Shoots high, and non-adjustable sights - what to do?

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ScottRiqui

New member
My Beretta 84BB shoots about 2-3 inches above POA at 10 yards. Groups are nice and tight, so it's not a precision problem, just the fact that POA and POI aren't matching up. I tried three different brands of ammunition, and while some were better than others, they all shot somewhat high.

With fixed sights, do I have any options, or do I just need to aim a bit lower?
 
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AndyWest

New member
2-3in high at 10 yards seems pretty far off to me regardless of ammo... Is it used? Are you against an adjustable rear sight?
 
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ScottRiqui

New member
The gun's about 25 years old, and I bought it used, but it really doesn't look like it's been used much. It groups fine and functions flawlessly.

I'm not against the idea of an adjustable rear, I just hadn't thought of it. With it being an older gun, I didn't think that there would still be replacement parts for it, but I guess rear sights are pretty standard, as long as I get the dimensions of the dovetail correct, right?

As for the loads, I can try faster, but I don't know if I can go much lighter than the 90-95 gn loads I was shooting today. (The gun is a .380, by the way). I have all the dies, bullets and brass - I'm just waiting on another turret plate so I don't have to break down one of my other calibers in order to load .380.
 
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AndyWest

New member
An adjustable rear would be my first idea, but I don't know re: parts and fitting. Have your smith take a quick look at it. Other than sights maybe he can figure it out, maybe an odd barrel fit or something?

Good luck!
 
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ScottRiqui

New member
Thanks for the help - I'll keep shooting it to make sure it's working okay, and have a smith check it out for fit/function and see if he can fit a lower rear sight.

First, though, I think I'll play around with some hand loads and see if I can get POI closer to POA by adjusting the loads.
 
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loose_holster_dan

New member
have someone else shoot it. it's a good bet it's you. i was the same way with my sig. i put everything in the bullseye with my old sig. then i got this one and everything was 4in low. so i handed it to my ex-military buddy. everything right in the middle. i put crimson trace grips on it, so i could watch what was happening during my trigger pull. i was jerking to the same spot every time. the short reset trigger was making me jump all over it. once i figured it out, i corrected my mistake and put them all right where they were supposed to go.
 
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ScottRiqui

New member
Well, I'm certainly not adverse to putting a few hundred more rounds through it while I get it figured out!

I feel like I'm getting a good sight picture and doing everything right, but I know what your'e talking about, since I've had it happen to me before. Plus, I only have about 250 rounds through it so far, so I can't fairly assume it's all the pistol just yet.
 
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wyohusker

New member
Might try a six o clock hold... like the XD uses. Just point at the bottom of your target. I have adjustable sights on my guns and I adjust to a six o clock hold. Front sight stays out of my way of what I am targeting.
 
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carguychris

New member
I have been told that older 80-series Beretta sights were calibrated to hit POA at 50m. This makes them hit 2"-3" high at typical 10-15yd combat ranges. There have been several past threads complaining that these guns hit high by similar amounts.
Aim lower.
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^^^This. :)

As I've said in numerous past threads, I greatly prefer a gun that hits high over one that hits low, because if it hits high, I can at least see the target above the sights. It takes some mental adjustment and practice, but after a while, you will find yourself automatically aiming low by the correct amount to put the shot where you want.
 
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380guy

New member
Front sight

Scott,

You need a taller front sight.

Its not uncommon for factory pistols to shoot high. Manufacturer can use lower profile front and alot of shooters take a 6 oclock hold anyway.

+2 inches is managable to me, more is not. My Mustang shot 3-4 inches high at 7 and 10 yds, which is one reason I spent the money to put Novak sights on it. Expensive but worth it. Not sure I would do so for a 2 inch rise.

Take a 6 oclock on a 6 inch targ dot and see if your group is in lower half of target. If so you are probably OK.
 
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farmerboy

Moderator
If you ever had to use this gun in SD, I don't think it'd matter much if you hit directly in the center of the heart or blowed the top of the heart out. Both would be as good as the other.
 
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carguychris

New member
File your rear sight deeper.
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IMHO this is a good suggestion since the Beretta has a replaceable rear sight, so it's not an irreversible modification.

FWIW I've found that matte black plastic model paint is a great way to touch up a filed-down sight. Sharpie markers also work OK in a pinch, but have to be touched up periodically since gun cleaning solvents seem to slowly dissolve the ink.
 
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