Hello gents, last week I picked up a Taurus PT 1911 and off to the range I went. 100 rounds later I confirmed from the bench it shoots 4 inches low at 15 yards and a bit to the right (which can be adjusted). Other than filing down the front sight what else can be done. It this issue maybe more than a sight problem. Everything else functioned fine. A little help gents.
Shooting low
- Thread starter caleb
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I would expect the gun to shoot low at 15 yards, as they are usually "regulated" to shoot center at 50 yards. Be that as it may, rather then file down the front sight I'd look into getting a slightly higher rear one. It would be a matter of matching the dovetail cut in the slide.
Owen
Moderator Emeritus
It shouldn't be 4 inches low. Maybe half an inch low
Have you had someone else shoot it?
Have you had someone else shoot it?
Jim Watson
Member
Actually it should be about half an inch high.
According to the Sierra Infinity ballistics program, a .45 ACP zeroed at 50 yds with hardball will have its first crossing at 8 yards, up .6" at 15 yds, and be a little over 1" high at 25 yards.
Changing rear sights on the Taurus knockoff will be difficult. They advertise a Heinie rear sight. And it IS a Heinie rear sight, just not a 1911 Heinie rear sight. They used the same sight as for their 24/7 which leads to a non standard dovetail and an unsightly flat behind the blade.
According to the Sierra Infinity ballistics program, a .45 ACP zeroed at 50 yds with hardball will have its first crossing at 8 yards, up .6" at 15 yds, and be a little over 1" high at 25 yards.
Changing rear sights on the Taurus knockoff will be difficult. They advertise a Heinie rear sight. And it IS a Heinie rear sight, just not a 1911 Heinie rear sight. They used the same sight as for their 24/7 which leads to a non standard dovetail and an unsightly flat behind the blade.
You're right Jim the Hiene website states that the sight was made for the PT 1911 and replacements aren't available. How much filing of the front sight needs to be done to bring POI up 3-4 inches at 15 yards? I called Taurus and they seemed sort of reluctant but amenable to sending it back. Any advise guys?
Owen
Moderator Emeritus
I highly recommend that you have someone else shoot the gun before you start changing it. It would be a shame to fix a gun for what may be a temporary trigger control problem on your part.
I have many many friends that have sworn there was something wrong with their gun, only to find out later they had a technique issue.
Now, I don't know what your skill level is. I suspect that you aren't a high level Bullseye or IPSC shooter, because you asked the question n the first place. Those guys would likely have a few front sight just lying around. If you are, go ahead and send it back. But if I am right, and you aren't a Pistol Jedi, then have someone else at your range take a few shots with it. I'm fairly confident that the pistol is fine.
Are you anticipating recoil? Are you milking the grip? For a pistol to be 4" off at 15 yards, with fixed sights and correct ammo is quite unlikely.
I have many many friends that have sworn there was something wrong with their gun, only to find out later they had a technique issue.
Now, I don't know what your skill level is. I suspect that you aren't a high level Bullseye or IPSC shooter, because you asked the question n the first place. Those guys would likely have a few front sight just lying around. If you are, go ahead and send it back. But if I am right, and you aren't a Pistol Jedi, then have someone else at your range take a few shots with it. I'm fairly confident that the pistol is fine.
Are you anticipating recoil? Are you milking the grip? For a pistol to be 4" off at 15 yards, with fixed sights and correct ammo is quite unlikely.
Very little, but the amount of adjustment decreases with distance. But before I offer any more advice I'll go look at the Taurus website to see exactly what we are working with here. There is more then one way to skin the... ah... turkey, so don't get in a hurry. If you shold file the top of the sight at an angle, and then discover it and make a correction it won't be long before you are shooting way high. There is a right and wrong way too do this.
In a 1911-style pistol the sights are mounted on the slide, and the barrel is inside of it usually sitting at a slight angle. So point-of-impact vs. point-of-aim is determined on how the barrel is positioned when he pistol is in battery, and this can be different from gun to gun. For that reason whenever I built a pistol I mounted an extra-high front sight so that it could be filed to zero that particular gun for whatever load at whatever distance. It may indeed be off because of the way you shoot, or the way your eyes see the sights, but in the long run you want it to shoot correctly for you - and not somebody else. Yes, some experimenting is in order before you grab a file, but in the end the file may be necessary.
In a 1911-style pistol the sights are mounted on the slide, and the barrel is inside of it usually sitting at a slight angle. So point-of-impact vs. point-of-aim is determined on how the barrel is positioned when he pistol is in battery, and this can be different from gun to gun. For that reason whenever I built a pistol I mounted an extra-high front sight so that it could be filed to zero that particular gun for whatever load at whatever distance. It may indeed be off because of the way you shoot, or the way your eyes see the sights, but in the long run you want it to shoot correctly for you - and not somebody else. Yes, some experimenting is in order before you grab a file, but in the end the file may be necessary.
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Owen
Moderator Emeritus
A napkin sketch and a little trig indicate that the total of errors in the pistol to cause it to shoot 4" low at 15 yards is nearly .045". In a gun, that is a lot!
It was benched at 15 so it was fairly consistent. I usually bench all my new pistols. This is the first one that shot low. No Springfields
. I will let someone else try it and then we'll see. If something needs to be done I'll try local before a month wait to get it back. I just want to make sure it's simply the sights and nothing more serious. C
. I will let someone else try it and then we'll see. If something needs to be done I'll try local before a month wait to get it back. I just want to make sure it's simply the sights and nothing more serious. CI checked out the gun on Taurus' website, and discovered to my dismay that the front sight is held in the dovetail by a wedge and screw. Because of the screw I'm not sure you can file down the front sight blade far enough to get what you need.
I suggest that you call Brownells at (800) 741-0015 and talk to Dave Bennetts. Explain the problem and ask if they have a conventional dovetailed front sight that might work in the Taurus dovetail.
Other that that I don't have any good answers. It would be nice if these gun manufacturers would stick to some kind of standards.
I suggest that you call Brownells at (800) 741-0015 and talk to Dave Bennetts. Explain the problem and ask if they have a conventional dovetailed front sight that might work in the Taurus dovetail.
Other that that I don't have any good answers. It would be nice if these gun manufacturers would stick to some kind of standards.
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