M25-2 sight problem. Help please.

[Easy]

I have a new-to me Model 25-2 that I took to the range today and discovered there is a problem in adjusting the sights. I hope some of you knowledgeable people might point me in the right direction to find a solution. The problem is the gun is printing nice tight groups about four to five inches high at 25 yards with me using a combat hold (about two inches below the X ring on my targets). It has a factory ramp sight on the front with a plastic insert. The rear sight is a factory target adjustable. I shot 230 grain bullets from two different manufacturers today along with some reloads. All round were consitantly high off centre. I adjusted the rear sight down as far as it will go with no improvement in bullet placement. I've had a Model 27-2 and a model 29-3 and they were right on the bullseye once I fired a few rounds to adjust the sights. So I have had some experience. But I am stumped by not having any more adjustment in the rear sight.

Any suggestions or comments would be greatly appreciated.

 

[john traveler]

Sounds like the rear site blade is too low for that front sight combination. You can replace the blade yourself or have it cheaply done by a gunsmith. If you handload, you can make the bullets impact lowder by using a lighter weight bullet, load for a slightly higher velocity, or both.

The standard front sight for that 25-2 should be a square Patridge. If the ramp with red insert was special ordered, maybe the factory people forgot to include a higher rear sight blade.

 

[Easy]

Hi John.

Just a bit confused here, but if I want to lower the point of impact on the target shouldn't I need a lower rear sight? I have cranked the existing sight as low as it will go to no avail.

Thanks.

 

[tomcatt51]

Hi John.

Just a bit confused here, but if I want to lower the point of impact on the target shouldn't I need a lower rear sight? I have cranked the existing sight as low as it will go to no avail.

Thanks.

Yes. Taller front, lower rear, lighter bullets, will all lower your point of impact. Your 25-2 should have a pinned front sight blade. Sometimes the pin can be very hard to find.

 

[judge]

Sir - You can change the rear sight blade to a shorter blade. S&W makes them in 3 different heights. You probably need to measure the blade to see what size you have now - then go one size lower.

 

[tomcatt51]

Sir - You can change the rear sight blade to a shorter blade. S&W makes them in 3 different heights. You probably need to measure the blade to see what size you have now - then go one size lower.

If you like the shallower notch you get in the shorter blade. I install front blade heights so I can run .160 rear blades as I don't like the sight picture the shallower rear notch in the shorter blades gives.

 

[Easy]

Sir - You can change the rear sight blade to a shorter blade. S&W makes them in 3 different heights. You probably need to measure the blade to see what size you have now - then go one size lower.

Thank you. I am sure that is the solution. The blade (slider) in the gun measures .146. I have ordered both a .126 and .106 directly from S&W (great folks to deal with BTW) so I am sure one of them will solve the problem. Ordered both (plus windage screw and nut) at the same time because the shipping to Canada costs twice as much as the blades!

 

[Easy]

If you like the shallower notch you get in the shorter blade. I install front blade heights so I can run .160 rear blades as I don't like the sight picture the shallower rear notch in the shorter blades gives.

I am sure a higher front sight would also solve the problem. But I can not see any way to change the front sight on this gun. It is a ramp sight with an insert and it appears to be molded into the barrel. If there is a pin, I have missed it. Where would the pin be located?

In the meantime I will just have to learn to live with a shallower notch.

Thanks

 

[tomcatt51]

I can not see any way to change the front sight on this gun. If there is a pin, I have missed it. Where would the pin be located?

I think the 25-2's are pinned. The catch is that after the pin is in place it's ground flush and then the gun is polished and blued and the pin can be real hard to find/see.

The pin will be just below the blade as on other pinned blade guns.

 

[Easy]

Follow up

Sir - You can change the rear sight blade to a shorter blade. S&W makes them in 3 different heights. You probably need to measure the blade to see what size you have now - then go one size lower.

It took almost a month to get the smallest sight blade (.106") from S&W shipped here to Canada but it was worth the wait. Now the gun is shooting where I want it to. Thanks for all the help everyone. BTW, the good folks at S&W were most helpful as usual.

 

[flagman1776]

I had the partridge front sight changed to a ramp front on my 25-2 many years ago at the S&W SC. I had no idea that the front sight was pinned on. The technition explained that it was, as stated above, pinned on before polishing & impossible to see the pin. The technition removed the partridge sight by shearing the pin with the exact correct strike of a mallot. The ramp sight was installed & the hole was drilled & new pin installed. The pin is now visible. The original partridge sight was returned to me & is still with the gun in the plastic bag.

Russ