New Ruger Old Army – Need help dialing in

[FishDFly]

It's best to buy a cylinder loader from Powder Inc. since parts are not available for the ROA.

 

[D Yager]

As these were military guns to start with, understanding how they viewed things is a help. As I recall the 1903 Rifle sight was 450 yards or some such.

They based it on combat, aim at belt level for close in and you hit a man sized target on out.

What we want is more precise and 25 yards became the metric of shooting a hand gun. Nothing magic about it, but if everyone tested to that, then you could have a direct comparison.

Most people that hunt with these don't shoot past 50 yards. The Accuracy is not there.

Why Ruger did not set the sights for a reasonable range as they were adjustable? But we have to deal with it regardless. Same as shooting Iron sights on a 1903.

The accuracy is definitely there having punctured a few jackrabbits at over 50 yards with my beater ROA. There was no flopping around, animal was dead right then and there. 200 grn semi wadcutter over 35 grns of Pyrodex P. Bullet traveled the entire length of the rabbit and stopped just under the skin.

 

[Bumpy Rhodes]

Mine shot high too. I made a taller front sight, you just need some 1/8 inch steel stock, a hack saw, and a file (and a drill to made the cross pin hole). The sighting error divided by the target distance equals the additional sight height required divided by the distance between the rear and front sights. A checkering file is handy for the back slope of the sight. If I was to do it again I'd make a patridge sight, cuz I only use it for target shooting.

Ok, you shamed me into making a sight. I had some 1/8" black nylon, hard to work with but I don't have to worry about rust. I made it about .100" too high and I'll cut it down next time I shoot it (easier to remove material than add it). I may have made the front angle too steep but that'll come down a bit when I shave it.

I also ordered the sight from Numrich as well.

Thanks for the help guys!

 

[M. De Land]

Ok, you shamed me into making a sight. I had some 1/8" black nylon, hard to work with but I don't have to worry about rust. I made it about .100" too high and I'll cut it down next time I shoot it (easier to remove material than add it). I may have made the front angle too steep but that'll come down a bit when I shave it.

I also ordered the sight from Numrich as well.

Thanks for the help guys!

Gadzooks, a gut hook ! Bet it's hell on holsters or inside your pant carry ! It will give a great sight picture !

 

[Bumpy Rhodes]

Gadzooks, a gut hook ! Bet it's hell on holsters or inside your pant carry ! It will give a great sight picture !

Yeah, this would not be my first choice for a CCW!

 

[Greasecookie]

Better than a Walker.

 

[brushblind]

Wow! That’s disappointing that they no longer want to send out a Blackhawk sight. I’m fairly sure they didn’t recently change the front sight design so that it no longer fits so I guess they’ve just decided they don’t care so much anymore…

I'm not at all impressed with Ruger anymore, at least for the last 10 yrs. or so. They are not the same company they were 30 or more years ago but then again, there's not many that are.

 

[Bumpy Rhodes]

I'm not at all impressed with Ruger anymore, at least for the last 10 yrs. or so. They are not the same company they were 30 or more years ago but then again, there's not many that are.

I'd expand that to 30yrs. I have owned many Rugers, sold all of them, would not buy another. But this Old Army is not made anymore, and no one makes anything like it (to my knowledge).

It is a 1982, the dark days of U.S. manufacturing. There are many obvious mfg defects, but it is what it it is. I knew this going in. But that does not excuse Ruger from not only giving me an appropriate replacement front sight, but not even telling me what might fit that is still available. They were absolutely no help at all. But as I said, I no longer own, or will every buy a Ruger. Bill should be turning.

 

[rodwha]

I'm not at all impressed with Ruger anymore, at least for the last 10 yrs. or so. They are not the same company they were 30 or more years ago but then again, there's not many that are.

Funny in a way as I’ve just been reading of a few very disappointed customers more recently. Seems on par with big businesses these days I guess…

 

[rodwha]

I'd expand that to 30yrs. I have owned many Rugers, sold all of them, would not buy another. But this Old Army is not made anymore, and no one makes anything like it (to my knowledge).

It is a 1982, the dark days of U.S. manufacturing. There are many obvious mfg defects, but it is what it it is. I knew this going in. But that does not excuse Ruger from not only giving me an appropriate replacement front sight, but not even telling me what might fit that is still available. They were absolutely no help at all. But as I said, I no longer own, or will every buy a Ruger. Bill should be turning.

You have a very different perspective that what me and my father saw, and he owned quite a few and still has all of them as far as I know.

I’ve only had to deal with their customer service once being told I could ask for a .45 Colt sight for my ROA and it arrived shortly afterwards. That was a hair over a decade ago, maybe 12 years. No charge and quick so my one time was most excellent.

 

[M. De Land]

Better than a Walker.

Any thing is better than a Walker front sight! I was just razzing BP ! I've seen that very front blade profile on a Victor match .22 pistol, they actually work very well !

 

[M. De Land]

Better than a Walker.

Any thing is better than a Walker front sight. I was just razzing

I found this 1982 ROA LNIB that appeared to never have been fired. I took it out today to give it a try. I did 6 shots to condition the barrel then shot 25y groups using Schuetzen FFFG, Rem #11’s and Speer .457 balls. During conditioning I noticed it was shooting high so I cranked the sight all the way down.

First group, 30gr with lubed wad and Crisco: 3.15”, 2.56” high.

2nd, 35gr with lubed wad and Cirsco: 3.50”, 3.5” high

Winter sun was low on the horizon and it was getting hard to see the sights so I got a sheet of cardboard to shade the sights for the next group.

35gr, no wad, Crisco. 2.20”, but 4.3” high!

I tried that last load again but this time offhand, and it was 7” high!

Am I doing something wrong with my loads or is the gun maybe messed up? Maybe I need a taller front sight?

BTW: The windage was perfect throughout.

Thanks for the help!

View attachment 369174


View attachment 369175

My ROA Centenial model in blued steel does not have a pinned in removable front blade so it's a good thing it doesn't shoot high !

 

[Bumpy Rhodes]

Any thing is better than a Walker front sight! I was just razzing BP ! I've seen that very front blade profile on a Victor match .22 pistol, they actually work very well !

My first gun was a .22 Browning Medalist when I started competition in the '70's, still accurate as hell. To me, this is how sights should be. Haven't figured out how to put the serrations on the ROA sight!