What to do about fixed sights and point of impact?

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mchura

Bearcat
Joined
Jun 12, 2015
Messages
14
I have a new Ruger Single Seven in 327 Federal Magnum, 3.75" barrel, bird head grips, and fixed sights. Regardless of bullet weight (100 and 78 grains) and regardless of type and amount of powder (Trail Boss, HP-38, H110) and regardless of trigger pull (tip of finger, pad of finger, first knuckle) the gun consistently (with an acceptably tight shot group) shoots an inch to the left at 20 feet. To the unaided eye the front sight post appears to be straight at 90 degrees to the barrel. The front sight post appears to be perfectly aligned with the rear sight groove. And the rear sight groove appears to be perfectly centered. So by appearance I should be should be shooting close to point of aim, but am not. My LCR in 327 has a fixed sight with 2" barrel and shoots perfectly. Frustrating. Is having somebody rotate the barrel the only option? Looking at a canted front sight post will be worse than just simply having to adjust my point of aim. Suggestions?
 

contender

Ruger Guru
Joined
Sep 18, 2002
Messages
25,145
Location
Lake Lure NC USA
Well,,, while you joined here a few years ago,, you still show up as newly registered,,, so,,, "Welcome back!"
Now,,, your problem is not unique. When a fixed sighted gun doesn't shoot to point of aim in the windage department,,, you do have a few options. One, as you mentioned,, you can have the barrel turned very slightly, offsetting the front sight.
Next,,, some folks have overcome this by gently tapping the front sight post to adjust the alignment. This could possibly loosen the front sight and it MIGHT come out at some time.

But,, I had a Vaquero that did the same thing. I had a gunsmith take a tiny end mill & GENTLY open the rear sight channel up a few thousands on the right side. It made the groove slightly larger,,, and made me center the front sight in a more to the right position. My gun was off enough that it took 2 trips to the gunsmith's mill for a total of almost .010 off the channel. Being that my gun was a stainless one,,, no further work was needed,, and it was a modification only a set of calipers could detect. But we had to special order a tiny end mill to make the cuts.
 

Jimbo357mag

Hawkeye
Joined
Feb 22, 2007
Messages
10,350
Location
So. Florida
I understand that they used to fix that problem with a big hammer applied to the right place while the the barrel is supported front and back. No kidding.
 

woodperson

Single-Sixer
Joined
Sep 27, 2004
Messages
460
Location
Knoxville, TN
According to my quick and crude calculations you need to move the front or rear sight about 0.025 inches. That is actually quite a bit. I think too much for just a larger width in the rear sight. One thing to check is if the barrel is crowned properly.
 

22/45 Fan

Hunter
Joined
Dec 8, 2001
Messages
2,123
Location
Pittsburgh, PA, USA
woodperson said:
According to my quick and crude calculations you need to move the front or rear sight about 0.025 inches. That is actually quite a bit. I think too much for just a larger width in the rear sight. One thing to check is if the barrel is crowned properly.
I calculated about the same correction, 0.021", assuming a 5" sight radius. Yes, that's a bit more than I'd want to grind off of the rear sight groove.

He could thin the front sight blade by grinding metal off of the right side only. When the thinned blade is centered in the rear groove, the POI would move to the right. Unfortunately, from what I've seen, the front sight on this gun is a welded or brazed on plain blade, not a screwed on ramp, so if you do it wrong, you are in trouble.
 

mchura

Bearcat
Joined
Jun 12, 2015
Messages
14
Thanks. Sounds like I just need to just be satisfied with adjusting point of aim and learn a lesson about fixed sights.
 

Enigma

Hunter
Joined
Apr 17, 2002
Messages
2,511
Location
Houston metro area, TX
You could also have a dovetail milled in the barrel and a drift-adjustable sight installed. A bit more expensive than the other solutions, perhaps, but it would most definitely work.
 

kooz

Blackhawk
Joined
Oct 22, 2006
Messages
577
Location
Glenwood Springs, Colorado
Take your gun and a target shot at a known distance to your gunsmith , he will turn the barrel slightly and get it on target for you . In your case since it is shooting to the left, you will need the barrel tightened slightly . This is a common thing for any experienced gunsmith to do , especially if you can find a gunsmith that caters to the cowboy action crowd , they are dialing in fixed sighted guns on a regular basis .

The other option some gunsmiths use is to bend the barrel .......yes bend the barrel . Alan Harton uses a 20 ton press and a special fixture to zero fixed sighted guns .
 

Chuck 100 yd

Hunter
Joined
Mar 20, 2010
Messages
3,251
Location
Ridgefield WA
The sight , front or rear needs to be moved .02083333" to correct. Assuming a 5" sight radius. I would be quite happy with a handgun that is regulated that well and would not mess with it. If I were trying to take the head off of a grouse at 20 ft. I
Would just hold a little right and fire.
 

JStacy

Blackhawk
Joined
May 6, 2016
Messages
503
Location
south Texas
Try a 115 grain bullet and load with Unique. Maybe the torque of the load will regulate you point of impact. I loaded for a friends 45 Colt , with fixed sights, and was able to correct the zero by altering the reloads for him. That is the cheapest fix you can try.
 

Mus408

Hunter
Joined
Apr 30, 2011
Messages
2,333
Location
Va.
Your gun is shooting fine for a Left handed shooter! Check the box and see if an L is on the item number. I tend to shoot to the right just a bit sometimes!
 

wolfee

Blackhawk
Joined
Dec 23, 2008
Messages
746
Location
Denver
Mchura, you might try a different grip as well. My preferred grip on my 4", fixed sight GP is the long "panel" grip. The gun shoots a bit low and to the right. (I shoot left handed). But, if I watch what happens to the sight VERY CAREFFULLY as I squeeze the trigger i can see the gun MOVE a tiny bit low and to the right. By shooting off a sand bag and paying careful attention to my natural tendency to deflect down and to the right, BINGO!, on target. When I put the short panel grips on, this "deflection effect" is much less pronounced. I don't have to try so hard to hold the sights on the bullseye. btw, in double action mode when trigger pull is real heavy the deflection is HUGE, maybe 6-8" inches low and 6-8" inches right at 25 yds. But, again, with the small grips most of it goes away. Likewise, the big fat Hogue grips that came with the gun make me shoot low and right as well. It seems to be my pinky that is pulling the gun that way and a skinnier grip lets the pinky wrap all the way around and not interfere.
 

PriseDeFer

Single-Sixer
Joined
Apr 22, 2014
Messages
450
Before you bend, twist, file or buy take a look at how you hold the thing. From above, is it lined up with the arm bone? Backstrap hidden against the heel of you hand?
 

mchura

Bearcat
Joined
Jun 12, 2015
Messages
14
It won't hurt to see what Ruger has to say. If I touch the right edge of the front sight to the right edge of the rear sight groove it shoots point of aim. I can now classify as an annoyance versus a real problem!
 
Joined
Jun 9, 2017
Messages
16
Years ago I had two matching Vaqueros I used for Cowboy Action. Both shot left about 4" at 25 yards. Sent guns along with the corresponding targets to Ruger. They adjusted both to shoot with perfect windage and sent them back in very short order.
 
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