Shooting to the left

C

cdoc42

New member
I have a Kimber 45 ACP (which I sometimes erroneously describe as APC which I then correct as I know it means Aspirin,Phenacetin and Caffeine).

No matter what I do- trigger hold, absolute bench rest stability, bullet style, powder type and charges - it hits the target 1-2" to the left at 15 yards.

I have concluded it's not me. I can shoot a 3/4 group with 5 shots out of my 9mm, and a real screamer (for me) is all shots touching each other on the bull with my Freedom Arms .454 using a Colt .45 load.

So I go to my LGS (Local Gun Shop). He tells me my sight can be moved because it has a screw holding it in place. but I'm not the guy who is likely to accomplish that. He can do it, but only if I pay for the loads he uses and the time he expends at the indoor range at $15/hr, and whatever time at the range I spend corroborating his result. I have not engaged his service thus far because I think my reloads need to be the cartridge to establish the POI, and I need to do it because I am the shooter of the gun. He can just move the sight.

Checking the internet, which is a rather typical response, supports his position that I am not likely able to do it. Without buying a tool specifically used for that purpose, which is not inexpensive.

So here I am - asking for advice from those of you who I can count on to be much more knowledgeable about this problem than am I.
 
This thread concurs that setting it yourself could be a rough go and reports you can break even the expensive tools trying to do it. They did, however, have a simple cure: You send the slide to the factory with a note telling them how far off it is, and they will move it for you. this is simple geometry and does not require test firing if you have the center of the displacement error correctly identified. You could do that by sending them a target showing a large group, like 30 shots and showing the point of aim. I recommend you shoot it at 25 yards on a 25-yard bull rather than at fifteen. The bigger error will make the measurement easier on their end.
 
Thanks, UncleNick. I'll look into that.

I can handle 25-yard shots with some confidence at my age with much-reduced eyesight, but only at 16- to 32- ounce water-filled jugs, and as long as they lose their content, I impress myself.

But if I shoot at bulls-eye targets, I have a hell of a time. I used to rifle-shoot 3/4-inch dots at 100 yards with no more than 6 power. Now I can't see the dot unless I bump the scope up to 9, maybe 12, and even at that, the dot edges are blurred. (I did get an 8-point buck at 200 yards this year with a 6.5mm CM but I have to admit I was in a hut with heat and a rest).

Red dots on handguns I've used since Tasco started with Pro-Point. I shot Bowling pins at 200 yards off-hand with one of those on a .44 mag. Today, I'm lucky if I can hold steady at 50 yards.

But I can certainly fire 30 shots at 25 yards and send it and the slide to Kimber, and see if that helps before I tell my wife to put the gun in the hole with me. She terrifies me, telling me the metal will never melt.
 
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Have you had other people shoot your pistol?

If two other people shoot it and they both shoot decent groups in the center of the target, then its probably you.

If they both shoot to the left, then it's probably the pistol.

If it's the pistol, then either send it back to the manufacturer or hire a gunsmith to adjust the sights.
 
This thread concurs that setting it yourself could be a rough go and reports you can break even the expensive tools trying to do it. They did, however, have a simple cure: You send the slide to the factory with a note telling them how far off it is,
Click to expand...

LOL I did that very thing with my XD45 compact . It shot low from the factory ( hated that gun ) . When I say low I mean at 25 feet I had to aim 2" above my intended POI . Problem with that was my POA had my slide covering what I wanted to shoot . That gun sat in the safe for a few years and almost got sold a couple times . Then one day when looking for some sights for another firearm I saw some that would fit the XD ( YEAH !!! )

Bought a sight pushing tool ( cheap) and started to push out the factory sights . Turns out XD seems to use some sort of loctite because they don't move very easy at first and once they do it starts with a crack/pop as the sight breaks free . Ok got them off and the new sights went on pretty easy . Went and shot it and the new ones shot low as well . Back in the safe it goes and it sits in there another year or so and almost gets sold again .

Then one day I see it in there and I get to thinking maybe I should call Springfield and ask what they recommend . The guy on the phone was helpful and said send it in but I'd have to pay for shipping to them ( I think ) He also said it will only be covered under the warranty if the factory sights were on it so I had to reinstall them before shipping . No problem I got this great new sight tool right ???? NOPE --- broke the front sight putting it on and cracked the rear sight haha . So yeah be careful when messing with the sights .

Anyways I sent the gun in with not only a letter saying what was wrong as far as POI I also owed up to breaking the sights reinstalling them . I also sent a drawing of what my sight picture is along with the POI I want with that sight picture ( basically a 6 o-clock hold )

Got the gun back and it shoots EXACTLY where I want it to and all I can say is that it's now one of my favorites to shoot ( LOVE that gun lol ) . Nothing like shooting a gun that puts the bullet where you intended to put it .

Over the years I've learned there's not much better then sending the firearm back to the original manufacture to fix or upgrade it unless you are friends with a world class gunsmith which I'm not . Quite frankly the 3 smiths I've used locally were not all that impressive for Various reasons depending on which one I'm talking about so If they can , they go to the manufacture now . I find it worth the $50 or less to ship knowing it's going to be done right and come back with a real warranty . I'll add the turn around has always been much quicker then I would think . I think the longest it took for any gun I've sent back was 3 weeks from the day I shipped and most inside two weeks . Beats the 18 months a local smith had my Savage 99 and never did anything to it .

If you send it back , when you get it back and go test it . I find this is a good sighting in target :D

9WRiDz.jpg
 
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gsh341 and Metal god, thanks for your thoughts.

No, I haven't had anyone else shoot it. As I said, I don't have the same problem with my .380 Auto and 9mm, nor any of the revolvers.

MG, your experience mirrors those of others I've read about who have tried to use the sight-removing tools.

I'll contact Kimber to see whatI need to do to have them look at it.
 
MG,

Did you see any sign of red Loctite on the sight? They have another product with more filler in it called Nu-Metal that might be used, too. Clear with aluminum particles in it. Either of these would likely mean heating the whole slide to get it loose. How hot, depends on the product used, and Kimber might be willing to part with that information.
 
The screw in the rear sight is just a set screw to help hold in place after it’s been drifted into place. Mark the left side of the rear sight for reference, warm it up with a heat gun & loosen the screw, & using a business card for a cushion give it a tap to the right with a brass drift pin & hammer. It ain’t rocket surgery
 
UN

No not loctite just used that word for the general point . There was something in the dove tail but it was more white-ish or light gray then red or blue . That white-ish substance could have been the color it looks when broke or rubbed against , I doubt they would use a white substance on a black slide . Once they broke free they moved pretty easy but boy was it hard to get them started .
 
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MetalGod said:
Turns out XD seems to use some sort of Loctite because they don't move very easy at first
and once the do it starts with a crack/pop as the sight breaks free .
Click to expand...
Having the same issue with a HellCat. In this case 2" left at 25yds.

I've never had a sight I couldn't drift into chosen alignment... until the HellCat.
What does Springfield anchor those sights with?
 
shooting to the left

Ditto the "sight pusher" comment. I paid dearly for one, discovered a brass
punch and hammer to be much more friendly-but I haven't worked on Kimber or Springfield, just Sig and CZ:)
 
Well, here's a suggestion from someone who has NEVER done this---maybe use the punch and hammer to break it loose and then the sight moving tool for the fine work.

That said, maybe Metal god's suggest of back to the factory deserves more consideration.
 
I've never had a sight I couldn't drift into chosen alignment... until the HellCat.
What does Springfield anchor those sights with?
Click to expand...

Unfortunately I did not ask what they use in my conversation with Springfield . Unclenick brings up a good point of heat maybe loosening the adhesive . Keeping in mind some sights are plastic like Glock sights so be careful with that aspect , not sure what type the Hellcat uses ?

If I were to do it again I think I set up the sight tool to start putting a good amount of pressure on the sight . Then apply a soldering iron to the sight with the hopes the sight would heat up softening the adhesive and breaking free the sight do to the constant pressure on the sight from the tool . I know heating the sight or slide then putting the slide in the tool would take to long and the metal would cool by the time you get it set up properly .
 
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mehavey said:
Having the same issue with a HellCat. In this case 2" left at 25yds.

I've never had a sight I couldn't drift into chosen alignment... until the HellCat.
What does Springfield anchor those sights with?
Click to expand...
I’m having exactly the same problem, even with a good sight drifting tool cranked to the max the sight won’t budge.
 
Metal god said:
Unfortunately I did not ask what they use in my conversation with Springfield . Unclenick brings up a good point of heat maybe loosening the adhesive . Keeping in mind some sights are plastic like Glock sights so be careful with that aspect , not sure what type the Hellcat uses ?

If I were to do it again I think I set up the sight tool to start putting a good amount of pressure on the sight . Then apply a soldering iron to the sight with the hopes the sight would heat up softening the adhesive and breaking free the sight do to the constant pressure on the sight from the tool . I know heating the sight or slide then putting the slide in the tool would take to long and the metal would cool by the time you get it set up properly .
Click to expand...
I like the idea of a soldering iron, I would think you could set the slide up in the pusher then just apply the heat with the iron. Just have the pushing part not quite making contact to avoid it acting like a heat sink.
 
I moved the sights on my p365. Used a punch and a hammer. Was a royal pain, and based on the difficulty it took ho move it I expect I might have broken a sight pusher tool.
 
Schlitz 45 said:
The screw in the rear sight is just a set screw to help hold in place after it’s been drifted into place. Mark the left side of the rear sight for reference, warm it up with a heat gun & loosen the screw, & using a business card for a cushion give it a tap to the right with a brass drift pin & hammer. It ain’t rocket surgery
Click to expand...
Exactly.
But I'm the lazy guy that will just hold 2" to the right. Once I figure where to hold on my carry gun, I don't mess with the sights unless they come loose.
 
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