SAA shooting high

[RealGun]

I have an Uberti El Patron stainless that shoots about 3" high with a six o'clock hold at 50 feet. I surmise that the front sight needs to be raised. Ammo will not be considered as any sort of solution, since what I am shooting is too common as 255 grain and loaded within spec but at max charge for Trailboss. What I want is to get a taller front sight, but if the sight is soldered, how does one remove it without overheating the barrel?

Are there other methods of raising the front sight that would still look good?

I haven't yet located a local gunsmith with real expertise with this kind of cowboy gun.

 

[RPRNY]

They all shoot high. You are right about needing a higher sight. Keeping most of the barrel submerged in cold water as a heat sink will be more than sufficient for the judicious use of heat required to remove the sight but, in my opinion, this is not a DIY job unless you are very experienced and confident. I would have a smith grind it off replace with a dovetailed sight and have the barrel polished and reblued as I did with my Rogers & Spencer.

 

[Jim Watson]

A factory looking replacement front sight will cost in the neighborhood of $200 from big name gunsmiths.

I once saw a very worn SAA in a western small town museum. It had a Marble's ivory bead rifle sight neatly dovetailed into the barrel.

I have a cartridge conversion 1851 with the brass peg replaced by a black blade on a small dovetail. Easier to make look nice on an octagon barrel than round.

 

[rcmodel]

I had a Colt SAA .45 once that had the front sight replaced with part of a Barber Dime.

Wasn't half bad for shooting, and sure was a conversation piece!!

I guess back in the day, front sights were made from what you had on hand.

rc

 

[CaptTripps]

Like rcmodel, I have heard of old six-guns with all sorts of odds and ends as replacement front blades. Old coins, (brass or copper was corrosion resistant, available, and cheap enough, rifle sights, shotgun beads, butter knife blade sections machine parts, any and probably all small little pieces you can think of, have been used.

I have a SBH and am somewhat familiar with them but am not an expert in 6 shooters in general. If it was mine I would find a common size dovetail, for any such popular sight as you like that is available in varying heights, and have it cut. On my gun I have a front sight base but with several front sights, serrated blade, gold dot, target blade to suit different loads and uses.

 

[35 Whelen]

This may sound odd, but I'd work on shooting using a tighter grip. Over the last 4 or 5 years I've found that how a revolver is gripped, especially those shooting heavy bullets at relatively low speed, has a profound affect on vertical point of impact.

On the other hand, several months ago I bought my Holy Grail revolver, a beautiful USFA in 45 Colt. It shot perfectly to point of aim with 255-ish grain bullets at around 850 fps. But when I changed to heavier bullets at somewhat higher velocities, POI rose hopelessly, as in 6" at 25 yds. No matter how much I tightened my grip, the bullets hit way too high. So down the road she went!

Keep us posted.

35W

 

[MEHavey]

Go get some JB-Weld "SteelStik"
http://www.jbweld.com/products/steelstik-epoxy-putty-stick

- Clean the top of the sight w/ alcohol or acetone(nail polish remover).
- Mash up a slice of the SteelStik until uniform gray color
- Roll a thin piece of the mixed epoxy into a small tube and lay/press it onto the sight top edge. Let it relax/harden overnight
- Next day file the sides flush w/ the sight sides, and then re-file the top edge to desired height.

You will not believe how tough that material is. It's now served to permanently raise the sight
on my Russian S&W #3 New model by more than a 1/10th of an inch.

 

[RealGun]

I have some 250 gr RNFP lead bullets arriving today and will try some of those, maybe with a slightly reduced load and a tighter grip. My other bullets are 255 gr coated SWC running at max load.

I would not hesitate to pay $200 to have a new site done right and looking authentic and original. I see two heights offered in the Midway catalogue. The .450" stainless is what I hope would work.

Reminder that the gun is brushed stainless. The cylinder is "engraved" as the premium Belleza version of the El Patron.

 

[jgh4445]

When choosing that .450 sight, remember the formula for determining the amount of correction you need to make.
Take the error( how high it is shooting above POA) and multiply by the sight radius ( distance from rear sight to front sight) then divide that number by the distance to the target ( in inches). The answer will be the amount you need to increase the height of your front sight.( Or decrease your rear sight..in the case of the Uberti, not an option)

 

[stoky]

You could just figure where to put the blade lower in the notch. Make a reference point near the top of the blade, if you want. Ivory color mixed sight paint, or black might look okay on stainless.

 

[35 Whelen]

I have some 250 gr RNFP lead bullets arriving today and will try some of those, maybe with a slightly reduced load and a tighter grip. My other bullets are 255 gr coated SWC running at max load.

I would not hesitate to pay $200 to have a new site done right and looking authentic and original. I see two heights offered in the Midway catalogue. The .450" stainless is what I hope would work.

Reminder that the gun is brushed stainless. The cylinder is "engraved" as the premium Belleza version of the El Patron.

I have a Uberti Model P that came with the tiny V groove rear sight and the tapered front sight. I had a machinist friend open the rear sight to .125". Took no time at all at no charge. I then ordered a wide front sight from Midway and replaced the original with it. My soldering skills are non-existent so I was never comfortable with the job. Took it to a local 'smith who charged me $35.
Point is you shouldn't have to pay anywhere near $200.

35W

 

[stoky]

Since it was posted in gunsmithing, I reckon something extravagant was envisaged.
which would be fine
I like the dime idea.
different strokes

 

[Jim Watson]

The hunters on the Shiloh board like a copper penny for a front sight blade. It can be rubbed up, left tarnished, or smoked, depending on the lighting conditions.
You can use an Indian Head penny to be period correct or maybe a Lincoln cent from your birth year. If you predate the present copper plated zinc, of course.

 

[stoky]

maybe a Lincoln cent from your birth year

IIRC, it was in Roman numerals

 

[Catpop]

Pre zinc, not that's when a penny was worth it's salt er copper

 

[BBBBill]

Whack it with a Babbitt bar!

 

[rcmodel]

His hand, or his barrel??

rc

 

[BBBBill]

I was sort of half joking. Fact is Babbitt bars were once commonly used to correct alignment. They are non-marring and can move thinks that appear to be solidly fixed in place. Couple "calibrated whacks" with one on the barrel might move the POI down.