I have a Uberti clone of the Colt SAA that shoots very well, but it shoots about 2" left per 10 yards. At 50 yards it'll hold sub 5", but point of aim is edge of the target frame.

I know turning the barrel is the standard method to correct this, but I don't like how it looks or the crooked sight picture. Anybody tried any other method they like? Thinking of widening the rear sight notch maybe. But I think it'd be awfully wide to correct the windage. Appreciate any thoughts.

SAA sights are generally installed in a woodruff cut in the barrel. Sweating on a new sight will just give you a new crooked sight. The best way to move it is tighten the barrel. The good news is that 2" @ 10 yards won't require much. Plus, most fixed sight SAA are already leaning a little to the right so tightening it to the left will just makes it look more straighter.

Factory loads or handloads?

Changing ammo can result in a change in POI.

Otherwise, requiring both windage and elevation adjustment, you may want to consider having a front sight dovetail cut then you can change both at will.

I like this type as you can drift for windage and swap blades for elevation easily.

A friend of my police officer brother was his force armourer when police were armed with the Model 10. he went on the S & W Armourers' Course.

They corrected sight errors by supporting the barrel at either end on two blocks of lead. And then hitting it...HARD...with a lead hammer smack in the middle.

Brutal. But it worked. My advice would be to contact one of the many Colt SAA specialists in the USA and ask them to sort it out.

Thirty thousandths is what you need to move the front sight to make a two inch correction on a 6 inch barrel at ten yards.
Turning the barrel is the way it's been done since 1873 and way before that on Remington solid frames. .
You won't notice it.

You can narrow the front blade a bit on one side to gain some drift in the direction you need.
Then widen the rear notch in the other to gain the remaining windage.
The amt's are not equal as far as .000" in measurements removed from both the front sight and the rear notch.
It's a cut and try method.
But you can usually get the pistol to shoot to center and have not have a glaringly thin front sight blade or overly wide rear notch if you carefully adjust by the cut/shoot/and try method.

quote:

Originally posted by dpcd:
Thirty thousandths is what you need to move the front sight to make a two inch correction on a 6 inch barrel at ten yards.
Turning the barrel is the way it's been done since 1873 and way before that on Remington solid frames. .
You won't notice it.

+1 that is the way I have always adjusted them for windage.

Thanks, all. I appreciate it. I hadn't thought about sweating on a new sight or dovetailing in a front adjustable sight.

I went ahead and turned the barrel, trying for .036 (6.5" between fronts of front and rear sights, which is about 4.85 degrees). Used my pinion angle gauge against the frame to check the angle. Not that noticeable. Once I shoot it, I'll let you know the result in case anybody is interested.

Is your gun under warranty? You might try calling Benelli customer service. They may correct for free.

quote:

Originally posted by skl1:
I have a Uberti clone of the Colt SAA that shoots very well, but it shoots about 2" left per 10 yards. At 50 yards it'll hold sub 5", but point of aim is edge of the target frame.

I know turning the barrel is the standard method to correct this, but I don't like how it looks or the crooked sight picture. Anybody tried any other method they like? Thinking of widening the rear sight notch maybe. But I think it'd be awfully wide to correct the windage. Appreciate any thoughts.

[QUOTE]Originally posted by skl1:
Good news is the change took; bad news is I overdid it. Went from shooting 10" left at 50 yds to 10" right. First group bottom hold, center of square is in the cardboard at right. Second group point of aim was red X bottom left side just off target. Came home and turned it back. Will try again tomorrow:

Bobster, I didn't try Beretta/Benelli customer service. Good idea but I prefer trying to adjust it myself.

Firearms are made for specific uses, and there are just three of them: 1. Shooting animals. 2. Shooting targets. 3. Shooting people. (However, it is true that some have been designed for unique purposes such as cleaning cement kilns; and I myself have trimmed unwanted dead branches from trees with a 12 gauge shotgun.)

You have a firearm which falls into category 3. The assumption by its designer/maker was that the rudimentary sights would rarely be used, and then only for "approximate" and academic sighting. If you want to use a firearm for either usage #1 or #2 then it is by far best to obtain one originally designed for such other uses.

Stonecreek,

I do have target guns, too, but I couldn't disagree more. Most of the fun I have with firearms is seeing if I can make old style guns shoot better.

And did you see that 50 yd group? 3.25". That's target pistol accuracy out of an SAA! Modern manufacturing, but I can believe how good it shoots.

Every police ardence smith used the lead hammer method and with success and on a lot of pistols..El Paso did, Los Angeles, as well as many others did this at one time., most all on S&W 38/44s and mod. 10s back in the day..

Ive used the file with a dead edge and it worked on both front and rear method.

Some turned the barrel, but that always bothered me trying to stick a square post in a slanted square sight picture or visa versa is bothersome at best speaking for self...

The best method is the use of handloads, but it doesn't always work, if fact it seldom works..Most LE depts. don't allow handloads.

The real option is install the small J frame rear adjustable S&W target sight. problem solved..I even did this on my 1911 and my Brownng HP. I rounded off the outside sharp square edgeof the blade for concealed carry stuck in the pants on the right hip butt forward..

If you have to turn it so much that you have a slanted sight picture then something else is very wrong.
Like poorly bored frame threads.