Author Topic: Shooting High (Read 1210 times)

HWooldridge · « **on:** June 30, 2003, 09:11:10 AM »

Here's one for the Ugly Cat and/or anyone else who can answer.

I recently bought a new Uberti 1860 Army from Dixie. I've now fired it about 100 times and it will shoot cloverleafs at 25 yds. The only problem is that the groups are about 10-12 inches high. In fact, I have better luck pointing rather than aiming but then it's a little tough to be precise. The other night, we were driving a Jeep in an 800 acre pasture when I fired a shot at a big coon caught in the headlights about 10 steps away but the ball went right over his head. There were little piles of poo on the ground but no blood...

I'm an OK pistol shot and would like to carry a cap and ball to use but I'm having trouble getting around this problem of holding off so much. The only thing I can come up with is to add a Peacemaker style front sight and then file it down until it hits right. Any suggestions?

Flint · « **Reply #1 on:** June 30, 2003, 02:23:04 PM »

I have replaced the front sights on 2 1860 Armies and an 1851 and 1861 Navy. The Army needs a front sight about 5/16 tall to bring it down. I made front sights from brass stock and silver sildered in place of the existing sigt, filed and shot until it was on then shaped it like a Colt Peacemaker sight. Take the range in inches, divide that into the point of impact error, as you said, 10 inches, then multiply that number by the sight radius, rear to front sight distance, that result will be the additional height you need for the front sight. The Navy doesn't need quite as much. On my 51 I got an Uberti dovetail sight for the 58 Remington and then cut it down till it was on target. If you have a freindly local gunsmith, he can put in a tall brass (or steel) blade in your 60's and you can file from there. (unfortunately then needs a reblue...

bfoster · « **Reply #2 on:** July 02, 2003, 07:47:27 AM »

Before you do anything to the front sight you might try shooting a bullet rather than a ball. My Remington New Army shoots balls very high, but shoots bullets cast in an old Ideal (Lyman) mould # 450225 to near point of aim.

Bob

HWooldridge · « **Reply #3 on:** July 02, 2003, 09:53:57 AM »

Thanks for the suggestions. I thought about trying a bullet but the round ball just shoots so accurately that I wanted to stick to that but since I haven't actually tried a bullet, I can't say it won't do just as well.

Horsefeathers · « **Reply #4 on:** July 05, 2003, 12:42:40 PM »

My remington Old Army had the same problem. I could shoot conical bullets or put a higher sight. i Made a tgt. style ramp sight and affixed it on with epoxy cement. Its still on tight since 1961. Horsefeathers.

Gatofeo · « **Reply #5 on:** July 06, 2003, 01:37:52 PM »

Sorry ... didn't know I was being paged ... haven't checked the board in a while.
Yep, every Colt I've encountered --- original, reissue or reproduction --- shoots high.
Doesn't matter what the model or caliber, they all shoot high.
The best cure is to put a higher front sight on, as others have detailed.
But before you go fiddling with the sights, find your most accurate load first.
My 1860 Army, made by Pietta and marketed by Traditions, is wondefully accurate. Five or six balls into a 2" circle at 25 yards from a benchrest is not unheard.
However, much of that accuracy comes from properly loading it.
1. Use FFFG black powder.
2. Use balls of .454 or .457 inch, contrary to many manuals that suggest a .451 inch ball. The larger diameter ball, when rammed into the chamber, creates a longer bearing surface for the rifling to grab. Obturation is greatly improved too.
3. Use a well-greased felt wad twixt powder and ball. Melt some lard, Crisco, bacon grease or any other natural grease in a small can and add the wads. Swish them around so they're well-soaked. The commercially available Wonder Wads by OxYoke are okay, but their dry lubricant is not enough, in my experience.
4. Measure your powder consistently with a powder measure.
5. After the powder is added to the chamber, seat the greased wad firmly on the powder.
6. Seat the ball on the wad in a separate operation. This will give you a better "feel" for how much pressure you're applying to the ball and wad.
7. Try different caps. I've had the most consistent ignition and best accuracy with Remington. You may find that CCI or foreign caps work best.
8. Shoot at a well-defined target with plenty of paper around it to display any bullets that go off-course. A 4X4 sheet of plywood at 25 yards, covered with butcher paper, is not excessive.
I have a cheap, badly made 1849 Colt reproduction I bought in the 1970s. Its little .31 caliber balls often can't hit a 4X4 sheet of plywood at 25 yards! If I hadn't taken the time to test it this way, I would have wasted powder, shot and caps assuming that the miss was MY fault.
9. Avoid conical bullets. Never found one yet that is nearly as accurate as a lead ball. I've tried Lee (cast by myself), Buffalo Bullets and a few Lyman designs. Ack! I went back to lead balls quickly enough.

HWooldridge · « **Reply #6 on:** July 07, 2003, 05:36:58 AM »

Gato,

This is a Uberti replica. I've done most of what you said except I seat the wad and ball at the same time. I use a .457 ball and it shaves a small ring of lead. I've tried with and without grease over the ball and can't tell much difference. I use FFFG and Rem #10 caps. This pistol will literally shoot cloverleafs for about 3 full cylinders and then barrel fouling starts to open groups. Unfortunately, the group is 10-12 inches high, which is why I want to raise the front sight. How are these attached - by silver solder? I'd like to weld on this one with a TIG but am afraid the heat will melt the silver (if that's how it's fastened).

H

Flint · « **Reply #7 on:** July 08, 2003, 10:07:50 AM »

Yes, it's silver soldered. I had the taller brass blade soldered in then tuned it to hit where I needed it (tapered the blade on a mill with a 1 or 2 (?) degree cutter). Then shaped it like a SAA sight. The only problem now is that the gun won't fit in a Slim Jim holster. new sight height is about 5/16 inch. A Navy front sight can be a little shorter, more like 1/4 inch.

HWooldridge · « **Reply #8 on:** July 08, 2003, 11:35:58 AM »

Flint and others,

Makes you wonder why in H@#* won't the manufacturers give a little and make something you can use right out of the box? I may drop them a note and see what the official position is. Most of us aren't shooting at people standing in rows 75 yds away so what difference would it make to make the front sight higher?

Alice Cooper · « **Reply #9 on:** July 10, 2003, 04:38:01 PM »

yup, my old army was the same, even with adjustable sights, it still shot high..a day at work with a file and a big washer plus fine water sandpaper and now it shoots dead on with the rear sight set really low...perfect fit first try, that's unusual!