More on shooting left

[The Blade]

I finally got tired of the Ruger Sherriff's model (3.75" barrel, birdshead vaquero.)  I couldn't find any load that would bring the group size down from the 6" pattern that it printed, and I didn't like the gun well enough to spend money on gunsmithing.  I did learn to grip it so that it wouldn't shoot left, though.  It's all in the grip, or so I thought.

I traded it, and now find myself with a new Uberti Cattleman with the 4 3/4" barrel.  Neat looking gun, it is dimensionally correct, and doesn't lead AT ALL.  It's a reproduction of the SAA Colt, I believe.

Anyway, this gun shoots decent groups of around 2" straight out of the box.  However, it's groups are located 8" left of center at 25 yards (that's off the paper.)  It shoots this way left handed, right handed, off a rest, with a firm or light grip, and from standing.  I'm about to give up on fixed-sight single actions and go back to adjustable sight guns.

Does anyone have similar experience with these Uberti reproductions?  How did you fix it?

The Blade

[Mikey]

The Blade:  You have voiced a common problem, or so it appears, with single action revolvers shooting either left or right of point of aim.  

Since you mentioned Uberti, in particular, I could always opine that you left shooting revolver is what you get when a bunch of left wing liberals start making guns, but that won't help.  

What I have read of those problems on this and other forums is that the only apparent means of correction is to return the revolver to the factory for repair.  I think the cause of the problem is with the installation of the barrel and the only people who can correct that are at the factory, or some of the custom single action gunsmiths spoken to on this site.  Perhaps either Graybeard or the Single Action site Moderator can recommend a gunsmith to deal with your problem.

The Uberti Cattleman was well spoken to in a write-up in the Gun Tests magazine and the factory does pride itself on its quality workmanship.  Unless someone else's experience is to the contrary, my suggestion remains to return it to the factory for repair or wait to hear from one of the others but it is fixable.

Hope this helps.  Mikey.

[The Blade]

Mikey,

Great minds think alike!  I called the importer, Navy Arms, today.  They were anxious for me to send the gun to them so that they could correct the problem.  The man I spoke with piped up and said "it sounds like that gun needs a new barrel."  

As I was packing it up for shipment, I noticed that all of the screws holding the frame to the grip were not tight.  I'm amazed that I got decent groups out of the gun.

I am going to give it an additional field test tomorrow before I ship the gun off to verify whether the loose screws on the gun affected the point of aim.  It's my bet that I'll notice a big difference.

I've never received a gun, NIB, that wasn't tight.  I'll check new guns from this day forward, though.

If this doesn't solve the probelm, I'll ship it to them soon.  I'm real interested to see the caliber of their customer service.  If it's similar to the response that I received over the phone, I'll be pleased.

Thanks for the post.

The Blade

[Lloyd Smale]

i wish you lived closer pal we'd fix that thing right up. any reputable gunsmith should be able to turn that barrel.

I finally got tired of the Ruger Sherriff's model (3.75" barrel, birdshead vaquero.)  I couldn't find any load that would bring the group size down from the 6" pattern that it printed, and I didn't like the gun well enough to spend money on gunsmithing.  I did learn to grip it so that it wouldn't shoot left, though.  It's all in the grip, or so I thought.

I traded it, and now find myself with a new Uberti Cattleman with the 4 3/4" barrel.  Neat looking gun, it is dimensionally correct, and doesn't lead AT ALL.  It's a reproduction of the SAA Colt, I believe.

Anyway, this gun shoots decent groups of around 2" straight out of the box.  However, it's groups are located 8" left of center at 25 yards (that's off the paper.)  It shoots this way left handed, right handed, off a rest, with a firm or light grip, and from standing.  I'm about to give up on fixed-sight single actions and go back to adjustable sight guns.

Does anyone have similar experience with these Uberti reproductions?  How did you fix it?

The Blade

[The Blade]

Lloyd,

True, true.  However, Navy Arms will do it for free, plus the cost of shipping.

I've gotten a bunch of shooting in lately...what a life!  Our company landed a project which involves assessing all of the publicly owned shooting ranges in the state, and it's my job to inspect each of the 16 firing ranges.  As an added bonus to our client, I've decided to field test each range for no additional charge.  Firing a minimum of 50 rounds per range will amount to 800 rounds fired over the course of the project.  


I need more wheel weights!


Overall, the public ranges are very nice.  The amount of vandalism at the ranges is cause for concern, though.  There are many good, responsible shooters out there that will ultimately pay the price for those few people who shoot the gutters off of the shooting range shelters, who shoot holes through the columns, who destroy the trash barrels, and who generally think that a firearm is a tool for wreaking destruction on other people's property.

In the spirit of continuing the viability of our sport, we must not allow such behavior to continue at our public shooting facilities.  It's up to us to stop the vandalism.  However, approaching one of these people, who obviously have no regard for property, should be left up to law enforcement officers.

That's a bit off topic, and should be addressed in a thread of it's own.  But it's my thoughts at the moment...

The Blade

[Lloyd Smale]

hey pal now thats what i call a tough assignment. I cant believe they would pay someone to do that. Hell Id do it for free. Just sent me a plane ticket and ill be there. I know what you mean about the ranges the one organized range that i shoot at can get pretty bad. Just about every time I go there im building target stands. I have my own little range that I do most of my shooting at though and that one is policed pretty well considering im the only one that shoots there. Saves lots of embarasment to when theres no one there to watch you shoot

[dakotashooter2]

Has anyone considered shimming one side of the stocks to see if it makes any difference. I'm thinking maybe a wider grip on one side will change the hand position enough to allow compensation for torque effect caused by trigger pull. I may give it a try.

[44 Man]

Sounds normal to me!  I had a beautiful engraved Dakota a few years back, shot left about 6" at about 15 yards.  Turned in the barrel a little bit and shot right to point of aim.  Just bought a Colt with the same problem.  I whacked the front sight on the bench for a temporary fix.  Bent the sight left just a little, presto! Shoots to point of aim (Colt collectors cringe at that).  If you look carefully down the top of the barrel you will probably see that the front sight is not lined up with the top strap, tilting off to the right just a little.  Have a good gunsmith (or factory repair) turn the barrel in until the front sight is straight up.  On a colt and some clones, you can align the writing on the top of the barrel with the grove in the topstrap.  About half of the fixed sight single actions I have owned have needed this to one extent or another.  If you shoot a lot of single actions, you may want to invest in a barrel vise.  And oh yes, I will turn in the barrel on the Colt as soon a the weather warms up a little.  Good Shooting   44 Man :agree:

[Archie the Preacher]

with a padded vise and a 10 inch cresent wrench.

Go slow and gentle, a little change is all you need.  Bending it back and forth will break off the front sight.  Then you will need a gunsmith.

You're a big kid.  You decide if you want to try it or not.