S&W 586-8 MeproLight Question

[laskdjn]

Backstory: I hated the red insert front sight that came on the gun and wanted a 3-dot style front sight that I'm most used to. So, I went and bought the MeproLight ML-22771 and had it professionally installed on my revolver.

I took it shooting and noticed that my groups at 10yds were nice and tight but consistently 4" high with the rear sight blade bottomed out.

Side Info: 4" barrelled 586-8

Question: Is the ML-22771 the correct sight set for my revolver or should I have gotten the ML-22770?

 

[3rdgeargrndrr]

Front sight too low. Try putting the front sight picture under the target.
Time to shoot it at 25yd+. Its a 586 not a Glock

 

[shakyshoot]

Well, Meprolight's site says you should have the ML-22770 "for revolvers with red insert front" :

http://www.meprolight.com/default.asp?catid={4EA2FDEC-39B1-44F5-9CAC-ECEBEEBA0264}

 

[laskdjn]

Well, Meprolight's site says you should have the ML-22770 "for revolvers with red insert front" :

http://www.meprolight.com/default.asp?catid={4EA2FDEC-39B1-44F5-9CAC-ECEBEEBA0264}

But my front sight has both the red insert and it's pinned so I was confused.

 

[laskdjn]

Front sight too low. Try putting the front sight picture under the target.

Yeah I know, I ended up shooting with a 6 o'clock hold....4" below the target at 10 yds....which would end up being almost a foot under the target at 20yds. But I haven't been trained to do that, I was trained on a center mass hold in the Marine Corps.

 

[shakyshoot]

I don't know, now I'm as lost as you are. 22771 LOOKS like it would fit all the newer ones with the pin-on. I have no clue how the 22770 attaches to the gun. I'm sure someone who has dealt with these will be along. I'm just going by what's on their site.

 

[3rdgeargrndrr]

Did switching ammo change POI?
Did the rear dots alter the rear sight height?
Thank you for your service

 

[Pizza Bob]

It looks like the 22770 is made to replace the red plastic insert only - not the sight blade. The 22771 is made to replace pinned-in sight blades and will need to be drilled to match the holes in the sight base (drill from each side - don't try to drill all the way through from one side.)

Adios,

Pizza Bob

 

[laskdjn]

Thank you for all your suggestions. To answer your questions, different ammo did not change the point of impact, I sent an email to meprolight trying to find out the actual heights of the rear sight and the front sight blade but haven't heard back yet. And I had the front and rear sights installed by a competent gunsmith....i.e. not me, the rear sight I probably coulda done but when it comes to cutting metal, I don't trust myself.

 

[laskdjn]

Is there a better sight for the 586? I've looked at the HiVis and the XS sights. The XS sights are weird with that V-Notch in the rear sight blade and I don't have much experience having something other than a square notch, given my training revolves around combat systems and combat style sights. Also, I don't really like Fiber Optic sights, tried shooting with them and something about them threw me off. However, I do like having something distinct on the front sight post for me to make crystal clear when I focus on it.

 

[RUT]

>>Side Info: 4" barrelled 586-8<<

And this one is high on my want list!

 

[one eye joe]

But my front sight has both the red insert and it's pinned so I was confused.

WELCOME TO THE FORUM, lakdjn.....

YOUR CONFUSION IS UNDERSTANDABLE---BUT OBVIOUSLY, YOU ORDERED THE WRONG SIGHT....

AT THIS POINT, YOUR ONLY OPTION APPEARS TO BE TO ORDER THE CORRECT PART. I WOULD CALL MEPROLIGHT TO PLACE THE ORDER.....

ITS A LONG SHOT, BUT YOU MAY JUST CATCH A SYMPATHETIC EAR THAT WILL TAKE THE OLD SIGHT BACK FOR PARTIAL CREDIT, OR GIVE YOU FREE SHIPPING ON THE NEW ONE. STRANGER THINGS HAVE HAPPENED......

 

[laskdjn]

WELCOME TO THE FORUM, lakdjn.....

YOUR CONFUSION IS UNDERSTANDABLE---BUT OBVIOUSLY, YOU ORDERED THE WRONG SIGHT....

AT THIS POINT, YOUR ONLY OPTION APPEARS TO BE TO ORDER THE CORRECT PART. I WOULD CALL MEPROLIGHT TO PLACE THE ORDER.....

ITS A LONG SHOT, BUT YOU MAY JUST CATCH A SYMPATHETIC EAR THAT WILL TAKE THE OLD SIGHT BACK FOR PARTIAL CREDIT, OR GIVE YOU FREE SHIPPING ON THE NEW ONE. STRANGER THINGS HAVE HAPPENED......

In considering that I have to use that insert thing, I think it looks wonky on the gun. Now I'm looking for other options in sight systems. I think I just might buy the .278" patridge front sight blade from Smith and Wesson, have a little hole machined out perfectly centered at the top of the blade and fill it with white paint...

I'm open to suggestions, though.

 

[OttoLoader]

Looks like the ML22771 is not meant for the mountain gun as the ML22771 is too low.
Did you measure the original front sight and the new replacement sight.
Maybe the dot on the new sight is lower than the red insert on the original.

 

[laskdjn]

Looks like the ML22771 is not meant for the mountain gun as the ML22771 is too low.
Did you measure the original front sight and the new replacement sight.
Maybe the dot on the new sight is lower than the red insert on the original.

No, I didn't, perhaps I should've.

 

[Pizza Bob]

Maybe I didn't make myself clear - the 22770 is made to replace just the plastic insert - either knock it out or melt it out, leaving the dovetail cut in the sight blade. The 22770 is a metal insert that contains the tritium vial and will need to be fitted to the dovetail. This results in kind of a humpback front sight blade appearance.

The 22771 is the entire sight blade with the tritium vial already installed and has a blank tang that inserts into the existing sight base, which is then used as a guide to drill the blank tang.

Most competition shooters prefer a large flat target blade on the rear sight. The best that I've found is the Bowen Rough Country sight, but an LPA is also acceptable. For the front sight Dawson Precision gives you the widest selection. Again competition shooters prefer a fiber optic front sight, but you may prefer a gold (brass) bead. Dawson gives you a wide selection of heights and widths. Narrower front blades are used for quicker target acquisition and less precision (action pistol games), while wider blades give you more precision (bullseye). Standard width blade is usually .125" with a .125" notch rear. For speed applications you may want to try a .100" blade with the standard .125" rear notch.

Adios,

Pizza Bob