sight adjustment on ruger blackhawk

[BobWright]

@buck460XVR:

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.

Modern production, and quality of the gun, does not enter into the picture. There is an incredible array of handloads one migh choose to use in his revolver. In my .44 Magnums, I've used Jacketed Hollow Point bullets ranging in weight from 180 grs. to 300 grs., cast bullets running 180 to 350 grs. And these loaded to velocities from 850 f.p.s. to over 1700 f.p.s. This range of loads makes a very long arc of bullet strikes at varying ranges. There is no way a factory can strike a happy medium under these circumstances. Rear sight blades and front sights are not sacred icons not to be touched, but rather easily modified, or replaced, tools intended for the accuracy of the revolver.

Tsk Tsk me if you want to, but its worked for me over sixty-five years.

The front sight on this .45 Ruger Blackhawk was too short, had a taller replacement from Ruger installed:



This Super Blackhawk had a short front sight, I had my 'smith mill off the blade and cut a groove in the remaining ramp, and pin a new sight in:



Bob Wright

 

[davidjer]

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.

good point, thank you. I will contact Ruger

 

[MEHavey]

rear sight blades and front sights are not sacred icons not to be touched,
but rather easily modified, or replaced, tools intended for the accuracy
of the revolver.

^^^^ this ^^^

The sight(s) are there for you...
...not you for the sights.

 

[Malamute]

Mr Havey and Mr Wright have hit on the main points to consider.

There are a number of different front sight heights Ruger uses, varying with caliber and barrel length. Once in a while it seems they end up with the wrong front sight on them. You can deal with Ruger, or do as many of us do, carefully file the front sight down to hit point of aim with some room to adjust the rear sight both ways. Choose carefully which load and distance. I certainly wouldnt commit to 7 yards. 25 is the standard distance generally.

I've filed and reshaped several of them, as well as several Vaqueros, which early on were commonly sighted low to give you some room to file them in for various loads.

One of my earlier 357's had the rear sight sitting rather high. The poorly designed holster I was using had no sight guard that contacted the frame instead of the sight, and in walking around, the sight being so high, and pushed down by the holster, the elevation screw came out. Fortunately is was still in the holster, which I was happy to see, being alone camped in the Wasatch Mts at 14 yrs old.