New front sight???(Zoli Zouave)

[Ben Meyer]

My son has a Zoli Zouave rifle from the 1980s(Navy Arms). It shoots way high at 25 and 50yds. He filed the rear sight notch down some, no help. He got the gun used, and it looks like the front sight has been filed on before. With Minie balls, it's like a foot high at 50yds! But it groups great and shoots straight.

Questions: 1) is this normal? 2) the front sight looks welded ir brazed on. How does one go about getting it off and a new, taller one on? 3) does anyone know who may sell a taller sight?

 

[Phil Coffins]

If I wanted to alter the front sight I would cut a thin slot in the front sight base and pin a taller blade in it. If you are not sure you can do this a machinist or gun smith should be employed.

 

[bang]

Hitting high at short range normal. First rear blade is for 100 yards.
Might try soldering a fitted piece on front sight. I got the sniper sight for mine. I can aim across the top of it for shorter ranges. I like it for longer because it's easy to target longer ranges.

 

[Stony Broke]

If you check with S&S firearms, they offer replacement sights for the front of a Zouave and a replacement blade for the rear that that are real oversized so you can file them to whatever configuration you want. The front sights are not hard to replace and it can be done with a simple propane torch. Brownells sells a low temp solder that works fine for this.

 

[Gator Weiss]

What you do is shoot Low V. Top of the standard front sight goes in the bottom of the V. Low.V sighting. These muskets shoot uphill because they are designed to do that. Also ease up on your loads. 60 grains is plenty

 

[Griz44Mag]

I had one that was several inches high at 100, no way to tame it.
Super simple fix. I used a drop of epoxy and just put a taller front sight on my 3 band.
It has a base and interchangeable blades so you can get the elevation you want for your target shooting.
It was going to temporary but it worked wonderfully well, so I left it on there.
That keeps the gun all original as the added front sight would be really easy to remove and not leave a trace behind.
The purists will will complain, but they won't outshoot me!

 

[ZUG]

I LIKE IT -- thanks for sharing Griz44Mag