How to correct sights on 1860 Army?

[Maillemaker]

I've got an 1858 Remmy that I use for N-SSA shooting, but I recently also bought an 1860 Army.

It seems to group best with 30 grains 3F Shuetzen. But at 25 yards it shoots about 6-8" high.

The 1860 Army has a staked front blade. It's not really set up for a dovetail front sight. I don't think you can cut the notch in the hammer deep enough to account for being that far off.

What do you suggest, if anything, to make it shoot to point of aim?

Steve

[Hickok]

Steve, I have done a few of these myself and it isn't very difficult. You can drive out the front sight with a punch, something soft like brass, I usually start from the backside of the sight and carefully tap it out. I wrap all aroung the area with black electrical tape so if i slip I don't mar the barrel finish. The front sight is sorta of a half moon shape on the bottom and they kinda' rock their way out.

I then get a piece of brass and file it down so as to get a very snug fit in the slot of the barrel and place a piece of wood on top of the brass replacement sight and tap it down with a small hammer. If the fit is not tight enough, you can peen the sides of the brass a little to widen the soft brass for a tighter fit. A touch of J B weld, or soldier could also be applied. Mine are all simply "crush fit" like the original sight and have never come loose.

Make the replacement sight a good bit taller so you can file it down to regulate the poin of impact. I like a square blade front sight, and then i open up the notch in the hammer to a good square to match the front sight. You can regulate windage slightly on the hammer sight by cutting the sight groove to the left or right. Also the replacement front sight can have one side or the other filed off to regulate windage. I will try to post some pisture of my front sights on my 1860 Colts.

You could also have a dove tail cut on the barrel and use a dovetail front sight.

[Hickok]

Front sight height measured from top of barrel=.235"
Front sight width=.120"
Rear sight groove in hammer=.080"
These are just demensions of what my sights worked out to to be zeroed @ 25 yards. Make your front taller so you have something to work with.

[Maillemaker]

Thanks for the pictures and the instructions!

I'm a little scared of ruining the profile of the gun, but I guess there's nothing for it - if you need a higher front sight you need a higher front sight. I like the way yours turned out.

Steve

[Rebel Dave]

Steve

Wouldn't this be a good example/opportunity to use the sighting in formula, that was talked about recently. I would think it would be. "sight radius (in inches) divided by the range (in inches) = the amount to raise front sight"

Rebel Dave

[Hickok]

Steve you can file, contour and blend that taller front sight and make it look like the revolver came that way.

[Maillemaker]

Wouldn't this be a good example/opportunity to use the sighting in formula, that was talked about recently. I would think it would be. "sight radius (in inches) divided by the range (in inches) = the amount to raise front sight"

Yup. I know how to adjust sights, I just didn't know how to replace the sight on an 1860 Army.

Steve

[Mike Stein]

Steve, You don't say if you've got Pietta or Uberti.
Using Hickox's method is probably the best.
Filing the hammer notch can sometimes work if the front sight is tall enough. If it is not then your front sight will disappear behind the barrel profile.
I've seen one original that had a ladder sight dovetailed into the rear of the barrel as the original purchaser wanted to use the detachable shoulder stock. I thought I had the link in my favorites but am unable to find it right now but do know that there is an example of that approach.

The Pietta v. Uberti is to let you know that VTI offers a hardened screw set for the Uberti pistols so you can have more durable wear surfaces. Finally there are a couple of spring sets including a round wire trigger/bolt flat spring replacement as that one is known to break. Wolf offers a flat mainspring replacement as well.

[R. McAuley 3014V]

FYI

[Maillemaker]

It's a Pietta.

I ordered some brass shim stock last night to make a new sight. I don't think the rear sight notch could be deepened enough to accommodate an 8" problem.

Steve