Trouble sighting in my SBH Ruger

F

FoghornLeghorn

New member
It's an old model/3 screw Ruger Super Blackhawk. 44 mag. When I bought it last year it was stock except for the grips. I fit some current production aftermarket grips to it.

I also had the barrel shortened to 4 5/8 inches. And cerakoted the grip frame and the ejector rod housing.

The problem is that it's grouping about 12 inches high at 25 yards. My load is 7.0 grains Unique and a 240 grain plated bullet by Berrys.

From the pictures it's obvious that the rear sight has been replaced. They didn't come from the factory with white outline, did they? I don't know about the front sight. I can't tell from looking if it has been modified or not.

I shot it before I shortened the barrel and it did the same thing. The gunsmith took all the necessary measurements and said that the measurements say it should be shooting dead on at that range. Wrong.

I called another store, with a gunsmith, today. That employee insisted that if I want to lower the group, I had to raise the rear sight. I tried to explain that it's actually the exact opposite, but he insisted he was right.

Anyway, I can't lower the rear sight any more than it is because the adjusting screw starts to tap into the cylinder. It's just the way the gun is made.

One option is to replace the front sight? With a taller blade? The other option is to replace the rear sight blade with a higher sight picture?

Suggestions? Thanks.

DSCN1406_zps44ede9fd.jpg


DSCN1407_zps6f2419c0.jpg


DSCN1409_zpsd7c70038.jpg


c78ec82f-b31b-4603-a65d-26a8e2216210_zpsd077162d.jpg
 
Is rear sight screw bottomed out in pic?
If so try shorter screw or shorten existing screw.
if not a taller front sight is in order.
you are correct about direction sights need to move. One reason it's shooting high is the SAs grip is designed to roll and as slow of velocity you're using it's gonna roll a bit.
 
Had a similar experience with one of my Supers. Had my gunsmith mill off the front sight blade, and install a new, higher front blade.

From your load data, you are getting about .44 Special velocity out of you gun, which also is a factor. The slower .44 Special velocities will print higher than the faster .44 Magnum rounds.

My method has always been to sight in with the rear sight about mid-height and adjust the front blade form there. this gives me a little lee way if I decide to chang loading data later down the line.

The rule is: To lower you groups, lower the rear sight. Or raise the front sight.

In other words, move the rear sight in the direction you want to move your groups, or move the front sight in the opposite direction you wat to move your groups.

Bob Wright
 
Always modify the cheapest part.

I would buy another rear sight adjusting screw and shorten the threaded shank so it doesn't touch the cylinder. Part number is MR05902. Then lower the rear sight.
 
DnPRK said:I would buy another rear sight adjusting screw and shorten the threaded shank so it doesn't touch the cylinder. Part number is MR05902. Then lower the rear sight.
Click to expand...

The problem with that, at least to me, is that your gun is sighted in with the rear sight bottomed out. I prefer to have my rear sight about mid-height when sighted in to allow for different loads.


Bob Wright
 
I wish Ruger would have pinned the front sights on all the Blachawks, would have made replacing the front sight very easy with a taller one.
 
I wish Ruger would have pinned the front sights on all the Blachawks, would have made replacing the front sight very easy with a taller one.
Click to expand...

The issue is not with 'Ruger'...

The issue is with whoever shortened the barrel not having put on a taller sight when they cut it back...
 
I wish Ruger would have pinned the front sights on all the Blachawks, would have made replacing the front sight very easy with a taller one.
Click to expand...

I believe the stainless models are pinned, at least my SBH is.
 
Put a few standard 44 loads through it and see where they print.

Your sight might be on for the caliber the gun was designed for.
 
The problem with that, at least to me, is that your gun is sighted in with the rear sight bottomed out. I prefer to have my rear sight about mid-height when sighted in to allow for different loads.
Click to expand...
There aren't going to be many loads that shoot higher than what he's shooting. and the rear sight appears to have a lot of travel left given a proper screw not sure he might not have adjustment left.
IMHO it's be pretty silly to go to the expense of soldering on a new front sight when the problem could be fixed with a 25 cent screw.
 
mavracer:
There aren't going to be many loads that shoot higher than what he's shooting. and the rear sight appears to have a lot of travel left given a proper screw not sure he might not have adjustment left.
IMHO it's be pretty silly to go to the expense of soldering on a new front sight when the problem could be fixed with a 25 cent screw.
Click to expand...

Even so, that's my druthers. And I'm not suggesting soldering on a new front sight, just milling off the blade and slotting the ramp for a new blade. Notice he's only using a 240 gr. bullet, maybe a 300 or 325 gr. bullet is in the works down the line.

As I said..............


Bob Wright
 
I had a similar problem and there was a lower rear sight blade available to compensate. Contact Ruger and find out what they have to offer. Also, the low speed, heavy bullet will impact higher on the target than a normal mag. load. You could try a 180 at magnum velocity and see how much lower it shoots, it may not shoot 12" lower. Otherwise a taller front sight blade is what's needed.
 
mavracer:
Oh that's going to be a lot cheaper than changing out a screw
Click to expand...

Didn't say nor imply that. What you fail to grasp is that I want my rear sight at about mid-height when sighted in. This is my approach to the problem, and I'm satisfied with it.

Bob Wright
 
Didn't say nor imply that. What you fail to grasp is that I want my rear sight at about mid-height when sighted in. This is my approach to the problem, and I'm satisfied with it.
Click to expand...
About mid-height with what load? the one that shoots to one extreme? Doesn't sound like a smart plan to me. His load is going to shoot higher than about any load a guy could want. I mean sure you could shoot 300gr bullets at the 800fps that his 240s but why? also zeroing it where the sight is now with 240s at 800 the screw will probably fall out when he goes to shoot 180s at 1600.
 
Your load is very light, bordering on mousefart, and is going to print much higher than any full-house magnum. Your gunsmith should've known that a shorter barrel needs a taller front sight.


Oh that's going to be a lot cheaper than changing out a screw
Click to expand...
Nothing you can do with the rear sight will make up for 12". He needs a new front sight and its height should be such that the rear is in the middle of its adjustment like Bob suggested.
 
hmmm. I can't see the rear sight channel in any of those pics... how do we know that the rear sight isn't already bottomed out ( I think mine bottom in the sight channel, before the rear sight hits the frame ??? )

agree that the shorter barrel needs a taller sight, especially if the rear sight is actually bottomed in the sight channel... if this is the case, could probably deepen the sight channel, severely weakening the frame for hotter loads down the road... I don't know if there are lower rear sights, that are lower than those pictured... if so, that is likely "easier" than replacing the front sight, but not necessarily cheaper...

BTW... the front sight picture is blurry, but if the barrel was shortened, is it possible that the front sight incorporates 2 screws to remove it??? or is it soldered... if its been drilled & tapped, that might be both the easiest & cheapest option
 
Nothing you can do with the rear sight will make up for 12".
Click to expand...
Sure you can, given that the sight radius is about 6.3" on a 4 5/8" Blackhawk lowering it .080 will move bullet impact that far. Hard to tell for sure but it appears to me there is easily .060 and might just be .080 between the frame and the rear sight in the second pic. I know all of the Ruger Blackhawks I've owned will get pretty close to touching the frame with the right screw.
I'm not saying that he may not still need to put a taller sight on it if he wants more adjustment. Just that it may be a easy fix.
I know my own liberty SBH's sight is bottomed out with a very similar load and the same sight setting is used for my 310gr/1250fps load if I want to shoot my 240gr/1100fps load its 8 clicks up since I never need to adjust the sight down to shoot closer than 25 yards and only need to know how many clicks up from bottom to go for longer shots the system works pretty darn good. YMMV
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top