I bought a 1860 Army Pietta sometime in the 80's and never fired it.
Several years ago I bought powder,ball,caps etc. and... didn't fire it.
My son went off to boot camp for the Marines a couple weeks ago, so before he left I told him we were firing the cap and ball Colt.
When it shot 5 inches high at 40ish feet I wasn't surprized. But 5 inches right? I took calipers to the hammer, which the notch didn't quite look centered to me. Indeed it was off...but to the left. Not what I expected.
I put the pistol directly under my overhead desk light and the line of light on top of the barrel intersects the right half of the front sight, not the center.
When I look down the barrel from the front the sight is not 90 degrees vertical, but is off to one side and the top of the sight leaning like a ship being blown over. I am new to this so looking for help. Isn't the front sight supposed to be dead on top and vertical or are 1860's different? Can I take a punch and move it vertical or will this just pop the sight off the barrel? THANKS.
Several years ago I bought powder,ball,caps etc. and... didn't fire it.
My son went off to boot camp for the Marines a couple weeks ago, so before he left I told him we were firing the cap and ball Colt.
When it shot 5 inches high at 40ish feet I wasn't surprized. But 5 inches right? I took calipers to the hammer, which the notch didn't quite look centered to me. Indeed it was off...but to the left. Not what I expected.
I put the pistol directly under my overhead desk light and the line of light on top of the barrel intersects the right half of the front sight, not the center.
When I look down the barrel from the front the sight is not 90 degrees vertical, but is off to one side and the top of the sight leaning like a ship being blown over. I am new to this so looking for help. Isn't the front sight supposed to be dead on top and vertical or are 1860's different? Can I take a punch and move it vertical or will this just pop the sight off the barrel? THANKS.