4040PD shooting low - anyone else?

[pro2]

I have put 400 rounds through a new 4040PD, and love this little gun. I am amazed how pleasant this gun is to shoot. The trigger is awesome. This is now my new carry gun.

I shoot very well with it, but the only thing that slightly bugs me is that it shoots about 3" low at 15 yards with 180 grain factory loads. She is dead center, and have familiarized myself with the sights, so I can put the round where I want it… worse case, still minute of bad guy all day long.

Curious if this is common for this generation gun? Remedies (other than filing the front sight)?

 

[M29since14]

The two I have fired both shot just above the front sight.

You can't really file the front sight since there are those pesky white dots to contend with. The proper fix is a lower front blade. Might call S&W and see if they have one.

If your bullet happens to be landing where the dot sits, one approach would be to adjust your thinking to cover your point of aim with the dot. You could also try some other types of ammo hoping to get lucky and one might land where you like.

 

[BAM-BAM]

Are you using a 6 O'clock hold or covering the POA with the dot.?????

 

[jsbethel]

According to the parts list, a 4040 front sight measures .228". A 3913 front sight measures .204" - that may be what you need. The part number is 10907000 and it seems to be available from Brownells and Numrich.

SIGHT, FRONT, .204" | Brownells

https://www.gunpartscorp.com/Products/330210.htm

 

[pro2]

Are you using a 6 O'clock hold or covering the POA with the dot.?????

Center hold. I used three different types of 180 grain .40, as well as two mags of service ammo (also 180 grain). All shot about 3" low at 15 yards…. center mass.

Next trip, I have some 155 and 165 grain ammo that I feed it next trip around. Will see what happens before changing out the front sight. Worse case, I now know where to find a front sight!

 

[6actual]

Have someone else shoot it and see if their results are the same as yours or bench rest the pistol. When I first started shooting the Smith 3rd gens I found I had a tendency to "dip" making my shots hit low. Their triggers seem a little unlike anything else, its kinda subtle so you don't really notice at first. Once I adjusted to it the POI was where it should be.

 

[shotgun693]

I'm not familiar with the gun but a taller rear sight will raise the POA.

 

[malph]

Pro2, Mine had the same issue. Drove me nuts. I can more easily adjust to a gun that shoots high and a gun that shoots low.

I ended up sending mine to Novaks. He replaced the sights with a plain black, gold bead front combo and got the gun to shoot point of aim. I'm a happy camper now. It's a neat little CCW gun. Good luck.

 

[TercGen]

My 4040 shoots to POA with 165gr loads, though I usually don't shoot much past 10 yards. I'll take some longer shots with it the next time I'm at the range and see how accuracy is.

 

[pro2]

Have someone else shoot it and see if their results are the same as yours or bench rest the pistol. When I first started shooting the Smith 3rd gens I found I had a tendency to "dip" making my shots hit low. Their triggers seem a little unlike anything else, its kinda subtle so you don't really notice at first. Once I adjusted to it the POI was where it should be.

I'll put more rounds down range, and see how everything shakes out. I put many rounds down range through my service guns… I'm more interested in adapting the gun to me, as opposed to adapting to the gun.

But, even if the 4040PD does shoot low, the rounds still strike true within the 5 ring, maybe dipping down into the 4 ring (LEO qualification target) at 15 yards. That is still well within "minute of bad day for bad guy." If God forbid, I had to make a slower calculated shot, with practice I can adapt the sight picture (practiced a bit during last range trip with head shots).

In regard to why I am finding myself partial to the S&W 3rd Gen. for carry, when I have service pistols at my disposal… I'm partial to the safety, and long first pull, compared to the Glock (I have no qualms with Glock, not looking at a pecker measuring contest). I have kids, and I am proactive in regard to educating my family about firearms and personal discipline… but, I have seen a couple heart crushing tragic accidents regarding LEO families and firearms. One of the tragedies still haunts me, and it wasn't even my family! I embrace any additional security I can muster w/o compromising a tactical advantage if SHTF.

I find the safety location intuitive (I understand that some people dislike it). Oddly enough, it is very intuitive to me, as I have many years of experience with the Beretta M9 in the Army. I barely have to think about it.