sight adjustment [colt style]

[bigted]

well here is the skinny...ive read this procedure a few times and dang if i can bring it to memorie.

subject is a uberti '73' style colt with 4 3/4 inch barrel...standard groove rear site and half penny front... after i get the load figured out that is gonna like my revolver...ill need to adjust the sights so it hits more on target. currently it seems to group left about 1 1/2 inch and low about the same distance at around 40 or 50 feet...[front yard into the bank].

i know that a file is gonna be needed but i hesitate to just go filing without hearing some others chime in with this procedure.

thanks all for the "helpfull" hints and suggestions....:drinks:...:coffeecom

[MtGun44]

Actually, I think that for small lateral adjustments (which may only require .010 change,
for example) they bend the front sight slightly. No idea how, but I think that is what
I have heard. I think sometimes they actually tighten or loosen the barrel a tad to
move the front sight right and left, too.

You need a SAA expert gunsmith.

IF you do filing, you want to make the front sight "move" in the opposite direction that
you want the POI to move. If you are shooting left, you want the POI to move right, so you
want the front sight to "move" left. You can bend the sight a hair left or you can file some
off the right side of the front sight. The new center of the front sight will be slightly left,
so the rounds will hit more to the right. Personally, I'd avoid narrowing the front sight at
almost all costs.

1.5/45*12 = x/6 x = the adjustment assuming 6" between sights. In the case of 45 ft
you need to move the sight 0.0166" to make a 1.5" adjustment. If you move the rear
sight you would move it right to move the shots right. If you move the front sight, you
move it left to move the shots right. The elevation is easy, file .017" off the top of the
front sight and the POI will move up 1.5" at your 45 ft range. If it were me, I'd take off
.010 and shoot it some more.

Bill

[bigted]

oh dang...MORE SHOOTING?? yea i heard the bending over filing for lateral and im sure your rite with the reduced height for bringing up the poi. thinkin bout filing some on the notch to move it to the rite.

thankyou for your suggestions

[MtGun44]

Bending a front sight can be corrected a WHOLE lot easier than filing on the FRAME.
I tend to look at reversibility as a real serious requirement when it comes to modifying
guns, especially something related to the particular load, like sight settings.

Bill

[Rodfac]

Having broken the front sight off a Single Six that was throwing them 2" left, I'd hesitate to recommend that procedure. The best advise I've heard is that espoused by John Taffin....have a really good gunsmith screw the barrel in or out as necessary to center the groups. Again, you have to pick a "forever" load for the gun because anything else will probably shoot to a different pt of impact. Too, your grip should be well established..one that you use on all of your hand guns...good luck, Rod

[NickSS]

I have personally fixed three colt clones that were either shooting left or right by bending the front sight slightly in the opposite direction that I wanted to moove the point of impact. Two I did with a judicious whack of a brass hammer and one by bending with vice grips with two pieces of lead to keep the metal from being marked. They are working fine with my standard loads. I have also fixed elevation by filing a bit off the top or the front sight. It does not take much to move it a lot so go slow.

[Dale53]

I have regulated the sights on several fixed sighted revolvers.

The advice to make sure that you have a good load before you start trying to change the point of impact. Once you have established what your "standard" load is going to be THEN, and ONLY then do you start to work on the gun.

If the revolver is shooting low, you need to remove a bit from the front sight. Do the math BEFORE you start removing material. I make sure that I spread the changes over THREE sessions. You eyesight may change a bit from day to day. It is MUCH easier to remove material than put it back on. No reason to get in a hurry.

Bending the front sight to adjust windage is fraught with risk. Most front sights on these revolvers are silver soldered on and will NOT stand much bending before the sight snaps off. Most professional pistolsmiths, turn the barrels to affect change. To do it correctly without damaging the revolver requires a good set of support (clamping) blocks and a "wrench" that fits the revolver cylinder opening. Done correctly, it doesn't require much movement (make witness marks before you start so you know how much you have moved the barrel). We are only talking THOUSANDTHS so go easy and go slow.

A revolver that won't shoot to the sights is an abomination. A revolver that shoots to the sights is a revelation!!:drinks:

Settle on the load first, then proceed!

Good luck, folks!

Dale53

[Mk42gunner]

A heavier bullet or lower velocity will raise impact, also.

Robert

[bigted]

cool man...i knew i could depend on this forum for another puzzle for me...i knew that there was a plan for "sighting in" but i couldnt remember what the procedure was...thanks to all and i will just take my time with this and do bunchs of shooting to make sure of every step...

soon as i get some positive results ill report them here with pictures i hope.

[unclebill]

bigted
please dont take this the wrong way.
but have you had a really good shooter try that gun?
right handed people shoot low and left all the time.
before you start modding the weapon shoot it from a rock solid rest .
that will tell you if it is indeed the gun.
or you that is shooting low and left.

keep us posted ok?
bill

[unclebill]

BTW
there are some expert pistol shooters at my club.
i hand them my new guns all the time.
when a guy grabs one of my wheelguns and nails a 100 yard clanger.
i know it's me that is the problem......

[bigted]

bigted
please dont take this the wrong way.
but have you had a really good shooter try that gun?
right handed people shoot low and left all the time.
before you start modding the weapon shoot it from a rock solid rest .
that will tell you if it is indeed the gun.
or you that is shooting low and left.

keep us posted ok?
bill



naaa i got a grip on the humble pie thing i think...lol . its why i posted here...for help. im pretty confident in my solid shooting area but maybe i do need to get another to try it and see what happens for them. i also am not completly sure of the gun...[uberti cattleman 4 3/4 barrel] i have some more shooting to do before i get to trying to "sight it in" but i wanted some suggestions for when i do get a load that prints in the same place for 5 shots.

so far they are strung low and left and around 2.5 to 3 inch verticle strung groups. horozontally they are around 1.25 to 1.5 inch wide...this could be my eyes too and the load doesnt seem to matter...they all seem to string in this fassion.

when i get these groups to hover around the 1 inch mark and round in pattern...then ill try for sight adjust

all this at 25 yds as well

[crash87]

Bending a front sight is archaic at best, I wouldn't wish that on the worst shooting, ill fitted, pot metal fabricated, colt clone out there. Your only option,should you decide it is your only option, is to turn the barrel. It is not that hard to do and 95% of the time it can be done, by you. The other 5% of the time is when your barrel is just so damn stubborn you need the help of the professional.
I did my Beretta Stampede, wasn't stubborn, not much of a turn and I was there. I found an article by Hamilton Bowen that spelled it out pretty simply with tools and materials "anybody" can get and make it work. You will have to do a search, I did find it on the net. Heres a start,
"Sight Crankin', You Can Do This at Home, by Hamilton Bowen. Guns magazine July 2006.
*Update* found it on Bowens website. heres the link;
http://www.bowenclassicarms.com/PastPress.html