Vaquero front sight

[DutchV]

I was pleased to get my birdshead Vaquero in .45 ACP, until I realized that the former owner had filed the front sight down quite a bit.  Does anyone know the correct factory height for a Vaquero in .45 ACP with 4.75" barrel?

I'm considering dovetailing the barrel and installing a Freedom Arms fixed front sight.  Are there other options I should consider?  Something thicker than the factory blade would be helpful. 
 

Thanks, Dutch


ETA:  My mistake, barrel is 3.75" length.

[bigbrowndog]

Factory blades were available from midway or brownells, you could simply remove and replace.

Trapr

[bradshaw]

Dutch.... having only shot the birdhead New Vaquero in .45 ACP with 3-3/4” barrel, I must confess, it’s a Sweetie. Wonderful belly gun in .45 ACP.

The Hoppalong Cassidy 10-gallon hat front sight is silver soldered in a keyway cut in the barrel. If Ruger service will sell the blade, simple fix may be to replace it. If you go the dovetail route, make sure it’s not the gunsmith’s first day on the job.

Height is easily calculated by targeting at the distance you want your ZERO, with the load you want to settle on. Measure POI (Point of Impact) above POA (Point of Aim).

Measurements in inches
* Sight radius.
* Error (POA vs POI).
* Distance to target (example: 10 yards = 360”; 15 yds = 540”; 50 ft = 600”; 25 yds = 1,440”.

Formula
sight radius x error, divided by distance to target = correction.

Example
* Sight radius = 5.1”.
* Error = POI 3.2” high.
* Range = 540” (15 yds).

* 5.1” x 3.2” = 16.32”.
* 16.32" divided by 540” = .030”.
* Raise front sight .030”.

David Bradshaw

[pleadthe2nd]

There is , slicks magic gun sights, it's a brass epoxy on wrap sight for vaquero type sights, and is thicker than the original, I have them on my vaqueros, and works well

[potatojudge]

Hopefully someone can confirm, but the dovetail is usually too narrow to cover up the key slot on the barrel.

The Ruger Hunter front sights are a pretty broad based, shallow dovetail but not sure if that could be made to work.

I have another idea for Vaquero front sights that might fix the key slot issue. Need to draw it up and send it to this machinist I know who kinda likes single actions.

[DutchV]

Feb 28, 2023 19:37:37 GMT -5 potatojudge said:

Hopefully someone can confirm, but the dovetail is usually too narrow to cover up the key slot on the barrel.

The Ruger Hunter front sights are a pretty broad based, shallow dovetail but not sure if that could be made to work.

I have another idea for Vaquero front sights that might fix the key slot issue. Need to draw it up and send it to this machinist I know who kinda likes single actions.

The Freedom Arms front sight will cover the slot from the factory sight.  Forum member salvo installed one,  and was kind enough to share the photos:


singleactions.proboards.com/thread/359/ruger-tune-update 

[JM]

2 Dogs ?

fermincgarza.com/shop

Dave Clements performed a nice dovetail cut & sight blade.

[bigmuddy]

I have two Vaqueros with FA dove tail sights. Covered the slot and work very well.

Dan

[longoval]

Mar 1, 2023 9:05:49 GMT -5 bigmuddy said:

I have two Vaqueros with FA dove tail sights. Covered the slot and work very well.

Dan

Do you mind sharing who did the work for you?

[fn1889m]

If you send it to Ruger they will replace the barrel, with a new sight, for a reasonable fee.

[bigmuddy]

Mar 2, 2023 10:55:45 GMT -5 longoval said:

Mar 1, 2023 9:05:49 GMT -5 bigmuddy said:

I have two Vaqueros with FA dove tail sights. Covered the slot and work very well.

Dan

Do you mind sharing who did the work for you?

Southfork Arms, but unfortunately Jason closed his business.

Dan

[gcf]

Mar 2, 2023 23:52:39 GMT -5 bigmuddy said:

Mar 2, 2023 10:55:45 GMT -5 longoval said:

Do you mind sharing who did the work for you?

Southfork Arms, but unfortunately Jason closed his business.

Dan

Any chance of a picture or two? Starting to get an itch for a Vaquero, & that FA front sight looks to be a nice upgrade...

[gcf]

Feb 28, 2023 20:04:13 GMT -5 DutchV said:

Feb 28, 2023 19:37:37 GMT -5 potatojudge said:

Hopefully someone can confirm, but the dovetail is usually too narrow to cover up the key slot on the barrel.

The Ruger Hunter front sights are a pretty broad based, shallow dovetail but not sure if that could be made to work.

I have another idea for Vaquero front sights that might fix the key slot issue. Need to draw it up and send it to this machinist I know who kinda likes single actions.

The Freedom Arms front sight will cover the slot from the factory sight.  Forum member salvo installed one,  and was kind enough to share the photos:


singleactions.proboards.com/thread/359/ruger-tune-update 

Nice project linked. Thanks for posting!

[gcf]

Feb 28, 2023 19:37:37 GMT -5 potatojudge said:

.....I have another idea for Vaquero front sights that might fix the key slot issue. Need to draw it up and send it to this machinist I know who kinda likes single actions.

If it looks viable, how about sharing it with the rest of us?