642-1 not accurate to sights

[finnfur]

Bought this 38 for the wife for purse carry several years ago.
She just could not handle the gun so went in the vault.
Son got cc so pulled this gun to carry. He added a CT grip.
Fast forward he bought his own super lightweight titanium S&W.
Wife is ready to move back up after practice with some other heavier revolvers. I took it out to check it out .
First I am not a CT site person . I grew up with iron site and it comes natural so I instinctively go for the open sights and have determined the laser dot and point of impact are the same but that is 4" and at 4:30 on the target from the fixed sights point of aim at 21 feet.
Also I can not see the CT in bright daylight and in light conditions you can its hidden low and to the right of my natural aim point . It hides down here behind the barrel and hard to find.
So the main question . Others having problem being this far off of hard sights ? Is this a problem S&W must factory fix ?

 

[AKsRule]

Bought this 38 for the wife for purse carry several years ago.
She just could not handle the gun so went in the vault.
Son got cc so pulled this gun to carry. He added a CT grip.
Fast forward he bought his own super lightweight titanium S&W.
Wife is ready to move back up after practice with some other heavier revolvers. I took it out to check it out .
First I am not a CT site person . I grew up with iron site and it comes natural so I instinctively go for the open sights and have determined the laser dot and point of impact are the same but that is 4" and at 4:30 on the target from the fixed sights point of aim at 21 feet.
Also I can not see the CT in bright daylight and in light conditions you can its hidden low and to the right of my natural aim point . It hides down here behind the barrel and hard to find.
So the main question . Others having problem being this far off of hard sights ? Is this a problem S&W must factory fix ?

First - commercial laser sights are only clearly visible in dusk to dark conditions outdoors. This is just a fact due to
physics.

For sighting in you need to either do it on a very cloudy day with a target in a shady spot OR use an indoor range.

Second - because the laser is OFFSET from the barrel the point of impact of the laser and the bullet can ONLY meet at the same point at ONE fixed distance.

You need to pick a distance ( like 21 ft. ) and ADJUST
the Laser so its beam hits the center of the Actual group
of shots on your target

Read this FAQ on the Crimson Trace website.

(You can also download the manual from the site )

CT Laser FAQ




.

 

[Combat_Diver]

Don't forget that the fixed sights are regulated for 158 gr at 15 yds. CTs as stated are adjustable for a fixed distance. What load are you shooting? I carry CT grips on my 1911, Beretta M9, SIG 226 and M4. Great sighting tool for low light when you can not see the sights, poor shooting stance/off balance/firing from cover. You don't have to use the laser all the time and its there if need.

CD

 

[Munsterf18]

With lighter bullets, like all the hot new short barrelled ammo, my 642 also shoots low at target practice.

With 158 gr. bullet weights it is on target. I use the 158 gr. LSWCHP +P.

Good luck.

Munster

 

[BUFF]

I had departmental qualifications this morning. I shot the course with an old M-642 (I bought it in 1991, first one I saw) and a no-lock M-642-1 I bought 2 years ago.

They both shot to pretty much the same point of impact at 15 yards, the farthest the department shoots revolvers. We were shooting Federal 130 grain FMJ. As expected it shot about 3 or 4 inches lower than the 158 grain lead SWC-HP Plus-P I carry in it at that distance.

Small, lightweight handguns are pretty susceptible to point-of-aim/point of impact changes from hand placement and grip strength, much more so than larger, heavier, easier to grip handguns.

 

[bpjunkie]

man, i agree about the grips changing point of impact. i changed the factory boot style grips on my 642 for a pair of old 36 rd butt grips. the point of impact shifted higher on the target. re-installing the boot style grips brought it right back on center mass. i didn't think it would move at all. the wood grips are not that much smaller but the boot grips are like having a tyler t-grip adapter installed. can't beat the look of wood but i guess plastic wins in this case.

 

[finnfur]

OK Thanks for the feedback. I was shooting Win white box 130 grn 38 [ not +p] Wally World - My son sighted the CTs with the Speer GD 130 grn Short Barrel loads. The gun is shooting acceptable groups where the CT dot is but that is 4" low/right of where the sights line up . I was shooting at 21' . Thats why I'm concerned.
Maybe I need to try the 158 +p and see if thats the problem.
Get back with a range report.

 

[MajorD]

the gun is gonig to shoot low with any bullet weight less than 158 grain which is what the sights are generally regulated for. also if using the laser you need to COMPLETELY IGNORE the iron sights- they have nothing to do with each other use one or the other. Try a 158 load and you will likely find it shoots pretty close to aim. my personal j frames shoot to poa poi with 158, my carry load is a 125 non plus p so I know it is going to shoot 2-3 inches low out to 25 yards.

 

[photoman]

I shoot 110 gr +P and 125 gr standard pressure ammo almost exclusively in all of my Airweights and they are spot on to the iron sights. I've only had one 642 of the dozen or so I've owned over the years that didn't shoot to the irons sights with lighter ammo at distances inside 15 yards.

Regarding grips: While different grips will absolutely effect point shooting, they have NO effect on POA/POI.