Problem with new redhawk ??

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exnavarm

Bearcat
Joined
Aug 24, 2011
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Hello to all. Been reading for over a year but this is first post. I'm a proud owner, (not so sure now), of a redhawk 4" .45 LC. I love this gun and always wanted one. Took it to the range with 2 loads, 225 gr Horn. FTX and Win. cowboy load 250 gr lead flat nose. Good news is that it is accurate, albeit at 7-8 yds. and the cowboy load went into one ragged hole. bad news is that it was hitting 2-3" to left of bullseye !! This is totally unacceptable to me, especially after what I paid for it.
Has anyone else had this problem before and what have you done??
I know I can just adj. the rear sight, but it will just bug me, and I don't want to have to send it back, but know that I might have to.
Any help would be appreciated. thanks.
 
I would let several other people shoot it and see if it goes left for them too. That would eliminate operator error.

I would also try to shoot it off sandbags to make sure I wasn't pulling the shots.
 
First off welcome to the forum! You could put it in a ransom rest and find out if it is you or the gun. Me I'd just fix it with the adjustable sight. That is what they are for. There are targets that say what to do if you're shooting other than dead center. So you might check trigger finger placement, tightening the fingers, or are you anticipating the recoil? You could also try several different loads. Good luck.
gramps
 
Make sure it's not loaded and look at it from the muzzle end. Is the barrel pulled up square with the mainframe ?
 
Not entirely understanding why you refuse to use the adjustable sights on an adjustable-sighted gun, since Gramps is right & that's why they're there, but were you firing off a rest or unsupported?
I'd shoot it supported, make sight adjustments as needed to center for windage, and go from there.

I have a couple guns that have the rear sight adjusted slightly to the left or right, as long as they're not hugely off-center I don't lose sleep over it.
Denis
 
That is exactly and specifically what the rear adjustable sight is for; there is absolutely nothing "wrong" with the gun.

Further understanding will eliminate the bugging issue.
 
Thank you all for trying to help.
Now, to explain further, once I saw that it was shooting to the left, I did go to a supported rest, and confirmed it. I do own one other redhawk, a 7 1/2" 44 mag, and a 7 1/2" SRH 454 casull. Both shoot right on at 7, 15 20 yds. So both are shooting straight.
So you can now see why I asked if anybody else is having a problem with theirs. Obiviously, something is off.

WY01, looks squared up, no cant.

DPris, didn't say I refuse to use adj. sights, just don't want to BECAUSE I know something is wrong. I will if I absolutely have to, (until I get it fixed). I understand some don't care if they have crank the sights one way or the other, but I do....esp. if I pay close to $800!!

WESHOOT2, as you can see, i have 2 other rugers that are spot on, so I do UNDERSTAND there is a problem. If it shoots 3" left at 7-8 yds. imagine where it will shoot at 20-25.

I just would like to know what others, who have had this problem, have done to rectify it.
Thank you much for the replies !!
 
Welcome to the Forum!
I will venture to say that nothing is "wrong" with your firearm. You call it a "problem" that it doesn't shoot to point of aim with the sights set at the factory.
Let's look at a few things.
First, the ammo used at the factory is most likely different than yours, so it will impact differently.
Next, the folks who test fire the guns at the factory do not adjust the sights, they just leave them as assembled. Usually they are assembled mostly to the center.
The gun is a mechanical object. No two exact models are perfectly alike. Each one will have it's differences. There are hundreds of steps done in the manufacturing of each firearm, so there will be minor differences in each & every one.
You got lucky in that your other two guns shoot to point of aim w/o any adjustments at all.
If you were to send the gun back to Ruger, I'm sure they will check it out, and most likely find it is within specs & tolerances. I bet they wouldn't do anything UNLESS they found a major manufacturing defect. That's why manufacturers have a tolerance range of acceptance in ALL mechanical items they build. (Not just gun companies.) And while you think $800 is a lot to pay, and are expecting perfection, you are buying assembly line production prices. Check out custom gun makers, or even a company such as Freedom Arms where more time & detail goes into the making of a firearm. The prices there reflect the extra detail towards perfection.
Lastly, each & every person out there can have a slightly different hold, stance, sight picture, grip pressure, etc to make a difference in how they shoot. NO manufacturer can build each & every gun to where it shoots point of aim for everybody with all ammo. It's just plain impossible.
To put it bluntly, there are way too many variables to make this happen.
I have quite a few Rugers, and other firearms. Most have some form of adjustable sights. Most require a little adjustment to get them to shoot where I point them with the ammo I choose.
From all you've mentioned, there isn't anything wrong with your gun, just adjust the rear sight blade.
 
I shoot right handed but a buddy of mine shoots left handed. One day I was about to shoot his Taurus and I noticed the sight was drifted most of the way to the left. And it hit's point of aim for him. I shot it and I was hitting way left. Like 4-5 inches at 25 yards. I would have needed to drift the sight back to the right to get it to hit for me.

What I'm getting at is I don't see how a factory could ever account for all the different way's people hold their revolvers, or see sights and get a gun to hit center for everybody. Like was said before that's what the adjustable sights are for.

TDF
 
At 7 yds you need to move the rear sight .051" to change impact 2"

At 8 yds you need to move the rear sight .045 " to change impact 2".

To change point of impact 3" at 8 yds,you would need to move the rear sight app. 1/16".

If this is something you can't tolerate,you will need to call Ruger and see if they will turn the barrel slightly.They may,but I'm not too sure about that.

I know it sounds like it should shoot like your other Redhawk but if it has a different style grip than your 7 1/2",then what others say about how a gun is gripped,may be coming into play,just because of a different grip shape,not necessarily anything you are doing.The shorter sight radius will magnify anything that is different.

At any rate,I don't make any assumptions based on 7-8 yds.25 yds tells me a lot more.Any reason not to just try adjusting the sight and see how much it takes? If it starts to freak you out you can always put them right back and pretend it never happened.LOL
 
I have shot hundreds of firearms with adjustable sights over the past 40 years- rifles, pistols, revolvers. I can not recall a single instance where the mechanical zero of the sights (center of range of adjustablility) coincided with point of aim. I expect to adjust. I don't expect to adjust way out to the limit of travel of the sight.

exnavarm, are you starting at measured windage mechanical zero or is that a Mk I Eyeball estimate?

You say the barrel does not appear clocked. Is the front sight ramp insert machined off-center? I think I saw a post where someone had that.
 
First thing I do when I head out will a new gun, is bring tools along to allow me to adjust the rear sight. I don't think I've ever had one adjustable sight revolver that shot 'perfect' out of the box (groups yes, POI no) with my loads. My first 50-100 shots are to make adjustments and verify the adjustments. After that I can have 'fun' :) . The range to target is 15y. Once all is on paper and look good at that distance, I'll move out to 25Y for final verification. BTW, Ross Seyfield, when testing a .44Spec Bisley, found it's rear sight was not centered, but moved way left.... After adjustment back toward center, he was hitting the target.... Just say'n!

I expect to adjust. I don't expect to adjust way out to the limit of travel of the sight.
Click to expand...
Yep, if the rear sight has to be adjust way left or way right to its limit then something is wrong... But a few clicks is no big deal. That is what the screws are there for!
 
TDF said:
I shoot right handed but a buddy of mine shoots left handed. One day I was about to shoot his Taurus and I noticed the sight was drifted most of the way to the left. And it hit's point of aim for him. I shot it and I was hitting way left. Like 4-5 inches at 25 yards. I would have needed to drift the sight back to the right to get it to hit for me.

What I'm getting at is I don't see how a factory could ever account for all the different way's people hold their revolvers, or see sights and get a gun to hit center for everybody. Like was said before that's what the adjustable sights are for.

TDF
Click to expand...

I can say the exact same thing with me and my buddy and my super redhawk. Off a bag at 50 feet, we both shoot ragged holes three inches apart. His hole is up to the right, mine is down to the left. Damnedest thing I've seen. I moved the rear sight to the right, so *my* points of impact are dead center now.

--edfardos
 
Contender pretty much said it all. Also, from what I understand, when folks at Ruger test the sights they shoot to see if it shoots into a certain sized area; I don't recall the size of the area. Also, if I recall correctly, they are shooting at 15 yards. If it shoots inside of that target area they're done. They are not setting the sights to hit the X on every shot from a machine rest. They leave it up to the new owner to zero for themselves.

One of my revolvers is a 4" Redhawk .44 Magnum. I have not had the difficulty you mention.
 
Here's a thread from awhile back. On the 4th page I posted some pics of how I check to see if my front sight is where it should be. The procedure should work with a Redhawk once you remove the cylinder.

http://www.rugerforum.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=89714&highlight=
 
My redhawk also shoots left ( I thought ). I had to crank the rear sight almost all the way right.
My Son and I were shooting over the weekend and he noticed I hold the gun canted.
I also hold my shotguns and rifles canted.
I now know it is me and not the gun.

Pat
 
Try less finger on the trigger and see if your shots come closer to center.

A Redhawk isn't known for a light trigger and too much finger on the trigger will definitely cause you to push your shots left. I remember reading an article in G&A, Make mine a 44, and it had that 5.5 Redhawk and the 94 on the lead page. I had to have one and some of those Buffalo Bore loads so I ordered one the next day. I got it in and noticed how horrible the trigger was. Dad looked at it and loved it, until he cocked the hammer and tried the trigger. I remember he never even snapped it. He squeezed(not enough to release it), said a few choice words, and laid it back on the table. All that to say that the trigger sucks :)
 
I'd suggest you fire at 25 off a rest, adjust to center, and see where your rear sight blade sits. I have a couple that are three or four clicks left or right, it doesn't bother me at all.
I buy adjustable sights so I CAN adjust to my hold & loads.

If yours requires you to use max travel on either side, I'd agree that something's wrong.

Otherwise, I think you've gotten your answer. What we do to "rectify" the "problem" is adjust the sights. :)
I also think your expectations are unrealistic. You may very well find a few guns that are dead on when perfectly centered, but due to tolerance stacking you may easily also find a few that don't shoot dead on when centered.

Windage will also change somewhat from load to load, so again- find the load you want to use, sight it at 25, make the sight adjustments, and see how extreme it is.
I suspect if you're merely a sixteenth of an inch to either side, Ruger will just return it with an "in specs" note.
Denis
 
Iron Mike Golf said:
You say the barrel does not appear clocked. Is the front sight ramp insert machined off-center? I think I saw a post where someone had that.
Click to expand...

This !! I think I read that same post, but for the life of me, I can't find it.

Can anyone help me find this post??
 
WOW !! Many well thought out and insightful Posts !! Many thanks to all of you for your time and help !!
My initial thought was that I had to crank the sights way over to the right to center my shot's, but if it is only 2 or 3 clicks.......well.....I'll have to live with it......but I won't like it...LOL.
Again, thanks to all and I hope to help someone as well as all of you have.

Exnavarm
 
exnavarm said:
WOW !! Many well thought out and insightful Posts !! Many thanks to all of you for your time and help !!
My initial thought was that I had to crank the sights way over to the right to center my shot's, but if it is only 2 or 3 clicks.......well.....I'll have to live with it......but I won't like it...LOL.
Again, thanks to all and I hope to help someone as well as all of you have.

Exnavarm
Click to expand...

I think that it will take about 2 full turns, not clicks. If my figures are correct, the sight should be moved about .055" 8)
 
Ex,
Just go shoot it & adjust as necessary. You can only speculate until you do. :)
Denis
 
Will do. Plan to go this week with a small variety of loads. Will let you know how it goes.
 
exnavarm said:
Hello to all. Been reading for over a year but this is first post. I'm a proud owner, (not so sure now), of a redhawk 4" .45 LC. I love this gun and always wanted one. Took it to the range with 2 loads, 225 gr Horn. FTX and Win. cowboy load 250 gr lead flat nose. Good news is that it is accurate, albeit at 7-8 yds. and the cowboy load went into one ragged hole. bad news is that it was hitting 2-3" to left of bullseye !! This is totally unacceptable to me, especially after what I paid for it.
Has anyone else had this problem before and what have you done??
I know I can just adj. the rear sight, but it will just bug me, and I don't want to have to send it back, but know that I might have to.
Any help would be appreciated. thanks.
Click to expand...

Welcome! That said I don't understand your problem! Open sites are a personal thing will shoot point of aim for one person and to the left, right, low or high for another! That is why they are adjustable!

Adjust them nothing wrong with your redhawk and be proud by all means. JMO as usual ps
 
Update, I was putting a scope on my AR using Midways "level,level,level" and wondered if I can check my barrel's "squareness" with it. I placed my Redhawk on a rest and put the first level on the topstrap, leveled it and placed the second on the bbl. Sure enough, bbl. was tilted to left. bubble's edge went past level's line. Went to range later that day and rested Redhawk at 15 yds. ( i know, 25 is better.....but I'm not as good as a lot of you ), cranked rear sight about 6 clicks to right and got my shots to half to 3/4 " left of center. Rear sight is now about 1/16" from edge.

Will call ruger and see if they can square it up for me if possible.
Reason, because I like all my guns to be like they are supposed to be, (squared up), and would like to have the extra "wiggle" room for different loads. Not just set up for one load.

Sorry if this makes some people think "that is unreasonable". I don't think we should just "accept " what they put out and pay good money for it!! May not be a lot of money for some of you, but, $770 is A LOT for me.
Again, thank you all for your help and suggestions !!
 
As I said earlier- shoot it, dial it, and go from there, which you've now done.
At least you know where you are.
Once you get things situated, do your zeroing at 25 yards. 15 doesn't really tell you much, and a 25-yard .44 Mag zero is a better indicator.

I had one fixed sight handgun that shot about half an inch left at 15 in the hands of the guy who did some custom work on it & was a full 4 inches left at 25 in my hands.

Denis
 
Thanks Denis. Think I'm gonna send it to Ruger....see if they can square it up for me.
As for different impacts on target for diff. people, I have a strong feeling it might have to do with the "dominate" eye thing...as well as other factors.
But clearly, the bbl. IS off and hope it will be fixed for me.
 
g at 25 yards. 15 doesn't really tell you much
Click to expand...
I beg to differ.... If it doesn't shoot into the bullseye at 15, it certainly won't at 25! I do all my initial testing at 15 and a final check at 25. My eyes see the 15y target 'much' better than at 25! :) .
 
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