Fixed Sights, Notched Top Strap, Shoots Way Left

[Jack Ryan]

Fixed Sights, Notched Top Strap, Shoots Way Left

That pretty much sums it up. Made in Italy off brand cap and ball replica. The notch in the top strap is the only rear sight and the front post is not adjustable other than filing it.

It shoots way to the left and in looking for ways to fix that I notice the flats on the octogan barrel do not line up equally on each sid with the frame. It looks to me that the barrel was not aligned/turned property lot the top flat on the barrel is not exactly parrallel with the flat on the top strap or the flats on the sides of the frame. This also just happens to put the front sight so it makes sense with why it shoots left.

Are these pressed in the frame? Is it possible for a back room smith to turn this or fix it with stuff you might find a fairly well equiped garage?

[Golfswithwolves]

It is often done to turn the barrel tighter into the frame to line up the sights properly so there is no shooting to the left (if the barrel is one that screws in). This wouldn't work with a Colt Navy or Army, as the barrels don't screw into anything. With solid-frame revolvers where the barrel screws in, you can grip the barrel tightly in a vise with wooden barrel-shaped inserts and use a stick of wood that fits the frame (with the cylinder out) as a lever and tighten the barrel in the right ammount. May require more extensive gunsmithing if the barrel is already as tight as it will go.

[Cowpox]

Hello Mr Jack.

     I presume this is an Italian made 1858 Remington clone.  If so, the barrel is threaded.

    If the flats look like the barrel should turn farther in order to line up on the frame, turning it a bit more, would bring your point of impact back to the right.

    I think it would be prudent to loosen the barrel first, just to see if some metal should be removed from the frame or shoulder of the barrel.  If it is real tight, and hard to loosen, I would not try to tighten it farther without stoning a little metal.  However, if it loosens fairly easy, it should be safe to just tighten it some.

    Before trying to turn the barrel, look to make sure there isn't a pin through the frame that locks the barrel from turning.  Some revolvers do have this pin, and it will have to be drifted out before the barrel will turn.

[Jack Ryan]

Thanks a bunch guys. At least now I have an option to look for. I'll check it out.

[jimster]

I have 58 remmy factory conversion and the flats are not top dead center either but my front sight is a dovetail so I drifted it to the left.  I think my barrel is already tight to the frame so I would have to unscrew it and take some off the shoulder as was mentioned above, and then screw it back in.  I'll leave it alone for now simply because I drifted my sight over to get it sighted in,  but someday when I get more time to mess with this I might do this just to get the front sight back in the middle.  I think this is pretty common for Italian replica's.  For the open tops,  best bet is to send it somewhere to have a dove tail sight put in it so there is some adjustment.  I've never been able to put up with a revolver shooting off as far as windage goes, it always bugs me.
Sure wish I had a decent barrel vise, I would suppose it's a good investment and saves money if you have a lot of fixed sighted revolvers. 

[Flint]

With the barrel loosened, the position with it hand tightened, looking from the muzzle end should place the front sight at between 10:30 and 11 O'clock, or about 45 degrees.  Torquing from there to top dead center is correct.


If the barrel at hand tight is closer to 9 O'clock, you need to remove a bit material from the barrel's shoulder.  Better not to take it from the frame, or a replacement barrel might not snug up properly.  If it is less than 11 O'clock, you need a shim washer (difficult with an octagonal barrel) or locktite to freeze it in place at top dead center.  The other cure is to turn the shoulder back for another (almost) full turn on the barrel, and a slight shortening of the loading lever as well as resetting the cylinder gap.

I have a Navy Arms Pietta 58 that rotated the barrel the first time I shot it, presumably the bullet hit the rifling unscrewed it, and I found there was almost only hand torque on the barrel at 12 O'clock, so I locktited it (blue, don't use red) and it has been happy for several years so far, even with the heavier, harder bullets of smokeless cartridge loads in a conversion cylinder.

Smith & Wesson DA revolvers have a reverse CCW thread on their barrels to prevent the force of the barrel twist from unscrewing the barrels.  Previous S&W revolvers with the clockwise threads had a cross pin to prevent rotation.

[Jack Ryan]

I think mine was over tightened but I haven't tried to move it yet.

I was planning to use some lead covers on the jaws of a regular vise. How tight are these things? Any reason the lead shouldn't be used?

[Flint]

Lead may be too soft to prevent the barrel from turning.  I use aluminum with business card to prevent mark off, or hard wood.  Make sure it's tight enough not to slip.