M&P 22 Compact Rear Sight Adjustment

[BillG174]

My wife bought me a M&P 22 Compact for Christmas and I have shot 250 rounds. I am a left handed shooter and my shots are landing slightly to the right of the target bullseye from a bench rest at my indoor range.

I am trying to convince myself to adjust the rear sights to bring the POI about 2 inches to the left into the center of the target. Since the rear sights are adjusted at the factory I don't know if I should mess with them or not.

I have never adjusted rear sights before so I think it would trial and error movement until the POI was centered in the target from a bench rest. Would I do the sight adjustment at the range or do it at home then test it at the range?

I would appreciate any thoughts or comments.

 

[shakyshoot]

Yes, it's trial and error, especially since the windage adjustment on that pistol has no clicks. You'll want to do it at the range and shoot 5 or 10 shots, then adjust again til you get it right. Factory sight adjustments are usually a "ballpark." Don't be afraid to change them. You can always change it back. Counterclockwise to move the POI to the left. When you adjust your sights, remember not to get distracted, and keep the gun pointed downrange. Seems like every time I see someone fiddling with their sights they wind up with the muzzle pointed sideways.

 

[Ballistic147]

Mine was a little high and to the right. Only needed a little tweaking to get it dialed in. Just make sure you have the correct allen wrench to adjust it.

 

[BigDog48]

Just make sure you have the correct allen wrench to adjust it.

and that tiny wrench should have come in the box with the pistol.

 

[Old cop]

I'm also a lefty and shoot slightly to the right. The tiny Allen wrench that come w/my .22 C will not move the rear sight so I've used Kentucky windage until I can get back to Gander Mountain.

 

[Ballistic147]

and that tiny wrench should have come in the box with the pistol.

Hmm, didn't see it in the box but to be honest I didn't even look. Grabbed the gun and extra magazine out as soon as I got home with it and stuffed the box in the closet with all the others. I used to build race engines for dirt bike so there's about every tool you could ever imagine in the shop. Probably should find the S&W tool in the box and keep it in the range bag just in case.

 

[Dub]

It should have been in a small zip lock bag with the internal safety lock keys?

 

[shakyshoot]

It's a 1/16" Allen wrench, in case anyone can't come up with theirs.

 

[BillG174]

Yes, it's trial and error, especially since the windage adjustment on that pistol has no clicks. You'll want to do it at the range and shoot 5 or 10 shots, then adjust again til you get it right. Factory sight adjustments are usually a "ballpark." Don't be afraid to change them. You can always change it back. Counterclockwise to move the POI to the left. When you adjust your sights, remember not to get distracted, and keep the gun pointed downrange. Seems like every time I see someone fiddling with their sights they wind up with the muzzle pointed sideways.

Thanks everyone for your thoughts and comments!

Shakyshoot, you say above the I can change the sights back to the way they were before I adjusted them. Should I mark them somehow so I know where they were factory set? You also say counterclockwise to move the POI to the left - do you mean turn the allen screw counterclockwise? I have read the M&P 22 C instruction manual but want to make sure I understand before I try. Thanks!

 

[shakyshoot]

Shakyshoot, you say above the I can change the sights back to the way they were before I adjusted them. Should I mark them somehow so I know where they were factory set? You also say counterclockwise to move the POI to the left - do you mean turn the allen screw counterclockwise? I have read the M&P 22 C instruction manual but want to make sure I understand before I try. Thanks!

The windage adjustment screw is so small, I can't imagine how you'd make a useful mark. I wouldn't worry about where the exact factory setting is or was. Just adjust them as needed, and if they go out of adjustment, set them again. Yes, turn the allen screw counterclockwise to move the POI left. And you turn the elevation screw clockwise to move the shot down. Remember, the rule on sight adjustment is: move the rear sight in the same direction you want to move the shot.

 

[MichiganScott]

It's a 1/16" Allen wrench, in case anyone can't come up with theirs.

They're cheap. Buy a half dozen at your local hardware. You will lose or misplace them.

 

[BillG174]

Shakyshoot, thanks very much for your additional information! Bill

 

[BillG174]

Tonight I successfully adjusted the windage of the rear sight on my M&P 22C. I used three lead bags as a bench rest at my range and sighted the pistol at 5 yards. I didn't know what distance I should use. When I started with the bench rest the POI was about 3 inches to the right of the target bull. I used the included allen wrench and turned the adjustment screen to the left a little bit at a time to move the POI to the left toward the bull. I shot 5 rounds from the bench rest then checked the POI and turned the adjustment screw a little to the left again. I was surprised at how much I had to move the sights to the left to move the POI into the center of the bull. I finally got the rear sight adjusted to the center of the bull.

When I started the adjustment process I didn't know if the rear sight would become loose when I turned the adjustment screw but the sight slowly moved to the left as I turned the screw to the left.

Shakyshoot thanks again for the good information you gave me on the sight adjustment process. It was much easier than I thought it would be.