How to adjust handgun elevation without adjustable sights?

[solv3nt]

• Combat Hold (or Frame Hold) – The center of the front sight post completely covers the bullseye. If the sight is equipped with a dot, the center of the dot will cover the center of the bullseye.

View attachment 1850722

• Center Hold – The top of the front sight post perfectly bisects the bullseye horizontally.

View attachment 1850723

• Six o'clock hold – The top of the front sight post sits directly underneath the bottom of the bullseye. For obvious reasons, this hold can also be referred to as a "lollipop hold" or "pumpkin on a stick".

O
View attachment 1850724

Where's the center fold?

 

[64MercurysRule]

View: https://youtube.com/shorts/a3HAd_jnwcA?si=b2EtwT9njnuGk-UL

 

[TTSX]

Just aim higher

 

[taroman]

Being a handloader, I just adjust the load to point of impact:
Bullet heavier/slower hits higher.
Bullet lighter/faster hits lower.

 

[HiFi Magnetics]

I bought the dagger parts separately.
Anyways the file works. and its very close now. I just wanna finish up the break in. I'll use my regular ammos next time probably Wednesday. Thank you much for the follow-ups and contributions. Its all a great help and thank you.

 

[HiFi Magnetics]

Before you start filing, or changing the sights:

Rest the barrel of the pistol on something solid while you're shooting.

The gun resting on something solid will keep any downward flinch from happening.

If the gun is still shooting low even when on a rest, it's time to adjust or replace sights.

You might also have a friend shoot the gun, and see if it shoots low for them. If it doesn't, then you might be aiming incorrectly.

This dagger is was assembled. When I first fired it. I couldnt even hit the paper...
Now the windage is correct and the elevation is the last thing I need to finalize. I hope I didn't file it too much otherwise I would have to fill it up..

 

[Stomper]

This dagger is was assembled. When I first fired it. I couldnt even hit the paper...
Now the windage is correct and the elevation is the last thing I need to finalize. I hope I didn't file it too much otherwise I would have to fill it up..

I'm tellin' ya…. JB-Weld!

 

[HiFi Magnetics]

I'm tellin' ya…. JB-Weld!

Definitely!. I wanna start firing the Fiocchi's which are my regular ammo before I finalize the height. But so far so good! Thanks...

 

[TTSX]

If @HiFi Magnetics and @arakboss aren't friends, they should reach out to each other....

 

[HiFi Magnetics]

If @HiFi Magnetics and @arakboss aren't friends, they should reach out to each other....

he lives down the road....

 

[L84Cabo]

Thank you for the input. In this firearm, I'm thoroughly okay with filing it on the fly in the range. This is just my practice gun. Nothing special. I just wanna keep this gun simple, no red dots or anything.

I'm just curious...why did you put suppressor height sights on it if you don't intend to run it with a red dot? Or do you actually shoot it suppressed? Or did you just inherit this thing and this is how it came?

 

[HiFi Magnetics]

I bought it all new and "separate" with complete top and complete bottom.

 

[Flopsweat]

Take some lessons to be sure it's the gun and not the shooter.

 

[TTSX]

Take some lessons to be sure it's the gun and not the shooter.

Couldn't possibly be a user error. No way, no how.

 

[DirectDrive]

 

[Quirt Evans]

A general principle that handgun manufacturers have been doing for their fixed sight models is zeroing them with a specific load and a specific range.
For those who are always messing around with all kinds of different ammo and/or reloading there is one principle to keep in mind.
"Heavy bullets hit higher".

 

[DirectDrive]

So far I've seen no mention of the effect sight picture can have on point of impact. Your firearm is set up by the factory for combat hold or a target hold. Simply put, if you're using a different sight picture than the factory set up, then your point of impact will not be where you expect it to be.

I'll extract some portions from this site to explain the difference (the whole article is worth reading if you have the time & inclination).

• Combat Hold (or Frame Hold) – The center of the front sight post completely covers the bullseye. If the sight is equipped with a dot, the center of the dot will cover the center of the bullseye.

View attachment 1850722

• Center Hold – The top of the front sight post perfectly bisects the bullseye horizontally.

View attachment 1850723

• Six o'clock hold – The top of the front sight post sits directly underneath the bottom of the bullseye. For obvious reasons, this hold can also be referred to as a "lollipop hold" or "pumpkin on a stick".

O
View attachment 1850724

Confusing with those images and all the different names for the holds.
Feel free to use the image and the descriptors in Post #55

 

[PORSCHE928S4]

I'd swap the sights before breaking out a file.

Or just hear me out get an adjustable rear sight!
Or the belt sander whatever works but please post pics

 

[Gunbuggy]

On a weapon with fixed sights, if you are 100% sure it's the gun and not your own flinching/improper grip/improper trigger pull, then you either A)switch to adjustable sights or B) learn where your point of aim is and practice.


Most of my pistols are dead on from factory.

I do however have a reaaaallllyy smooth shooting revolver that I love and want to keep totally stock. This revolver shoots high. If you were 15 yards from me and I aimed at your chin I'd give you a pretty good haircut.

I know this, and this gun isn't serious to me only a range toy, so when I shoot it I know to aim low.

If this gun is something you use for self defense I'd say either swap the sights or just get a different platform.

 

[OldBroad44]

A general principle that handgun manufacturers have been doing for their fixed sight models is zeroing them with a specific load and a specific range.
For those who are always messing around with all kinds of different ammo and/or reloading there is one principle to keep in mind.
"Heavy bullets hit higher".

Actually, its heavier recoiling loads that shoot higher. Loads with heavier bullets usually are heavier recoiling but not always. The heavier recoil starts before the bullet leaves the barrel so gives the barrel a greater upward momentum before the bullet leaves the barrel. However, in commercial loads the heavier bullets are usually used in loads with more powder too, hence the heavier bullets with their heavier powder loads have more ft. lbs. of energy so more recoil, thus would shoot higher assuming both were using the same powder. However, heavier bullets need not be loaded with more powder. Or the same powder. If the powders are different that might matter. For example, a very fast burning powder such as are optimized for short barrel guns can give a sharper recoil that imparts more upward momentum to the gun before the bullet leaves the barrel. A slower powder behind the same bullet would impart a slower recoil to the gun hence less upward movement to the gun before the bullet leaves the barrel. So the "Heavier bullets shoot higher." rule is usually true with commercial ammo but not always.

In theory, since the amount and sharpness/speed of recoil affects the vertical trajectory, the person holding the gun firmly may have a load shoot to a different vertical point of aim than a person shooting with a more relaxed grip or shooting one-handed with either doing anything wrong. And if you shoot a handgun from bench rest resting gun on bags and using a relaxed grip the gun may move more in recoil, and give you a higher point of aim than with your offhand grip. For an equivalent point of aim from bench rest to offhand on heavy recoiling handguns it might be better to use as much as possible your offhand grip and just rest hands on bags.

Handguns with fixed sights are usually designed to shoot to point of aim with a specific ammo at a specific distance. For example, 25 yards for a SD gun or 50 yards for a hunting revolver. If my shots were not to point of aim I'd start by trying different ammo.