How to get 45colt Ruger sights regulated?

[Vern56]

Reload the 45colt. Nothing to hot, mostly target/plinking rounds. 250-255 lead bullets. Use Trail Boss and Unique. Going to try Titegroup next.

Had a redhawk convertible but the rear sight was bottomed out for 45colt loads. Ended up putting a bowen extra tall front in it.

Have a new model blackhawk, 4 5/8's, same problem but the front is fixed.

Gun groups ok but still 5-6 inches low inside 25 yards. Rear sight bottomed out.

Anything else to do beside have the front milled down?

 

[ontarget]

@Vern56, Ummm if it's shooting low, shouldn't you be raising the rear site?

 

[BobWright]

Yes, raise your rear sight to raise your groups. Move the rear sight in the direction you want to move your groups, the front sight in the opposite direction. Old "rule of thumb."

Bob Wright

 

[.308 Norma]

Had a redhawk convertible but the rear sight was bottomed out for 45colt loads. Ended up putting a bowen extra tall front in it.

That makes sense. If the rear sight was bottomed out, AND it was still shooting high, a taller front sight is what was needed to make it shoot lower. Either that, or run lighter, faster moving bullets in it - that would make it shoot lower at 25 yards too.

Gun groups ok but still 5-6 inches low inside 25 yards. Rear sight bottomed out.

Nope, that doesn't make sense. If it's shooting low, raise the rear sight. Either that, or run heavier, slower bullets in it - that will make it shoot higher at 25 yards too.
It's funny how I remember things sometimes. Back in the '80s, when my wife was using a Super Blackhawk 44 Mag to tip over steel silhouettes in IHMSA matches, I remember that by the time she got to the 200 meter rams, her rear sight was UP "21 clicks" from where it was when she was slamming down the 50 meter chickens.

 

[NeroM]

I have a NM Blackhawk in 45 Colt with 4 5/8" barrel. Run 255 lswc at approx 900 fps, rear sight is raised some to hit clay birds at 25 steps. Have also put a dollop of white nail polish on the front blade, just to fill the rear sight notch.

 

[Vern56]

Now I'm confused as well!
Appreciate the input.
Will take it tomorrow and give it another go.

 

[MikeJackmin]

Imagine raising the rear sight by some huge amount, like 6 inches. Now imagine aiming the gun - you can easily see that the barrel would be tipped upwards.

 

[Seedy Character]

File the front sight down, when shooting low.

If rear sight is bottomed out, raise it.

To test: shoot a cylinder full
Make a major adjustment on rear sight (20 clicks, 4)
Shoot a cylinder full. Group should be higher.

 

[MEHavey]

Gun groups ok but still 5-6 inches low inside 25 yards. Rear sight bottomed out.

Very straightforward:

Raise the rear sight 45 thousandths
(1-1/2 standard paperclip diameters)

.

 

[BobWright]

Here is an example of sight adjustment. this Cimarron Open Top Navy printed 3 1/2" low at very close range:



So, i took a file to the range and began working. I counted my file strokes for each "adjustment."




These "groups" really patterns, were due to the crude sights of this little revolver. I really can shoot better than this!

Bob Wright

 

[Riomouse911]

Yup, you were moving the rear sight in the wrong direction.

I’d leave the front sight alone until you’ve played with the rear. Filing a sight is a permanent alteration with many guns, one that you may not need to do.

No biggie on the sight direction, we’ve all done it at least once… or twice.

Stay safe.

 

[Driftwood Johnson]

Howdy

Basic rule of thumb: Move the rear sight in the direction you want to move the point of impact. This is true for a handgun or a rifle.

Leave the front sight alone unless you have run out of adjustment from the rear sight.

A few years ago I bought a used S&W Model 15. When I took it to the range it shot high. No matter how much I moved the rear sight it still shot high. On closer inspection I saw some previous owner had filed the front sight down quite a lot. He had filed it down so much that even with the rear sight cranked down all the way, it still shot high. Eventually I got rid of it.