Advice on Adjusting Sights

[Foofer23]

I picked my brand spanking new M&P 9mm yesterday. I'm shooting groups wide right about ten inches or so at 7 to 10 yards

Can someone please tell me how I can adjust the rear sights. The owners manual vaguely explains it on page 25. However, I would like to see a video of this being done. The one youtube video I saw was of guy using a frying pan to adjust his sights. I considered trying to one up him by using my wife's curling iron, but thought better of it (kidding of course).

Are there any good videos or trustworthy links that can help with this? Thanks.

 

[skip4309]

I'm pretty sure adjusting fixed rear sights are not recommended. The firing pin safety plunger/spring assembly is held in place under the rear sight. I've heard that they are pressed in and most people have a difficult time removing it (if and when they change sights). Try drifting the front sight over...its hard to believe the sights are that far off...have someone else shoot your pistol to confirm this BEFORE you do anything....

Correction/update to my post: Only the Shield's rear sight is not adjustable...other M&P versions are...according to my owners manual...

 

[hobby-gunsmith]

advise on adjusting sights

First, I would bench rest the gun and control the trigger smoothly to the rear without jerking it. That would give you a resting platform without free hand shooting. If the shots are still to the right, adjust the sight to the left (in the direction you want the round to go) one click at a time. If the sights are not adjustable, they are dovetailed and use a non maring punch or sight adjuster using a two or four oz hammer a little at a time to where you want the shot placed. If you have a bore sighter, you do most of the sighting in your garage and take it to the range for tweeking. Go slowly and be patient.

Nick

 

[MJFlores]

I would bench the gun, try different ammo, etc before making a site change. You could very well get used to it and after a while be shooting dead center. Being brand new, giev yourself a little time and a few boxes of ammo to learn your grip, hold, and trigger before adjusting sites.

 

[Don 73]

I agree, benchrest the gun before moving anything. It could be something as simple as an improper trigger pull.

 

[dullh]

The rear sight comes with a set screw...that would suggest to me you make adjustments on the front sight.

The book is vague on that, because elsewhere in the book it probably tells you to make adjustments on the front sight.

In order to do this properly and easily, you need a sight pusher tool.

Let someone else fire it before you do anything, to rule you out as the cause of the "wide right" hits.

 

[Jiman]

At the risk of turning this into a, 'It's you and not the gun thread', 10" is a lot at 7-10 yrd. Are your sights not relatively centered on your gun to begin with?

I bought a sight pusher. A punch and hammer can work as well. Based on your experience/comfort level, you might want to see if maybe the range you go to can help you out. Obviously it might take a few adjustments to get you zeroed.

 

[Bkreutz]

I agree with the previous advice. I have a number of M&P's and have never adjusted the iron sights. I also have a Pro Core with a red dot sight that I zeroed in by adjusting the dot to match the iron sights, I didn't have to readjust the dot zero after doing that. I shoot competition and go through ~ 1000 rounds a week. I've also read a lot of posts about adjusting the sights on a new M&P, and in later posts, the OP said that after shooting it a lot (and not adjusting the sights) that the sighting problem went away. If you look at the bottom of this page, you can find similar threads to this one that you may find interesting.

 

[Ranger17]

one more vote for the "have someone else try it first" train of thought. My 1st range trip with my 9c i was way off at same 7-10 yds, assumed i had site issues as i'm good with my .22's. Had the range master (who has multiple M&P's) try it, he was dead on. At least i then knew it wasn't the gun and could focus on my needs. Now if he also would have been off, then time to look at the gun and determine how to solve that problem.

 

[MichiganScott]

I picked my brand spanking new M&P 9mm yesterday. I'm shooting groups wide right about ten inches or so at 7 to 10 yards

You left handed by any chance? Are the groups low-right?

Almost impossible for the gun to be off that much at that short a range.

 

[Foofer23]

I'll bench rest it. I think that's solid advice. I'll also try to get an experienced volunteer to shoot it as well. I may learn something there.

Jiman, thanks for not making this all about me Funny thing, I just shot a new FNS the same distance, same ammo, etc. etc. with dead nuts accuracy. Same was true with my XDM 9mm. No issues with those firearms. The M&P was way off the mark. That's why I want to know about how to drift the sights.

Thanks for the advice.

 

[Jiman]

Sure man. If you do decide to move the sights, if you take a pencil and mark from the slide onto your sight it'll give a reference to know how far you've gone and ease the frustration of going back and forth.

IMO, if between benching it and having other good shooters fire it, you find it really is that off, I'd skip the sight adjustments and contact S&W.

A derringer is more accurate than that at 7-10 yds and also probably equates to completely missing a man-size target at 25 yds.

Hope it gets worked out for you soon.

 

[S&W Rover]

If you want to adjust it, after validating that the sights are off as recommended by folks suggesting shooting from a bench rest, the process is easy:

Borrow or buy a sight pusher -- the most common seems to be the MGW tool: Maryland Gun Works Front & Rear Sight Tool

(Using a vise and a punch to move the sight can work but just as often leads to devastation and destruction of the sights and/or the slide, and does not allow delicate adjustments of the sight).

Loosen the set screw.

The set screw is locked in with red Loctite, which should be heated beforehand to loosen it up (e.g., the tip of a solder iron on the screw for a minute or two does nicely).

Apply some gun oil to the dovetail slot around the sight.

Use the sight tool to move the sight a small increment to the left (move a rear sight in the direction you want the bullet to strike, e.g., if you want it to hit to the left, move it to the left).

The rear sight dovetail is tapered smaller to the left; when the sight is removed all the way, it comes out to the right (towards the ejection port). It will only move so far to the left before it becomes too hard to move. You shouldn't have to go that far to make minor sight adjustments, and thus you shouldn't have to worry about the striker block and spring coming out (they are under the center of the rear sight).

Re-tighten the set screw.

Test fire from bench rest.

Loosen the set screw nut and adjust as necessary. I suspect you may need to move it a small amount, a bit less than a smidgen and a bit more than a RCH.

When done, re-tighten the set screw and apply a drop of red Loctite.

You could also use the sight pusher to move the front sight, although in that case you move it in the opposite direction from which you want the bullet to strike. Want to move to the left? Move the front sight to the right.

The sight pusher is the way to go. If you own M&Ps, it is a good investment. I've installed Warren Tactical rear sights and a Novak front fiber optic sight and WOW can I see the sights better now. But having the sight tool means I can change the sights again in the future if I want to.

When you are done with the sight tool someday, you can sell it for at least 80% of what you paid for it...

 

[1hatchet]

In my opinion if adjustment is necessary, do not mess with the rear sight with the set screw. Use the front sight it will drift with a brass punch much easier than the rear with its Loctite seal.

From the S&W Shield manual. Page 27
"The front sight can be drifted left or right to adjust windage.
Move the front sight in the opposite direction that you wish the group to
move on target. For example, if the group should move to the right, move the front sight to the left (as viewed from the rear).
Use a brass drift or punch to prevent marring the sight when moving it.

(That being said I have a sight pusher on order.)

 

[sniperinblue]

The rear sight is the most common to be adjusted. Even with the Loctite, the set screw breaks loose easily and the rear adjusts easily. I have seen way too many front sight blades broken using a hammer and punch. If you're going that route, drift the rear sight. Ideally, like others have said buy an MGW sight tool. If you own many semi-autos, then check out their sight pro tool. It's pricey, but you only need to change out a $17 shoe clamp part to switch out between pistols. It is an awesome tool that adjusts and installs front and rear sights. I know, I sound like I sell them, I don't. They're just a great tool.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[MyDads38]

I would take my time and bench test the gun before making any adjustments.

When I got my 1911, I thought the sights needed adjustment, I was shooting low-left and had vertical stringing (right hand shooter). That was with the first box of ammo ever through the gun. I even borrowed a brass punch in order to adjust the sight.

I decided to shoot the gun a little more before making any changes, so glad I did! Wasn't the gun, it was me. After settling down, working on the basics and my trigger control; groups are centered and I'm becoming a better shot in the process. Not to say the sights couldn't be off; I'd just make sure before making any adjustments.

I have had many opportunities to shoot other people's pistols at the range, because at 10 yards they couldn't get any shots on paper! It wasn't their gun, you should've seen how bad they were pulling/flinching when they fired the gun! Even if I weren't centered, I was on paper using their gun. I'm hoping your gun isn't that far off the mark, let us know how it comes out.

 

[Muss Muggins]

I picked my brand spanking new M&P 9mm yesterday. I'm shooting groups wide right about ten inches or so at 7 to 10 yards

Can someone please tell me how I can adjust the rear sights. The owners manual vaguely explains it on page 25. However, I would like to see a video of this being done. The one youtube video I saw was of guy using a frying pan to adjust his sights. I considered trying to one up him by using my wife's curling iron, but thought better of it (kidding of course).

Are there any good videos or trustworthy links that can help with this? Thanks.

Solid advice from the others. My first question when I see questions like this without initial further explanation is always "Why?"

 

[Kovariles]

I'm pretty sure adjusting fixed rear sights are not recommended. The firing pin safety plunger/spring assembly is held in place under the rear sight. I've heard that they are pressed in and most people have a difficult time removing it (if and when they change sights). Try drifting the front sight over...its hard to believe the sights are that far off...have someone else shoot your pistol to confirm this BEFORE you do anything....

Correction/update to my post: Only the Shield's rear sight is not adjustable...other M&P versions are...according to my owners manual...

The front sight on my MP9 ex factory was off center by about .5 of a millimeter, about 20 thou. Yes it does happen.
It is easy to eyeball it but if you are a technical type than check it with a vernier caliper. The fix was a careful tap tap with a brass punch until it was central. The rear sight is also a dovetailed thing with an Allen socket locking screw. The same thing applies, check it by eye, loosen the screw with an Allen key of the correct size (very small), tap it if off center and re-tighten the screw. Moving the rear sight left will move the point of impact left and vice versa. In the case of the front sight it is the opposite, sight left impact right, sight right impact left.