Revolver Input

[cougarmagnum]

I'm looking at either a 5 1/2" 58 Rem., or maybe a 1851 Navy. I've had a couple of 58's and am very familiar with them, but sure do like the looks of the navy. My problem is I don't have any experience with the Colt style and my concern is with sights! I know they shoot way high, so am wondering about the front sight and what to do to bring it to POA. What kind of issues are there in replacing the sight, I like to hit what I'm aiming at! Thanks

 

[OldNo7]

Objective:

"I like to hit what I'm aiming at!"

3 Solutions:

* Ruger Old Army blue

* Ruger Old Army stainless

* Ruger Old Army ~ you choose the finish!

Old No7

ps: Did I mention the ROA??? :thumbsup:

 

[OldNo7]

OK, now for a serious response...

Many shooters note that the Colts will shoot high. This was so you aimed at the belt of a charging combatant and hit him -- from 25 to ~75+ yards out.

Some have filed dovetails in the barrel to install a higher front sight, others have been able to "peen" the existing sight to make it taller. I'd caution against deepening the notch on a Colt hammer, I think that's just asking for cap troubles. You might be able to epoxy or JB Weld a piece of steel or brass on to the existing sight too, it all depends on how well you want it to look when you're down.

Of course, the low-cost "Kentucky Windage" solution would be to learn where she hits and aim lower!

Tight groups! :thumbsup:

Old No7

 

[silverfox]

Okay Ruger Old Armys are the #1 revolver for accuracy with most shooters. Remingtons are nice as are colts. I just happen to have a 51 navy that shoots POI at 25 Yds and is as good as any revolver I have shot. This is the exception I know. The Rugers adjustable sights make it the easiest to shoot. The Remingtons sights are simple to file or add to to get sighted in also. Now the colts bigger problem, if you want to use the sights? IMHO the colts were to be pointed and shot more like a smoothbore or shotgun than sighted for deliberate shooting. They have a balance and pointing ability the others don't have so if I was to shoot a colt I would learn to point and shoot and enjoy the artistry of the weapon. If I want target accuracy pick either of the others as they can and will put them in the 10 ring.
Fox :thumbsup:

 

[mec]

The colt sights can be very effective if you widen them for better visibility and lower point of impact when necessary.

 

[cougarmagnum]

Thanks for the pics, I see what your doing! That may help me decide.

 

[Gatofeo]

Get the 1861 Colt Navy, which is an improvement upon the 1851.
It costs the same and the front sight is a blade, not a bead. It may be easier to replace the blade.
The 1861 has more room around the rammer, if you wish to use conicals. It also has a rammer stronger than the 1851 Model.

 

[Rat]

What about the Remington Navy?? Now that's a nice pistol. I have an Uberti with the 6" barrel, and it shoots 1.5" groups at 20 yards, which is also POA.

Rat

 

[jdixon]

I have been working on the same sighting problem with a Uberti Walker over the winter. I went the route of filing down the hammer to lower the POA. I now have it shooting POA @ 75 yrds or thereabouts. To do this required taking the top of the hammer down below where the bottom of the original notch was. With a hammer flat across the top I figured out the windage, marked that point on the hammer (mine was shooting right so I had to go left of center a bit), then I filed down a nice smooth and wider than the original, notch. I figure I took 2mm off of the top of the hammer during this process. No problems with the funciton of the gun whatever. Now that I got the sighting taken care of, the next puzzle is figuring out which load is the most accurate. To date the 50 grain loads are winning the contest but, these hotter loads appear to lead up the barrel after about 15 shots and accuracy begins to suffer, meaning a few minutes scrubbing the barrel with a brush before resuming shooting. I would like to find a lower grain charge that offers good accuracy and which doesn't use 4 Wonder Wads a chamber to fill the void. I have tried wheat germ as filler, not happy with that, anyone have any suggests?

 

[mec]

my Dragoon needs 40 grains of black or the same volume of pyrodex to get enough compression for accuracy (without any wads or fillers) I suspect a walker might need five grains more if the loading lever is about the same.

You do have to take quite a bit off the rear sight to get a significant change.