Stupid question on adjusting sights

[Lumbering.Buffalo]

My friend just bought a 66-2 4". He took it shooting and found that when the front sight was even with the rear sight the gun shot low.

I have helped him get into shooting, but confess that I have never, ever adjusted sights on my handguns (only one rifle and that was a scope).

How do I adjust for veritical alignment; and might as well through horizontal alignment as well?

Thanks.

 

[OKFC05]

Move the rear sight in the same direction you want the bullet to move on the target.
A model 66 rear sight has a screw on the side for windage and one on the top for elevation. Turn it about half a turn and check for effect.

 

[Nightowl]

Turning clockwise will lower the Smith rear sight. Turn counterclockwise to raise it and raise the impact on target.

 

[butchd]

Sounds simple.

Move the rear site in the same direction you want the bullet to move on the target. up = up, left = left, right = right

or alternatively, if you have to adjust the front site:

Move the front site in the opposite direction. up = down, etal.

Or is it "Sight"? I know it ain't "cite". "simplify, simplify, simplify". Was H.D Thoreau a Marine? I knew it couldn't be that easy.

 

[Toyman]

Be very careful not to adjust screw to far up and loose contact with the threads on the sight base. The threads are very fine and will strip out easliy. If you need to adjust the rear sight down put down pressure on rear sight blade with your thumb as you adjust down.

 

[Lumbering.Buffalo]

Ok, there is a screw slot on the right side of the rear sight. I assume that is for left/right adjustment.

There are two screws on the top of the sight. Are we talking the rear (larger) screw for the up/down adjustment?

Thanks.

 

[magnum12pm]

Ok, there is a screw slot on the right side of the rear sight. I assume that is for left/right adjustment.

There are two screws on the top of the sight. Are we talking the rear (larger) screw for the up/down adjustment?

Thanks.

The screw directly in front of the rear sight notch...and for god sake put it on a sand bag or pistol rest for making the test shots while adjusting the rear sight...

 

[Rule 303]

LB,
no stupid honest questions.

Always ask. Not a day goes by that I don't learn something, especially here.

Rule 303

 

[Stainz]

I am a retired college instructor. For over twenty years, every quarter would find me repeating that phrase, "There are no stupid questions." to each of my classes. Every quarter, for over twenty years, the folly of such a statement, more like a challenge, was experimentally proven.

Here, however, we are hobbyists - with potentially lethal 'toys'. By all means, always ask.

Always adjust the windage screw adjustment on the right - not the locknut on the left (Left is the side, muzzle aimed downrange, that the cylinder swings out from.). To see if you might be 'pulling' your shots, leave an empty chamber - and watch - or have someone watch for you - and see if you 'pull' on the empty shot.

Stainz

 

[Spotteddog]

F O R S

F ront
O pposite
R ears
(the)
S ame

So, when your working a weapon with an adjustable rear sight, you move the rear sight in the direction you want the POI to end up at whether it be R/L or U/D.
(R ears (the) S ame)

 

[sjmjax]

The way I like to explain it is to imagine that the gun rigidly mounted. The bullets will go where the barrel is pointed. The sights are irrelevant to where the bullets will impact. What you want to do is get the sights to "look" at the bullet holes.

It is then easy to visualize that to align the sights with the bullet holes, the front sight moves toward the holes. If you're low and left - front sight moves down and left. If you're high and right - sight moves up and right

If the adjustment you need to make is accomplished with the rear sight, it moves the opposite direction.

Hope that's helpful. Works for me.

 

[Lumbering.Buffalo]

Sorry for the late reply...been out in boonies on a fishing trip.

Thanks for the replies. I'll relay it to my friend and we'll get together soon to try them out.

LB.