Why would a pistol shoot low...

[Rittmeister]

I recently had my Sig P6 refinished by a well-known, reputable shop. Upon its return I took it to the range, to find that it's shooting 8-10" low and a few inches left from its POA/POI before the refinish.

The shop confirmed that the sights were removed and replaced so that the refinish job could be done properly; I expected this and have no problem with it. In fact I'm not even worried about the windage, I can whack the rear sight to bring that back into line.

However, the elevation is a problem. I suppose it's possible that the pistol wound up with a front sight from a different P6 (I know that the shop does a lot of business) but I'm loathe to make an accusation that essentially has no way of being proven.

Anyway, has anyone had a similar issue, ever? I'm really stumped by this. All shooting was done with WWB or similar 115-gr round nose ammo so I don't think that's it, though I'm hoping to get back to the range again soon to rule that out.

Any advice appreciated.

 

[Schwing]

I would suspect that the front sight may be higher than the old one. Being like you about the whole confrontation thing though, I would certainly go back to the range with a rest and verify that it really is shooting low. I have had a couple of firearms that I was just sure had issues but a return trip proved ME to be the issue

 

[rcmodel]

What was it refinished with?

Normal bluing should make no difference.

Plating or paint could build up in the slide rails and change the frame / slide / barrel relationship so the barrel doesn't lock up pointing where it used too.

rc

 

[MedWheeler]

I assume that ammo is what you shot before? If your previous most-shot loads were 124-grain or heavier, the lighter load will indeed hit lower due to reduction in muzzle flip.

 

[rs7]

I'm thinking you and Schwing got it right. Front too high or rear too low. Or a mix of the two. What distance? Doesn't really matter. The shop should make it right. They should have done it right the first time.

 

[Zaydok Allen]

If your previous most-shot loads were 124-grain or heavier, the lighter load will indeed hit lower

This was my first thought too.

 

[Rittmeister]

I've never tried 124gr ammo - 115 pretty much exclusively, always factory, no reloads.

Still need to run some more rounds through it to see what's what.

 

[hardluk1]

Shoot it from a bench with a shooters rest to be sure its the pistol. Then go from there. measure the from sight and contact sig for height info and then you can call the refinisher about it. They may have a issues with another shooter . You will want to know what number front sight you have on now. So you think you have a # 8 or 9 in it now?? Black from sight or night sights. Black file it down and cold blue it will fix the problem quick and cheap.

 

[Cee Zee]

If you took it to a shop that won't listen about any problems you took it to the wrong shop. Any decent shop will want to make it right. They live on repeat business.

 

[dirtman]

i am with "hardluk" on this.... put is on a bench with a rest..... see what the gun is doing.....

 

[Steve C]

Sig handguns use a number on the sight system to adjust for elevation. Sights on my P220 are #8 front and rear. At 25 yds these shoot as one expects standard sight to shoot. Check your sights for their number to see if they have the same number or if there is a disparity. It is possible that the sights put back on your gun after the refinish work where different than what was on the gun when you brought it in and where of different heights.

As the number increases the POI at 25 yds is move up 1" per increase of number on front sights and 2" on rear sights.

 

[Rittmeister]

Both front and rear sights are marked 8.

I got the gun back to the range. I was able to bring the POI up to about where it should be with some super-careful trigger control. I don't remember the gun being this "difficult" to shoot but then I've been shooting my 1911 and a new CZ P07 lately, both of which are absurdly easy to hit with.

It is however still shooting to the left a bit; if I aim to the right I hit dead center so that's definitely the gun and not me. I need to give the rear sight a whack I guess.

Thanks for all the advice!

 

[Potatohead]

I sure wouldnt do any serious accuracy testing with WWB.

 

[9mmepiphany]

It is however still shooting to the left a bit; if I aim to the right I hit dead center so that's definitely the gun and not me. I need to give the rear sight a whack I guess.

Before you do that, I'd really recommend that you shoot it off a rest. I'd also recommend you shoot something other than WWB when testing it...even CCI Blazer aluminum cased 9mm is more consistent.

I'd recommend something from Federal...maybe in the 124gr-147gr range