It shoots 4" to the right at 25 yards. This translate to 2" to the right at 12 yards. I shot it with both right and left hand, so i know it's the gun, not me. ( for background, I shoot equally well/bad with both right and left hand). Is this acceptable with this gun? Should send it back to s&w?
New 642 shoots to the right
- Thread starter flinchy
- Start date
Considering its intended (and probable) use, 4" to the right at 25 yards wouldn't bother me. If it were a hunting or match handgun, it'd be different. If I had to shoot my 642 at 25 yards (I'm fortunate; mine's dead-on), I hope I'd remember to use Kentucky Windage. 
The 642 is much more likely to be deployed at "bad breath" range, anyway.
The 642 is much more likely to be deployed at "bad breath" range, anyway.
Ammo
I have a 640 and it groups pretty much right above the front sight with 158 gr. bullets. But the groups are not tiny, so it might be off 1-2 inches at 25 yards, who can say. Maybe different ammo would group in a different place.
Might be interesting to see if the groups move any laterally with different bullet weights. But with that short sight radius it might exaggerate any errors or the fact that if the sights are bare metal(stainless) finish, the sunlight angle can affect your sighting depending on which side of the front sight it is shining. Might black out the front sight and see if that does different. Otherwise maybe you could get some laser grips and set those up to hit right on line at your optimum range of 12 or 25 yds. Otherwise fixed sights can be altered for windage a little, but might be alot of gunsmith work.
I have a 640 and it groups pretty much right above the front sight with 158 gr. bullets. But the groups are not tiny, so it might be off 1-2 inches at 25 yards, who can say. Maybe different ammo would group in a different place.
Might be interesting to see if the groups move any laterally with different bullet weights. But with that short sight radius it might exaggerate any errors or the fact that if the sights are bare metal(stainless) finish, the sunlight angle can affect your sighting depending on which side of the front sight it is shining. Might black out the front sight and see if that does different. Otherwise maybe you could get some laser grips and set those up to hit right on line at your optimum range of 12 or 25 yds. Otherwise fixed sights can be altered for windage a little, but might be alot of gunsmith work.