Picked up an M&P Shield 45 yesterday for a smaller, slimmer, and lighter EDC for those light tshirt days. It's brand new, NIB, with night sights from the factory.

I didn't notice it when I was looking at the gun at the gun counter (purchased at Sportsman's Warehouse), but when I got home I noticed pretty quickly that the rear sight is off center. I mean damn, it's way off center. My wife has a Shield 9mm and its sights look perfect. Did I just get a fluke or has this been an issue with S&W?

I'm not even going to bother taking it back or contacting S&W to fix it; I'm just going to drift the sight over myself. It's just annoying to have a brand new pistol with a sight that out of whack. The front sight looks fine.

Friday gun. Someone was in a hurry to leave.
Never had a problem with the 2 Shields I had.

My wife's shield has been flawless. It's one of the reasons I pulled the trigger on the .45. Pardon the pun.

I'll hopefully have it at the range later this week.

It looks off, but not way way off. I'd shoot it first. It might surprise you and hit point of aim. I'm very leery of striking a night sight with a punch.

quote:

Originally posted by egregore:
It looks off, but not way way off. I'd shoot it first. It might surprise you and hit point of aim. I'm very leery of striking a night sight with a punch.

all of the factory m&p sights i have encountered are finger driftable after backing out the set screw.

quote:

Originally posted by tha1000:

quote:

Originally posted by egregore:
It looks off, but not way way off. I'd shoot it first. It might surprise you and hit point of aim. I'm very leery of striking a night sight with a punch.

all of the m&p sights i have encountered are finger driftable after backing out the set screw.

I tried my darndest but couldn't get it to budge. I ended up ordering a pusher. I figured it'd be good for both shields.

Perhaps I'll shoot it first. We'll see

quote:

Originally posted by Balzé Halzé:

quote:

Originally posted by tha1000:

quote:

Originally posted by egregore:
It looks off, but not way way off. I'd shoot it first. It might surprise you and hit point of aim. I'm very leery of striking a night sight with a punch.

all of the m&p sights i have encountered are finger driftable after backing out the set screw.

I tried my darndest but couldn't get it to budge. I ended up ordering a pusher. I figured it'd be good for both shields.

Perhaps I'll shoot it first. We'll see

Wow. you backed out the set screw(s)?

I've probably had 4 M&P's and a couple of shields. I've never needed a punch to remove one. They have all had the plain 3 dot sights though, maybe the night sights are fit tighter.

quote:

Originally posted by tha1000:

Wow. you backed out the set screw(s)?

I've probably had 4 M&P's and a couple of shields. I've never needed a punch to remove one. They have all had the plain 3 dot sights though, maybe the night sights are fit tighter.

It is dovetailed if that makes any difference.

And yes, I even completely removed the set screw to be sure. I'll give it another try later today.

Most Shield sights were a bitch to move. This is common. This is true for the regular sights but don't know about the night sights.

I've got a better monitor (my personal one at home) and lighting to look at it now. It does look way way off.

For the heck of it I just looke this up on Bud's to see what they were going for (I'm actually looking at the 9mm version right now) and one of the reviews for the M2.0 in 45 (model 11726) says the sights were misaligned...to the left. Maybe Smith had a batch escape like this.

This must be a fairly recent issue.

I've had my PC Shield .45 for a while now and it was good to go from the start.

It always surprises me how many folks don't take all that much time to examine a newly purchased firearm while they're still at the gun shop to catch any faults, especially glaring/easy to spot issues such as the one with the OP's pistol.

It's probably a good idea to try it at the range before tinkering with the sight. Maybe fired at plant and moved the sight for cause.

I have a couple MP’s and a Shield. If you can move the rear sight with your fingers with the set screw backed off that is jacked up. Personally, if you aren’t exaggerating I would call S&W on that. The set screw is insurance, it isn’t what should hold it in place. IMO. Never owned a gun that I could drift it with my fingers. Ever. Any manufacturer.

Using the pusher I was able to drift the sight over to center (as best as I can tell anyway). Man, that sucker was tight. No way I was moving that sight any other way.



I haven't shot the pistol yet, but I have no doubt that all rounds would've been left of target with the original setting. Using my laser bore sighter, I could see that plain as day. Now it looks dead on, but I won't know for sure until I shoot it.

Thanks for all the replies.

Had the gun at the range yesterday and am pretty happy with it. Put 125 rounds through it flawlessly. As far as the sights, they're perfect now (or at least to the extent of my ability).

Below is 24 rounds at 8 yards. That's decent enough for me. By the way, those two little guys down low? I wouldn't worry about those little guys.



Great little gun.