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fixed sights - to file or not to file... that is the question..

14K views 23 replies 17 participants last post by  william evans 
#1 ·
Hi folks,

I have a few fix-sighted Ruger single action revolvers (all stainless). I have a Vaquero and two Bearcats.

The guns came from the factory shooting pretty much dead on windage (left-right) wise, but the front sights are a little tall so they shoot a little lower than point of aim. I realize that this is intentional on the part of Ruger so the owners can file down the front sight blade to adjust the impact for the desired load.

I have owned these guns for several years, and still haven't filed the front sights down yet. I was thinking about doing so for one of the bearcats. I like to shoot a standard 40 grain LRN 22LR cartridge in the gun. I was thinking of filing (a little at a time) the front sight to adjust the point of impact for one bearcat, then possibly for the Vaquero.

For those of you with fix sighted revolvers, do you file down the sights? I do handload, but for the 45 Colt, I don't typically use a light enough bullet to raise the point of impact high enough to match the front sight on my Vaquero.

Thanks in advance
 
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#2 ·
Actually, against all logic...

The heavier the bullet, the higher the point of impact.

It is possible that you were doing yourself a dis-service by attempting to go lighter.

Try the 255 and see what happens.

The phenomenon is known as bore dwell time, sometimes called barrel dwell time.
 
#4 ·
I have the same issue with my .45 ACP Vaquero, it hits high with the cheap Wolf steel case I have tried in it, and it seems heavy .45's will just hit high.

I just plan to live with it, since other loads hit to POA. It also hits a little left, so I'm going to shoot it more to see if it's me "pushing off" on the trigger making it hit left, or if the sights are off.

If I shoot hundreds of rounds off sandbags, standing, etc. and it's still hitting left, I plan to have my master gunsmith take some metal off the rear sight notch and reblue the filed spot so it looks like nothing was ever done. I can deal with hitting high or low but being off to the left or right annoys me.

It's a common Ruger factory technique to take some off the left or right side of a fixed sight revolver, and they seem to have several different heights of front sight. I also have a few fixed sight GP's that appear to have front sights that were filed down at the factory. The filing doesn't seem to translate as well with single actions though......

The only issue I would have with filing a single action front sight is the front sight will lose that rounded shape and look "hacked off" for the rest of the life of the gun........I've seen used Vaqueros with filed front sights and it looks like complete crap IMO. A beautiful, expensive Ruger SA revolver with a sight filed down with a $5 bastard file, no good......you're better off making a project out of it and doing one of those "Old West" fixes and replacing the front blade with a cut in half dime cut to the height you need........ If you have access to a very skilled gunsmith he could take down the front sight and after it's hitting to POA he could return the rounded shape to it.
 
#5 · (Edited)
Thanks for the replies folks. Yes, that's right, it's the heavier bullets that hit higher (thanks for reminding me... i do remember reading about dwell time and how the heavier, slower rounds tend to hit higher since they take longer to leave the barrel).

My normal 45 Colt load is a 255 gr bullet (hardcast - I don't load it hot for my Vaquero) and while it does bring the point of up it's still a little low. I think I'll try filing it with the Bearcat to start... it's a stainless gun so once I drop the front height a little, I can recontour the shape (carefully) to keep the round appearance.
 
#6 ·
I had these problems with my Birdshead 45ACP. POI was low and left. I fixed the left by wrapping my finger a little further around the trigger to "pull" rather than push and filed a little off the top of the front sight and then rounded it back off when I got it where I wanted it. It looks like it did before I filed it but I had no finish issues as it is stainless.Just go slow if you start filing. You can take more off but can't put it back. It's like the carpenter said "measure twice cut once".
 
#8 · (Edited)
I 'always' file the front sight if the gun shoots low for the loads it is going to normally get (blued or stainless). Use the 'Kentucky Windage' only for the 'rarely' shot loads. In fact I prefer my fixed sighted revolvers to always shoot low from the factory so that I can make the adjustment myself! A win win! Nothing worse than picking up one of my guns and trying to remember 'does this shoot low? left? right? high?'. Nope Notta. So yeah, once you find the load you are going to shoot, file it down 'slowly' as you can't put steel back on!
 
#10 ·
While it's pretty common knowledge that the "barrel flip" is how builders determine front sight height, it doesn't track perfectly.

Call up Ruger some time, spend about 30min on the phone and ask them to tell you the exact heights of all of the Ruger Vaquero front sights. There are non-linear discrepancies/inconsistencies between each cartridge for different barrel lengths, and between each barrel length for cartridge.

So you can't just assume that the taller height corresponds to longer dwell time, or shorter heights correspond to lighter bullets...
 
#11 ·
I always file and bend the front sight once I try several different loads and rested/unrested to where I'm confident it's the right thing to do. Bending the front blade is a little delicate. I close the blade in a vise and use a padded clamp to do the bending. I like using the vise and clamp method so that it is controlled bending, and you quickly get a feel for the pressure needed to start getting it to bend. Of course, take it slow.
 
#22 · (Edited)
I've been told that "clocking" the barrel (screwing it slightly in or out to move the front sight) is the preferred method, but haven't done it yet.

My New Vaquero shoots a little left and way low, so getting someone to screw the barrel in very slightly would be nice. I can calculate how much the front sight needs to "move", but not sure how precisely it would get done.

It's interesting that ExArmy11b says (post #4) Ruger usually files the side of the rear notch instead of turning the barrel or bending the sight.

My dream would be a front sight dovetailed into the barrel. You could drive it left-right for windage, and if you changed loads after filing and it shot too high, just buy another front sight.
 
#12 ·
File only about 1/2 what it would take to make a 'full' adjustment...and shoot it that way for a while..depending on your load (heavier vs lighter and powder burn) you might just adjust your sight angle a bit in leu of completely filing the sight down to what you think is the right height?
 
#14 ·
I sorted mine by tweaking the load.
 
#16 ·
I will file as a last resort and after a lot of testing. A gun that shoots low with a fixed sight gun is an easy fix - just file the front down as needed. Have done it many times.

Overall, I like fixed sight guns for their simplicity and ruggedness. Just have to keep track of where each one shoots and with what ammo. :)
 
#17 ·
I have filed every one of my fixed sight SA revolvers except my Shopkeeper, which for some reason shoots very high.

Filing is an easy fix, just don't take off too much.
 
#18 ·
Hi all - here's an update... I went to the range and filed down the sights on my stainless new vaquero. i'm glad i did.

now with my light Trailboss loads, the rounds hit point of aim at 10 yards. it's a downright pleasure to shoot the light and accurate 45 Colt trailboss rounds from this gun.

The heavy standard pressure (i use Unique powder) loads also shoot closer to point of aim now. I'm pleased with the gun and plan to file some others down.

The suggestion to work slowly was super helpful. i was surprised out how little material i had to remove to bring up the point of impact.
 
#19 ·
Glad it worked for you :) . Now when you acquire the sights you know exactly where the bullet is going to go without thinking about it.
 
#20 ·
First of all I am new at shooting single actions so bear with me. I have shot thousands of semi automatic through several brands of pistols with acceptable results. But, the Ruger Vaquero is a whole different experience. I have shot 250 rounds of mostly .38 Special and 50 of .357 and they all hit high right. Not just a little but more like 4-5" high right. Now I know some of it is me, but after reading all the posts about filing I'm wondering if I am at that point. My concern was that they were filing for shooting low. I am shooting factory ammo not reloads. Comments?
 
#21 ·
Filing won't help you. Your shooting high. Only choice you have is to have Ruger replace the front sight with a taller one and go from there. You could try some light (125g) bullets, but 5" high is pretty hard to overcome. As for shooting right, you could also tell Ruger that and they may turn the barrel for you... Maybe.
 
#24 ·
I have two bisley vaquero's in 45 colt. one 5in and one 7 1/2in. My load for both is a 255 gr boolet with 8.2 gr of unique. They shoot to point of aim at 15 yds. off hand and give me about 1 to 1 1/2 in groups. Great for my cowboy action shooting. I have not altered the sights. Load development works.
Bill
 
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