Colt versus Remy Sights

To each his own. I much prefer the Remmy. Besides, it shoots close enough to POA. I don't have to back off 100 yards to be on target.

Best sights of all are my ROA, but it's a modern gun. As a shooter, though, forget the rest, it's the best.

I haven't worked with a Colt, but I'd think with the rear sight being further back giving a longer sight radius would help a bit. But then having the rear sight on a moving part might not be as accurate as a fixed sight.

I have a Pietta Remington that shoots a bit left at 15 yds. I've been considering having it dovetailed to accept an Uberti sight that can be shifted to make windage adjustments possible.

It shoots a little low but that can be fixed with a file.

I have a Pietta Remington that shoots a bit left at 15 yds. I've been considering having it dovetailed to accept an Uberti sight that can be shifted to make windage adjustments possible.

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Mine shoots dead on elevation, but a bit left. I just figured out the Kentucky windage and I can nail a bowling pin off hand at up to 25 yards and a little beyond with it. I'll just keep it the way it is, don't want any dovetails messing it up.

I have a Pietta Remington that shoots a bit left at 15 yds. I've been considering having it dovetailed to accept an Uberti sight that can be shifted to make windage adjustments possible.

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A little work with a needle file in the rear sight channel will take care of that too.

Widening and squaring up the rear sight channel may help the op's sight picture. We find it very beneficial for us. OYE

I'm with MCgunner

Regarding the front sight, it just depends how "hungry" you are for accuracy, and your definition of "accurate". To some folks, its hitting a tin can at 15 yards.

Do what you have to do to rebuild the front sight to achieve your parameters of accurate shooting.

To folks like myself who follow the "competition line" game, its a little tighter group, a little further away, 25 & 50 yards, from the target.

The dove-tailed front sight on my Pietta Remington Deluxe Model, made in 1983, helped me to shoot this 25 yard group with 18 grains of GOEX 3FG, C.O.W., & .457 RB & 1000+ lube on top. All I did was file down the front sight for a six-o-clock hold, and tapped the sight a bit to the left to correct for point of aim. Its still holding up well after 15,000+ rounds fired.

Great shooting Buck with that Remmy!!!

I also bought a 'Target' Remington in 1983 but it had a fixed front sight and an adjustable rear sight which was mounted on the top strap.

I also can't see that thin iron front sight on the Remington and I prefer that big fat brass front sight on the Colt especially out in the woods. I "V" notched my Colt hammer and see that brass front sight just find even in low light.

Unless the hammer the hammer has extremely tight tolerances so as to be in exactly the same position EVERY TIME it is cocked and not even a hair off which I find unlikely in most Colt italian replicas (or even real Colts and better replicas ?) I don't see how that sighting system would be as stable at longer ranges as a properly sighted fixed sight system like a Remington.

That being said for the ranges these revolvers (both Colt and Remington) are typically used at it might be a moot point and the Colt may be good enough ?

Also I think point instinct shooting and front sight shooting is very underestimated these days and I really don't think the lack of sighting is something that can't be overcome by just plain practice.

People have a hard time beliving that others can shoot quickly and accurately at amazing distances with equipment that lacks all the advantages and convenience of modern technology.

I really think they are mistaken.

If they would make or provide a brass front sight or a replacement brass front sight for the Remington I probably would consider buying a Remington again.

D Buck Stopshere,
Have you ever changed the nipples from the stock ones? I have guns that have a few thousand rounds through them and I'be always heard that a nipple can get shot or burned out with an excessively large flash hole. I can't tell if there's any erosion and the guns shoot reliably. What say you? I've shot about 25K rounds but that has been through 38 (or so) different C&Bs over many years. I've only replaced nipples if they would not take a Remington #10 cap or were buggered up by the prior owner.

I believe I changed them a few times over the 30 years I have been shooting the revolver. I bought either Italian nipples or Ampco beryllium-copper nipples. I didn't keep track of years accumulated befor changing out the nipples.

I use the Ampco nipples on both my Ruger Old Army .45 & .36 revolvers.

grter said:

Unless the hammer the hammer has extremely tight tolerances so as to be in exactly the same position EVERY TIME it is cocked and not even a hair off which I find unlikely in most Colt italian replicas (or even real Colts and better replicas ?) I don't see how that sighting system would be as stable at longer ranges as a properly sighted fixed sight system like a Remington.

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As unlikely as you make it seem it does seem to be the case. The two 1860 clone guns I fixed up with taller front sights a while back both shoot consistent groups that are as good as anything else I shoot. I'm talking 1.5'ish inch groups at 15 yards. And that's as good as I can do with my S&W's or any of my other guns. And since it's apparently me that is the limit in this comparison I'm guessing that the guns could shoot tighter yet.

So it would appear from my experience that they can be very consistently accurate.

The Colt's revolver was not built as a target revolver. The sighting system is more than adequate for the intended purpose. Having said that, some of my C&B are fairly accurate and do amazing things at long range. I have dovetailed a front sight into a Colt replica a time or two and that helps. Widening the hammer notch and flattening the top of the hammer also help give a more repeatable sight picture.

Kevin

The rear channel is fine. Have any of you replaced the Uberti dovetailed front sight on the Remington with something thicker? Do you have a source for a sight that will fit the dovetail?

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Have you tried something like this to replace the front site on your Remington? A lot of different choices.

http://www.trackofthewolf.com/List/Item.aspx/874/1

On the T.O.T.W. page, the catalog #FS-CA-1B or #FS-CA-1I front sight design would be close to the original design of the Remington, and perhaps, tall enough to file down for proper point-of-aim.

If Track would be willing to accept an "anal" request, before ordering, you'd ask for a dial caliper measurement of the thickness of the blade, and its height from the top of the base to the top of the blade.


Otherwise, you might be ordering a sight that is the same height & thickness as what you have. Of course, the gun would be rejected if shooting in a NMLRA "As-Issued" line match. The front sight design must be the same as the original handgun.


Remember, always what Bill Blankenship, "Mr Pistol" at Camp Perry in the '60's, said, "Accuracy is 99% mental concentration".

If you haven't accomplished Bill's five principals of accurate (slow-fire/rapid-fire) line shooting, you need to start.
1. Stance
2. Sight Picture/Sight Alignment
3. Breath Control
4. Trigger Control
5. Learning to hold the handgun perfectly still

if you want to read up on YOU becoming more accurate, find a copy of "The Pistol Shooter's Treasury" by Gil Hebard of Knoxville, IL . An alternative is a copy of the US Army's "Advanced Pistol Marksmanship Manual". Play close attention to chapters on slow-fire shooting.

Hope this helps.

One of the many reasons I like the Colt over the Remington. I agree with the OP in that the Remington with its thin iron blade is almost impossible for me to see even in average light but the 1860 Colt with its big fat brass front blade picks up light even in the worst of conditions.

I was saying he could buy a steel base offered by TOW which can be blued to match the barrel then file it down to fit the dovetail then buy either a replacement german silver or brass front blade for the steel base. I won't as I like the Colt design over the Remmy but he could.

I agree Buck, he won't be able to shoot it at NMLRA matches.

Colt vs. Colt

Hay, don't leave out the '51! That is my favorite of all.

Like most people my favorite of all time is the '51 but I just cannot see that small front sight even though it is brass.

I'm with you on the 1851 Navy, I have three Colt's (2nd Generation).

A, 1860 style brass blade front sight could be installed on the 1851, but it will stick out like a really sore thumb. As long as you're not going to compete in NMLRA or N-SSA line matches, you can add the blade.

Ya just got to put up with they little tiny bead front sight on the '51.:banghead:

Buck, even the N-SSA excludes these modifications?

If I carry one, it'll be the '51. I'll be well within range of its accuracy if I have to use it and the gun points more natural than does the Remmy. But, pure accuracy, I shoot the remmy better because I don't have to take a funky sight picture for elevation and, really, I can see the sight better. I don't shoot the Colt very often, not that fun as it's not really 25 yard plinking accurate like the Remmy is. I can always move up on the target with it, though.

Crawdad, I cannot speak for the N-SSA since I dropped out in '66, and gravitated to NMLRA pistol matches. I looked in their (N-SSA) rule book, but didn't catch the section on revolver requirements. I would assume that, like the NMLRA, the N-SSA would require the firearm to display "As-Issued" characteristics.

I have been the Match Director for the NMLRA-NC Territotial Marches for a couple of decades, and rifle-muskets must be inspected to show "As-Issued" condition. You will only see the "As-Issued" Revolver match at various State Shoots and local club events, and, of course, at Friendship for the National Matches.

Another solution for Colt sights.






The above are on a Dragoon and I believe the last production run of 18851's had them as a option.

Crawdad, I stand corrected. I just bought a couple dozen N-SSA approved rifle-muskets, rifles, carbines, and revolvers from a friend, who is a "retired" N-SSA competition shooter last Thursday. The Fayetteville rifle repro lasted only two days before it found a new home.

Among the dozen revolvers were a Spiller & Burr, .36 caliber and a 1849 Uberti "Pocket Model" revolver. He had dovetailed both barrels for a small, but effective, blade front sight.

The revolvers were inspected by the Firearms Inspection Committee at the National Matches at Winchester and were approved for competition shooting.

So, on a case-by-case basis, the N-SSA will allow a modified sight on a revolver, a carbine, and a rifle-musket, subject to approval by committee.

Interesting that these two major black powder organizations would be so far apart on the sights for their competitions. I'm assuming that the NMLRA is the standard for these competitions as they shoot worldwide?