Got the Taylor out.

[Rifletom]

Took the wife for a drive in the desert, so, brought the Pietta and Taylor along. Must say, the Taylor shot very accurately right out of the box. Not shooting low and windage seemed spot on. It seemed to like 7.2gr Universal just a shade more than 8.0gr Unique, both using 250gr rnfp Missouri plain.
With the Pietta, it shoots to the left a bit and low. Think I can fix the low with small amount of filing the front sight. It is the left shooting that has me baffled some. Maybe me just getting used to fixed sights, however, the Taylor worked well from the get go. What do you folks think? Thanks.

[North Country Gal]

With a fixed sight single action, shooting low is good. You just need to file down the front sight as needed for your preferred load and shooting distance.

Shooting high is a headache. Holding under is the most practical solution, though I have heard of some shooters brazing on some metal on the top of the front sight.


Windage being off right or left is actually common. You can do a lot with this one by experimenting with different holds and placement of the finger on the trigger. If that doesn't work, there are a number of options.

One is to bend the front sight in the direction needed. I hear about this one all the time. In fact, it's almost folklore on Colt single actions. Despite the stories, I don't recommend it, though. Couple of reasons. One, of course, is that it's too easy to break off the front sight ion traditional Colt SA. The other is that it is almost impossible to tell if you bent the front sight enough or too far and, of course, the more you fiddle with bending the front sight, the greater the risk of breaking it off.

The respected way from a gunsmith's point of view is the buy a frame wrench for turning the barrel/frame as needed to move the front sight in the right direction. Having a good gunsmith do this is the safest way to move the front sight without reducing the value of the gun.

If that's not an option, one thing I've done is to file off one side of the front sight. It will make the front sight thinner, of course, but it will move the front sight, slightly, in your sight picture. For instance, if you want your revolver to shoot more to the right, remove some material off the right side of the front sight. That will pull the front sight over a touch to the right when you center the front sight in the rear sight notch. Actually did this on one of our Uberti 357s and it did the trick.

Another possibility is to widen the rear sight one one side or the other. As above, it has the effect of moving the front sight in your sight picture. Not an option on a pure gutter rear sight, but a lot of rear gutter sights do narrow down at the very rear and can be opened a bit on one side or the other.

Of course, any filing you do reduces the resale value of the gun, so make sure the gun is otherwise a keeper before you grab that file.

[Rifletom]

With a fixed sight single action, shooting low is good. You just need to file down the front sight as needed for your preferred load and shooting distance.

Shooting high is a headache. Holding under is the most practical solution, though I have heard of some shooters brazing on some metal on the top of the front sight.


Windage being off right or left is actually common. You can do a lot with this one by experimenting with different holds and placement of the finger on the trigger. If that doesn't work, there are a number of options.

One is to bend the front sight in the direction needed. I hear about this one all the time. In fact, it's almost folklore on Colt single actions. Despite the stories, I don't recommend it, though. Couple of reasons. One, of course, is that it's too easy to break off the front sight ion traditional Colt SA. The other is that it is almost impossible to tell if you bent the front sight enough or too far and, of course, the more you fiddle with bending the front sight, the greater the risk of breaking it off.

The respected way from a gunsmith's point of view is the buy a frame wrench for turning the barrel/frame as needed to move the front sight in the right direction. Having a good gunsmith do this is the safest way to move the front sight without reducing the value of the gun.

If that's not an option, one thing I've done is to file off one side of the front sight. It will make the front sight thinner, of course, but it will move the front sight, slightly, in your sight picture. For instance, if you want your revolver to shoot more to the right, remove some material off the right side of the front sight. That will pull the front sight over a touch to the right when you center the front sight in the rear sight notch. Actually did this on one of our Uberti 357s and it did the trick.

Another possibility is to widen the rear sight one one side or the other. As above, it has the effect of moving the front sight in your sight picture. Not an option on a pure gutter rear sight, but a lot of rear gutter sights do narrow down at the very rear and can be opened a bit on one side or the other.

Of course, any filing you do reduces the resale value of the gun, so make sure the gun is otherwise a keeper before you grab that file.

Thank you NCG; this all all very good advice. I will try some different loads and trigger technique before any filing. Thanks again as this is very much appreciated.

[BigAl52]

Just use a little of that Kentucky windage there Tom.

[fortyshooter]

Great to hear you got both those .45's out Tom! Are the grips on both the same shape and width? Sometimes the way the grip fits in your hand will have an effect when the round goes off. However as has been said here it is common for some SA revolvers to be off on windage. Of course the load you shoot will vary the elevation too.

[North Country Gal]

Glad to help, m Tom. As mentioned, do try different holds and even different grips, first. Lots of different ways to hold that old plow grip on single actions and some of them will change POI in both windage and elevation.

[Rifletom]

forty, the grips on the Taylor are a bit larger and is easier to hold/grip. Have to say, the advice one can get here for working with firearms is un matched. The simple things one asks, is always answered with detail on what to fix or address. You people are the best!