black powder revolvers

Help me out on this one.

We have come to accept the shooting properties of these pistols as part of cap and ball dogma. Ask anyone who has shot more than five rounds from most of the Colt revolver clones and they all say the same thing.

But that does not mean it is right. I have read that the reason that Colts shoot high at 25 yards is that they were designed by Colt to be accurate at 75 yards, implying a deliberate decision on the part of the Colt folks. I have never shot an original, nor have I read actual accounts of original Colt pointing characteristics, so I don't know, but it sure sounds like famous last words.

Colt designer: "I meant to do that."

We would all feel better if the Colts would consistently shoot where you point them.

But alas, they don't.

We shoot and shoot and shoot, to become more familair with the right bullet size, the right powder load, the right cap, even the right lubricant, Why would we not shoot even more to become familiar with the pointing qualities?

I have also never had the opportunity to examine slow motion videos of the firing of a Colt revolver in comparison with a Remington. I would like to compare the two videos (if they exist) by synchronizing the discharge sequence. I would then like to look at the position of the muzzle at the moment when the bullet leaves the muzzle. I wonder if the muzzle of the Colt is consistently higher than the muzzle of the Remington. I do acknowledge that nine to twelve inches at 25 yards would come from a very small, perhaps undetectable, difference. By trig it is .76 degrees. Darned hard to see.

And of course I could be on the wrong track. (Wouldn't be the first time.)
 
If the need is to lower the rear sight,
why would one deliberately hold high on the rear sight?
Why wouldn't one simply hold the top of the front sight with the bottom of the notch,
and then file the notch deeper if the need to hold even lower was apparent?

Sure, I suppose one could do that, and it would work a little better than just holding under on the target. But it's kind of a backwards way to do it. When one speaks of adjusting sights to shoot to point of aim, he is usually referring to adjusting the sights to shoot to point of aim while using a proper sight picture. That means that the top of the front sight is held flush to the top of the rear sight. Sorry if I wasn't clear.

I have read that the reason that Colts shoot high at 25 yards is that they were designed by Colt to be accurate at 75 yards

I thought I had read 50 yards, but since I can't remember where I read it, you may be correct. 75 yards does seem like an odd number though.
 
I don't think that it's an odd range considering the maximum powder charge, effective range and accuracy of the revolver. Like most military weapons, it was designed to be able to hit a man in the torso by aiming somewhere in the middle of his body and not as a precision target pistol to shoot paper targets with at modern shooting range distances. :)
 
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To be honest, if I was watching a bunch of enemy soldiers charging me I'd rather be able to start shooting at them (with a reasonable confidence of hitting them) at 75 yards rather than a 50 yards.
 
Doc,

I like the 1861 navy 36. It looks like the 1860 colt--but it is easier to load, a little lighter& amo costs less and w/22 to 25 grains of Jim Shockley--you realize why WB Hickock used 36 navy's.


Go back to my BP store ideas and check out that original pocket colt. I'm offering it to you guys-I mean y'all, at a great price. It is a collectible w all serial #'s matching and all parts authenic--and still works--but I wouldn't advise shootin it. It's a 750 to 950 gun. 670 will buy it now:D
Twin
 
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