Adjusting POI with non-adjustable sights

Doodlebugger45 · June 10, 2009, 06:38 PM

I have 2 Taurus Gaucho revolvers, one in 357 and the other in 45 Colt. They are fixed sights with 7.5" barrels. After a lot of different loads, I have found a couple that will give me 4-5" groups at 25 yards for a 5-shot groups. Not great, but OK I guess. The problem is that both of these revolvers shoot about 4" high and 4" left no matter what loads I have tried. I can deal with the 4" high. I'm used to adjusting for elevation for different distances anyway. But shooting that far to the left really bothers me.

How hard is it to have a gunsmith either bend the sight very slightly to the left or perhaps rotate the barrel a very small amount? If I have done my math correctly, the sight needs to be moved to the left by about 0.004" to correct the point of impact. The only gunsmith in this town seems to be gone these days so I haven't been able to ask his opinion yet. Is this a common practice, or do you risk ruining the whole thing?

Jim Watson · June 10, 2009, 07:00 PM

It is very usual to "tweak" the barrel in its threads to zero a single action revolver. Most of the CAS gunsmiths will do it. Bending the front sight will work, too, but you run the risk of breaking it off or popping the solder joint holding it to the barrel. There is at least one guy who bends the barrel to zero.

June 10, 2009, 06:38 PM	#1
Doodlebugger45 Senior Member Join Date: April 15, 2009 Location: Wyoming Posts: 1,717	Adjusting POI with non-adjustable sights I have 2 Taurus Gaucho revolvers, one in 357 and the other in 45 Colt. They are fixed sights with 7.5" barrels. After a lot of different loads, I have found a couple that will give me 4-5" groups at 25 yards for a 5-shot groups. Not great, but OK I guess. The problem is that both of these revolvers shoot about 4" high and 4" left no matter what loads I have tried. I can deal with the 4" high. I'm used to adjusting for elevation for different distances anyway. But shooting that far to the left really bothers me. How hard is it to have a gunsmith either bend the sight very slightly to the left or perhaps rotate the barrel a very small amount? If I have done my math correctly, the sight needs to be moved to the left by about 0.004" to correct the point of impact. The only gunsmith in this town seems to be gone these days so I haven't been able to ask his opinion yet. Is this a common practice, or do you risk ruining the whole thing?

June 10, 2009, 07:00 PM	#2
Jim Watson Senior Member Join Date: October 25, 2001 Location: Alabama Posts: 18,543	It is very usual to "tweak" the barrel in its threads to zero a single action revolver. Most of the CAS gunsmiths will do it. Bending the front sight will work, too, but you run the risk of breaking it off or popping the solder joint holding it to the barrel. There is at least one guy who bends the barrel to zero.