Revolver shooting high

[TurboSixPiston]

At first this seemed like a simple sight alignment issue (adjustable rear) but the more I fiddled with it the more I wondered.

It's a 4" S&W 625, bought new from a dealer. Getting REALLY nice groups on target... about a foot high at 15 yards. Now it's entirely possible, this being my first revolver, that I'm using the wrong sight picture with the front dot cradled by the rear sight (think three dots in a row, except with a blank rear sight). This is what I've always done with all of my other guns, but they don't shoot a foot high at 15 yards. I got the group to move down about 3" total before I ran out of ammo by cranking the rear sight elevation. It seemed to me that I was doing a pretty crazy amount of adjusting for a brand new gun.

I don't think it's at the limit of adjustment but I'm not going to mess with it without being at the range to monitor progress. What is the adjustment range on a factory adjustable rear sight on these guns? I'd hate to have to go to a different front sight to get her on target, and I want to exhaust all options before I send it off to S&W to get looked at.

My 4" Kimber shoots the same ammo POA at that distance, if it matters.

 

[guns are dumb]

Sounds like you need to keep adjusting. I have a pair of 627's that shot about a foot low at that distance right out of the box. Just kept cranking on the rear sight.

Don't take this the wrong way, but it's easy to adjust the rear sight in the wrong direction. Double check that the rear sight is being adjusted in the direction that you want the gun to shoot, so if the gun needs to shoot lower, you need to lower the rear sight.

 

[dennishoddy]

if the gun needs to shoot lower, you need to lower the rear sight.

Word.

 

[dlbleak]

is it possible that the bullet is climbing that fast at the range of 15 yards? might try moving the target back some if you are bottomed out on the sight.
this year i had a new muzzleloader and was dead on at 100 but 5 inches high at 50. i had never seen such a drastic elevation change but it was consistant every time.

 

[TurboSixPiston]

Thanks for the replies.

Sounds like you need to keep adjusting. I have a pair of 627's that shot about a foot low at that distance right out of the box. Just kept cranking on the rear sight.

Don't take this the wrong way, but it's easy to adjust the rear sight in the wrong direction. Double check that the rear sight is being adjusted in the direction that you want the gun to shoot, so if the gun needs to shoot lower, you need to lower the rear sight.

I was adjusting the correct direction, and got the groups to move downward 2-3". Hearing that you turned a similar issue out without having to change the sights is a relief.

is it possible that the bullet is climbing that fast at the range of 15 yards? might try moving the target back some if you are bottomed out on the sight.
this year i had a new muzzleloader and was dead on at 100 but 5 inches high at 50. i had never seen such a drastic elevation change but it was consistent every time.

I tested the ammo in another 4" gun which was dead on. I thought about shooting at a greater distance but didn't consider it safe. The sight is not bottomed.


I appreciate the feedback. I was concerned the rear sight screw may have been stripped or something, but seems like it's working and I just need to spend much more time on it.

 

[Bubber]

Turbo, what is the weight of you bullet and approx velocity? Bottom the rear sight out and see what gives. At 15 yards or less it will take a lot of movement on the rear sight to see a lot of movement on POI. I take it the other 4 inch gun was alos a 625? Many revo shooters have changed the front sight to a taller or shorter post depending on their liking and POA/ POI. A lighter faster bullet hits lower to some degree or at least in my experiences. Hope this proves to be helpful. later rdd

 

[TurboSixPiston]

230 gr at around 840. I've heard some people claim the muzzle flip having an impact on the bullet before it leaves the barrel but that doesn't sit right with me, especially considering the same ammo does not have the same effect in another gun. The other gun was a 1911. There should not be enough of a difference between the two guns to make a 1 foot change in impact location.

I've heard of people needing to change sights on other guns, but do not want to do that seeing as I have an adjustable rear(I would hope it would not be necessary). I was concerned it may be messed up but edwards posted that he got his problem worked out using the standard sights, this makes me think there is probably nothing wrong with the gun.

It would appear that my thinking of "minor" adjustment may be needed and S&W's definition of "minor" may be way, way off from each other.

 

[KurtM]

Well here is the deal. S&W make 4 different heights of rear sight leafs. The rear sight leaf is easily changed out and the kits can be found at Brownells.com. I sometimes wonder if S&W even tries the guns on a target when they test fire. My 625 had the lowest rear leaf from the factory and I ran out of up elevation before it was even on target. Another one had the tallest leaf in it and it was just like yours! WAY high. You might need to swap out the rear sight leaf for a shorter one. KurtM

 

[Dr_Mitch]

If you max out your sight adjustment, you could take advantage of Smith's warranty.

 

[guns are dumb]

...but edwards posted that he got his problem worked out using the standard sights, this makes me think there is probably nothing wrong with the gun.

It would appear that my thinking of "minor" adjustment may be needed and S&W's definition of "minor" may be way, way off from each other.

BUT, I was going up instead of down, all of my Smiths look to have more latitude going up then down. HOWEVER, I did make some pretty big adjustments to make mine shoot where I wanted it, as in several turns of the adjustment screw.