Vaquero—Sight Regulation

S

Sweet Shooter

New member
Over the last few weeks I've been adjusting the POI on my .357. It blows me away how accurate this gun is. It was originally shooting low and left... some of that was me being a newb revolver shooter, but I decided not all of it. Anyway in bringing the POI up by filing down the front sight it has also brought the POI across to the right (the post must be about +1 minute out of time). As I was taking the sight post down it was also moving the windage error too. My "fliers" or pulled shots are still low and left when they happen but less often now. I can hold 10 out of 12 shots in the black.

So now the 158 grains are clustering in the center of the 2 inch black circle and the 125 grain are just about an inch lower at 6 o'clock. This is at the 15 yards mark off hand.

So words of encouragement to others struggling with POI through suspect technique and unregulated sights... Wait, shoot a bit more then wait a while before you get out the file and then when you're sure that the gun is shooting low left go slow. It took me about five trips to the range. My biggest problem was keeping the front blade square and sharp as I filed it down, but I managed it...

This gun is an absolute blast.

-SS-
 
I CAREFULLY used a dremel with a stone on my pair or Montados, when I took the front sight down to regulate for my CAS loads, which are 250 grain cast mid level Trailboss loads in 45 Colt...

Just picked up a pair of 357's, haven't got to shoot them yet, or try them with my CAS 38 special loads that work through my lever gun...

really liking these Ruger single actions...:)
 
Wait, shoot a bit more then wait a while before you get out the file and then when you're sure that the gun is shooting low left go slow.
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VERY Good advice. I had my brand new New Vaquero out and it shot low and way left with my standard load I was going to use in it. Had the barrel turned first (right at the range in a barrel vise) to get the horizonal offset taken care of..... But then I did a 'dumb' thing. Rather than take a file to the range and go SLOW... I filed it at home and took a bit to much off.... Now it shoots high at 25Y and of course nothing I can do about that now. :( . At least the windage problem has been fixed though! Moral .... Go SLOW as it doesn't take much to bring the POI up!
 
measure twice & cut once... very good advice for nearly everything
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Yup.

The quote always reminds me of a line from the TV show 'Home Improvement' :

"Or in Tim's case, don't measure at all and cut yourself."
 
If you're shooting low left its your grip not the gun. I was having that problem and adjusted my grip & now its like shooting a different gun. Try right thumb against the frame on the back of the cylinder & lock your left.thumb over. Cock your gun with the left thumb. Helps to stay on target.
 




I have adjusted many handgun sights for myself and dozens of others. I preach and practice that a person should be able to produce a small grouping (or at least a consistant group) at the intended distance before sight adjustments are made. I have also found that different brands of ammo (same bullet weight) can be a major factor in sighting in certain guns.

I keep a computer record of each gun that I shoot and how it performs with as many different brands (and bullet weights) of ammo as I have available. In the above .45 ACP chart, on line 19 it shows that my Vaquero shoots most brands of 230 grain ammo well. Independence brand, however, shoots 1" low and 1" left. ~/~ on my chart means that there is no problem with windage or elevation. ~/~* means that the 5 or 6 shot group has produced a single hole (minimum target distance is 50 feet).

I agree with previous posters to take a little at a time off when filing sights. I will also add that when adjusting guns that shoot multiple calibers (45ACP/45Colt or .38Special/.357Mag) it is sometimes desirable to adjust the sights to split the difference between the two Points of Impact).

Mark
 
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