Sig P229 Sight Woes

MrDrummy · Post by **MrDrummy** » Tue Nov 14, 2006 12:33 am

Went to the range yesterday and took along my wife's Sig p229 in .40.

It seems that the Sig, no matter what I or my buddy did, was shooting low; about a 8-12" low at 6-7 yds. I recently had the factory sights replaced with night sights, and I'm a little worried that they were either installed incorrectly, or the wrong sights were installed. The sights aren't adjustable, so if they aren't installed incorrectly, and are the correct sights, what can be done?

I have very limited experience with Sigs, and so I'm shooting this out there to see if anyone has any suggestions. I hardly even know where to start.

Skipper5 · Post by **Skipper5** » Tue Nov 14, 2006 12:39 am

Wow...that is quite a bit for such a close range!
Who installed your new nights?? Obviously talk with them ...or other local gunsmith (probably via your usual range/shop in LBB).

Had 239 sights changed out as well via gunsmith w/out problems.....

Call Sig as last resort...but they're gonna want the 229 in hand for sure.

GL on this ...keep us posted.

OverEasy · Post by **OverEasy** » Tue Nov 14, 2006 8:25 am

MrDrummy,
Sig uses different size (height) front and rear sights to adjust for elevation.
For example my P229 has a #8 front sight (marked on the left side of the front sight) and a #8 rear sight (marked on the left front area of the sight).

I suspect your night sights don't have the proper height relation to each other. I don't know if aftermarket night sights are offered in various "sizes" to allow adjustment for elevation.

Both of my Sig owners manuals have the sight adjustment info on page 16. It includes a table of factory sight options to adjust elevation.

Rgards, OE

Post by **Charles L. Cotton** » Tue Nov 14, 2006 10:43 am

That's a common problem with some new Springfield 1911's and the fix is easy. Usually the front sight is changed from a .180 to either a .160 or .140, depending upon how low it is shooting. Often the rear sight is changed to a taller one.

I suspect your problem is a front sight that's too tall, although the rear sight would be too short. Either way, it's an easy fix.

Chas.

MrDrummy · Post by **MrDrummy** » Tue Nov 14, 2006 8:48 pm

I suspect your night sights don't have the proper height relation to each other. I don't know if aftermarket night sights are offered in various "sizes" to allow adjustment for elevation.

Yep. That's the problem.

I've got a front sight that is numbered "5" and a rear sight that is numbered "8."

SO... that means my front sight is too....tall, right?

Edit: Checked the original sights we replaced, and the front sight is a "6" while the rear is an "8." Do I just need to find the Tru-Dot 6 front sight to make it shoot on target again?

HighVelocity · Post by **HighVelocity** » Tue Nov 14, 2006 9:25 pm

It doesn't seem like going from a 6 to a 5 would make THAT much difference at close range.

Did you switch from the stick and dot to a 3 dot sight set? This may sound elementary but how are you aiming the gun?

I just slapped these two images together to show how I use my sights and what I've been taught as the proper way. May not work for everyone but it works for me.

If I am way off base in regards to your problem then my post is for naught. I tried.

MrDrummy · Post by **MrDrummy** » Wed Nov 15, 2006 12:46 am

We did switch from the standard Sig bar/dot to a 3 dot sight picture.

I was aiming point of aim instead of the 6 o'clock like you're showing, but I was still shooting pretty low.

A shorter front sight is starting to look like it might be the answer. At least that's what I'm hoping. Close-range work is what this gun will (hopefully never have to) be used for, but I'd like it to shoot nice all over, and that low at that distance just isn't acceptable.

OverEasy · Post by **OverEasy** » Wed Nov 15, 2006 4:04 pm

Mr. D,

Sumpen ain't right!

According to the Sig manual changing one number on the front sight, ie. 6 to 5, should lower the POI 1" @ 25 yards.

Maybe the aftermarket sight numbers don't correspond with the Sig numbers??

If you have an 8-12" different POI at only 6-7 yards it would be much larger at 25 yards.

Changing fronts only changes POI 1" @25 yds. Changing rears only changes POI 2" @ 25yds.

If you bought the sights from the same business that installed them, they should be able to get things fixed.

If you bought the sights one place and had somebody else install them things could be more complicated.

The person who installed them probably did it correctly. But you had the wrong combination of sights. OK, whose fault is that? You didn't know, he didn't know, nobody told you they came in different heights.

I hope you can get things worked out and everybody involved stay happy.

Learning about stuff can get expensive. Beleive Me, I KNOW!!!

Regards, OE

MrDrummy · Post by **MrDrummy** » Wed Nov 15, 2006 4:34 pm

Yeah-- we need to get something figured out with it! :)

I was reading the manual as well and thinking that something had to be horribly wrong.

I don't think that it's a barrell problem, but since I'm new at this, I guess I wouldn't know. I ruled out the shooter problem as well-- I had a few different people shoot the gun. I wish I lived nearer to some of you guys who had a lot more knowhow than I!

Anyway-- I'll keep this post updated as things progress.

HighVelocity · Post by **HighVelocity** » Wed Nov 15, 2006 5:03 pm

Can you tell us what brand the now installed sights are?

MrDrummy · Post by **MrDrummy** » Wed Nov 15, 2006 5:08 pm

HV:

Merprolight Tru-Dots.

#8 rear and #5 front.