.45 Colt Front Sight Issue

[begger]

I have a blued New Model Blackhawk in .45 Colt, 7.5 barrel. With the rear sight cranked all the way down, and a little of the top of the rear sight filed off, I am at point-of-aim for 255 grain LSWC's. But I want to be able to shoot 300 grain or so LBT's. Basically I need a taller front sight.

What are my options?

 

[DeletedMember275]

You need a taller front sight; I believe the sight intended for the .45 Colt 4-5/8" model is the tallest that Ruger makes. Otherwise, you'll have to go aftermarket. Blue guns have their front sights silver soldered on; stainless guns have a pin retaining the blade.

A decent gunsmith can convert your blued gun to utilize the pin-in blades on his milling machine.

 

[tek4260]

I have a blued New Model Blackhawk in .45 Colt, 7.5 barrel. With the rear sight cranked all the way down, and a little of the top of the rear sight filed off, I am at point-of-aim for 255 grain LSWC's. But I want to be able to shoot 300 grain or so LBT's. Basically I need a taller front sight.

What are my options?

What tools do you have at your disposal? Drill press, torch, ect?

And more importantly how good are ya with em

 

[flatgate]

As usual the Sixgun Magician, Hamilton Bowen, has "got you covered".

Stainless .45 Blackhawk? As Enigma stated get a short barreled gun's front sight.

Blued gun? That's where Bowen's sight blade can "save the day". You'll need to get the help of a machinist to "get 'er done", though. The front sight blade needs to be "milled off" and a slot "plunge cut" with an end mill in the sight base. Bowen's blade, specifically designed for this procedure, is clamped in place then the gun is rotated 90 degrees and the retaining pin is installed.

flatgate

 

[wildcatter]

Yep one advantage of the Stainless gun's, if you give up a little in the look's, they give ya the interchangeability, to put a front sight on your gun that it should a had from the factory to begin with!!! My 5 1/2" convertable wouldn't work with anything but lighter boolits in hot loads, and was shooting a tad high with the 250's loaded very hot, when locked all the way down. Now after having David Clements make me a dandy No. 5 blade thinned to a tenth inch and a tad taller, I can shoot my 340 grain cast with adjustment left, and still use the 45 acp cylinder and 200 grain cast load.

Clements has pretty good turn around time, and very good prices, he has been an excellent choice for the work I've had done. He can convert your sight blade to a couple different changeable designs that will work. I would give him a call, Bowen can do it and is excellent also but usually take longer with his work load. Good luck however you decide to go, once converted you will be happy!!![/img]

 

[Trebor Snave]

My 5.5 inch 45 NM had the same problem - I was about 6" high at 25 yards with the rear sight all the way down. Before I built up the front sight I had the cylinder throats reamed and the forcing cone recut, and all of a sudden I was bringing up the rear sight to RAISE my point of impact.

 

[tacklebury]

Could look at the Weigand solder on replacement that allows use of different front sights.

http://www.jackweigand.com/interfs.html

 

[chg]

Check to make sure the correct front sight was installed at the factory. I purchased one, new in box, and it had the short front sight on it. I could not get it so shoot low enough with any load.

 

[broknprism]

Whoa whoa... I just bought a 5.5" NM in .45. Was I naive to believe that it would shoot to point of aim for its caliber simply because the manufacturer has been making them for 60 years and has had time to iron the bugs out in his design...? :shock:

Seriously, what I should I stuff in this thing to make it shoot where I point? The front sight seems awful tall to me.

 

[flatgate]

Seriously, what I should I stuff in this thing to make it shoot where I point? The front sight seems awful tall to me.

I routinely shoot 335 gr. commercially produced hardcast "LBT" bullets out of my .45's. The tall front sights work quite well.....

flatgate

 

[bigboredad]

I love the tall sites on my .45's like flategates loads only mine fall out at 340 and I have know problem with my sights hitting where I want them. But then again flatgate has been my guide on alot of the big bores for going on 10 years now

 

[Dale53]

It must depend on the time of shipment/manufacture or else some of us see things differently than others. I know that I had a good friend who shot well but when he and I swapped revolvers he shot mine several inches low and to the left of where I shot his (and vice versa). Both of us would shoot a nice group but several inches off from the partner.

My Ruger SS Bisley 5½" .45 Colt/.45 ACP convertible shoots to the sights with both cylinders (and loads) AFTER I adjust the sights. However, in the Colt I used only a clone of Lyman's 454424 (250 gr Keith) and a clone of the RCBS 45-270-SAA (285 grs). In the .45 ACP I used 200 SWC's. I am totally satisfied with my sights, POA and POI both.

Maybe I am just lucky. More than one has mentioned sending the gun back to Ruger for a taller front sight.

Dale53

 

[tek4260]

Pretty satisfied with my current "fix"

Of course the final product is shorter. Can somewhat see it in this picture

I am pretty sure that at least 50% of the problem of shooting left has to do with too much finger on the trigger and heavy factory trigger return springs.