Author Topic: ADJUSTABLE SIGHTS ...REALLY?? (Read 1284 times)

m-g Willy · « **on:** February 15, 2012, 03:47:04 PM »

Out of all the adjustable sighted guns I have ,there are only a few that I have ever changed the sight settings again after the first sight in with them.
All my 45 colt guns are sighted for 250-255 gr SWC at 900fps .
44 mag. is loaded with 200 and 240gr. but I use a different gun for each load.
357 is loaded with 158 and 125gr. , and like the 44 both 357 loads are used in the indvidual pistols for that load.
So I was wondering just how many people really use their adjustable sights for more than the original sight in for a paticular load..

tacklebury · « **Reply #1 on:** February 15, 2012, 04:36:04 PM »

I have to date loaded about 14 different loads in .45 colt only. My blackhawk sights have been adjusted nearly that many too. I shoot a .45 acp cylinder also and those are a little off on poi. I mark down in my reloading book what my sight clicks are typically for each load and I can zero it in quick when I re-create it. There are many cast bullets that perform slightly differently. I will say that now that I have some really good loads worked up, it moves less often than it did.

Savage · « **Reply #2 on:** February 16, 2012, 01:22:22 PM »

I generally settle on a bullet and load pretty quickly. Rarely do I change loads/sight settings once I do my initial sight in. If I never move them again, they are in my opinion, invaluable. I'm talking handguns here, My rifles, have optics, I tend to use different loadings with those, so I might change sight settings more frequently.
Savage

hillbill · « **Reply #3 on:** February 16, 2012, 01:31:07 PM »

Quote from: Savage on February 16, 2012, 01:22:22 PM

I generally settle on a bullet and load pretty quickly. Rarely do I change loads/sight settings once I do my initial sight in. If I never move them again, they are in my opinion, invaluable. I'm talking handguns here, My rifles, have optics, I tend to use different loadings with those, so I might change sight settings more frequently.
Savage

thats what i do

painted horse · « **Reply #4 on:** February 16, 2012, 03:39:54 PM »

I'm more concerned with windage than elevation settings. Elevation wise, I TRY to set mine to hit 3in high at 25yds. That will generally give me minute of beer can out to 75yds. Oh, 45 colt BBH.

Lloyd Smale · « **Reply #5 on:** February 17, 2012, 12:38:29 AM »

It goes both ways for me. Ive got guns that shoot only one load and ive got guns that shoot many differnt loads. If i could only own one or two sixguns id want ajustable sights on them. But i have many guns and it doesnt bother me to take say a 44 or 45 vaquero and sight it in for one good hunting load and just shoot the snot out of that load.

kynardsj · « **Reply #6 on:** February 17, 2012, 01:35:03 AM »

With all my pistols, rimfire or centerfire, I find the bullet/load combination they like and stick with it. Right now I own three Rugers in 45 LC. Each has it's own bullet weight and powder that it shoots best with and that's what the sights are set for.

Redhawk1 · « **Reply #7 on:** February 17, 2012, 03:23:48 AM »

I am with Lloyd on this. Most of myy carry guns are fixed sights. My hunting handguns all have adjustable sights, as I don't want to be limited to one load.

mcwoodduck · « **Reply #8 on:** February 17, 2012, 03:44:44 AM »

For the most part,
I never touch the adjustable sights, except on the target guns.
The target 22's I will pick a target load buy a thousand rounds and shoot them till I am out and get more. but I am shooting for score.
For the most part the adjustable sights are there to change the gun to the shooter than anything else.
I do have a silohuette 357 mag that has an adjustable front sight, with 4 settings that you dial in for the range. The rear sight is to move the bullet the front sight is to adjust the range and I worked a long time and a lot of ammo to get it to shoot the Federal 158 grain JSP load out to 200 yards.
I do shoot 38 Specials out of it for steel or plinking and the 50 yard pin is not perfect, but close enough for those targets.

painted horse · « **Reply #9 on:** February 17, 2012, 05:53:34 AM »

Quote from: mcwoodduck on February 17, 2012, 03:44:44 AM

"For the most part the adjustable sights are there to change the gun to the shooter than anything else."

You know, I might tend to agree with that....but with my shooting ability I need all the help I can get, even if it's just THINKIN it'll shoot more accurately. I also don't have a "best" load for the two I'm shooting now, seems like whatever powder/bullet combo I shoot I get pretty much the same "pattern" out to 50 yards.

Must be the gun or load, right.......

bilmac · « **Reply #10 on:** February 17, 2012, 06:10:21 AM »

I zero my 357s with the load that I use most. I shoot several different loads, but they shoot pretty close so I don't re- zero when I change loads. What I do do is tweek my zero. I start by zeroing from a bench, but as I shoot many rounds on paper offhand, the group looks like a shotgun pattern. But if you had sights on a shotgun you could zero it, right, by eyeballing the target and deciding where the center of the group is.

When I was qualifying for LE I started noticing that there were more shots on one side of the center than the other, so I would put a click or two change on the sight. After a few times doing that I had the pattern pretty well centered. I have never done it but I suppose if I went back to shooting from the bench my zero might be off a little bit, but you can bet I'm not going to change my sights based on that. I don't carry a bench around with me.

tacklebury · « **Reply #11 on:** February 17, 2012, 03:40:41 PM »

My 300 gr. blackhawk loads are over 8" higher than my 200 gr. plinking loads. I don't think you'd want to windage up 8", but if so then by all means please do so. I'll stick to adjustables. hehe

demented · « **Reply #12 on:** February 17, 2012, 05:51:39 PM »

Not much is more aggravating than a fixed sight revolver that is not regulated with ANY load. I have a Ruger Speed Six that hits three inchs right and four high at 15 yards. Yeah it'd be nice if there were some way to get at least the windage close. With my fixed sight semi-autos I can at least buy different height front and rear sights and use dovetails for windage.

t-reg · « **Reply #13 on:** February 18, 2012, 01:44:49 PM »

I regularly rotate among three different adjustable sight pistols for different uses. Each one is zeroed so POI = POA with the most natural hold for me and no forgetting where each one is going to hit.

hillbill · « **Reply #14 on:** February 19, 2012, 12:18:46 PM »

to me, there is nothing more frustrating than a gun you can not adjust to poa regardless of what load you are useing. i dont buy fixed sight handguns anymore period.
i have a couple carry guns that are fixed sight but i dont expect to use them at more than 5 yrds. at that range they perform fine.

temmi · « **Reply #15 on:** February 23, 2012, 08:53:52 AM »

Other than my J frames and XD 45, all my HGs have adjustable sights.

And I would change the XD if I ever shot it.

Snake

reliquary · « **Reply #16 on:** February 23, 2012, 10:19:45 AM »

I had to go look to make sure, but it was as I thought...the only adjustable sight handgun I have is a BH. All the fixed sight pieces hit reasonably close to POA with their favorite loads except a 4" Mod 923 H&R. I have to remember to hold a little low with it.

I used to have to hold a little to the right with the 923, also, but I gently tapped the top of the front sight with a hammer and fixed that problem.

Antique eyes and bifocals mean that I can't hold the fine beads I used to be able to, and since I quit punching holes in paper, it no longer matters that much. Center of mass is good enough. If I could figure a good way to get fixed sights on the BH, I might even do that.

Yes, I know I need laser sights.

bubbinator · « **Reply #17 on:** February 23, 2012, 09:21:20 PM »

Once upon a time-while learning what my guns liked-I shot and adjusted for what worked for me with my loads. That covers 4 decades of reloading+. What I shoot today shoots to what I look at over the sights of the gun I'm using. I'm happy with what I have done based on my going on 5 dacades of Military/LEO/NRA Competition/and loading for +/-30 calibers. Any questions?

stubshaft · « **Reply #18 on:** February 23, 2012, 09:58:59 PM »

I test alot of different cast bullet loads and adjust the sights accordingly. That way they are always sighted in for the current load I am testing and I have no problems going hunting with them

Mikey · « **Reply #19 on:** February 24, 2012, 01:02:42 AM »

Demented: I wonder if Ruger can't fix that Speed Six for you, to at least bring it horizontally to point of aim. Some single action 1873 Colt clones, and some Colts for that matter, hit left or right of poa and gunsmiths turn the barrel in a bit more which brings to poi to the center line. Where she hits elevation-wise can be a matter of adding or removing material from the front sight - some guys use JB weld and file it down to bring poa to poi at 25m, some have to file the front sight for the same effect.
I would like to suggest that if you still have a revolver that shoots 3 inches to the right and 4 inches high at 15m you either lose it in a trade or have the factory fix it. jmtcw.
BTW - all my big bore and magnum revolers wear adjustable sights, as do some of my semi-autos. I enjoy testing different loadings and prefer adjustable sights for all that fun.

Poll

With your adjustable sight guns do you.

Author Topic: ADJUSTABLE SIGHTS ...REALLY?? (Read 1284 times)