Do you have any suggestions for a new M/P owner?
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First off, I would say to read the Owners Manual twice. Then Field Strip the gun, clean and lube. Eyeball the sights on the slide and make sure they are both centered on the slide....many front sights have been reported to be off center right out of the box. Reassemble the gun and go shoot it! Have fun...
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Arizona Smithshooter said:
When I got my mp9, I noticed that the sights were off to the right side of center (both sights). I was sure that the gun would be unbelievably off target. Well, I guess the sights were off centered perfectly. When I got to the range for the first time, I couldn't get over how accurate my gun was. I fretted for a whole week for nothing. Now, when I do get some combat sights, I'll have to fret about getting them offcentered perfectly like S&W managed to do with my stock sights. :roll:
All of the manufacturers are going to test fire their weapons before they leave the factory. It may be that the folks at Smith are actually making an attempt to get them reasonably close to zeroed. I would suggest actually shooting on a range before I adjusted anything.
Basilhayden,
When you do decide to get combat sights, I recommend installing the front sight and visually centering it. Apply LocTite 262 to insure that it will stay in place. Then install and visually center the rear sight but DO NOT apply LocTite yet. Take her out to the range and shoot a group at your preferred zeroing distance. I like 25 yards. Once you have the pistol zeroed, apply LocTite around the sight and give it about two minutes. LocTite 262 wicks and creeps very well, so it will get into the sight where it needs to be. After a couple of minutes, wipe off any excess, and let the pistol sit for at least an hour so that the LocTite can set up. That should get you taken care of.
Joe
Basilhayden,
When you do decide to get combat sights, I recommend installing the front sight and visually centering it. Apply LocTite 262 to insure that it will stay in place. Then install and visually center the rear sight but DO NOT apply LocTite yet. Take her out to the range and shoot a group at your preferred zeroing distance. I like 25 yards. Once you have the pistol zeroed, apply LocTite around the sight and give it about two minutes. LocTite 262 wicks and creeps very well, so it will get into the sight where it needs to be. After a couple of minutes, wipe off any excess, and let the pistol sit for at least an hour so that the LocTite can set up. That should get you taken care of.
Joe
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Joe Long.....The rear sight must be removed to remove the Firing Pin Block from the slide, so I think it may be a bad idea to loctite the sight. There is a set screw in the sight for that purpose. During a tour of the S&W Factory, conducted on a couple of the shooting programs, they showed the placement of the front sight which is done by machine. Test firing is done to make sure it goes Bang...didn't see them take the time to Zero the sights.
I would still loctite the sight. Most of the setscrews in sights that are currently available are there so that the average joe gun owner can install sights him or her self. The sights are made to slip fit or have a light friction fit, as opposed to a good solid friction fit that a gunsmith will use. Learning to fit dovetails correctly is a time consuming process. I've been working at XS Sights for almost three years and have been shooting and working on my own guns for ten or fifteen years. I still learn new tricks to fitting dovetails all the time. If you're worried about getting loctite into the safety channel, strip the slide before applying loctite. Then run a Qtip into the hole for the firing pin safety to prevent loctite from causing issues. Also, the so called "permanent" loctite isn't. One good solid smack with a hammer and a brass punch, and you can get it loose. Trust me, it's kind of embarrasing to watch your rear sight go flying off of your handgun while your shooting. This is the voice of experience talking. And experience is what you get when you don't get what you want.
Joe
Joe
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Joe Long....don't mean to drag out this topic, but I'll buy you a beer if you can get my rear sight to move. I have bent two brass punches in the process and it hasn't move a millimeter. My front sight is also very tight, but I did manage to correct it being off-center. Now it shoots where it is pointed..........
Arizona Smithshooter said:
I have always found it quirky that in order to completely disassemble the gun for inspection , the rear sight has to be taken out and the gun re-zeroed. Not completely sure about loctiting the whole sight assembly, but I would definitely loctite the set screw. EVERY gun that I have had with a set screw in the rear has worked itself loose. Granted none of the sights moved, or if they did they didnt move enough for me to notice. It does kind of throw you for a loop when all of a sudden your fron post is taller than your rear sight and there is noting you can do about it
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Being a former S&W Sigma owner, I was a bit dismayed when I saw how the M&P was put together. I could completely strip my Sigma slide in about 5 minutes without the use of any tools. The M&P on the other hand requires a gun vise, brass punches and a hammer to accomplish the same thing. It also requires removing a zeroed rear sight. In my mind that is not progress and when you don't live close to a gunsmith it make me reluctant to take a hammer to my brand new carry weapon! Still love it inspite of it's faults!
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