Took the wife shooting today

[Justincase]

So, the wife and I headed over to Wolcott guns tonight and put some holes in paper. She shot the Marlin 60, and I put my first shots through the shield. What a great shooting gun. Very precise, but not so accurate out of the box. It was shooting about 3" to the left at 10 yards. For a small gun, the recoil is very manageable, and I'd never have to readjust my grip after a series of shots. The only real nit I have is that the spacer on the 8 round magazine felt like it was shifting while shooting.

Has anyone had experience getting their sights dialed in? I've never done dovetailed sights before. I'm sure I could do it, but I don't have plastic jaws on my vise. Is it worth it to just have someone do it?

Oh, and she asked why there were so many guns on the back of the permit. "Um, those are Mike's guns that be let me coregister". Whew! Dodged THAT bullet, pardon the pun.

 

[kev74]

Make sure the sights are really off before you start moving the sights.

If you have to move the rear sight, move it in the direction you want the POI to go. I use strips of leather to protect stuff in the vise. Its strong enough that you can crank down on it a bit, but soft enough not to damage the finish on the gun, and its very grippy so the part won't slip.

 

[Justincase]

Good tip with the leather. Thanks.

I'd have to move the front sight. Opposite direction, so needs to move to the right.

 

[HighlandLofts]

It's nice to get the other half out to shoot, I'd get a little more shooting time on the Shield before moving the sights. Maybe different ammo might make a difference.
How did she do with Marlin 22?

 

[Justincase]

It's nice to get the other half out to shoot, I'd get a little more shooting time on the Shield before moving the sights. Maybe different ammo might make a difference.
How did she do with Marlin 22?

Wife did ok. She wanted to start with a "non military" looking one rifle. Funny, since she actually WAS in the military. The Air Force, but nonetheless, she's probably fired an MSR more than most non gun aficionados. Next time we'll have her use the featureless 15-22

 

[ManrisFrack]

...the front sight. Opposite direction, so needs to move to the right.

I don't think this is correct. If you move the front sight right you'll have to rotate the gun counterclockwise to realign the sight picture. This will shift your impact further left - the opposite of what you want. Get out a short 2x4 and three thumb tacks if you need help visualizing - seriously.

 

[VietnamEraVet]

I have two Shields, and have installed TruGlo TFO sights on both of them using a Fischer Scientific sight pusher. My initial thought is that your sights might not be off, as I recall shooting a bit to the left in the beginning. In my case it turned out to be my trigger pull.

Also, be careful on the sights, - they are very hard to move, and if you change the rear sight be careful not to damage the spring plunger hidden underneath it- or worse, have it shoot out, never to be found again.

 

[Justincase]

I have two Shields, and have installed TruGlo TFO sights on both of them using a Fischer Scientific sight pusher. My initial thought is that your sights might not be off, as I recall shooting a bit to the left in the beginning. In my case it turned out to be my trigger pull.

Also, be careful on the sights, - they are very hard to move, and if you change the rear sight be careful not to damage the spring plunger hidden underneath it- or worse, have it shoot out, never to be found again.

Thanks for the tips. I'll have to get more practice. I just figured it was the sights since I was shooting left with a normal grip and stance and while supported. I'll have to be more deliberate with the trigger and see what happens.

 

[MilesTeg]

Sight Pusher

I went with the VISM. I like it for what it is. I would recommend it. It pays for itself with one sight swap.

 

[VietnamEraVet]

One other thing when using a sight pusher: I was able to offset the lower blocks on the Fischer unit, and I needed to do that with the front sight on the slide on the Shield due to the slide section that holds the one end of the spring. Otherwise, I could not center the sight to push it out / in.

Looking at it, I'm not sure the VISM unit would allow you to do that, although maybe others on here have used it with the Shield and can comment.

 

[Calculon]

Shooting low and left is a common issue when "pushing" the trigger rather than pulling straight back. It seems to be more pronounced when you use a pistol with a shorter sight radius. Try shooting left handed and see if it still shoots left.

Another trick I learned at Sig Academy is to hold your aim on target and have a the wife or range buddy pull trigger. A couple people attending Pistol 102 (I think) were pushing left and thought the sights were off. The instructor had them focus on aim and he pulled trigger for them. Hits were dead on - no more pushing left.

 

[David D]

If you want to adjust the front sight because you are hitting to the left, you need to move the front sight to the Left. Chase the bullet with the front. Opposite direction with the rear.

 

[Justincase]

If you want to adjust the front sight because you are hitting to the left, you need to move the front sight to the Left. Chase the bullet with the front. Opposite direction with the rear.

You're right. I'd swear I learned it the other way. Shows you how many times I've adjusted sights... that's probably a good thing.

 

[Saltwater60]

Thanks for the tips. I'll have to get more practice. I just figured it was the sights since I was shooting left with a normal grip and stance and while supported. I'll have to be more deliberate with the trigger and see what happens.

The sheiks is a thin grip. Check your grip and where your finger is on the trigger. I usually shot a bit low and left too unless it's a 1911. I am freaking awesome with my 1911. I love shooting my 1911. It makes me feel good.

 

[Justincase]

The sheiks is a thin grip. Check your grip and where your finger is on the trigger. I usually shot a bit low and left too unless it's a 1911. I am freaking awesome with my 1911. I love shooting my 1911. It makes me feel good.

I'm going to have to get some more range time with it. What a bummer...

 

[Jem45472]

I just installed new sights on mine and need to get out and shoot it. If they are off, I was hoping someone at Wolcott would have a pusher.

 

[Justincase]

I just installed new sights on mine and need to get out and shoot it. If they are off, I was hoping someone at Wolcott would have a pusher.

What sights did you go with?

 

[Jem45472]

What sights did you go with?

Truglo tfx

 

[HighlandLofts]

I'm going to have to get some more range time with it. What a bummer...

More range time is NEVER A BUMMER in my oppinion, I could go up in the mountains every day for three to five hours of shooting with my grandson and never get tired of the time spent with him doing what we like to do (SHOOTING).

 

[Justincase]

^ I was totally joking about it being a bummer. I couldn't imagine getting four hours at the range all at one time. I'm lucky I get a pass for an hour. We'll see once the little guy is old enough to go with me. Maybe I'll be allotted more time

 

[Justincase]

Went out again yesterday with the shield and the 43 of Glock. Shield still went left no matter how deliberately I pulled the trigger straight back, and focused on my grip. The Glock was dead nuts once I got the hang of the sight alignment on it.

 

[Justincase]

Went to the range again with the wifey yesterday and I asked one of the guys to shoot the shield and see if it went left. He did, the shots he fired went left, but just barely. He reminded me of something I learned in the NRA pistol course. "Let the shot surprise you." I totally forgot about that. So I slowed down quite a bit, and lo and behold, the shots were considerably better. Still left, but not nearly as much. You guys were right about not messing with the sights straight away.

 

[Justincase]

I can't figure this thing out. Went to the range last night, and again, left. Probably a good 2-3 inches at 24". Even with the slow deliberate 'surprise me' pull. The 43 was dead nuts every time. Was thinking of getting night sights. When places install these, do they just put them bang in the middle or do they actually verify point of aim? Again, not that it's the sights, but I can't understand why this one constantly goes left. Could be the slim grip. Maybe I should look into the Hogue grip cover for the Shield