OUT OF SIGHT

[flashpoint]

Hi guys
Thought I would ask the experts.
A friend of mine recently acquired a percussion muzzleloader from a non- shooting relative. He's new to this gun (actually has never really shot one very much), and is attempting to getting it to shoot accurately. The gun has an adjustable rear sight. After some shooting it seems he has the elevation where he wants it. However his group at 25 yards is shooting to the right maybe 4 inches. So I told him to adjust the rear sight by turning the windage screw towards him (he's at the tang position) which should make the group shoot to the left closer to the bulls eye. The windage adjustment screw is on the right side of the sight and the elevation screw is on top. He has done this although the group hasn't moved too much. The problem now is that the windage screw is at its limit (bottomed out?) and won't adjust any further. Being somewhat new myself, I have no idea as to what he should do next to correct the problem.? Thank you. Flashpoint!

 

[jpm1963]

The front sight needs a bit of "drifting" in the dovetail. Remember it moves opposite the direction you want the group to go.

Put the rear sight back in the center, drift the front sight a bit and try again.

 

[flashpoint]

The front sight needs a bit of "drifting" in the dovetail. Remember it moves opposite the direction you want the group to go.

Put the rear sight back in the center, drift the front sight a bit and try again.

Thank you jpm1963 . I am thinking then he should tap it slightly to the right with a wooden dowel and a small hammer ; I guess just a couple of light taps.

 

[Bob McBride]

Thank you jpm1963 . I am thinking then he should tap it slightly to the right with a wooden dowel and a small hammer ; I guess just a couple of light taps.

Use a pencil to mark across the barrel and sight so you know where your starting point is. Helps you know how far to move the sight for the second set of taps....

 

[bang]

Have you first worked up a load for best grouping? Grouping does not have to best accuracy.
Get the best load then start tweaking the sights.

 

[flashpoint]

Use a pencil to mark across the barrel and sight so you know where your starting point is. Helps you know how far to move the sight for the second set of taps....

Good idea. Thanks

Have you first worked up a load for best grouping? Grouping does not have to best accuracy.
Get the best load then start tweaking the sights.

Yeah, I think he has a pretty good grouping; it's just the windage now.

 

[firestick]

Just a guess but I bet the front sight is slightly left of center and needs to be slightly right of center of the bore. double check the front sight isn't bent as well. I had that happen on one of my rifle with a high front blade.

 

[Grimord]

Was the shooting done on a bright sunny day, and does the rifle have a brass or silver blade? If so, the glare on the front sight will affect where the gun shoots. The eye wants to put the brightest spot in the center which could make the shot go right or left depending. If you have a brass or silver bladed front sight, try darkening the blade with a permanent marker or some other agent to take the shine off the blade. Then try your groupings again to see if that was the issue.

 

[SamTex1949]

Is there anyway you can take a photo of the front sight (looking straight down on it) and post ? More for curious visualization .

 

[Bill M.]

Mark the front sight and tap it over. I would rather use a brass rod than a wood dowel. Or buy a sight pusher. You can actually work out how far it needs to go by the proportions of the sight radius to shooting distance if you want to. I would center the rear sight blade in the sight and then adjust the front blade to be close and then finish up by adjusting the rear again.

 

[user 48679]

If the gun's POI is too far to the right of the POA, then the rear sight needs to be moved towards the left and/or the front sight moved to the right.
.

 

[BadDaditood]

FORS
Front = Opposite
Rear = Same

 

[flashpoint]

Is there anyway you can take a photo of the front sight (looking straight down on it) and post ? More for curious visualization .

I will try Sam

 

[flashpoint]

All good advice here. I will check out that sight pusher. I don't think the front sight has ever been moved as it's pretty tight in there though it's not rusted by any means. Wonder if penetrating oil would help?

 

[Stony Broke]

With the barrel in a padded vise, simply tap the front sight with a brass punch and a hammer. No oil is probably needed. Not a tough job and no need for spending money on some type of sight pusher.

 

[flashpoint]

Thanks

With the barrel in a padded vise, simply tap the front sight with a brass punch and a hammer. No oil is probably needed. Not a tough job and no need for spending money on some type of sight pusher.

Thanks Stony.

 

[flashpoint]

Is there anyway you can take a photo of the front sight (looking straight down on it) and post ? More for curious visualization .

HI Sam. Finally took a photo. The gun has been shooting to the right,

 

[Danny Ross]

This maybe a dumb question but. is there a possibility he maybe canting/tilting the gun to the right some? Another question is he covering the target with the front blade or is he using a 6 o'clock hold. If he is covering the point where he is trying to hit, he can't see if the target is in/on the center of the front sight. Have him draw you a picture of what his sight picture looks like and is he holding the sights vertical. Just something to think about of things that could be affecting his point of impact. As mention use a pencil mark on the barrel on the edge of the front blade you are drifting it to, moving it right on the right edge of the blade. It won't take much to move it a lot on the paper. EACH time you move it, put another mark on the barrel before you do, so if you go to far you will know where you were on each move, and how far you might need to move it back, and leave the previous marks till you get it centered. Front sight is like the sight on a compound bow, you chase/move it towards the point of impact with the front sight post, the rear sight you move the direction you want the point of impact to move to. DANNY

 

[flashpoint]

This maybe a dumb question but. is there a possibility he maybe canting/tilting the gun to the right some? Another question is he covering the target with the front blade or is he using a 6 o'clock hold. If he is covering the point where he is trying to hit, he can't see if the target is in/on the center of the front sight. Have him draw you a picture of what his sight picture looks like and is he holding the sights vertical. Just something to think about of things that could be affecting his point of impact. As mention use a pencil mark on the barrel on the edge of the front blade you are drifting it to, moving it right on the right edge of the blade. It won't take much to move it a lot on the paper. EACH time you move it, put another mark on the barrel before you do, so if you go to far you will know where you were on each move, and how far you might need to move it back, and leave the previous marks till you get it centered. Front sight is like the sight on a compound bow, you chase/move it towards the point of impact with the front sight post, the rear sight you move the direction you want the point of impact to move to. DANNY

That's a really good point Danny. I think his hold is at 6:00 so the top of his front sight is in the center of the bull. And yes, it could be possible that he is canting the gun so he needs to be aware of that. So just to to clarify what you said, because the gun is shooting to the right, and he has bottomed out his windage screw, he should center the windage screw, then drift the sight to the right towards where the gun is shooting now, and then turn the windage screw to the left to center it on the bull?
OR should he center the windage screw, drift the sight to the left (the opposite of where the gun is shooting now) to get it on the bull then then turn the screw to the left to fine tune his POI? Thank you.

 

[SmokepoleSam]

A 6 o'clock hold is with the top of the front sight at the bottom of the bull where the 6 is on a clock face. Aiming at the center of the bull with the top of the front sight is called a center hold. Hope this helps.