Vaquero front sight filed down too much

[crustaceous]

Just bought a used Ruger Vaquero Bisley. Shot it today and it was over a foot high at 25 yds. I can see where the previous owner filed down the front sight.  What are my options? Can I have adjustable sights installed? I see the previous owner every Monday at our silhouette shoots and wonder if it is acceptable to pistol whip him for this transgression?

[BlkHawk73]

  First check with the previous owner to see what loads he was shooting.  A different load will shoot to a different point.   Second, make sure it's no you.  Just your grip can effect the POA/POI correlation.  As a last resort either new front sight or new bbl or a adj rear.  the later kinda takes away the whole Vaquero character though.  Might as well have bought a Blackhawk.   

[Lloyd Smale]

a gunsmith like dave clements can fit an drift adjustable front sight or a post front and ajustable smith and wesson rear. If you looking at cost your cheapest bet is to send it back to ruger and have them put a new blade on it.

[crustaceous]

Thanks for the info. I didn't know that the front sight could be replaced. Talked to Ruger today and I'm going to send it in and they'll solder a new sight on. They won't quote a price until they look at it.
The previous owner used the revolver for SASS events. I shot it with cowboy loads. Both of us are old guys with bad eyes which may explain why we aim differently.

[okie john]

Most cowboy shooters use fairly light bullets, like 200 grains. Try 250's and see where they land.


Okie John

[44 Man]

I have found that most Ruger Vaquero's shoot pretty close to point of aim with heavy load and heavy bullets.  Something in the order of 275 gr bullets at about 1000 fps seem very close to the sights.  Standard loads (255 gr bullets at 800 fps) need a little taken off to shoot to the point of aim.  The original owner may have shot very light weight bullets, which would require a shorter front sight to hit where the gun looks and it sounds like this is what he must have shot.  You can try the light weight bullets if you like, but if that is not what you would prefer to shoot, then by all means contact Ruger and send the gun back to them.  For the price of shipping (one way, about $20-$30), Ruger will replace the sight quickly and very likely without cost to you.  It's your best and cheapest fix.  44 Man

[kennisondan]

Mine hits point of aim with 265s and 10gr. of unique... short barreled full size vaquero.
dk

[crustaceous]

Thanks for the suggestions.
Update: I sent the vaquero back to Ruger on 11-18-08 and just got it back. I had asked them to replace the front sight and check the gun because it didn't lock up all the time. They went through the whole gun and replaced the barrel, the cylinder, the basepin, the hammer, the trigger, the ejector rod housing, all springs and repaired the grip frame. I basically got a new gun back.
They didn't charge me anything. I haven't shot it yet but can't wait.
Another satisfied Ruger customer (I own 10 in various configutations) and will happily but 10 more!
I only wish they made cars!!

[Steve P]

I only wish they made cars!!

NOT!  Then who would we buy revolvers from?  FA's are too spendy to have more than a couple three....or four....well, maybe five......

Steve

[DanChamberlain]

A little late coming to this, but a trick I learned many years ago about adding to the front sight I should pass along.  It's an easy thing to cut a "V" down the length of a front sight that's been filed and solder in a piece of steel to raise it up.  Dress your work with a file and cold blue and you're in business.  Yes, it will be visible, but if you're a handy guy, it will look good, particularly if you are trying to create a different look.  One of the guns I'd seen done this way, was a piece of brass that added a brass "bead" to the front post on a single action.  Similar to a hunting rifle sight.  It was dressed nicely and shaped attractively. 

A man would be surprised what he can do without sending a gun in to a smith.  Of course if Ruger is going to rebuild it for nothing...I'd jump on that.

Dan

[bilmac]

The reason I usually do things like this myself is that I hate to put them in the mail. I would opt for the do it myself fix every time over a factory job, free or not.