Vaquero shoots 4 inches left at 20 yards...

What are my options to correct this irritating condition? Out to 50 yards this guy is way off. 45 LC factory 250gr LFN targets at 750 fps. Barrel appears on straight. Front sight not bent.

How many different brands and loads of ammo have you tried?
Does it shoot the same regardless of who shoots it?
These results from a rest?

First thing to do is have a known competent shooter shoot it and see if it shoots the same place for him/her.

Does it shoot all (or at least several) loads to this same place?

If the answer to both is yes, you'll have to "adjust" the sights in some way. Many might suggest bending the front sight to the left a little (or trying to screw the barrel in or out to achieve this). Personally, I think I'd file a little on the right side of the rear sight notch.

ETA: Looks like Hittman and I were typing at the same time--and that we think alike! :wink:

A friend of mine and I can take two of our revolvers with adjustable sights that have been sighted in for each owner. I will shoot his right and he will shoot mine left. Two different shooting techniques I guess.

Anyway, I agree to have someone else shoot it and see what happens and go from there.

One option would be to just sell it.

Not sure it matters if it shoots straight for someone else if it shoots left for you. I guess what people are suggesting is that maybe you could have something wrong with your shooting technique. So how about that? Are you experienced? Shoot well with other guns? I agree with the part about having someone else shoot it and see before you start hammering or filing on it. And maybe try a different Vacquero yourself to see if it does the same thing.

Experienced shooter, both freehand and rest. Exact same model in 45acp shoots dead center. The 45LC shoots consistently 4 in. left. It's this gun.

Does Ruger consider this a defect they will remedy?

Talk to customer service. I know from experience that their expectation of accuracy is generally far less than that of the consumer. Call them...

Hate to hear that. And I am still puzzled why they produce revolvers with undersized throats (and thread chokes for that matter).

tacotime said:

Experienced shooter, both freehand and rest. Exact same model in 45acp shoots dead center. The 45LC shoots consistently 4 in. left...

Click to expand...

Same model, different gun?

tacotime said:

Hate to hear that. And I am still puzzled why they produce revolvers with undersized throats (and thread chokes for that matter).

Click to expand...

What revolvers do they consistently send out with undersized throats? All 50 or so of mine seems to be spot on ( if it has a threaded barrel it's going to have some degree of a thread choke unless it's been lapped out).

I'd call Ruger.. Send it back with target samples and ammo. Have them test it ad send it back with a test target along with the ammo they used,. They should be sending a label for shipping too. That is in no way acceptable accuracy

You never want to include live ammo when shipping a firearm. That's first question FedEx will ask! And Ruger will not put rounds with it. Maybe a target. I was told Ruger test them for windage, elevation at 15 yrds.

daveg.inkc said:

You never want to include live ammo when shipping a firearm. That's first question FedEx will ask! And Ruger will not put rounds with it. Maybe a target. I was told Ruger test them for windage, elevation at 15 yrds.

Click to expand...

I meant specifying what ammo he used... and that with the test target, Ruger would specify what ammo they used.

I've done this exact thing with Ruger.. They ended up replacing the barrel and cylinder and did send the test target and ammo specs

Have someone who knows watch you closely while your shooting.
My guess you may be anticipating recoil! Could be a number of things.
Go out and pop of a few hundred rounds get relaxed and give it another go. ps

powder smoke said:

Have someone who knows watch you closely while your shooting.
My guess you may be anticipating recoil!

Click to expand...

He said he doesn't have this problem with a .45ACP Vaquero, so I'm guessing his shooting is okay.

My off hand calculations come up with about .050 inches of site correction. That is way too much to file the notch or bend the sight in my opinion. Probably a reason I bought Blackhawks.

I have a S&W 442 that would shoot 6" to the left at 20'.
I sent it back to S&W to be fixed, got it back and it's accurate and shoots right at the point of aim. They said they did a barrel alignment.
Probably what your vaquero needs. Definitely sent it back.

What year Vaquero is this?
I had a really nice NV in .45 Colt from 2005 that was an excellent shooter and sold it to a young
fellow down the street to buy another gun.
I got to shoot it again last week and just might buy it back or trade for it....it was that good!

Maybe it's the grip?
I had a Uberti Schofield and I couldn't hit much with that...just couldn't get a good hold on it or the style grip frame didn't work for me.
Sold it and bought a used ol' SBH .44 Magnum....another laser beam shooter for me!

My process goes like this. I get the gun dimension-ally correct. Ie. I set the cylinder throats to .452 (Both of my Vaqueros were tight, my original Vaquero was ~.449). I set the forcing cone to proper angle. Shoot it. If there is leading, I take care of that next (fire-lapping in one Vaquero). Now I find a load that groups well for the bullet this gun will be using. In this case a 250g RNFP. I don't care where it groups, as long as the group is tight enough. Now the gun goes to the gunsmith for a tune-up. Then later we meet out at the range. He has a barrel-vise on his truck. He turns the barrel, I shoot at a 25Y target. Usually takes a few times to get it 'right'. Now it is vertically corrected. Then, over a few sessions, I carefully file down the front sight to bring up to POA. Done. Ready for a long life of usage. Side note, this gunsmith would normally shoot it himself, but he and I see the sights slightly differently we found.

This is why, most people prefer adjustable sights as it isn't as much of a hassle to get them to shoot straight. I just really dislike having to use Kentucky windage on any revolver. Anyway, Ruger may be able to help. Give them the yards and the offset in the box with the gun and they may be able to realign the barrel slightly for you. Bending the front sight is dicey as you might break it off. Filing the rear sight works but opens up the sight picture which can make it harder to shoot tight groups (if you care about that).

A friend of mine had a .44 Magnum Vaquero that shot way left too. He sent it back to Ruger, and it came back shooting right to point of aim. I forgot what they did, but it was fine.