Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Handguns Fixed Sight Regulation

Can someone explain the step-by-step process for regulating fixed sights on a revolver?

Thanks,
GPA

There are a number of methods. One, for windage, is to file one side of the rear side more open. Opening the left side would move POI further left, and visa versa. If you have a channel rear sight, though, this is impractical. Alternatively, you can thin the front sight on one side or the other, which has the same effect on POI, but there's typically very little room for adjustment by this method. Then you can bend the front sight carefully. Best way is to have a gun smith rotate the barrel to move the front sight.

For elevation, you can file the rear sight down (lowers POI), or the front sight down (raises POI). Or, just adjust the load's power and bullet weight.

You always hope the gun shoots high and left, that is the easiest fix. The barrel needs tightened and the front sight filed down to bring it to point of aim. I have regulated all my Colts this way, but they don't always shoot high and left.

The front sight has to move in the direction of the correction....if it shoots left, move the sight left, if it shoots right move the sight right. Low, then lower the sight, High, this is the worst case scenario, as you have to raise the front sight.

If you are dealing with Colts or Colt clones, the sights are soft enough that they can be squeezed up in a vise. The tough thing about this is you need to have blocks made or ground with a bevel, or you will get steps on the sides of your front sight when it is squeezed in the vise.

I use 2 lathe bits that I have ground the sharp edges where they come in contact with the sight to keep the stepping on the sight minimal.

Turning the barrel requires extreme care, and needs done with good barrel blocks in a vise. The tightening or loosening of the barrel needs to be done with the cylinder out of the frame and a large piece of hardwood through the frame to turn the frame in the desired direction. This has to be done correctly too, as the barrel can spin in the blocks if they aren't tightend correctly and the result can be scratches on the finish of the barrel.

Aluminum barrel blocks can even dent the barrel so you have to be careful with the tightening and how much surface area the blocks come in contact with....Sounds to me like a job for a gunsmith.

What is the firearm in question? Most fixed sighted firearms I've owned, have enough latitude in the rear sight, even with a channel, to make the necessary fine tuning.

Dan

Thanks for the replies. I have no specific revolver in mind...just wanted to become familiar process to help guide my next purchase.

Thanks,
GPA

Usually, at least with the better brands, fixed sighted revolvers come regulated at the factory. If you buy a new one, and it's badly regulated, just send it back and ask them to either replace it, or regulate it properly. Of course, if sights are fixed, that means they have been regulated for a particular load, so you cannot expect your favorite load to work well with it, if it's not very similar to the load it was factory regulated for. For example, most .38 Special revolvers, with fixed sights, come factory regulated for a 158 grain bullet with a standard velocity powder charge (about 750 fps). This, of course, only refers to elevation, not windage. If windage is a significant problem with a factory-new revolver, send it back to the manufacturer rather than messing with it yourself.

I've read of S&W gunmiths that use a lead babbot bar to actually whack the frame with to regulate them for windage! Seems incredible, but it is true.

I've also read of S&W gunsmiths just bending the barrel to correct the POI ...

I believe the process there is to place the revolver in a big vice, and whack the barrel, not the frame.

Opps, yea I said frame, I should have said barrel! I don't think they secured the gun in order to do this though. I think they didn't want to secure the gun because it might affect or warp the frame from the impact if the frame was locked down tight. They just gave the barrel a thump with the babbot bar and did some trail and error, shoot and see, whack again, repeat as necessary. Pretty unscientific, but I guess it worked and they knew what they were doing. Kinda scary ain't it?!!

It's also kinda scary that when I posted:

"I've also read of S&W gunsmiths just bending the barrel to correct the POI ..."

I was just INTENTIONALLY trying to be STUPID.

- - Hmm, maybe I'm smarter than I think ...

To regulate elevation, try experimenting with different loads. Lighter bullets shoot lower and heavier bullets shoot higher. When you change loads, sometimes you even get lucky and the windage corrects itself, but you have to get lucky.