Colt SAA 45

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    Got a problem. I have a Colt 4 3/4 bbl 45 that shoots  6" to the left with the load I have worked up for it.   It's a 3rd generation gun. I have talked to a pistol smith and he suggeted that the threads on the bbl are not square with the frame. I am a bit skeptical of his opinion.  I suggested to him to cut a dove tail and install a front sight that I can drift to zero. He dident think that was a good idea,but offered no explanation.    I am aware that the the resale value with this work  would be less,but the piece isent going to be sold. I dont want to roll the bbl as I like the sights strait up. Any one out there have any suggestions ?

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WildOutdoorsman Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List .22 LongRifle Joined: 11 August 2003 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 22	Topic: Colt SAA 45 Posted: 02 March 2004 at 11:51
	Got a problem. I have a Colt 4 3/4 bbl 45 that shoots 6" to the left with the load I have worked up for it. It's a 3rd generation gun. I have talked to a pistol smith and he suggeted that the threads on the bbl are not square with the frame. I am a bit skeptical of his opinion. I suggested to him to cut a dove tail and install a front sight that I can drift to zero. He dident think that was a good idea,but offered no explanation. I am aware that the the resale value with this work would be less,but the piece isent going to be sold. I dont want to roll the bbl as I like the sights strait up. Any one out there have any suggestions ?
	WildOutdoorsman

Vern Humphrey Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List .243 Winchester Joined: 29 November 2003 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 156	Posted: 02 March 2004 at 14:55
	You could take off the original sight . I don't recall, but I BELIEVE they're soldered in place. Then you could put on a new sight in the proper location. The heat involved would probably require a re-blue of the gun afterwards. I did this with a Colt New Service I have -- it had been reblued, and all the markings were mostly polished out. I put on a huge chunk of 1/8" steel, then shaped and filed it to shoot where it looked -- I also had to widen the rear notch, and that gave me some fine-tuning capability for windage.

Triggerguard Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List .416 Rigby aka The San Antonio Terminator Joined: 13 June 2003 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 2212	Posted: 02 March 2004 at 19:14
	Read an article a couple of years back about SAAs not shooting to point of aim. The writer used a shop press to bend the barrels of his SAs that needed windage adjustment. According to the article, the slight bends were not noticable, and did not affect anything but the POI.
	"...A moral compass needs a butt end.Whatever direction France is pointing-towards collaboration with Nazis, accomodation with communists,...we can go the other way with a quiet conscience"-O'Rourke

Guests Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Guest	Posted: 02 March 2004 at 19:15
	Maybe a better solution is to get a new rear sight. have him put an adjustable rear that will let you move the rear sight. If your 6" left is at 20 yards the rear sight should be moved about .o5 inches to the right. This should be no problem and many original CSA had 'target' rear sights installed by the factory and local gunsmiths. I have about a 100 year old pistol with a small piece of brass soldered to the rear sight with a new notch filed into it. Roughly done, but it works and it actually reflects the practical approach of out frontier ancesters. Even looks good on the antique, which I still shoot. BEAR

WildOutdoorsman Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List .22 LongRifle Joined: 11 August 2003 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 22	Posted: 03 March 2004 at 12:46
	Vern, The front sight is exactly where it should be now. If I were to move it it would be off center or out of plumb. (thats why I like the Idea of a dove tail). Kind of the same thing,only it would still be on the same plane....Trigger guard, I read the same artical in a gun digest. Kinda like that idea. I wonder though if I bent the bbl.To where poi was correct at 25 yds. Would the bullet thats coming from a curved bbl continue to curve and be out of line at 50 yds ? Mite be like a curve ball over home plate.Dunno.Hate to mess up. I may try it on a old junker just 4 couriosity......Bear, I guess I could put the dovetail at the rear and drift it instead. That may be the best way yet. Make it a blank and just file it away as needed. Thanks for the ideas..............
	WildOutdoorsman

Vern Humphrey Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List .243 Winchester Joined: 29 November 2003 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 156	Posted: 03 March 2004 at 13:12
	If you don't care about dovetailing the barrel, you can do that yourself -- I used to make muzzle loaders, and dovetailed many a barrel. In fact, you can also make the sight yourself. I had some old angle iron that I made dozens of sights out of. I simply made the base by filing a rectangular piece to the right size and angle. Then I drilled a hole in the base (the male dovetail), filed it rectangular, and fitted the front sight blade with a little "tit" that matched the hole. A little silver solder, and presto! a nice-looing sight. To cut the female dovetail, mark it with Dykem or a similar marking substance, then rough cut a slot wth a hacksaw, finish with a file. Take a 3-corner file, grind one face smooth, and use that to cut the overhangs of the dovetail. File from both sides of the barrel -- this will give you a slight constriction at the center of the dovetail and hold the sight tightly.

D.F.C. Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List .30/06 SpringField Joined: 10 June 2003 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 499	Posted: 01 May 2004 at 15:32
	I've never personally done this, but do remember an article about bending the crane/frame to barrel area. I would contact William Oglesby, he's in Springfield, IL. Tele. 217-487-7100. This guy is very good on Colt SAA. Dan