Walther Forums banner

Elevation adjustment

12K views 16 replies 9 participants last post by  Ranger566 
#1 ·
I the P5 has windage adjustment but does it have elevation? If it does how do I adjust it?
 
#2 ·
There's two ways to do it. One is hard and the other is easy.

You can buy a higher or lower front sight, replace the one that's there, and by trial and error see if it impacts where you want it with the particular 9mm load you're using. Of course if you switch to a heavier or lighter bullet, it probably will change the POI.

Or:

Adjust your sight picture, or your hold (center, 6 o'clock) on the target to put the hole where you want it.

M
 
#6 ·
Sorry, I forgot about that. Though it can be done: I know some gunsmiths who do a steady business by milling dovetail slots in the slides of handguns with fixed sights.

The more practical solution is to adopt a modified sight picture to "see" more of the front sight. Let it protrude well above the horizontal plane of the rear sight until you determine how high it needs to be to put the group on target at any given range.

Practice a while with that sight picture and it will become second nature.

M
 
#4 ·
The front sight is fixed to the slide though. How could you change it?
As you said, the P5 front sight is fixed to the slide, so the only adjustment that you could make would be to file it down, which would bring your POI up. With that being said, every P5 I've been around has been dead balls on regarding elevation (& windage, for that matter), so I'd be extremely hesitant to start filing down the fixed front sight unless you really had to.

I would take MGMike's advice and play around with your sight picture to see what works for you. On mine, I "dot the eye," so I have something that looks similar to below. But yours may be different.
 
#5 ·
I'm am not filing anything! When I try to "fix" something that ain't broke it always seems to end up broke hahaha I will have to try a different sight picture. I have been covering what I'm aiming at with the front sight and the group is just below it in a nice group. The gun is definitely accurate I will just have to adjust to the gun since it's still new to me.
 
#8 · (Edited)
Before you go cutting, filing or changing anything you need to be aware of the sight picture that is installed on all Walther pistols except for the PPQ which comes with the low sight blade installed. Before anyone challenges this, I verified all of this through Walther America and then tested it to make sure.

European military and police weapons are set up for a different sight picture than American weapons. Sight image 1 is your typical American rifle sight picture (known as pumpkin on post...but the pumpkin is usually much smaller). Sight image 2 is your typical American pistol sight picture (point of impact just above front sight). Sight image 3 is a European sight picture (point of impact at front sight dot).

Go to the range and try sight picture 3 with your pistol. I think you will be surprised.



 
#9 · (Edited by Moderator)
Before you go cutting, filing or changing anything you need to be aware of the sight picture that is installed on all Walther pistols except for the PPQ which comes with the low sight blade installed. Before anyone challenges this, I verified all of this through Walther America and then tested it to make sure.
Interesting. Very interesting. I will give it a try. Can't hurt hahaha thanks for the help
 
#10 · (Edited)
Probably Ironman is correct, but I think sight picture No. 3 sucks. I can't hit what I can't see.

And it doesn't explain why my Walthers do not shoot low if I use sight picture No. 1 or No. 2.

Incidentally, whatever sight picture is preferred, Walther's answer to that problem was 7 different sizes of REAR sight, ranging in height from #1 @ 8.4mm to #7 @ 6.6mm.

I would not even want to contemplate what those probably cost. It's a lot easier just to hold the front sight higher.

M

PS And against a strong backlight, who can see the dots anyway?
 
#16 · (Edited)
#15 ·
cyber, mine has a 4 on it as well, tho' it shoots with a 6 o'clock hold at 50' with no drama at all. I'd have to check the other Walthers, but it seems to me that they are 6 as well. Perhaps the Deutschers are using hotter, NATO nines that get out of the gun before it has as much time to roll up in recoil.

The replaceable rear sights must be a Germanic thing; Glock offers rear sights of various heights, and makes steel versions if you don't care for the poly originals.
Moon
 
#17 ·
Just a reminder to those of us who may be going to the range for the first time this spring with our P5 (or maybe some old timers returning for a new season of shooting).

Read this sticky. Good discussion and examples of sight picture options.

Thx to those who posted with suggestions/experiences.

YMMV.;)

Steve
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top