Revolver Shooting High at Seven Yards
- Thread starter Frank D
- Start date
higher Velocity = lower hit
Higher velocity can be obtained by a heavier charge or a lighter bullet.
I agree with the others who said you are shooting a very light load. Maybe with the old gun, that is deliberate. You can step it up, or you can also drop to a 180gr bullet.
I've had a couple of fixed sight guns I had to sight in with the ammo, including the .38 snubby I carry.
Higher velocity can be obtained by a heavier charge or a lighter bullet.
I agree with the others who said you are shooting a very light load. Maybe with the old gun, that is deliberate. You can step it up, or you can also drop to a 180gr bullet.
I've had a couple of fixed sight guns I had to sight in with the ammo, including the .38 snubby I carry.
The only real solution to your problem is to have the front sight made a little taller. You shouldn't have to bottom your adjustable rear sight and jockey your loads to get the gun to hit where you want it to.
The load suggestions are good if you have a fixed sight revolver but with a properly set up gun you should have adjustment up or down in your rear sight so you can shoot different bullet weights.
As ar as that goes a different grip that keeps the gun from rolling up in your hand will lower the bullet impact.
The load suggestions are good if you have a fixed sight revolver but with a properly set up gun you should have adjustment up or down in your rear sight so you can shoot different bullet weights.
As ar as that goes a different grip that keeps the gun from rolling up in your hand will lower the bullet impact.
Jim Watson
New member
I agree.
To get a zero with a heavy low velocity bullet, you need a taller front sight.
Look at the recent S&W "Classic" revolvers with round barrels; their front sights are very tall, something disguised by the rib and ramp of the regular post WWII adjustable sight guns.
The post-war adjustable sight itself is taller than the pre-war sight, and both higher than the basic fixed "hog wallow" sight.
To get a zero with a heavy low velocity bullet, you need a taller front sight.
Look at the recent S&W "Classic" revolvers with round barrels; their front sights are very tall, something disguised by the rib and ramp of the regular post WWII adjustable sight guns.
The post-war adjustable sight itself is taller than the pre-war sight, and both higher than the basic fixed "hog wallow" sight.
The M1917 was built for the .45acp 230gr at about 850fps. Not sure whether it was set at 25yd or 50yd point of aim.
Wouldn't that make any M1917 high at 7yds? How high?
While there is a difference between 200gr at 790fps and 230gr at 850fps, is that enough to make a 6" difference as the OP indicates?
From my own experience with .45 caliber rounds a difference of about 100fps doesn't make that much difference at short range.
Wouldn't that make any M1917 high at 7yds? How high?
While there is a difference between 200gr at 790fps and 230gr at 850fps, is that enough to make a 6" difference as the OP indicates?
From my own experience with .45 caliber rounds a difference of about 100fps doesn't make that much difference at short range.
Bob Wright
New member
The reason alternate loads were suggested is simply the fact that the original poster declared he wanted to make no changes in the gun.
Bob Wright
Bob Wright
I understood what the OP wanted in his first post. The simple fact of the matter is he has an out of spec gun and there is only one way to make it right. And that is to make the front sight taller.
You can monkey with the loads all you want and if his rear sight is cranked down as low as it will go and it still shoots high the sights are not properly set for his gun.
I was at the range one day and two guys were shooting a sidelock BP rifle. It was hitting way low at 100 yards. One guy told the other to keep adding powder till it hit the bullseye. Sorry, bad advice and wrong advice. Most muzzle loaders are sent with a too tall front sight so you can find your best load and then file the front sight a little at a time till it shoots where you want it to.
I get that the OPs gun was a fixed sight gun with an adjustable rear sight added. These will always shoot high until a taller front sight is added. No way around that. And if the OP doesn't want good advice why did he bother to post here in the first place? He already knows he has a problem.
Thank You.
I guess it's all a matter of interpretation.
In my first post I stated that I didn't want to make the front sight any higher.
I didn't say that it was the original sight. In fact it was made considerably taller during the original modification, as was correct.
To the best of my knowledge, after being modified it shot to a proper point of aim when originally tested.
My problem is that I don't know at what range it was tested, nor the load that was being used at the time.
You kinda have to read the whole post (And replys) to see how this has progressed. I am satisfied with the overall response, and plan to continue to test various loads.
I am working on getting a photo to attach later. You guys might be surprised at it's appearance. I think it turned out great, and overall is pretty slick.
I guess it's all a matter of interpretation.
In my first post I stated that I didn't want to make the front sight any higher.
I didn't say that it was the original sight. In fact it was made considerably taller during the original modification, as was correct.
To the best of my knowledge, after being modified it shot to a proper point of aim when originally tested.
My problem is that I don't know at what range it was tested, nor the load that was being used at the time.
You kinda have to read the whole post (And replys) to see how this has progressed. I am satisfied with the overall response, and plan to continue to test various loads.
I am working on getting a photo to attach later. You guys might be surprised at it's appearance. I think it turned out great, and overall is pretty slick.
No worries, Frank D, we experience that around here a LOT. I don't know if it's laziness or carelessness or what, but folks will read the FIRST post in a thread and then not a single other thing and their added response sometimes makes very little sense considering how the conversation has developed. That particular post has very good information in it... even if it's not exactly relevant at this point.
It's just a typical pitfall in this kind of online forum. We learn to work around it as you obviously have as well.
I am looking forward to your pictures!
Mavracer and Sevens I have read every post in this thread. And I see that the OP has ONE load that will work with his sights set the way they are. But when you have an adjustable sighted gun that has no adjustment left then its not really adjustable is it.
If the OP is OK with his gun the way it is thats OK by me. I like my guns to have full range of their sights if they are adjustable. So y'all have fun. I am done here.
If the OP is OK with his gun the way it is thats OK by me. I like my guns to have full range of their sights if they are adjustable. So y'all have fun. I am done here.
ratshooter, my comment was not intended to be taken as any manner of a personal insult. I felt your information was quality information, I was simply responding to Frank D who may/may not have a lot of experience around these forums. He made it very clear that he absolutely does not wish to alter his revolver at this point and he also made it clear that he's quite happy with how he's resolved the issue.
It's a quality, informative discussion. It isn't simply the OP that "needs" to benefit from the entirety of the discussion, it's anyone who visits these pages. This thread has done that.
It's a quality, informative discussion. It isn't simply the OP that "needs" to benefit from the entirety of the discussion, it's anyone who visits these pages. This thread has done that.
Sevens I understood that the OP doesn't want to modify his gun. He is a new poster and maybe a new shooter to boot. I guess its just me. I like things to work like they are supposed to work. If his sights were regulated for his gun he should be able to use all the loads he has tried and had enough range of adjustment to sight his gun in with any load he likes and that groups well in his gun.
And I didn't consider your post an "insult". Actually before I post a response I go back and reread what has been written. Just like I did before this post. I have read this thread three times now.
Thats why I told the story about the guys trying to get the BP rifle to shoot higher by adding more powder. There is only so much you can do with load developement before changes need to be made to the gun.
And I didn't consider your post an "insult". Actually before I post a response I go back and reread what has been written. Just like I did before this post. I have read this thread three times now.
Thats why I told the story about the guys trying to get the BP rifle to shoot higher by adding more powder. There is only so much you can do with load developement before changes need to be made to the gun.
Pathfinder45
New member
Sooner or Later....
I'm with the camp that says a taller front sight is needed. Put it off as long as you like, but sooner or later.......might as well do it right.
I'm with the camp that says a taller front sight is needed. Put it off as long as you like, but sooner or later.......might as well do it right.
That kinda sums me up. If there is a problem here its most likely me. I figure if something is worth owning its worth making sure it operates properly. And I am a maintinence freak. I just dropped the Honda off to get the schuduled work done. My dad raised me that way. He owned a machine shop that I worked in all my young life and everything worked the was it was supposed to work.
Anyway there is nothing new I can add. The OP got excellent advise on how to tweak loads for his gun. I have used the same adjustments for my own fixed sight guns. This trick works much better with revolvers than semi autos by the way.
It's all good. But I suppose I can see the OP's perspective, or at least how it seems to me.
He's an older guy with a much older gun and the gun isn't original right from the get-go, it's a conversion. He knows that a hardware change can "fix" the issue and even give him an adjustability range in his sights.
However, he doesn't need or want an adjustability range in his sights. He's been handloading for -34- years and he's very happy to tailor a load to the sights and he much prefers this idea to again alterting (or further altering) the revolver. He says this plainly and clearly in his first post. He does not wish to alter the front sight. He specifically opened this thread to discuss different options that MIGHT solve the issue WITHOUT further modifications to the revolver. He also gave evidence of how a small change at his handloading bench has partially addressed the issue.
There's many ways to skin a cat, I don't believe I've heard any BAD suggestions, but it seems obvious to me that the OP has a particular route he would rather take, even if it flies in the face of what some folks would choose if it was their revolver.
He's an older guy with a much older gun and the gun isn't original right from the get-go, it's a conversion. He knows that a hardware change can "fix" the issue and even give him an adjustability range in his sights.
However, he doesn't need or want an adjustability range in his sights. He's been handloading for -34- years and he's very happy to tailor a load to the sights and he much prefers this idea to again alterting (or further altering) the revolver. He says this plainly and clearly in his first post. He does not wish to alter the front sight. He specifically opened this thread to discuss different options that MIGHT solve the issue WITHOUT further modifications to the revolver. He also gave evidence of how a small change at his handloading bench has partially addressed the issue.
There's many ways to skin a cat, I don't believe I've heard any BAD suggestions, but it seems obvious to me that the OP has a particular route he would rather take, even if it flies in the face of what some folks would choose if it was their revolver.
