Detective Special Sights

[JV_2108]

They're not adjustable, of course. And I'm a bit thrown by the top of the front sight blade being consdierably taller than the groove in the topstrap. I've purchased one of those sight painting kits from Brownell's, and am thinking of painting the front sight so that I can get the alignment right.

Anyone like that idea?

Or not?

Other thoughts?

Thanks in advance,

John

 

[Standing Wolf]

Nail polish or model airplane paint will work as well as anything I've ever seen, and offers the further advantage of being readily removable when you realize discoloring the front sight offers no advantage, anyway.

The Detective Special is one of the finest point-shooting guns ever made. Mine happens to do very well as an aimed gun, but it's first and last a close range very quick shooter.

 

[GRIZ22]

I use black nail polish to darken the sights on nickel and stainless guns (front and rear). I played with different colors for awhile and found that black sights work best.

 

[KrankyKraut]

Nice grips. What are they and where did you get them?

 

[Erik]

Have you shot it yet? (Aligning the sights correctly, of course.) If so, where does it shoot to?

 

[JV_2108]

Grips

Got the grips from Herrett's Stocks in Twin Falls, ID by mail. FWIW, they're called the Jordan Trooper model. Sent in a hand trace, waited a while, and really like them.

I have fairly large hands and long fingers, and the original Colt grips were a challenge for me. The grips let me get more fun out of the gun, because I'm a lot more likely to shoot in now.

 

[JV_2108]

Sight Alignment

It tends to shoot low, as I've not been able to get a good feel for exactly how to aim it. Concept-wise, I need to have the groove on the topstrap aligned with my point of aim. But I get a bit hung up on the front blade position - in a sense, it's in the way of visual topstrap alignment when shooting. What I'm envisioning doing is painting the front blade - probably below the plane of the topstrap line. That way, if I were to see any of the colored portion of the blade, I'd know that my aim was off.

I know this is a close range defensive tool more than anything, but I get more fun in practice out of being able to hit things with some consistency.

 

[Texas Colt]

JV, what distance are you shooting at? Also, what bullet weight are you shooting (125, 135, 158)? Have you tried different bullet weights? A heavier bullet will usually have a higher point of impact.

 

[Erik]

"Concept-wise, I need to have the groove on the topstrap aligned with my point of aim. But I get a bit hung up on the front blade position - in a sense, it's in the way of visual topstrap alignment when shooting."

JV, I'm not sure that I follow you. Concept wise, what are you trying to do? I am unfamiliar with "visual topstrap alignment" and depending on how you answer I think I've found your problem.

Best - Erik

 

[JV_2108]

Distance and Ammo

Sorry for the long time to response. Was out for a few days.

I start out shooting from 7 yards and move in some with the DS.

What I've been using of late is Remington UMC in 130 grain. After that, I've got some 158 grain Blazers.

From doing a bit of reading on this post and in a gun mag, it would seem that I probably need to practice more and accept/understand that this is a short range gun (although I'd swear some folks have claimed incredible longer distance accuracy with this short a barrel).

 

[JV_2108]

Topstrap alignment description

The sight line I'm trying to achieve is where the ruler is shown in the pictures. The middle photo probably gives a better perspective on it - if the gun were pointed slightly down and to the left of the alignment shown.

That's why I'll probably color the front sight blade when I get the chance. If I were to color the lower (vertical and smooth) portion, perfect alignment (vertically) would be as soon as I saw no color.

 

[Erik]

I think I understnad what your saying.

When the sights are correctly lined up you should not be able to see the top strap at all. For our purposes it doesn't exist. There is no top strap involved with sight alignment. If you can see it you are doing it incorrectly.

What does exist, the ONLY thing that exists, alignment wise, is the relationship between your front and rear sight. I'll give a go at describing it.

The front sight should be centered in the rear sight, with the top of the front sight lined up with the top of the rear sight. Your focus should be on the front sight. The target should be blurry. The rear sight should be blurry.

That's the "classic" sight alignment you want every time.

Once you achieve it, the trigger comes into play.

For the record, at this stage of the game I'd leave your front sight alone. (It looks fine.) I'd wager that once you perfect your alignment technique, work on trigger control, and figure out which load it prefers that you'll find that revolver more accurate than most shooters.

Best - Erik

 

[Erik]

There's lots of info out there on the net. Here's one place which seems as good as any to start:

http://www.firearmsprimer.com/marks/marks_1.htm

Alignment is on the third page, I think.

Sight picture, by the way, is the relationship of sight alignement on the target. Important because if your alignment is perfect but in the wrong place shots the gun will shoot there.

 

[cherryriver]

When you get a bit more experienced with the DS, you'll find that staying on a silhouette target at 50 yards is actually pretty easy, as long as you get the stroke of the Colt trigger down.
That's what it wants- a smooth, continuous stroke, not a staging or any other hesitation.
I need to be about 30 yards in before I can reliably clear a 10" plate rack with six. But, I'm a lousy shot.
I should mention that the guts need to be clean and lightly lubed- older guns often get clogged by hard old grease- I once got a Cobra that hardly let me pull the trigger at all until I washed out the hardened grease.
The gun will consistently exceed your expectations.
Incidentally, I do paint my front sight yellow for outdoor daytime use, but it's not too helpful the rest of the time.
Bill

 

[JV_2108]

More on DS Sight Alignment

FWIW, I get how sight alignment is supposed to work. I've had no trouble with my Python and my S&W Model 617. Perhaps the attached photos will help you see why this doesn't work (At least for this DS and for me).

BTW, good web link, Erik.

 

[collector14]

Go for it...

This one was red when I got it and I love it.

 

[ThomasT]

jv 2108

The front sight of your revolver is taller than the rear sight so that when you fire your gun and the recoil makes the barrel rise then hopefully the barrel will be in alighnment with your intended point of impact. Fixed sight guns are sighted to the standard bullet weight in their respective calibers. 158 for 38 special, 98grains for .32 revolvers and 115 gr for 9mm and so forth.

There was a shooter at the range who decided the front sights of his two new rugers were way to tall. He filed off his front sights until his barrel was even with a table top when the guns were placed upside down. Of coarse once the principle of recoil and barrel time for the bullet was explained to him he sent his guns back to ruger to have the blades replaced.

I paint the front sight on most of my guns with testors model paint. I use a round tooth pick and apply a light coat of white. After that dries i use floresant orange for the top coat. I like the acrylic paints that clean up with water instead of the enamel versions.

In a hurry you can raise your gun and put the bright front sight on the center mass and make a reasonably well placed hit without useing the rear sight. A cop taught me this trick.

 

[Cosmoline]

The sights should be pre-adjusted for about a 20 yard zero with 158 RN bullets. I wouldn't mess with them. If you're having a hard time seeing, liquid paper on the back of the front sight works well for me. But one of the best things about my DS is how little aiming I need to do with it. It always seems to come up right, so I'm almost point shooting.

I'm VERY skeptical about the need to file the sight to bring up the point of aim. Some newer wheelguns with fixed sights need this sort of adjustment, but an old Colt never would have left the factory in such a state. Get a box of 158 leads, use a bench and seat, and carefully fire to see where they're hitting.

I'm a bit thrown by the top of the front sight blade being consdierably taller than the groove in the topstrap.

Of course it's taller than the groove. It's not supposed to be level with the base of the groove. In a proper sight picture it sits level with the top of the strap, not down in the groove.

It tends to shoot low, as I've not been able to get a good feel for exactly how to aim it.

Well that's not right. If anything it should be shooting high. You may not be using the sights quite right. Forget all the rulers and such and just concentrate on keeping the front sight in the grove thusly: