Stainless Bearcat Front Sight ??

[xtratoy]

Does anyone know how the front sight on a Stainless Bearcat is held in? Mine looks like the sight is held into the barrel slot with a couple of stakes ( punches ) in the barrel on either side of the sight. I am wondering if I can work it out and replace with a taller sight, then re-stake it in place. It shoots to POA out around 90 yards but is about 5 or 6 inches high on the close stuff. If I leave a 3" gap under a pop can @ 20 yards I can hit it in the middle of the can.

 

[rugerguy]

yes, it is staked and pressed in, so if you "copy" the exact lower portion of the blade and only make it higher ( taller) and can file it down to fit YOUR needs...usually they are pretty spot on, and its n the "shooting" (grip, and sight alignment, then as to just what YOU are doing when YOU pull the trigger....have some one else try it and also bench it (shoot from a rest or a hard bag...) THEN work on the sight....remember ,neatness counts...
we "press" the blades in ,do not hammer, tap, pound or beat them in.... a bit of Loctite helps and a proper stake finishes it off..........

 

[xtratoy]

Thanks Dan. I will try the technique angle first. Some days it seems to shoot where I aim it and some days it shoots high. I just wonder if the days it hits where I am aiming are my bad days? :shock: I have been using the same ammo, so that should eliminate that variable. I don't have this issue with my Single Sixes or my Blackhawks. I have a piece of Stainless ready for the project if it turns out I need to do it.

 

[rugerguy]

the main problem (issue) is the gun is so very small in the MOST folks hands and it is about the easiest to "throw" off,push or pull and vary in its shot to shot........hell, many people their knuckle (trigger finger) goes all the around the trigger and when you pull it the 'tip' is up against the frame!! Heaven forbid one has FAT index fingers OR wears gloves :shock:
yessir, is a bit hard to grip, and very strange to people who happen to shoot more double action guns...and as you note, the Single Six is "better" most of the time........nature of the beast, but a cute little beastie.... :wink:

 

[xtratoy]

Update: I finally replaced my front sight on my Bearcat with a Stainless one. Previously I had built up the sight with JB Weld epoxy and got an idea of how tall to make it. I used it that way until the epoxy started wearing down on one side from abrasion with the holster. I used a diamond dremel bit to notch the sides of the new sight where I restaked it in place. I left it .015" higher than I ended up with my trial sight and now have to finalize the finished height. I was at .260 above the barrel and now at .275 so I can file down to POA. if you decide to do this you need to find a piece of metal that is .073" - .074" thick to work with unless you like to do a lot of filing. I made my sight Patridge style instead of the half moon type that was on it.

 

[rugerguy]

sounds good, and good info, we usually just "save" the original sight blade for the owner, and if going to the work, may as well just put in 'carbon steel ' ( we use Starrett stock of the size you mention) this way we can "blue" the blade, makes it easier to see, and makes no matter as to being stainless as it is NOT "original" anyway,,,,thats why you keep the one you remove, can always put it back in in the future,,,,,,,,,
good luck, and have fun sighting it in.....and PICTURES!!!