sight adjustment on Ruger Blackhawk: I have a 357/9mm convertible ruger blackhawk. at 7 yards the shot group was low until I raised the rear sight as far as it would go. It was so high that the discharge caused the screw to completely come out of its hole and the sight sprang up off its base. I have always wondered why the front sight on rugers is so big. It makes it impossible to align the sight line with the barrel line. What am I doing wrong? I align the top of the front sight with the top of the rear sight when firing, as the instructions say to do. Has anyone else had this problem? and if so how to solve it. Thanks!
sight adjustment on ruger blackhawk
- Thread starter davidjer
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Seven yards doesn't really tell you what a gun will do at farther distances.
First, I'd suggest you sight it for 25 yards.
You may find you will end up with the rear sight a little lower.
After that, I've shot a number of Ruger Blackhawks over the years & never run into what you're talking about.
Top of front sight even with top of rear sight should work.
Denis
First, I'd suggest you sight it for 25 yards.
You may find you will end up with the rear sight a little lower.
After that, I've shot a number of Ruger Blackhawks over the years & never run into what you're talking about.
Top of front sight even with top of rear sight should work.
Denis
Red Cent
Member
Are you shooting a light load and/or bullet?
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BobWright
Member
Try filing down the front sight blade.
Rule of thumb: To raise your group, raise the rear sight, or lower the front.
I tend to set my rear sight about mid-height then file the front sight down until I'm on at 25 yards. This using an approximate 6" dia. bull and a six o'clock hold.
Touch up the blade with cold blue.
Bob Wright
Rule of thumb: To raise your group, raise the rear sight, or lower the front.
I tend to set my rear sight about mid-height then file the front sight down until I'm on at 25 yards. This using an approximate 6" dia. bull and a six o'clock hold.
Touch up the blade with cold blue.
Bob Wright
Thank you. I will try at 25 yards next time at the range. However, holding a straight edge over front and rear sights makes a line that is not parallel with the barrel. It slopes up markedly toward the front. Hence the barrel angles down from the line of sight, and so low shot groups. Is it possible to replace the front sight with something smaller?
onegunred
Member
I have been shooting Ruger single action revolvers for 40 years and have never touched the front sight. You may be having a problem with how you grip the gun and how you put pressure on the trigger. Shooting single action revolvers can be tough to master. Shoot it from a rest to determine sight alignment. Each time you grip a gun if the hold is different than the previous it can alter the shot.
I had my super blackhawk .44 mag ported. After porting it shot really high and off to the right with the rear sight all the way down. Windage corected by three clicks but I did file the slot in the rear sight down a bit. Normally I shoot it at 150 yds but lately steel at 50 yds.
BobWright
Member
davidjer said:
Yes, there are several tricks. Easiest is, as I said, file down the front sight, which you can do yourself. Nest is to mill off the blade and mill a mortise in the ramp. Then a new blade can be pinned in place. OR the front sight and ramp can be removed and a new lower one soldered on. This requires rebluing the barrel and sight.
As to the sight alignment/barrel relationship, the barrel is always angled downward when the sights are on target. This does not cause the gun to shoot low~it will be on target when the bullet exits the muzzle. This to compensate for recoil.
Bob Wright
Yes, there are several tricks. Easiest is, as I said, file down the front sight, which you can do yourself. Nest is to mill off the blade and mill a mortise in the ramp. Then a new blade can be pinned in place. OR the front sight and ramp can be removed and a new lower one soldered on. This requires rebluing the barrel and sight.
As to the sight alignment/barrel relationship, the barrel is always angled downward when the sights are on target. This does not cause the gun to shoot low~it will be on target when the bullet exits the muzzle. This to compensate for recoil.
Bob Wright
dogrunner
Member
You've got ammo considerations as well. Fast, light bullets tend to shoot lower....heavy slow sorts do the opposite.
I'd suggest starting with a common weight for each caliber, factory loaded,....ie: 158's in the .357 and 115's in the nine. Start with your sight bottomed out and go from there
I'd suggest starting with a common weight for each caliber, factory loaded,....ie: 158's in the .357 and 115's in the nine. Start with your sight bottomed out and go from there
J-Bar
Member
If you are shooting at 7 yards, it sounds like you are planning to use this revolver as carry/defense gun rather than hunting or target gun.
How much actual distance difference is there between point of aim and point of impact at 7 yards? If you intend to use this revolver as a defense handgun, I suggest you test it by simulating a defensive situation...you will probably find that when you draw and fire quickly, you will not take the time to refine the sight picture completely. You will likely have the front sight elevated a bit when you fire the gun, and the point of impact will be higher accordingly.
So all that is to say, what is the intended purpose of the revolver? Before filing the front sight, shoot the gun in the manner/sport you intend to use it. It's tough to add metal back on, believe me!
How much actual distance difference is there between point of aim and point of impact at 7 yards? If you intend to use this revolver as a defense handgun, I suggest you test it by simulating a defensive situation...you will probably find that when you draw and fire quickly, you will not take the time to refine the sight picture completely. You will likely have the front sight elevated a bit when you fire the gun, and the point of impact will be higher accordingly.
So all that is to say, what is the intended purpose of the revolver? Before filing the front sight, shoot the gun in the manner/sport you intend to use it. It's tough to add metal back on, believe me!
@onegunred. I dont' think it's my technique, I'm quite good with handguns and can get tight shot groups. The front sight on the Ruger is enormous and causes the sight line to angle upward from the barrel, (trajectory line) Hence the low shot groups. There is not enough movement of the rear site to fully correct the issue. Is it possible to replace the front sight or alter it in some way.
@j-bar, mostly target shooting. will get a semi auto for home defense and carry. the shot groups are about 8 inches below the bulls eye with the rear sight all the way down. As mentioned when the rear sight was raised all the way to correct the shot group, it just popped off completely when the gun fired. Is there a better way to sight, allowing the front sight to raise above the rear sight? rather than level with it? might consider filing the front sight.
buck460XVR
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While I can understand filing the front sight on a fixed sight revolver, with adjustable sights and the proper ammo, that should be completely unnecessary.
@BobWright, thank you for the helpful information. Yes, there should be some angle between sight line and barrel, but with the Ruger it is apparently too much. the rear sight shouldn't have to be all the way up to hit the center, especially as I aim for the center, not 6 o'clocking it.
buck460XVR
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Duh....really?
In a modern production firearm it would seem to me that with an adjustable sighted handgun, someone in R&D has deemed the adjustment enough and/or there would be replacement front and rear blades to accommodate. Kinda the whole point of adjustable sights, ain't it? Seems one should not have to take a file and a cold blue pen to a firearm considered to be quality made. Research and posting on gun forums has shown me that the Blackhawks are known for this problem. One would think because of this, there would be replacement blades available. I would at least check this out before grabbing a file.
J-Bar
Member
"I would at least check this out before grabbing a file."
I agree. A phone call to Ruger costs nothing and may save some grief.
I agree. A phone call to Ruger costs nothing and may save some grief.
Having an even half-dozen single-action/adjustable Rugers dating from `72 on (and an additional fixed-sight New Vaquero, another Uberti SAA Smokewagon, and a S&W New Model 3 to round things out,.... I have a bit of hard-won experience in sight work.
Yes, one can get replacement front sight blade (I've replaced several), but this is not a pull & replace affair for someone without a soldering setup and comfort in so doing.
If the gun is really firing that low, even off a barrel rest, there's nothing sacred about the existing front sight profile.
CaptHank
Member
I have Ruger SBH in 41 mag, that shot high and to the left at 25 yds (rear sight bottomed out). I called Ruger, they said to send it in, on my money. Well, they got the problem corrected and reblued the piece. I know it cost me $75 to ship next day air, but it was worth it, in the long run.
BobWright
Member
CaptHank said:
I had the file, and already had some cold blue on hand, cost about $4.00 as I recall. So my gun is perfectly sighted for my load, plus enough leeway for additional loads, and I'm some $71.00 ahead. In fact, that bottle of cold blue came from a similar filing, so got several guns for the $4.00 bottle.
Bob Wright
I had the file, and already had some cold blue on hand, cost about $4.00 as I recall. So my gun is perfectly sighted for my load, plus enough leeway for additional loads, and I'm some $71.00 ahead. In fact, that bottle of cold blue came from a similar filing, so got several guns for the $4.00 bottle.
Bob Wright
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