Just shot my new Vaquero .44 special

[Vulcan Bob]

Hi all, after a long wait for my new .44 Special Vaquero and for the temerature to rise a bit I finally got it out. Wanting to break in that shiney new barrel with some jacketed bullets,I ran fifty rounds with the Nosler 240gr JSP and fifty rounds with the 240gr Hornady XTP's with an undisclosed amount of 2400 under them. Man this thing shoots great, just like my Flat top's! At twenty yards the point of impact was four and a half inchs low and spot on for windage. When it warms up a trip to the range will be made with some "Skeeter" ammo and a file to zero things. I am a happy camper with this one!

 

[don44]

That's good and I'm sure you'll be able to "dial it in".

 

[Doc Thornton]

When you file your front sight down, how do you get it even on top
and keep a nice contour? Is there a gadget or fixture that you clamp
to the sight to use a guide or do you just do the filing free hand?

 

[Vulcan Bob]

Hey there Doc, I do it at the range free hand. I just try to follow the stock conture of the sight whilst takeing only a little bit with each try, shoot a bit and file a little till I get where I want to be. Just like my shop teacher said, its easy to take off but hard to put back on! I stop just short of where I want to be and then clean up and true up as much as possible, this usually takes it down enough to be where I want to be, then hit it with cold blue to finish. With my vision these days my eye really cannot see any imperfections while sighting. I had to do this with my other two new model Vaquero's in 357 Mag and 45 Colt with good results. Im sure that a good gunsmith more than likely has a fixture of some sort to do this.

 

[Doc Thornton]

Hey Vulcan Bob, thanks for the response. At this point, after 228 views
of this thread, it seems that you are the only one who knows about this.

I am pretty fair at making things by hand out of wood using small planes,
spoke shaves, small wood rasps and files (canoe paddles and small models)
but filing down the attached metal sight and having it look
right seems tricky. I guess that I could practice on something first.

I have a 44 Mag Vaquero with the 4 5/8" barrel with the
warning on the bottom and it shoots around 3 inches low at 25 yds.
It shoots dead on straight though. I've only shot some 185 grain Sierra HPs
out of it so I might get a different POI with 240 grain bullets.
However, just in case I though that I would ask about the front sight
work so that I would be prepared to do it if needed. Thanks again.

 

[steve b]

Yeah, am at the same place here with my 3.75" .44spec Vaquero. After some more break-in, then a decsion on which load, will be attempt to file front sight. Posted, asking for info earlier. steve b

 

[DGW1949]

Don't forget the masking tape guys. And tape over much more of the metal than you think you might accidently rub....'cause stuff happens.

DGW

 

[steve b]

yup, tape. Am also thinking of serrations and maybe cold blueing, or at least sand/bead blasting. steve b

 

[Rafsob]

And the biggest item to take into consideration is realize what cartridge load will be you ultimate round and then do you filing. Figure out what jacketed round and lead head round you will be shooting.

When all that is done then go on and file till you get it right and be one happy shooter. Good luck and good shooting pal.

 

[M'BOGO]

A good idea too, is to flatten off the top rear round edge after regulating the height. If then serrated, it results in about the best sight picture that can be had with stock Vaquero sights.

 

[Vulcan Bob]

Tape!?! Holy smokes I forgot to tell Doc about the tape! Thanks for the reminder fella's, tape is a really good idea folk's, the first one I did this sort of thing to I did san's tape and sure enough I wound up with a nice file induced scratch on the barrel. As already stated by one savvy fellow here, a file will get onto places you really think it wont!

 

[Doc Thornton]

Yeah, that's the ticket! The tape tip makes a lot of sense.
There is no way that when working with files and stuff that I will
be able to avoid a slip with the tool or nick or gouge something
that is not supposed to be nicked and gouged!

I think that I will make an exact pattern of the original contour of
the sight out of thick plastic so that I can use it as a guide to get
the sight back to the same lines and or shape as before I started.

I don't know about doing all of this at the range though.
How would you secure the revolver while filing? You can't just
hold it in your hand and go at it. You must need a clamp or a vise
of some kind to hold the piece while filing.

Thanks everyone for your input.

 

[Hondo44]

I only file flat at the range just to get the height right and I do use the tape!

Then when I get home and can sit at my bench under more controlled conditions, I take out another ruger and place it in front of the one I'm working on to use as my guide.

Yes, Doc, clamp the revolver poiinting away from you so you can use both hands to SQUARELY draw file the sight to the right contour with a fine file. Constantly review your progress by looking at it from the side and comparing it to the other gun (or your plastic reproduction).

Once satisfied with the results, tightly wrap your file with 1000 grit paper. Continue to draw file with the paper until all file marks are gone. Before moving on, pick up the gun and sight at a bright wall as if your aiming at a target. If the sight is not square and flat on top, it'll show up now!

You can cold blue at this stage. Or if like me, you'll take a dremel tool with a hard flat surface felt buffing wheel and gently polish with white stainless steel rouge until it's mirror bright. It will take and hold the bluing much better with a high polish. Careful not to round the edges by pressing too hard with the wheel.

Clean with alcohol and use only Brownell's Ox-Pho bluing cream. If you holster the gun, it will eventually wear off just like the factory blue. Just touch it up once in awhile. A black indelible pen over the blue will give a more durable flat black finish and is easier to touch up.

It's worth the effort to get it right. People won't believe you ever filed the sight.

 

[Doc Thornton]

Hondo44

Great! With all of the advice given by the good folks on this forum
I feel like I can take this on with no fear of mutilating the front sight
of my 44 mag Vaquero.

For general shooting I will be using 240 gr. semi wad cutter
gas check bullets cast in a Lee double cavity mold.
I normally use range scrap due to the dwindling supply of wheel weights.
I also have a good supply of Hornady 240 gr XTPs so hopefully
the heavier bullets will bring up the POI a bit and there won't be
any excessive filing needed.

 

[Hondo44]

You're right Doc, heavier bullets will raise the POI. Just not quite as much in a short barrel as in a longer barrel, since the bullet obviously spends a few more milliseconds in the barrel if it's longer.

I've had my New Vaq 44 Spl 3 3/4" Sheriff model for almost 3 weeks now. It's all tuned and ready to go but it won't stop raining here. Can't wait to see how it shoots!