4013 Sight Help

[EPGuy80]

Good afternoon all you wonderful people. It's been a while since I've posted. I recently acquired a beat up on the outside, pristine on the inside 6906. It came with Hogue grips and I couldn't hit the broadside of a barn with it. A friend who is a firearms instructor suggested changing out the grips, I put the stocks back on since the seller was so kind as to ship them with the pistol. It now shoots exactly where I want.

So what's this story got to do with my 4013? I bought the Hogue grips for recoil absorption (which helped immensely) and I still can't shoot it anywhere near respectable unless I aim high and to the right. It shoots low left. Any suggestions? I vaguely recall once reading that the original Novaks don't have the best sight picture, but would they make that much of a difference? It seems like this gun shoots crazy no matter if I feed it 155, 165, or 180 grain. I was thinking of getting Trijicon SA14 night sights. I don't want to get rid of it because it's one of those hard to find two-tones that's probably a Lew Horton (still haven't contacted them--every time I try it gets bounced back as spam).

 

[427mach1]

If you are right handed, shooting low and to the left generally is an indication of "anticipating recoil", in other words, flinching. Try shooting it from a rest or have other experienced shooters give it a try. If it shoots to point-of-aim from the rest, try dry-fire exercises for a while. Pick a point on the wall, aim, and squeeze the trigger, watching the sights for movement through the whole process. Practice, practice, and practice some more until the sight picture is rock solid.

 

[BLUEDOT37]

So what's this story got to do with my 4013?
I don't want to get rid of it because it's one of those hard to find two-tones that's probably a Lew Horton (still haven't contacted them--every time I try it gets bounced back as spam).

Exactly which 4013 to you have? TSW or non-TSW ?

Two-tone? Are you talking about the frame being a slightly different color than the slide? The frames are anodized & some have a more gray, than silver, look to them. Is that what you mean?

I have several 4013TSWs, a 4056TSW, & a Shorty 40 Mk.I, and even though they are the same basic pistol I've had to change the front sights on (or between them) to get the POI to match the POA.

I've also had to drift the rear sight (& sometimes the front a tad) to get the windage centered too. Most of my 3rd Gens haven't needed any windage adjustments but these ones have, for some reason.

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Compact 40's

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[EPGuy80]

Exactly which 4013 to you have? TSW or non-TSW ?

Two-tone? Are you talking about the frame being a slightly different color than the slide? The frames are anodized & some have a more gray, than silver, look to them. Is that what you mean?


Nope, it's two-tone as in the slide is blued and the frame is the normal anodized silver. It's a decock only (it has the factory warning label billboard on the slide) 4013 single stack. I've read reference to a run of these being made in 2001 for Lew Horton, most of which ended up going to the Colorado State Police. IIRC it was on the complete model list 3rd Gen chart that someone was kind enough to put together a few years back. However mine does not have the CSP winged wheel that I've seen on CSP 5906TSW's. I picked it up on Gunbroker last year.

 

[BLUEDOT37]

Okay, that's interesting.

I don't see a pistol fitting your's make-up on that list, either in the standard production or PC models?
Send Lew Horton an email at: [email protected] and let us know what you find.

My 4013 single stack has factory night sights & it's shoots to POA & never needed tweaking. You still can drift the sight for windage & go with a taller front sight to center yours.

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4013 (R3)

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[TercGen]

So what's this story got to do with my 4013? I bought the Hogue grips for recoil absorption (which helped immensely) and I still can't shoot it anywhere near respectable unless I aim high and to the right. It shoots low left. Any suggestions? I vaguely recall once reading that the original Novaks don't have the best sight picture, but would they make that much of a difference? It seems like this gun shoots crazy no matter if I feed it 155, 165, or 180 grain. I was thinking of getting Trijicon SA14 night sights. I don't want to get rid of it because it's one of those hard to find two-tones that's probably a Lew Horton (still haven't contacted them--every time I try it gets bounced back as spam).

I have an early 4013 as well with factory Novaks that shoots to POA, so I don't think the sights themselves are the issue. It's possible that either the front or rear sight is off center and you can check that with a calipers, or just a very careful look at them down the ends of the slide. Even if one of them is off though it would only explain shooting to the left and not shooting low.

I would agree with 427Mach1 that the issue is likely in your hold and trigger pull (as well as recoil anticipation) on this particular gun. The original 4013 is based off of the slightly larger 45acp frame and may call for some adjustments in your technique to shoot it straight. I also recommend lots and lots of dry-fire practice, paying close attention to the front sight and keeping it from dipping or wobbling. Go slow with this at first, it makes it easier to see.

Every hand is different, but I personally like to keep the middle pad of the last joint on my trigger finger right on the center of the trigger. It sounds like the thicker Hogue 6906 grips were interfering with your trigger pull on that gun, and it's possible that the slimmer Hogue sleeve on your 4013 is doing the same, even though it helps with recoil. Making sure that you have a fresh recoil spring set in the gun will also help with this, as well as your ammo selection (155's tend to have a snappier recoil, 180's have a softer push). Federal 180gr HST is an excellent round out of a 3.5" barrel. If your 4013 uses the single recoil spring like my early model does, I found that going up in spring strength with a Wolff recoil spring helps. I run a 19 lb spring in my 4013 with very mild recoil, especially compared to my Kahr K40 and 4040PD.

 

[.455_Hunter]

Check your front sight height. Two of my Smith's (3914 and 4566) had front sights that were the wrong spec (too tall), causing the gun to shoot low.

 

[colt_saa]

Smith and Wesson wastes nothing

How does the pistol shoot when the Range Master tries it?

I agree it sounds like flinching

As to the firearm itself, It is possible that the pistol was assembled from left over parts. Smith and Wesson does this quite often creating small groups 12-120 pistols that are not listed as to their unique configurations.

Smith and Wesson assigns the closest product code to it and usually offers the entire lot to one of the larger distributors

However, now you have me bummed out.

Now I have to be on the lookout for one of these two tones

I already have a 1013 (4013 converted to 10MM Auto) and a 1014 (4014 converted to 10MM Auto).

Both of mine retain the factory original sights

 

[EPGuy80]

However, now you have me bummed out.

Now I have to be on the lookout for one of these two tones

I already have a 1013 (4013 converted to 10MM Auto) and a 1014 (4014 converted to 10MM Auto).

I feel the same way about your 4014.

 

[EPGuy80]

Every hand is different, but I personally like to keep the middle pad of the last joint on my trigger finger right on the center of the trigger. It sounds like the thicker Hogue 6906 grips were interfering with your trigger pull on that gun, and it's possible that the slimmer Hogue sleeve on your 4013 is doing the same, even though it helps with recoil. Making sure that you have a fresh recoil spring set in the gun will also help with this, as well as your ammo selection (155's tend to have a snappier recoil, 180's have a softer push). Federal 180gr HST is an excellent round out of a 3.5" barrel. If your 4013 uses the single recoil spring like my early model does, I found that going up in spring strength with a Wolff recoil spring helps. I run a 19 lb spring in my 4013 with very mild recoil, especially compared to my Kahr K40 and 4040PD.

I have a 3rd rev dual spring. I got a new one from Sprinco part#45162 before I shot it the first time. I didn't want to try shooting it with a possibly weakened recoil spring.

 

[EPGuy80]

The Complete 3rd Gen Model List

Here's that chart I was talking about from skjos. It's there in the description of the 4013. Two-Tone 2001 only (Lew Horton Special VKN9xxx). That's part of my serial number. I've never been able to find the thread from another forum that said they went to the CSP. But I do recall using Google search for two tone 4013 and that was the only thing that came up. I get pretty lucky bidding on stuff that people think are hobby Frankenguns but are actually factory Frankenguns.

 

[EPGuy80]

Okay, that's interesting.

I don't see a pistol fitting your's make-up on that list, either in the standard production or PC models?
Send Lew Horton an email at: [email protected] and let us know what you find

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My email finally went through. Mr. Minot says that it is a Lew Horton Special, but he has very little information on it and needs to do research.

 

[BLUEDOT37]

That's cool! Let us what his follow-up says.

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Apparently skjos updated his list since I downloaded it last.

It would be nice if Steve could start putting an entry in the bottom of the first post showing when it was last updated?? Can't tell otherwise. It's a great reference that I keep a copy of on my smartphone.

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