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Old January 24, 2013, 10:13 PM   #1
AL45
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Join Date: December 12, 2012
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Fixed sighted revolver question.

I have always liked the looks of the Ruger Vaquero but I was concerned with how far off the mark it might shoot horizontally. I realize that I can work up a load that will be accurate vertically but what can be done if it is well off the mark horizontally?
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Old January 24, 2013, 10:57 PM   #2
ZVP
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My 4 5/8 shoots about 1/4" left @ 7 yards . That's the best it gets and it takes Remington RN Lead .38SPL's to get there, Magnums are about3/8" off the mark.
Now a lot can be corrected by widening the rear notch in the opposite direction that you want the bullet to fly. Mine needs some file work soon as I buy a good set.
I absolutelly love the .357 Vaquero!
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Old January 24, 2013, 11:01 PM   #3
nogo
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It's doubtful that your Ruger would shoot way off to one side. Two accepted practices for windage adjustment are filing the rear sight notch to increase its width. Enlarging notch on right side moves point of impact to right. And the other technique is to turn the barrel very, very slightly. Canting the front sight to right moves p.o.i. to left and vice versa.

How one grips the revolver can affect p.o.a. Refrain from adjustments until you are sure about whether or not attemps should be made. If the gun hits one or two inches to either side at 25 yards or so, I'd not mess with it. Bullseye shooters know that the sun's position behind the shooter will cause p.o.i. variation because of shadow.

Many younger shooters may not know that S&W armorer kits contain a lead bar for whamming the barrel to change impact on fixed sight revolvers. I've seen this done many times. Rule of thumb: Keep one foot on the floor.
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Old January 25, 2013, 08:58 PM   #4
rodfac
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My New Vaquero in .45 LC shot two inches to the left and about the same amount low at 25 yds when new. I corrected this by widening the rear notch to the right, then filing down the front sight and then daubed the filed metal with cold blue. This corrected the problem but did widen the notch, resulting in a 'looser' sight picture.

Ruger can adjust impact points for you by screwing the barrel farther in or out of the frame, thereby moving the front sight blade left or right. It's a job I'd not tackle myself and would trust only to a superb gunsmith or the Ruger factory...

Here's a pic of the widened rear notch on my N. Vaquero. As you can see, it doesn't take much to move the impact point....but be advised, you should shoot the gun a lot with your primary load to determine just how much to file...same with the front sight...(filing it down raises the impact point)...

In practice, it was file a stroke or two, then shoot a cpl groups, then file another stroke or two etc. I'm lucky to have a 25 yd range right out my back door here on the farm, but the job could have been done on a regular range with a small portable vice...one suggestion...mask everything that's blued on the gun with electricians tape...'cause I'll almost guarantee you'll slip at least once with the file...

I regulated this one for my standard load in .45 Colt (8.0 gr of Unique and a 250 gr LSWC)...Regards, Rod

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Old January 26, 2013, 08:45 AM   #5
Tatume
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Brian Pierce wrote a good "how to" on regulating windage by turning the barrel. I believe it was in "Handloader" but I don't remember which issue.
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