Register
Log In
Home
February 28, 2011
Offline
Took my 14-2 out to the range with the 6-inch barrel installed. I've got a nice 15-2 with an 8-inch barrel that I've got honed in pretty well. Obviously, the model 14 doesn't have adjustable sights and wanted to find out how it shot.
Turns out that it shoots low. If I keep the front sight buried down inside the "V" (basically have the "X" residing in the middle of the "V") it'll hit within the 10-spot. I've always felt that the top of the front sight and the rear sights should be level with each other. I was shooting 38 Special factory loads and I've read (internet wisdom here) that 38s shoot differently out of a 357. Could that make up for the difference? I've got some model 15 front sights (taller than the 14's) that I could drill to fit on the 14 shroud to bring up the front sight. Also, after swapping out the shroud/barrel, how much differently could the sights be off? With a 15, you'd simply re-adjust the rear sight. With a 14, what do you do short of Kentucky windage?
I keep reading of DW owners saying their model 14s were tack drivers out to 50 yards with a 2.5" barrel. Heck my eyes aren't good enough to be good at 25 with an 8-inch barrel! 
I'm basically asking what experience other DW shooters have noted. Will 357 loads make a difference? I hear of DW's accuracy and I just want to make sure that the problem isn't with ME first. Thanks for any input.
Dans Club
March 2, 2008
Offline
Are you grouping consistently? If all rounds group consistently, you have good POI (Point of Impact). If they are not going where you want them, you have a POA (Point of Aim) problem, which is a real problem with fixed sight guns.
.357 ammunition will POA differently from .38 Spl, as will different manufacturers, bullet type, weight, etc.within the caliber.
Different loadings in either .38 Spl or .357 Mag will give different POI results. Ammunition will have different accuracy results in different guns.
I went to a bookstore and asked the saleswoman "Were is the Self Help Section?" She said if she told me, it would defeat the purpose.
George Carlin
February 28, 2011
Offline
That's one of the reasons that I was wondering whether the word flyer was a good choice in the title. I think the gun was consistently shooting good groups. It was consistently high and slightly to the right. I'll take credit for the "to the right" at this point as I could have been pulling the gun as I pulled the trigger (I'm a lefty). But, I think the gun shooting high was consistent enough that it's not operator error. The shroud positioning pin is tight so, I'm curious if there's any "tinkering" that could be done to bring both the POI and the POA closer together, even if it IS to compensate for my shooting. I've typically shot 38s through the gun so I was also curious how much of a difference shooting 357 rounds might make. I'd rather not go changing things for 38s, then find out that I've over-compensated when shooting 357s out of my 357.
Since I've not had any comparision with both loads through this gun, I was just curious what others have experenced. How MUCH of a difference the various caliber/loads might have on accuracy and repeatability.
Thanks!
Dans Club
March 2, 2008
Offline
All things considered, a 14-2 and a 15-2 of equal barrel length, under similar conditions, should group equally. They are functionally and mechanically identical, except for the ability to adjust for aiming with the adjustable sights.
It's important to remember that the fixed sight in the style of the DW, with the milled slot in the frame and the pinned front sight, was designed and intended to produce consistent and repeatable results, primarily for Law Enforcement use. There was virtually no tactical orientation, officers qualified yearly, there was little emphasis on regular practice, and ammunition was bought it lots intended to last for years. Once that "Police" revolver was dialed in, not much changed from one qualifying session to the next. If you knew your revolver shot 2" right and 3" low at 25 feet, hopefully you remembered that in a gunfight, if not, maybe you came out second best. This was also the era of single handed shooting from the hip, with the body square to the adversary, feet planted in a crouch. The only saving grace for LEO's of the day was that their adversaries were usually similarly armed, and even more poorly trained.
You can work a little with elevation problems in a 14-2 by adjusting the front sight height, otherwise, except for very drastic measures, it's all "kentucky windage"
I went to a bookstore and asked the saleswoman "Were is the Self Help Section?" She said if she told me, it would defeat the purpose.
George Carlin
Range Officer
Range Officers
Dans Club
March 27, 2009
Offline
My thought on this is the 14 and 14-2 is a basic protection piece where as I would be looking for impact in the mass! If I am putting it on the paper at 25yds then all is good.
Now with the 744 10" a different story!
1 Guest(s)
