!

Many thanks!!

Ralph Tremaine

Ralph,

I can honestly say I don't know which is correct. You read: "1 turn = 1 in at ten yards", so that's 2" at 20 yards and 5" at 50 yards.

But I do know this: I shot my K22 Outdoorsman recently and adjusted the windage. I was shooting at 25 yards. About 1/5th turn moved my impact roughly 1/2" at that range. So a full turn would have moved it 5 times as far or 2 1/2" at 25 yards which would = 5" at 50 yards.

That matches what you read; "1 turn = 1" for every 10 yards" and is not even close to 1 turn = 1" at 50 yards!

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Jim
S&WCA #819

I too have wondered at this.

For reference here is the page from the K-22 O/D Brochure:




The Brochure for the 38/44 Outdoorsman has a similar comment (see last sentence in the 1st paragraph on 2nd posted page):





Interestingly enough, the 357 Magnum Brochure does not mention the windage adjustment...





Maybe it is in the definition of what a "turn" or "full turn" is. Perhaps a "turn" is only 90 Degrees or 180 degrees, vs 360 degrees?

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Richard
Engraved S&W fan

It would appear my salvation is going to come from shooting some of these Old Dogs. I quit shooting the New Dogs quite some time ago because I couldn't see the sights---AND the target. I got some fancy "shooting glasses" from a fancy eye doctor----who is also a shooter. How could I go wrong?!! The fancy glasses allow me to see the sights (any sights---old or new) perfectly! Seeing the target at the same time is another matter altogether----something about those pesky laws of physics---or whatever!

I solved most of these problems long ago by buying a couple of fancy shotguns----and then some fancy rifles---with scope sights. I never miss! Now I guess I'm going back back to missing sometimes.

I have a friend who has solved this problem with repeated visits to both the range and the eye doctor---back and forth----back and forth. Now he has some bi-focal's which have been adjusted (the separation line has been adjusted) up/down---down/up----back and forth---back and forth, such that he now sees his (handgun) sights perfectly and the target perfectly----every time---without tilting his head up and down.

I'm tempted!

Ralph Tremaine

One more thing----no mention of windage is made (in the brochure) because windage adjustments are not impacted by bullet trajectory. Instructions for elevation adjustments on any given sight are necessarily approximate because the impact of those adjustments are affected considerably by bullet trajectory. Throwing pumpkin balls out of a .44 Russian is considerably different than launching rocketships out of a magnum!

The way you can do that is what I did with my eyeglasses. Have your eye doctor make the shooting eye bi-focal so you can see your front sight without tilting your head. Now have the other eye so you can see the target. Of course you have to shoot with both eyes open, which you should anyway. This will take a little while to get used to but you will learn it.

My problem is solved----at least in so far as knowing/understanding the sight adjustment procedure. One of the first things you get taught in problem solving school is to make sure you know what the real problem is. The real problem was I took the one full turn equates to 1" @ 50 yards as gospel. That unfortunate error was compounded by the fact I have never had to adjust sights such that the point of impact moved as much as 5" (at 50 yards)-----dumb luck I reckon. That and the fact that almost all of my serious hole punching was done indoors---all except for my first time out with a .44 Magnum.

It was a Ruger----$97 as I recall. I couldn't afford a S&W------$135. So there I am, one single action handgun (with smooth ivory grips). One box of factory ammo. It's summertime in St. Louis. That's spelled hotter than dammit!! I am seated with my back up against a tree. I have two hands on the gun---with my hands resting on my knees. Those hands are more than a little sweaty---as in hotter than dammit.

KABLAM!!! It was positively RUDE---no other word for it! The gun recoiled straight up and straight back---and the front sight hit me square on top of the head. As I sat there, contemplating the seriously warped mentality of anyone who would actually shoot such a load on purpose, my friend began to laugh----about to wet his pants! It seems there was a small stream of blood running down my forehead---down my nose, and dripping into my lap. I didn't think it was even remotely funny!

When I got home, I proceeded to pull the bullets from the remaining 49 rounds. I eventually refilled the cases with 18.5 grains of 2400 behind a 205 grain Thomson gas-check semi-wadcutter bullet---and we went back to the "Gumbo Flats" to try again. Same position against the same tree produced 4-5" groups @ 100 yards---all day long---and no blood dripping off my nose. I later learned my load was considered as a fairly hot load for a .44 Special. I didn't care one bit! And I didn't have to move the sights as much as 5"----thank God for small favors!

Ralph Tremaine

The old terminology is always interesting, but I'm quite certain that 'one turn' refers to one complete revolution of the screw; 360 degrees.

The crew slot looks the same whether it's turned 1/2 turn or full turn. I've found it helpful to put a dot of white paint at one end of the screw slot.

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Jim
S&WCA #819

Makes sense to me and great advice on the white dot...

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Richard
Engraved S&W fan

As I recall, one "click" equals 1 inch at 50 yards, however, I have been know to be wrong.

KAC

Hello Ralph
Since your E-mail to me asking about this full turn sight adjustment screw issue for elevation adjustment, I have wondered if Perhaps' The ammo of that time span may have been Less Potent than what we are using today or Possibly if the bullet weight's back then were different than what we are using now ? This certainly would change the Point of Impact, on both accounts here wouldn't it.... ? Regards, Hammerdown

The full turn sight adjustment screw issue for elevation adjustment has been solved. The information I passed along (one turn = 1" @ 50 yards) is wrong. The information in the brochures (above)----basically one turn = 5" @ 50 yards is correct.

RCT