The first handgun I fired was an old Smith and Wesson Victory Model with fixed sights. It was some time before I progressed to a Smith and Wesson with click adjustable rear sights. A movable front sight is a recent addition I find very modern. While the adjustable sight is a must have for competition and hunting, for personal defense it isn’t needed if you know how to use fixed sights and zero the piece.

In fact, you can win a match or take game with a fixed sight revolver providing you have taken the time to do your homework. Some fixed sight revolvers, such as the snub nose .38, are specialized tools that fill a certain niche. Others are versatile go-anywhere do-anything revolvers.

You must master the revolver to get hits. In a gunfight, the range is conversational distance and sometimes longer. The short sight radius of the snub nose revolver, like all short barrel handguns, is easier to misalign than a longer barrel handgun. That is why I often carry a longer barrel revolver when hiking.

My old five-inch barrel Military and Police revolver is a joy to fire and use. Loaded with the Buffalo Bore 158-grain lead hollow points at 1,100 fps, this is a formidable trail and defense gun. The hard cast 158-grain SWC Outdoorsman from Buffalo Bore breaks 1,100 fps and will do well for feral dogs and even the big cats, if needed.

Even with adjustable sights, an error in alignment means that the bullet will strike far from the point of aim. So, learn to use those fixed sights. You must properly press the trigger action. Press the trigger straight to the rear, fire the piece, allow the trigger to reset during recoil, and then fire again. The proper cadence of fire is to fire again only when you have re-aligned the sights.

The front sight should be just below the target for the six o’clock hold or dead on for the dead on hold. You should be able to get the pistol sighted with a little effort for the load you prefer. Most revolvers will be regulated for the six o’clock hold. The sights of the fixed sight revolver are a simple groove or trough in the top strap and a front post sight. They work well enough at moderate range and are fast into action.

The problem with these sights is regulation and contrast. A black post sight against a dark target isn’t high visibility, and neither is a stainless steel front sight against a light target. Stainless or chrome allows glare.

The revolver will fire off center—away from the edge that glares. Visual depth is important and the sight alignment on a snub nose demands attention to detail. Use bright red nail polish to enamel the front sight. Preserve the original aiming point, and do not apply the paint so thick that the serrations disappear, if any are present. Other colors may work for you; some prefer green of course.

Older sights are integral to the barrel. Modern revolvers, such as the S&W 649, have a pin in the barrel that allows the front sight to be changed. Fiber optics are also supplied with many modern revolvers. I know some who like adjustable sights. However, some years ago, I was wearing my S&W Model 29 .44 Magnum when I got into a scuffle. I had one fellow on the ground and as I rose, the other took a swing at me with a board and broke both the hammer spur and target sights on of my revolver.

At the police department, the doorjambs are always banged up from holsters taking a hit when worn on the point of the hip. Small revolvers are worn in the pocket, and adjustable sights tend to snag more than fixed sights. In snub nose revolvers and most personal defense revolvers, fixed sights are the rule and for good reason!

A couple of generations ago, .38 Special revolvers were regulated for the 158-grain load. Now, however, they are usually sighted for 110- and 125-grain JHP loads, with the 158-grain load firing high. Snubnose revolvers differ, with most J frame revolvers firing low with 110- to 158-grain loads at 15 yards—the distance I like to zero and check the handgun. Older J frame revolvers may fire six inches low at this distance.

If the bullet strikes low, the traditional method of fixing the problem is to file metal from the top of the front sight blade. Be certain this is the load you want to zero the gun for. You cannot add metal back! Firing high isn’t as easily addressed.

Firing to the left or right is a more difficult problem to fix, but if the problem is severe, it may be done. Be certain you are not milking the trigger right or left and have an experienced shooter fire the revolver as well. The problem may be shooter related. If not, you may remove the cylinder and place the revolver in a padded vise. Be certain to remove the pin from a S&W barrel first, if it is of that generation, and be certain you are not simply turning the barrel shroud on others. It may be best to send the handgun back to the factory. If not, here is what is done.

I use a fixture that includes two boards cut to length, custom, for the revolver I am working with. Insert a heavy wooden rod or even a walking stick into the receiver and then turn the frame in the direction you want the bullet to move. Small movements result in large changes in the point of impact.

Another change worth considering before you move to expensive custom work is changing the grips. Yes, it seems simple, but the grips have much to do with properly presenting the sights to the eye. Hogue offers excellent grips that use geometry rather than checkering to aid control. This is clearly an option worth exploring.

It is worth testing different loads in each handgun. I prefer Buffalo Bore 158-grain loads for outdoors work. Most of the time, my short-barrel house guns are loaded with the Federal Cartridge Company 129-grain Hydra-Shok. Check sight regulation and perhaps a simple change of the load will do the business.

Last Word

Depending on the range, you should learn to use the front sight in the rear sight to regulate sight alignment for different ranges. Using 1/3 to ½ of the sight raised above the rear notch, will keep you on target to 100 yards, but you must do your homework and range work and get it right to connect at longer ranges.

Article by Wilburn Roberts