Shooting to the left.

[drumgool]

I have a Uberti Cattleman in a 45 colt . It shoots good groups but about 3"-4" to the left . Is there a way to adjust this out . shooting hi or low no problem . What can you do about left or right. thanks

[subsonic]

A gunsmith can turn the barrel a hair to move the front sight to the right. Some loads will shoot right or left - but I have not been able to find out whether heavier or lighter, slower or faster will do it - seems like it depends on the gun.

Could always aim 3-4" to the right of what you want to hit ;-)

[Lee]

Have a Ruger .357M purchased used that did the same thing. Had to run the rear sight all the way over to barely hit poa.
Had a Rossi .38S purchased used that did the same thing worse. Would hit 3' left at 15' distance. Sold it ASAP.

This hitting left seems a rather common complaint, IMHO. Is it possible that previous owners might have run too hot rounds thru the weapon, "torqued" the frame??
Or am I just blowing smoke?

drumgool, I feel your pain. Hate it when that happens.

Any comments out there?

subsonic: Yep, know about turning the barrel, but how much to correct for 3' left at 15' distance?:veryconfu
At what point are you sighting down a barrel with an obviously canted front sight? Not disagreein' ..... just askin' ..... Lee

[tek4260]

1st thing to try is to use the pad of your finger to press the trigger straight to the rear when firing, rather than using the joint of the finger. Lighter triggers help as well. If that doesn't work, the barrel may need tightening a bit to correct the windage issue.

[Wally]

A gunsmith can turn the barrel a hair to move the front sight to the right. Some loads will shoot right or left - but I have not been able to find out whether heavier or lighter, slower or faster will do it - seems like it depends on the gun.

Could always aim 3-4" to the right of what you want to hit ;-)

True, however the front sight blade will be slightly canted and IMHO it is quite annoying...best to contact the manufactuer to have it fixed. As I recall in the old days they mount the gun in a padded vice and bend it ever so slightly...

[subsonic]

Junior has a formula on his sight that shows how much sight movement equals how much POI change at a certain range. I'd use that before turning and see what happens. Just geometry. I think his website is castbullet.com and the formula is on one of the winchester 94 write-up pages.

If you can tell that the front sight is canted, something somewhere is way off - or you need tek4260's advice instead of a gun-pipe wrench.

[subsonic]

Formula is a little more than 1/2 way down this page:

http://www.castbullet.com/shooting/3030.htm

[subsonic]

BTW- This is why the only guns I will own with fixed sights fit in a pocket.

[para45lda]

One of my Ubertis was like that (sold em) and I carefully filed the rear notch on one side only so that when I centered the front sight it was shooting straight.

If you want the boolit to move right- file on the right. It really doesn't take much. Just make sure you have excess metal to remove. I've seen some where the notch was smaller than the "groove" in the top strap and I've seen some where the notch and groove were the same width. It wont work on the latter. Someone else may be able to confirm the left/right thing.

Wes

[mongo]

Dont bend yout site. I had purchased a Ruger new vaquero that shot low and to the left about 4 inches. Shot a few hundred rounds, just to be sure it wasnt me, Filed the site down to perfect elevation. Stlll to the left. American handguns had a article written by Duke V. where he had bent the sights on his single action Colt to fix the problem. I asked here before attempting to bend the site and with the help Bullshop and others I had tightened up the barrel just a hair to fix it. I clamped two blocks of wood togerher and drilled out the center with a wood bore bit. Put some rosin on the wood and clamped the gun in a vise. Using a tree branch cut about a 18 in long, Stuck it in the frame and just ever so gently tightened up the barrel a hair. Be sure to make witness marks on the barrel and frame so you can tell how much it moved. Remember just a hair. Sittin there with a vice grip I could see that front site snappin off. Thank GOD I didnt try to bend it,,,, Tommy

[subsonic]

You could also have a dovetailed front sight installed and drift it to zero. This is probably the best answer, depending on how good you are at filing dovetails or how good and inexpensive the work would be from your local 'smith. You can see these on Bowen Arm's site.

[cabezaverde]

I have a Smith 642 that shoots right. Does that mean I want to loosen that barrel just a snidge?

[subsonic]

I have a Smith 642 that shoots right. Does that mean I want to loosen that barrel just a snidge?

Yes, if you want it to shoot to point of aim with that particular load.

[cabezaverde]

Yes, if you want it to shoot to point of aim with that particular load.

Any problem with the aluminum frame? I have thought about sending it to SW, but I bought it used. Since I carry it every day, the gun is well worn and I am not sure they would be responsive.

For an SD gun, I can bring my mind around to be off on elevation easier than on windage. I also carry it when walking the dog etc, and figure I might have to use it for nasty critters. That is when thinking about the windage bugs me more. Might just be my quirk.

[Babalooie]

I have a Smith 642 that shoots right. Does that mean I want to loosen that barrel just a snidge?

S&W has a lifetime warranty on all guns they are selling. As far as I know, they have a "Don't ask-don't tell" policy about whether you are the original purchaser. I would contact them at their customer service number (listed on their web site) and see what they say. They may even pay for shipping.

[subsonic]

With the alloy frame, I would avoid just sticking a stick through the frame to use as a wrench. Probably need some sort of blocks to hold the frame and support it so it doesn't twist.

Is there enough meat on top of the barrel to dovetail it? The 642 powerport has a dovetailed front sight on the front already.

Try this when you shoot a group. Put your trigger finger way through the trigger until it hits your thumb as you are pulling the trigger. Use your thumb as a trigger stop to know when the DA pull is about to release. Then very carefully squeeze straight back the last little tweak until it fires. See if your POI changes.