Can front sight on S&W 49 be nudged?

[cornered rat]

I found that 158/139 grain bullets went to the right and 110 was close, but still off. Is it possible to adjust the sights for windage or not? I understand it is a point and shoot devide, but I would like to have an option to fire aimed shots for longer range.

I wonder, also why S&W 10 and 686 tend to shoot heavier bullets high whereas my Makarov goes high and right and the 49 I tried went right but hardly at all high? Is it how I hold them or something else?

 

[John Lawson]

So many forces are at work here that we could write a book on them. Lets forget the Makarov and concentrate on the wheel guns, then the auto will fall into place.
These long range shots: are they single or double action? Do you have wood or neoprene grips? What grip and stance do you take? Do you take a six o'clock or center hold? How hard do you grip the revolvers? Do you wear bifocals? Describe trigger pulls and your letoff technique. What distances did you fire the test shots? What ammo did you use, factory or handloads? If handloads, describe. Repeat points of impact as you answer, so I don't have to go back and pick up a thread. Answer tonight via E mail direct to me. I'll try to find the answer by morning. You will then have to go to the range and fire the same course of fire again.

 

[John Lawson]

(No response, so this is in general.)
Go to the range and fire your course of fire with different bullets. Retreive targets, set up new ones. Load K frame into Ransom Rest, fire 12 rounds to settle grip frame into rubber inserts. Fire same course of fire. Compare targets. If bullets of different weights have same relative impact groups, it is not your grip and stance causing the shift. Repeat with J frame Bodyguard after 10 rounds to settle frame into insert. If similarity of impacts shows that you need to adjust sights, leave the front blade alone. Use a safe edge needle file to widen rear notch. Little goes a long way. Twenty nine hundred thousanths of an inch per inch of sight radius is equal to one minute of angle impact change. No way to measure this, so cut and try as you fire.
If problem proves to be your grip on the J,
remember that it sits lower in your hand. If impact with heavier bullet shifts right for a right handed shooter, clamp left hand tighter. You are an instructor, so you can take it from there.