A couple of weeks ago I picked up a very used S&W 386PD. These are 7 shot revolvers. They have an alloy frame and cylinder and a sleeved barrel. The aluminum has a bit of scandium mixed into it so S&W featured them as scandium framed.
Two versions of the 386 were made a Mountain Lite and the 2.5" PD. The PD is for "Personal Defense".
The gun was had at a good price. Mostly because it is very beat up cosmetically and lacked front and rear sights.
So while figuring out what sights I want to put on it I took it out for a little shooting the other day.
I shot some 38 Spl. through it to get a feel and then some .357.
Below is a pic of the gun with a 7 shot group fired at 8 yards. The round was a Fiocchi 158 gr. SJSP. The point of aim was the black dot.
Here is a 14 round group shot at the same distance with a Fiocchi 125 gr. JHP. Here the point of aim was the top dot.
You can of course shoot without sights. You just use whatever outline there is up front and center that with whatever you have on the rear. But some sights are better than no sights.
At close range like 8 yards the difference between point of aim and point of impact is not so much as to be a great problem. But at a further distance it would be.
As you can see lighter weight bullets always hit lower than heavier weight bullets. The heavier bullets in the top group centered about 3.25" below the point of aim. The lighter 125 gr. round hit about 5" below the dot I aimed at.
Fixed sight guns work best within a close range of bullet weights. 158 and 148 grs. won't hit far from each other.
Adjustable sights are useful if you plan on using a wide variety of bullet weights.
Sights work better than none.
tipoc
Two versions of the 386 were made a Mountain Lite and the 2.5" PD. The PD is for "Personal Defense".
The gun was had at a good price. Mostly because it is very beat up cosmetically and lacked front and rear sights.
So while figuring out what sights I want to put on it I took it out for a little shooting the other day.
I shot some 38 Spl. through it to get a feel and then some .357.
Below is a pic of the gun with a 7 shot group fired at 8 yards. The round was a Fiocchi 158 gr. SJSP. The point of aim was the black dot.
Here is a 14 round group shot at the same distance with a Fiocchi 125 gr. JHP. Here the point of aim was the top dot.
You can of course shoot without sights. You just use whatever outline there is up front and center that with whatever you have on the rear. But some sights are better than no sights.
At close range like 8 yards the difference between point of aim and point of impact is not so much as to be a great problem. But at a further distance it would be.
As you can see lighter weight bullets always hit lower than heavier weight bullets. The heavier bullets in the top group centered about 3.25" below the point of aim. The lighter 125 gr. round hit about 5" below the dot I aimed at.
Fixed sight guns work best within a close range of bullet weights. 158 and 148 grs. won't hit far from each other.
Adjustable sights are useful if you plan on using a wide variety of bullet weights.
Sights work better than none.
tipoc
Last edited: