David Bradshaw Photos Vol 130 - RW 2dogs sight

[Lee Martin]

The Ruger 03 with RW 2dogs rear sight. Second group fired @ 100 yards, Isosceles standing, with back of left hand braced against post. Load: .45 ACP----Remington Golden Saber 230 JHP; 8.5/Accurate #5; Federal Gold Match 150 primer; Federal ,45 ACP brass. COL=1.212”. Velocity via Oehler 35P averages 915 fps from 5-1/2" bbl. 3x3 shots= 0.9" @ 100 yards. Elevation: 8-clicks (1-rev) of early screw. (Ruger switched to a 16-click elevation screw in early 1980's.)



David with Ruger 03 wearing RW 2dogs sight, and nephew Jeff Kolok, at 100 yard board. Jeff spotted through a Burris 24x60mm spotting scope, circa 1982-'83. (As a teenager in 1978 Jeff spotted as his uncle shot the second IHMSA 40x40 east of the Mississippi.) This RW 2dogs sight has David's preferred .120” wide notch with white outline, Rear sight .340" high. The 3x3-shot, 0.9-inch group @ 100 yards would have been impossible without the clean, glare-free RW 2dogs rear sight. Even a tiny glare multiplies error.


RW2dogs sight on the Ruger 03 factory one-of-a-kind Blackhawk .45 Colt/.45 ACP. White outline notch .340" high x .120" wide. Upon installing sight, David sighted-in with 3 shots, 27 yards offhand, then busted two taerial water jugs. Note red fiberoptic front sight (sent to David by Singleaction’s James from Jersey). For 100 yards, David popped in an original blued steel Redhawk ramp.


Ronnie Wells (RW) translates Fermin Garza (2 Dogs) concept for improving Ruger rear sight into manufactured reality. Garza's great----"Why didn't I think of that"----idea required Wells' mechanical engineering and avant garde metalworking talent to reach the Firing Line.


Ruger sight removed from topstrap to clean & check area. RW 2 Dogs sight is easily installed without removing Ruger base pinned to topstrap.


Sight spring attached to magnet. Ruger sight has two springs to pressure elevation adjustment. Topstrap and sight base use locating holes to keep elevation springs from kinking. Grease helps hold spring in position for reinstalling sight base to topstrap. Note: center hole is for elevation screw. Again, it's not necessary to remove sight fom gun to install RW 2 Dogs sight to Ruger base.


Dab of chassis grease holds springs in place when installing rear sight on revolver. For competitive shooting, little details keep the instrument working smoothly.


RW 2 Dogs sight uses Ruger windage screw. Ronnie includes a better windage spring with sight. Ronnie developed a dimensional sweet spot for making the rear sight, which provides fit without play. The clear sight picture wouldn't matter much if the sight had some wobble. Ronnie takes tolerances seriously. Had this sight been offered by Bill Ruger, it would have boosted silhouette scores across all marksmanship abilities.


-Lee
www.singleactions.com
"Chasing perfection five shots at a time"

[weiler]

put that group on the fridge door David!

[jwheeler331]

Very nice write up. Thanks for sharing.

[ezekiel38]

I'm so glad to see the rear sight "improved". I don't know how many "wobbly" rear sighted, adjustables I have had on Rugers in the last 50 years. Earlier release of this sight would have never caused me to enter the "Master" class of handgunning, but it would have upped my Expert scores.

Unfortunately I no longer own any Ruger handguns. Last one a GP100 MC went to a nephew who loves it.

[Lee Martin]

To echo David's findings, the RW 2Dogs sight is a very snug fit. I installed one on my .30 Carbine and was impressed with both its purchase to the factory assembly and positive adjustment. With the Bowen sight now out of production, this is the top-shelf option for Ruger rears.

-Lee
www.singleactions.com
"Chasing perfection five shots at a time"

[iwsbull]

Wow, nice sight, unreal shooting.

[x101airborne]

I cant shoot that good with a rifle. Fantastic shooting. Fantastic write up. Thank you so much!

[wendigo]

Nice write-up and amazing shooting, thanks.

[alukban]

Holeee Cr@p!

[45MAN]

INCREDIBLE SHOOTING, GREAT WRITE UP ON THE RW 2 DOGS RS.

[bradshaw]

Beaucoup thanks to Lee for this watering hole we call Singleactions. Likewise, beaucoup thanks to Fermin for thinking the impossible, and Ronnie for making it reality. With continuing thanks to practitioners of sixgun performance who meet at this watering hole. Thanks, also, to my nephew Jeff, whom I brought into marksmanship, handgun silhouette and hunting. And to Jeff’s nephew, who soaked up our lesson and took the 100 yard photo.

Note on the Ruger 03: factory one-of-a-kind stainless Bisley Blackhawk .45 Colt/.45 ACP by Ruger in Newport, New Hampshire. Details include Redhawk/Super Redhawk front sight. Maximum ejector assembly, shortened a quarter-inch; completely clears .45 Colt case. Stainless Ruger Bisley grip frame replaced by David with Ronnie Wells brass Bradshaw Bisley, which adds 3/16-inch clearance behind trigger guard for no-knock recoil control of Rocks & Dynamite loads. Ronnie also made the superb Cocobolo scales.
David Bradshaw

[contender]

Excellent write-up.

I wonder if it could be repeated with a twist? A comparison twist.

Shoot the gun with the original rear sight,, then while the conditions are the same, shoot it with the RW/2dogs sight.

We all know that conditions can affect how well we see, (or don't see) sights, targets etc.

[bradshaw]

Sept 1, 2023 8:36:36 GMT -5 contender said:

Excellent write-up.

I wonder if it could be repeated with a twist? A comparison twist.

Shoot the gun with the original rear sight,, then while the conditions are the same, shoot it with the RW/2dogs sight.

We all know that conditions can affect how well we see, (or don't see) sights, targets etc.

*****

Tyrone.... I’ve shot plenty with Ruger sights. Replaced factory sights with Meprolight tritiums early in the life of the Ruger 03. Also, a Jim Clark (Jim Clark, Sr.) rear sight and, more recently, fiberoptics. The issue is SIGHT PICTURE----The RW 2 Dogs sight is a game changer.
David Bradshaw

[Lee Martin]

David - I know we have more photos to add to this thread. To preempt that section, what do you think about a 0.390" RW 2Dogs sight on a 10.5" Maximum? I have one and may add it to the Ruger I shoot our 194 grs out of at 100 yards (and hopefully 200 yards in time).

-Lee
www.singleactions.com
"Chasing perfection five shots at a time"

[bradshaw]

Sept 1, 2023 10:24:17 GMT -5 Lee Martin said:

David - I know we have more photos to add to this thread. To preempt that section, what do you think about a 0.390" RW 2Dogs sight on a 10.5" Maximum? I have one and may add it to the Ruger I shoot our 194 grs out of at 100 yards (and hopefully 200 yards in time).

-Lee
www.singleactions.com
"Chasing perfection five shots at a time"

*****

Height
Depending on front sight height. I’ll check sight heights later, for some specific heights with the bull 10-1/2” barrel and our Bradshaw-Martin 194 SWC GC. For the .357 Maximum 10-1/2”, your .390” rear height is a good start. You will still need to crank some elevation @ 200 yards. I think a rear height of .440” should be in the kit.


Width
To start, with a .100” wide blade, I’d run a .065” wide notch. With .111” blade, run a .090” wide notch. Also, accurate shooting may be done with the .110-.111 wide blade, in conjunction with the .065” notch. My shooting of the SRM prototypes resulted in Ruger making a small variety of blade heights and blade widths. Target front included .100”, .110”, and the standard .125” (1/8-inch wide).

Rear sight slides were made higher at my request, but I don’t think the variety carried or last long in production. Except for special options, the Ruger rear sight “slide” appears die-chopped.
David Bradshaw