Ruger Old Army = need help!!

[The German]

I have just traded in a Ruger Old army, stainless, adj. sights. It is by far the most accurate handgun I ever shot, however it shoots 8 inch high with the rear sight at the lowest setting and only 25 gr of FFFg. ( 25 yr) what can be done to correct the problem- according to ruger there is no higher front sight available and they recommend just to reduce the load....

 

[Zonie]

You didn't say whether you were shooting slugs or roundballs.

I assume it is roundballs but if it is slugs that might explain the high hits.
Slugs often hit higher because the increased weight of the slug causes the muzzle to raise higher before it exits the barrel.

 

[Pete Gaimari]

You could sell it to me, and the problem will go away.

 

[CoyoteJoe]

That does sound like what the Ruger "experts" would say.
To lower the point of impact by 8" at 25 yards you'd probably need a powder charge of about 10 grains, it might bounce off the backstop but it would be zeroed. :haha:
A better solution would be to add stock to your front sight, about .080" should do it. If the sight is blued steel a piece of mild steel can be soft soldered on top, if stainless it will need to be silver soldered. No problem for any gunsmith or careful tinkerer.

 

[Blizzard of '93]

I had the same problem with mine.
however there is a taller front sight blade that can be fitted. I don't remember the part # however but do remember Ruger sending me a spare set of nipples gratis when I ordered it. one of the nipples wrung intwo upon removal, I sent it back - you could see a stained line where the nipple broke. a small e-z out took care of the problem after a soak with 'knock-er-loose'

 

[TFoley]

I have just traded in a Ruger Old army, stainless, adj. sights. It is by far the most accurate handgun I ever shot, however it shoots 8 inch high with the rear sight at the lowest setting and only 25 gr of FFFg. ( 25 yr) what can be done to correct the problem- according to ruger there is no higher front sight available and they recommend just to reduce the load....

There are [or were] taller foresights - I have on on my SS Old Army after I whinged about it in public at a gun show here in UK to the Viking Arms boss [they are the importers BTW]. Even so, it STILL shoots about four inches high at 25yards.

All I do is shoot four inches lower.

Easy.

tac
Supporter of the Cape Meares Lighthouse Restoration Fund

 

[The German]

Shooting round ball.... and according to Ruger my front sight is also the highest one available...
I think best woul be just to make a new front sight out of some piece of steel.... just can't believe that Ruger doesn't have the " right" front sights....

 

[Jim/OH]

German, I agree with Blizzard. I had the same problem, and contacted Rugar about it. They sent me a new taller front sight that took care of the problem. All you have to do is drive out the pin that holds the old one in and put in the new one (I think I had to drill a hole, but not sure). :thumbsup: You may have gotten someone who did not know what was available. If it is not available any more, you could drive out the pin and take the old sight as a pattern and make a new one to replace it. Either way, there is a way to fix it without having "to live with it." :thumbsup:

Hope this helps, see ya, Jim/OH :hatsoff:

 

[R.M.]

Jim, not all ROA front sights are pinned. I have 2 that the front sight is part of the barrel. I think it might be the older ones that aren't.

 

[Leatherbark]

Try loading more powder.........The problem may be too much barrel time with the slower load hitting higher. With about ten more grains I'll bet the ball will exit faster and recoil raising the muzzle less and the ball will hit lower..................Bob

 

[CoyoteJoe]

The stainless Old Army I had many years ago had the same type of front sight as my current flat top .44 mag. That is the blade and the base are machined as a solid unit, brazed onto the barrel. That's why I suggested adding metal to the top of the existing blade as being the easiest solution.

 

[Jim/OH]

That could be. I know friends who have blued ones that the sight is not pinned. I thought the stainless ones were all pinned. Either way, there should be some way to add a little height to the sight. :thumbsup:

See ya, Jim/OH :hatsoff:

 

[Pete Gaimari]

I never shot a Ruger. Maybe they copied what all the real C&B revolvers do. They shoot high, because they're sighted for 75 yds.

What distance were you shooting?

 

[oldarmy]

my blued OA with a rear adjustable sight has the front sight soldered on and is not removable.
I flattened out the top of the sight a little, why not? It was shooting to high anyway. :cursing:
Drilled a 1/16" hole in it and drove in a 1/16 pin with a ball on the top. Like you find on a rivet pin. I adjusted the height before fixing it in place with epoxy.
Shots POI now at 25yds.
I have a tendency to load her pretty heavy. That's the beauty of the Ruger. It's a rugged beast.

 

[jerryv]

If its a pinned sight I ordered a front sight from Brownell's for a stainless steel 45 colt. It was too high but easily filed to proper height

 

[lonewolf5347]

I shoot a ROA but I stop using real BP only because of cleaning
I switch over to Triple 777 and with a charge of 35 grain RB and wad with a grease Cookie at 25 yards the gun will group about 3" high
I find the problem at 50 yards she climbs to about 5 1/2"
I just ordered a new rear blade I am going to file down about 1/4" off the top and see how will work
I shot the ROA with 42to 43 grains of 777 and I would say no problem taking a deer down out to 50 yards

 

[JohnSmallTX]

In reply to The German

Check out my old posting of 04-17-07 Post # 398680. It goes into some detail of an easy / cheap POA fix from Ruger. It is a new higher front sight.

 

[TFoley]

I shot the ROA with 42to 43 grains of 777 and I would say no problem taking a deer down out to 50 yards

Sir, Please show me how you get 42 to 43 gr of Triple 7 in your ROA.

I need a picture to imagine this.

Bear in mind that the manufacturers state quite clearly that Triple 7 should NOT be compressed.

tac
Supporter of the Cape meares Lighthouse Restoration Fund

 

[arcticap]

I shot the ROA with 42to 43 grains of 777 and I would say no problem taking a deer down out to 50 yards

Sir, Please show me how you get 42 to 43 gr of Triple 7 in your ROA.

I need a picture to imagine this.

Bear in mind that the manufacturers state quite clearly that Triple 7 should NOT be compressed.

tac
Supporter of the Cape meares Lighthouse Restoration Fund

Hello tac,
The Hodgdon 777 Loading Notes are quite clear that 777 should be firmly compressed when loaded in percussion guns. It's only in cartridges that Hodgdon strongly recommends to only use light compression in order to achieve best results. And even with cartridges it only states: " Do not heavily compress powder charges." But it's perfectly safe to heavily compress 777 in a percussion muzzle loader, however inconsistent the velocity might become in some guns. :wink:

Percussion Firearms: Select the proper charge from the loads listed in this brochure. Set powder measure as indicated. While holding the firearm vertically, slowly pour the measured charge of Triple Seven or Pyrodex into the barrel. Seat the projectile firmly against the powder . Make sure that there is no airspace between the powder and the projectile. *See WARNING below.
http://www.hodgdon.com/loading.html[/quote]

Regarding cartridges only:

Loading density should be 100% with light compression not to exceed .100". Testing has shown that Triple Seven will perform best when the bullet just touches the powder. Allow no airspace between the base of the bullet and the powder. Do not reduce loads by means of filler wads or inert filler material such as Grits, Dacron or Grex. Do not heavily compress powder charges.
http://www.hodgdon.com/loading.html

 

[TFoley]

Thanks Arcticap - for putting me right.

However, I retain the opinion that squozing 40gr or more by weight of 777 into an ROA constitutes heavy compression.

tac
Supporter of the Cape Meares Lighthouse Restoration Fund