TALO 44 Special front sight learning experience

[Larry from Bend]

In another post, I mentioned that my 44 Special (Stainless, 4 5/8") shot too high (maybe 3" @ 25 yards) with the rear sight bottomed out. I E-Mailed Ruger and they sent me a taller front sight. It's .445" as opposed to the original sight which is .340"

After receiving the sight I had an orange insert milled into it by a local gunsmith.

Yesterday I drilled the new sight (it comes without the hole drilled for the roll pin ) and installed it. That went fine. The shocker was (at least to me) how much that .105" difference in front sight height made me elevate the rear sight. It was around 35 clicks to get POA and POI to coincide. The rear sight is now so elevated that it is unstable and surely not good for a field gun.

I know that I could file down the taller front sight. Of course that will destroy the plastic insert. I E-Mailed Ruger and explained the problem. I don't think it's too much to ask that Ruger supply a front sight that allows me to shoot 240 grain ammo to POA without having the rear sight elevated to this point, but Ruger will probably disagree

Anyway, since I posted that I was going to make this front sight change, I thought I should let you know how it worked out.

 

[contender]

They sent you a taller front sight so you COULD file it down to a proper height. You should have regulated it (filed it to the height you needed,) before you added the insert.
I'd call them, explain exactly what I did, and politely request to purchase a second insert due to my mistake.
Ruger supplies a front sight that is regulated to the test ammo they use. They can not have a "one size fits all" due to the many variables in ammo out there. I could not blame them for "not providing me with a properly sized front sight."
Be nice & polite, and purchase a second insert.

 

[pisgah]

See this horse? See this cart? Okay, which one goes in front of the other one...;-)

 

[Jimbo357mag]

They sent you a taller front sight so you COULD file it down to a proper height. You should have regulated it (filed it to the height you needed,) before you added the insert.
I'd call them, explain exactly what I did, and politely request to purchase a second insert due to my mistake.
Ruger supplies a front sight that is regulated to the test ammo they use. They can not have a "one size fits all" due to the many variables in ammo out there. I could not blame them for "not providing me with a properly sized front sight."
Be nice & polite, and purchase a second insert.

Contender, have you thought about going into the diplomatic corps?

...Jimbo

 

[Boge]

They sent you a taller front sight so you COULD file it down to a proper height. You should have regulated it (filed it to the height you needed,) before you added the insert...

Diplomatic answer. :wink:

 

[Larry from Bend]

The.
Ruger supplies a front sight that is regulated to the test ammo they use. They can not have a "one size fits all" due to the many variables in ammo out there. I could not blame them for "not providing me with a properly sized front sight."
Be nice & polite, and purchase a second insert.

Your condesending answer does not become you and tells me nothing that I didn't already know. The problem with these 44s bottoming out the rear sight and shooting high has been widely reported. Had Ruger supplied them with a .360" front sight, it wouldn't have been an issue for anyone.

Apparently Ruger's "test ammo" that you are so knowledgeable about does not include 200, 220, 240 or 250 grain bullets traveling @ from 770 to 1140 fps because their factory sight set-up doesn't allow any of them to shoot to point of aim. Do you have a TALO 44 Special or are you just braying?

I'm enjoying my Ruger, and I'll get POA and POI to coincide, so don't you concern yourself further. I was reporting on a modification that I made for the benefit of others who might try the same thing and be disappointed in the results.

 

[Boge]

...Your condesending{sic} answer does not become you and tells me nothing that I didn't already know. The problem with these 44s bottoming out the rear sight and shooting high has been widely reported. Had Ruger supplied them with a .360" front sight, it wouldn't have been an issue for anyone.

Apparently Ruger's "test ammo" that you are so knowledgeable about does not include 200, 220, 240 or 250 grain bullets traveling @ from 770 to 1140 fps because their factory sight set-up doesn't allow any of them to shoot to point of aim. Do you have a TALO 44 Special or are you just braying?

I'm enjoying my Ruger, and I'll get POA and POI to coincide, so don't you concern yourself further. I was reporting on a modification that I made for the benefit of others who might try the same thing and be disappointed in the results.

WOW!! :shock: By the way, it's "condescending." If you are going to insult a man that is trying to help then at least learn how to spell. :wink:

I see nothing condescending in Contender's reply, only common sense as well as taking the time to tell you how to resolve it. If you're so damned smart then why in the hell did you file before shooting? I felt sorry for you in the beginning. Not now.

 

[4MUL8R]

You might want to experiment with heavier bullets going slower if you don't want to change the sights.

If you can retrieve the data from original POA / POI and the subsequent trial with the new front sight, you can find calculators online to get the front sight height estimated. You'll need both rear sight position and front sight height, as well as the distance between the two.

Then, with the second sight blade, you could have it milled down to the predicted required height for a nice square blade top before the insert is placed within.

 

[edlmann]

They sent you a taller front sight so you COULD file it down to a proper height. You should have regulated it (filed it to the height you needed,) before you added the insert.

agree

 

[J Miller]

The standard SAAMI spek 44 Spcl load is a 246gr RN bullet moseying along at about 770 ± fps. More than likely that is what Ruger used when deciding on the front sight.


Joe

 

[tek4260]

The important thing is that Ruger often puts too short of a front sight on their revolvers. I haven't a clue as to why either. Maybe we should try to come up with a recommendation and all hit the tell the CEO link. Maybe they could simply make the blued Blackhawks use the same style sight base as the stainless ones where it would be easy for us to fix.