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6 oclock hold????

14K views 31 replies 18 participants last post by  JDurfee 
#1 ·
I just got my new Xd40 service model and i love it enough to have sold my brand new glock 23 for it lol. But i 100% hate the 6 oclock hold, it so bad i was shooting 125yrds with it and i was perfect inline with what i was aiming at, how can i eliminate this problem. Is there a cure for this without having to buy 5 different set of sight?
Thanks Lonnie
 
#4 ·
Just aim at the place you want the bullet to impact. I hate 6 0-clock holds because on most targets you will be shooting 4" to 6" higher than point of aim. Too much guesswork for me. If you are shooting 6" high while aiming at a 4" target, what are you going to hit? (nothing)
 
#6 ·
After I changed my sights out to Dawsons FO, I put the front dot on where I want to hit. no more 6 o'clock for me.
 
#9 ·
Just fixed this problem with my XD SC 9. Call Springfield and tell them what's going on. You need a different rear sight. My SC was 4" high at 25 yards. Got a "shorter" rear sight...problem fixed!
Did they mail you the sight? Or did you mail them the slide? Was it at cost or what?

I am struggling with 6 oclock also. Thought I had it nipped, but shooting today at NRA Action Pistol, all my shots were 2-3 high which means 9s instead of 10s. When I tried to compensate on the next course, they were too low.

In timed competition, you don't have time to sit there and think about how the sights work, you just have to point it and go.
 
#10 ·
Did they mail you the sight? Or did you mail them the slide? Was it at cost or what?

I am struggling with 6 oclock also. Thought I had it nipped, but shooting today at NRA Action Pistol, all my shots were 2-3 high which means 9s instead of 10s. When I tried to compensate on the next course, they were too low.

In timed competition, you don't have time to sit there and think about how the sights work, you just have to point it and go.
Ya, 6 O'C is terrible. They mailed me the iron sight. But I wanted the night sight. I had to mail the whole slide back, free of charge.
 
#11 ·
My 40SC (all stock) shoots exactly point of aim. When I first got it and read about the 6 o'clock hold, I was doing that, and all of my shots were consistently a bit low. Once I figured out that the round goes right where I put the front sight dot, I was fine. It was just funny that for a while I was like "no, the manual says 6 o'clock hold! That's what I'm doing!" Then I benched it and figured out it's definitely dead on point of aim.
 
#17 ·
125 yards? One HUNDRED and twenty five yards?? Really? 375 feet is what you're shooting with a .40? Well over the length of a football field and you still have to aim low? Something don't sound quite right.
 
#20 ·
My 40SC (all stock) shoots exactly point of aim. When I first got it and read about the 6 o'clock hold, I was doing that, and all of my shots were consistently a bit low. Once I figured out that the round goes right where I put the front sight dot, I was fine. It was just funny that for a while I was like "no, the manual says 6 o'clock hold! That's what I'm doing!" Then I benched it and figured out it's definitely dead on point of aim.
I also seem to be point of aim with my XD45 service. But to say 6:00 hold at what range would that be? I think i need to look it up on a ballistics calculator to see the arch of the round at what distance. Also wouldnt different calibers have different archs? Does SA use different heights to their sights for different calibers. Wouldnt they need to to say 6:00 hold for all? I am confused!
 
#21 ·
I don't understand this, 6 oclock of what size object for aim? a basketball's 6 oclock is very different from a golf ball's 6...
I took a large paper target taped a bright pink 3x5 index card to its middle. I then drew a black dot about 2" dia in the middle of the index card. I sent the target down to the 25 yard line and steadied the base of the mag on the bench.

I would line up the sights keeping equal distance between all three and disecting the black dot with the top of the front sight. I fired 5 shots and brought the target back in to check the results. I corrected for operator errors and repeated untill I sure the sights where hitting point of aim.

The SC *is* harder to shoot like this. I can key hole My 5" XD45 doing this. The SC is naturally harder to key hole, but it should be pretty dang close.

I knew right a way the original sights were off when I first shot the gun. I was shooting at 15 yards and the striked were a good 4" high. Not good for me. In my line of work, If my bullets do not strike where I aim, I could be in a boatload of trouble.
 
#22 ·
I also seem to be point of aim with my XD45 service. But to say 6:00 hold at what range would that be? I think i need to look it up on a ballistics calculator to see the arch of the round at what distance. Also wouldnt different calibers have different archs? Does SA use different heights to their sights for different calibers. Wouldnt they need to to say 6:00 hold for all? I am confused!
yes they do. I think the 6 o'c is horrible. very dangerous and lots of liability problems. call SA if you are not hitting POA.
 
#23 ·
yes they do. I think the 6 o'c is horrible. very dangerous and lots of liability problems. call SA if you are not hitting POA.
Are you saying SA has different heights to their sights for different calibers to adjust for a 6:00 hold? At what distance? I have only shot my XD45 service out to about 12 yrds, but it seems to shoot a little low. At 0-12 yrds 6:00 hold would be way low. I am still new to pistol shooting, but not to shooting in general. My first gun was at about 5 yrs old.
 
#24 ·
I guess none of my XDs read the memo about having to use a 6 o'clock hold. :p Can't say I ever used one when shooting them for that matter.

My XDs shoot POA = POI....no need to aim anywhere but for where you want the bullets to hit.

The results of a ragged hole drill from one of my training courses....shooting my XD45c with that non-brass ammo.

 
#25 ·
sounds like putting the bottom of the post on the top off the rear sight. long known fact everyone sees the sights differently 6 oclock hold 6" bull @25 yards is standard means 3" high for POA I guess that means if you shoot at the nose at 20 feet you hit between the eyes. as for 125 yards sounds like bs or lack of experience
 
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