Correct sight picture for a SAA Clone?

[DonP]

Now that I have my Uberti SAA Clone fixed (thanks for the help guys with the new springs and tune up it's nice and slick!) it's range time.

I checked out the SASS and a few other websites, looking for an image of the correct sight picture for a SAA.

With the groove in the top and the blade, am I looking for a "W" pattern for the sight image? Or do I want the blade to stick out above the groove on the frame?

6 o'clock or "Navy" style hold for targets?

I reload for the .45 Colt so any suggestions are equally welcome. Not a SASS shooter ... yet. Just general target work. Currently using Trail Boss under a 250 gr. RNFP. Thinking of trying a 200 gr. RNFP with a similar load.

 

[DPris]

Same sight picture you'd use on any other post & notch handgun.
Top of front sight even with top of rear sight, in the rear notch, centered.
Your gun may not shoot to point of aim that way, if not, make whatever sight picture adjustments you find necessary.

On a black bull's-eye, I use a 6 o'clock hold because it gives me a repeatable precise aiming line that I can't get by trying to hold center of the circle.

Denis

 

[rcmodel]

Most SAA clone's have a front sight that is too tall.

They are made too tall on purpose so you can file them down to hit with whatever load you want to shoot.

Heavy bullets will shoot higher.
Light bullets will shoot lower.

SO pick a load you plan to stay with, and get out the fine-cut file for sighting in!

rc

 

[cprher]

The Cowboy Action crowd has given this a lot of thought and with a bit of research you can find a variety of recommendations. The one I liked was how to sight in the gun with your load so that from any range (7-50 yards) you could reliably hit a round (10"?) gong. It took some careful sighting in but with one sight picture you were sure to be on at all ranges. Pretty cool.

 

[CraigC]

Is this the so-called "pinched frame" with the V-notch rear and rather sharp, tapered front blade? Whether pinched frame or square notch and post the sighting method is the same. It's just more difficult to produce a consistent sight picture with the pinched frame.

 

[BCRider]

I'm going through this process now with my own .357 Mag rated Pietta SAA clones. I've filed the front site down somewhat but stopped short for a few reasons. I recently got into reloading and got a deal on a LOT of bullets, powder and primers from an estate sale. I've reloaded the various wad cutter and semi wad cutter bullets in tune with my S&W Model 10 thinking that what is good for the Model 10 will be good for cowboy shooting.

But along the way I found that how I hold my double action S&W's did not work worth a pinch of snot for the SAA's. So although I filed the front down a little I stopped short of the final adjustment until I figured out how to hold this style of gun. THEN, just to confuse things, I made the decision to shoot my cowboy guns in the duelist one hand style since I never saw John Wayne or any of the other cowboy actors shoot with two hands other than to fan the hammer in a fast draw. So if one hand was good enough for the movie heros it's good enough for me....

But shooting these guns single handed changed the POI compared to my previous two handed grip. So it's not JUST the bullet weight that determines the POI. It's also how you hold the gun. Shooting one handed raised the POI by a significant amount compared to my previous two handed grip. So far I've lived with my groups coming in slightly low (about 2 inches at 12'ish yards) as I worked on my one handed style. But now that things are stabilizing at about 2 inches low at 12'ish yards I'm pretty much ready for the last few file strokes to bring the POI to the same point as the POA.