Or maybe not dumb ? Is it possible my front site is slightly off ? I've thought that from the very beginning but kept thinking it couldn't be, but after looking through my wife's chic lady and her looking through mine we both think the front site it off, almost like it's bent to the right ?
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- Thread starter allthumbs
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Interesting you should bring this up. I just picked up a new 642-1 a couple of days ago, and the same thought occurred to me, it looks slightly off to the right. However, I haven't had a chance to shoot mine yet. Assuming it shoots straight I won't think anything more of it. If it's off, I will send it back to S&W and I'm sure it will be made right.
Sherminator
Member
Is the barrel canted? Seems to be quite a bit of complaining about that recently...
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By "off to the right," do you mean:
(1) that the blade appears BENT to the right (probably not likely as it is so short, it would be difficult to bend without breaking); or,
(2) that the blade looks straight in relation to the barrel, but that the sight is not straight up and down, like the hand of a clock, which is straight, but which is not pointing to the "12 o'clock" position (this is likely a canted barrel); or,
(3) that the sight is straight up and down but looks "off center" in the sense that it was machined more on one side than the other so that when lined up in the rear notch, the barrel points, not straight ahead, but off to one direction or another (in this case, the barrel is not canted, but when the sight was machined, too much was taken off one side leaving the sight not centered on the barrel - there was a thread recently about a forged front sight on an N frame being obviously off center in this manner)?
Once we know for sure, someone here will give you better information than suggesting a solution that is based on a guess as to the "diagnosis."
(1) that the blade appears BENT to the right (probably not likely as it is so short, it would be difficult to bend without breaking); or,
(2) that the blade looks straight in relation to the barrel, but that the sight is not straight up and down, like the hand of a clock, which is straight, but which is not pointing to the "12 o'clock" position (this is likely a canted barrel); or,
(3) that the sight is straight up and down but looks "off center" in the sense that it was machined more on one side than the other so that when lined up in the rear notch, the barrel points, not straight ahead, but off to one direction or another (in this case, the barrel is not canted, but when the sight was machined, too much was taken off one side leaving the sight not centered on the barrel - there was a thread recently about a forged front sight on an N frame being obviously off center in this manner)?
Once we know for sure, someone here will give you better information than suggesting a solution that is based on a guess as to the "diagnosis."
Far more important is how it shoots(?). I've seen several old Colt SAA's where the barrel was canted a few degrees to the left for sight regulation. Far more important than aesthetics is performance when it comes to fixed sight revolvers. Personally, I think S&W does a good job today in regulating these guns. Some of you people would probably faint today if you saw one of the old time gunsmiths "administering" the lead babbit to the barrel!! Hahaha!!
Well, looking at it in the daylight I guess it's just a different gun, when I look through the small grove and line it up it looks fine. As far as it shooting I will need more practice with it, I shot it once and was ok but not near what I'd like to be compared to my 66 and SW40 . I may use the nail polish on the sight trick. Thanks again guys.
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JonF
Member
yup
Dear Allthumbs......if this is your first snubby then you will be shooting a LOT before you can really say it is a sight problem.
The short sight radius and finding the best grip will keep you busy for a while.
Give it a fair chance by putting a couple hundred rounds through it.
Dear Allthumbs......if this is your first snubby then you will be shooting a LOT before you can really say it is a sight problem.
The short sight radius and finding the best grip will keep you busy for a while.
Give it a fair chance by putting a couple hundred rounds through it.
RGMoore
Member
Well said. When I shoot my 6 inch 686 I feel like a hero. When I shoot my 642 I am a bit more "humble".
Oh it's going to get a fair chance I really love this little thing and just dry firing it I am getting a little better feel for it as far as lining those little sights up. I think on my next range outing I am shooting this baby first and putting a 100 rounds through it before I touch the easier shooting guns.
