S&W Equalizer Shoots Low

[Protocall_Design]

Shooting low can be pretty equalizing in some cases...

 

[NickoftheNorth]

I ran another 100 rounds of Win NATO & American Eagle 124 Gr. with similar results. This time I paid careful attention to trigger press and benched it to prevent downward movement. It shoots about 4" low. I believe there is something wrong in this guns design as I have never seen any gun with a super tall rear sight twice as tall as the front sight. My brother bench confirmed the low printing with my nieces Equalizer. My next move is to laser bore-sight to confirm the gun. Then next grind down the front sight & cover the white dot and rear face with colored enamel paint. I may have to proceed to acquire an adjustable red dot sight in the end. Sounds as if S&W doesn't care to look into it with others. The "combat" sighting method does not wash with me as the sights obscure the target at any distance, and my other eight handguns are not sighted this way. My entire shooting history of 61 years has used the bullseye sight picture.
Why should I change now at age 76!

 

[Rocket_Scientist]

Exactly my situation, too. NRA Sharpshooter Bar 1. It's not me, shooting low. The red dot proves it.
Look at my earlier post. I think Ameriglo might have a rear sight that will work with the front.
Specialty Rear Sight for Smith & Wesson®M&P 2.0 CORE Dovetail.
Part # SW-2404 | Black .492"H .150" Square Notch - $29
I would link it here, but forum does not allow.

BTW, something happened with the S&W move from Mass, to Tenn. I think they lost all their experienced gunsmiths.

 

[BE Mike]

I guess you didn't see my two posts above yours.

I did. If I read your posts correctly, you stated that if a handgun is shooting low, that one needs a lower front sight. It actually just the opposite. I didn't understand what you meant by a "combat sight picture".

 

[kelljor]

Had an equalizer, same basic problem. Not sure if this is your case, but when I used a proper sight picture, sights lined up straight across it would shoot low. I read somewhere that the dots didn't coincide with the top of the sights being lined up; the orange dot was a little lower. Same article said that you should use what called "combat sighting" or something of that nature ie; line only the dots up and put the orange dot on right on the center of the target, not to use the traditional six oclock sight picture. I tried that, and by golly it worked! So when the dots are lined up the top of the front post is slightly higher than the top of the rear sight.
At least that was the case with my gun. Might be different than yours, but it's a cheap thing to try and if it works for you that's great.
BTW I did wind up selling the equalizer, but that's because I didn't like the trigger. I prefer a little take up and mine didn't have much. I do have a 9mm EZ that has a little more take up and that works better for me. The equalizer also doesn't have the little thing on the top of the slide that pops up when the chamgbr is loaded; it was a view port and that didn't work well for me in the dark. That's because they made the equalizer TORO, which I don't use anyhow.
Just my 2 cents. Hope you can find something useful in there.

 

[Rocket_Scientist]

I did. If I read your posts correctly, you stated that if a handgun is shooting low, that one needs a lower front sight. It actually just the opposite. I didn't understand what you meant by a "combat sight picture".

Sorry, you are confused. If shooting low, it needs a lower front sight or a higher rear sight. Look at post #42 above, he says the same. Lowering the front sight means you have to raise the barrel UP to align the sights.

 

[kelljor]

Exactly my situation, too. NRA Sharpshooter Bar 1. It's not me, shooting low. The red dot proves it.
Look at my earlier post. I think Ameriglo might have a rear sight that will work with the front.
Specialty Rear Sight for Smith & Wesson®M&P 2.0 CORE Dovetail.
Part # SW-2404 | Black .492"H .150" Square Notch - $29
I would link it here, but forum does not allow.

BTW, something happened with the S&W move from Mass, to Tenn. I think they lost all their experienced gunsmiths.

I dunno about the gunsmiths. I have a 380 EZ and a 9mm EZ that were made around the same and both subject to recall due to a problem with the way the hammers were made. Sent the 380 back and got it back within two weeks and if I read the "work done" paperwork correctly, they replaced the hammer and a whole bunch of other stuff inside. Long list of what was replaced, IMO practically rebuilt.

Had an equalizer, same basic problem. Not sure if this is your case, but when I used a proper sight picture, sights lined up straight across it would shoot low. I read somewhere that the dots didn't coincide with the top of the sights being lined up; the orange dot was a little lower. Same article said that you should use what called "combat sighting" or something of that nature ie; line only the dots up and put the orange dot on right on the center of the target, not to use the traditional six oclock sight picture. I tried that, and by golly it worked! So when the dots are lined up the top of the front post is slightly higher than the top of the rear sight.
At least that was the case with my gun. Might be different than yours, but it's a cheap thing to try and if it works for you that's great.
BTW I did wind up selling the equalizer, but that's because I didn't like the trigger. I prefer a little take up and mine didn't have much. I do have a 9mm EZ that has a little more take up and that works better for me. The equalizer also doesn't have the little thing on the top of the slide that pops up when the chamgbr is loaded; it was a view port and that didn't work well for me in the dark. That's because they made the equalizer TORO, which I don't use anyhow.
Just my 2 cents. Hope you can find something useful in there.

It works better than before. I expect the 9mm back next week and we'll see if they replaced all the other stuff like they did for the 380

 

[kelljor]

I ran another 100 rounds of Win NATO & American Eagle 124 Gr. with similar results. This time I paid careful attention to trigger press and benched it to prevent downward movement. It shoots about 4" low. I believe there is something wrong in this guns design as I have never seen any gun with a super tall rear sight twice as tall as the front sight. My brother bench confirmed the low printing with my nieces Equalizer. My next move is to laser bore-sight to confirm the gun. Then next grind down the front sight & cover the white dot and rear face with colored enamel paint. I may have to proceed to acquire an adjustable red dot sight in the end. Sounds as if S&W doesn't care to look into it with others. The "combat" sighting method does not wash with me as the sights obscure the target at any distance, and my other eight handguns are not sighted this way. My entire shooting history of 61 years has used the bullseye sight picture.
Why should I change now at age 76!

Change aint all that bad. Gives us old farts a new challenge to keep our minds focused and sharp. One of my biggest fears is for my mind to go to mush for lack of use. I already sometimes to forget things, like where are my keys, or the name of an actor that I should know instantly, without thinking about it. I have slowed down a bit in that area. I am 78 and refuse to get any older.
Also gives us another reason to go shoot. Not that I really need a reason....but just sayin'

 

[Rocket_Scientist]

Now for a picture, however, doesn't show the sight problem. The micro red dot is the way to go, it solves all POA/POI issues. These are nothing like the ones of years ago, they hold zero even with the slide "battering" back & forth. Battery is replaceable without removing the optic. Dot turns off with 10 minutes if firearm is not moved, then "shakes awake" instantly. Made of 7075 aluminum, same as AR15 receiver; LED emitter is totally enclosed.