45-70 hitting way high?

[Franklin7x57]

I just bought a 16" carbine barrel in 45-70 that's 18" high at 25yds with iron sights. I've bottomed out the rear sight(that is the right direction?). I'm shooting ultramax cowboy loads, 405 grain bullet, about 1100 fps, I was thinking this was a light kicker and I need the brass. It's didn't kick too much, but if you can't hit anything with it, it's not much good.
I'm going to put a scope on it in time but I'd like to play with it some now. Will a lighter, faster bullet be lower or do I need to go heavier, slower.
Have other's had the same trouble with factory sights?
Is a scope going to make up this much or is this a barrel problem?

[torpedoman]

I think that 25 yds is way too close to try to zero this rifle.

[Swampman]

Faster will hit lower.

[Franklin7x57]

25 yds. maybe too close to zero, but I wasn't hitting the paper at 50. So I shot at 25 yds. about 18" high adjusted all the way down. Moved to 50 yds and about 36" high, not sure where it would come down to be zeroed, 400yds. I'm thinking 2" high a 50 yds. somewhere close at 100 yds. I'm going to treat it like a muzzleloader. And go from there.

[Thebear_78]

you need a taller front sight.  There are several formulas that will help you estimate the front sight hieght that you want but the best easiest way is to use one of the trimable front sights that you can get from XS sights, then after trimming it down to size you can measure it and order a correct front sight.

[Grumulkin]

If it hits high at 25 yards it's going to hit higher at 50 yards.

A hotter load (within reason of course) or faster (i.e., lighter) bullet will make it hit lower.  It sounds like you're shooting pretty light loads so you could probably increase the velocity quite a bit which might solve your problem.

I think you would have to have a pretty tall front sight to make the adjustment you need to make.  If I were you, I would scope the barrel.  Make sure you get a scope with a generous adjustment range.

[Bullseye]

My 45-70 barrel would not sight in either.  I called TC and told them how far it was off and they sent me a new sight.  Might want to try that.

[mcwoodduck]

+1 on faster.
I have a little No3 ruger that the cowboy or JSP loads shoot about 8" high at 100 yards out of the 20" barrel.  405 grain @1300 FPS
The 300 grain JHP loads @ 1800 FPS hit dead on.
Someone once told me the slower the bullet the more recoil is a factor in point of impact. 

[Empty Quiver]

I encountered the same thing in my 1895. The Leverevolution stuff cleared it right up. Made no sense to me that slow would print higher than fast but it was true.

[Varmint Hunter]

Heavier/slower bullets are still in the barrel as recoil begins to raise the muzzle. That's why they hit higher than lighter/faster bullets which exit the barrel before muzzle lift makes a difference in point of impact.

[NOLA]

This was an issue with a 45-70  Kathidan 18in barrel also

My recollection is that there had been issues with TC having put on a rear sight that was too short, thus making it impossible to properly sight in the barrel. I think, but my recollection is fuzzy, that I replaced the rear sight with one that was taller.

[xhare]

This can be a problem with revolvers.  A 44 mag that shoots fine with a standard load may shoot high with a low power load or a heavy bullet.  As the earlier post says, the bullet is in the barrel longer thus the recoil has longer to rotate the firearm thus launching the bullet in a higher trajectory.  18 inches is a lot and you may still need to get a taller front sight. 

[Camp Cook]

I just dealt with this on my 21" 375JDJ it was hitting say to high as well

I called T/C and told them my problem and my front sight height they told me there was a taller one available so I bought it after I installed it my problem was solved.