M&P 22 Rear Sight Problems - Shooting High

[-Doug-]

So I have a Smith and Wesson M&P22 and it shoots about 4 inches high and 3 inches to the left at 10 yards. I have tried lowering my back sight however when I turn the elevation drew I can't get the sight to bottom out. I thought the screw may have been stripped since it just spins at the bottom but when I tried with a friends M&P rear sight screw it continued to spin (my screw also works fine in his gun). Knowing this I have come to conclude that the rear sight threading is stripped. I am just curious and would like feedback from you M&P 22 owners on the following.

1. Does your M&P shoot high
2. Did you have the same sight adjustment problem as me
3. Have any of you bought new sights for it
4. If new sights were bought what type/where did you get them and do you like them
5. Any suggestions on how to fix the sight

Before comments are made saying you problem don't know how to aim, I have had many people shoot the pistol and it shoots high for them too. I have shot it from a bench position and can get great groups from it but they are all high left. My M&P9 shoots dead on, wish I could just get the same sights for the M&P22 as the 9.

Hope everyone is having a good thanksgiving weekend so far,
Doug

 

[nugunner]

My M&P22 is mostly shot by my girlfriend and, yes, she does shoot a bit high. I've adjusted the sights to it's shooting "straight", but with the all black rear sight I find it harder to get the elevation correct as there's a lot of play in the sight picture.

Checking the manual, you have to lower the rear sight to lower the group. That is turning the adjustment screw (the one furthest back) clockwise. Also, once you get sighted in, make sure you tighten the set screw so it doesn't come loose. Locktite is probably a good idea.

Finally, because only the foresight has a white dot (though I've replaced mine with a Hi-Viz fibre optic sight), your sight picture is a bit hard to read, especially indoors if the lighting isn't great. You can adjust your sight picture by lowering the dot slightly and see if that helps.

 

[Wester]

I need to get a pistol rest to really see if mine is on or off. Out of the box the front sight was not centered which I corrected via a micrometer. Since the fix it is very accurate and I can get tight groupings in the bullseye but my trigger technique needs some work. LOL

 

[Big Bad]

I have an M&P 22 and I've pretty much learned that in my hands at least it's not a consistent shooter by any means... and for sure it's one of the most ammo sensitive firearms I've ever owned. Anyway, for what it's worth my solution has been to adjust my aim for whatever's happening that day.

 

[Forest1488]

Mine shoots high as well. Factory sights are crap and don't adjust far enough vertically. The pistol itself groups really well. Ordered the Williams Fire Sights from Brownell's but have yet to get them installed.

 

[Skull1]

I have a m&p 22 as well.......it shots high. Very frustrating as my m&p40 is dead on. The only thing I've tried is to paint my front sight a solid orange, rather than the white dot.

 

[john92awd]

Mine shoots a bit high. Maybe 6 inches at 25 yards, also depends on what ammo you're using....

My gun on the other hand shot 6-8 inches left at 25 yards (tested bench rested) and I had to drift the rear sight to compensate. The windage is more annoying to me than the elevation

 

[gnmontey]

Mine shot high and left as well. At the time, I thought it was just me and the fact that the sights were so course.

M

 

[Forest1488]

So I installed the Williams Firesights. After playing around and getting it sighted in I ended up still being high but only 1.5" at 10 yards. To get there I still had to adjust the rear elevation down as far as possible. Happy with the Williams for now. Will try at 25 yards this weekend to see where I end up.

 

[-Doug-]

Forest thanks for sharing the pictures, are you still pleased with the sights?

Anyone's else put after market Sights on theirs?

So I installed the Williams Firesights. After playing around and getting it sighted in I ended up still being high but only 1.5" at 10 yards. To get there I still had to adjust the rear elevation down as far as possible. Happy with the Williams for now. Will try at 25 yards this weekend to see where I end up.

 

[Big Bad]

The issue I have with mine is that it's too small for my hand or something; anyway a professional gave me the solution, which is to put my finger all the way through the trigger guard and shoot from the joint closest to my hand. There's a bit of a problem when this otherwise undesirable technique gets transferred to a larger handgun, but on the m&p it works to stabilize where the rounds are landing, which is down and to the right. As I stated earlier, I now just adjust my aimpoint and not the sights because I expect that my handling will better adjust over time. With the sights on my gun I could in fact adjust the windage at least, but it just seems like a bad idea at this point. I've had other handguns that I cranked the sights way over on, but the point of impact has always drifted back until the sights, which I'd been adjusting all along, ended up nearly perfectly centred. And mind you, in this case because it's been 2 going on 3 years it could easily be the gun, it's not your 'finest target pistol ever made' or anything.

 

[Halifax1977]

So I installed the Williams Firesights. After playing around and getting it sighted in I ended up still being high but only 1.5" at 10 yards. To get there I still had to adjust the rear elevation down as far as possible. Happy with the Williams for now. Will try at 25 yards this weekend to see where I end up.

This and stop your worries. I have done the same and it's like a new gun. I shoot post notes at ten yards no issue now.

 

[-Doug-]

How was the install? Did you have to file away anything or did they slide right in?

 

[Elkbooger]

I did this.
Accuracy improved by about 30%. Clearly me and not the gun....

 

[-Doug-]

Any other people use the fire sites?
Any experience with the install?