trade gun sight adjust

[cahil_2]

Bought a used trade gun last weekend at an auction.  It shoots real low and I have to show almost the whole barrel and cover my target to get it to hit close.  Which way do I bend the barrel and how do you bend it and where on the barrel do you bend it?

[Rootsy]

File the front sight down to raise point of impact...

[Roger Fisher]

File the front sight down to raise point of impact...

Yes, and if your piece has the turtle front sight or at least has a base under the 'blade' take the 'blade' down to a bare nub. Then, if still too low file into the base both sides which gives you more 'blade' to take down.  If still no good bend the beastie's barrel up!  Let us know how it goes....

[ken]

I had the same problem!! My barrel was some what swamped or flaired. I finally moved the sight back from the muzzle a bit to a  lower point.. Use a potatoe or  such as a heat sink on the barrle lug when you solder so not to move it

[Long Ears]

 It took me two months to get the courage, My fowler shot a foot low at 25yds with a round ball looking down the barrel. I read a thread here sometime back and Mr. Getz said to bend the barrel! I took my Mill Vice put it on the floor clamped the octagon part in it so it would not roll. I put 2- 2x4 blocks under the muzzle. I then measured mid span top of the barrel to the floor. I stepped into the center and flexed it pretty darn good and measured it again. I got nothing! I really put the poundage on her the second time and I finally got 1/16" of bend in the center of the barrel. I can now put my cheek on the stock, look down the barrel and see nothing but the spider sight. It shoots perfect for elevation and about 2" right. That's good enough for a smoothbore. I guess Mr. Getz really learned something after all of those years in the barrel business. Thanks Don! Bob

[Roger Fisher]

It took me two months to get the courage, My fowler shot a foot low at 25yds with a round ball looking down the barrel. I read a thread here sometime back and Mr. Getz said to bend the barrel! I took my Mill Vice put it on the floor clamped the octagon part in it so it would not roll. I put 2- 2x4 blocks under the muzzle. I then measured mid span top of the barrel to the floor. I stepped into the center and flexed it pretty darn good and measured it again. I got nothing! I really put the poundage on her the second time and I finally got 1/16" of bend in the center of the barrel. I can now put my cheek on the stock, look down the barrel and see nothing but the spider sight. It shoots perfect for elevation and about 2" right. That's good enough for a smoothbore. I guess Mr. Getz really learned something after all of those years in the barrel business. Thanks Don! Bob

Since you were successfull bending the barrel for elevation why not adjust the front sight for the windage correction.  You will not be happy til you try. If you file the 'blade' thinner on the proper side you are in effect moving the blade.  Remember, you move the frt sight the opposite way you want the ball to go.  Let us know how it goes...

[Daryl]

As Roger says, filed a bit off the left side. That will make the sight's centre be more to the right, which is the same as moving the sight to the right, making you hold it over to the left, therefore the shot will now fall to the left, where needed - or, you could bend the barrel to the left just a bit.   2" isn't much and I'd try moving the sight first, either by removing and replacing it a bit to the right, or filing if it has enough width/thickness.
A thin blade on a trade gun makes for a very good sight picture. A short angle on the rear, polished, shows up well in the bush- just like a beacon. For shooting light coloured targets, sight-black or a felt pen works well & wipes off with your thumb.

[Simon]

I.m trying to picture what you said about filing a front sight.  If you file a front sight on the left, you create more light on the left side,  the front sight then moves left to be centered. 

If you move the sight to the left by moving the base, you create more light on the right side.  The sight then moves to the right to be centered.

Is this correct?


Mel

[cahil_2]

I asked the original question.  I took my barrel out and wedged it under my hoist at work and  put a v block about where I wanted it to bend and just put my weight on it until I could feel it bend a little.  First when I looked down the barrel it was bent so much that I couldn't even use the sight. Rebent it so the barrel was as level as possible and shot and it still shoots low, but I just put the very low sight at the top of the bull and showed about 1/4 of the barrel and it was hitting in the black.  I will probably live with that for now because if I bend it any more my sight is useless because it is filed so low.

[cahil_2]

By the way, I have two trade guns, one that I asked the question about is a northwest style. and the other is a Tulle.  The Tulle shoots good, but the style of the stock thumps me real hard on the cheekbone.  Don't know what to do about that other then to disfigure the stock, which I don't want to because it is a beautiful gun. 

[Roger Fisher]

I.m trying to picture what you said about filing a front sight.  If you file a front sight on the left, you create more light on the left side,  the front sight then moves left to be centered.  

If you move the sight to the left by moving the base, you create more light on the right side.  The sight then moves to the right to be centered.

Is this correct?


Mel

Trying to draw a mental picture on the whys of moving sights leaves one often to be all confusaled (read screwed up) just trust us and do it.....

Seriously, it works...

[Roger Fisher]

By the way, I have two trade guns, one that I asked the question about is a northwest style. and the other is a Tulle.  The Tulle shoots good, but the style of the stock thumps me real hard on the cheekbone.  Don't know what to do about that other then to disfigure the stock, which I don't want to because it is a beautiful gun. 

Unless you have tried this already try crawling up the stock with your cheek and try laying back, to avoid the hammering of your cheek bone.  If that fails wrap the beast with soft leather at cheek contact.  This should soften the jar enough.

[Daryl]

Tulle's can be quite burtal and many have a rather sharp and wide V shaped and humped comb.  Cutting into the right side of the corner that bites can quite effectively solve the ckeek bashing.  Many 1777 Charleville were dished out for the face to fit in - having a similar humped stock to the Tulle.

Move the rear sight in the direction you want the shot to fall. Move the front sight opposite to the direction you want the shot to fall.

Removing metal off the left side of anything, effectively moves the object to the right because the centre of the object has shifted to the right - afterall, the centre it is the centre of the object no matter how thick or thin it is.  It has nothing to do with light reflection. We are filing the side of the sight, not on it's edge that faces you.  Filing .0625" off the side of a blade, moves the centre over by 1/2 that amount- ie: 1/32".  Moving the sight to the right (filing material off the left) effectively moves the sight to the right as the centre of the sight is not to the right.  Moving a front sight to the right, makes the gun shoot to the left. Moving the rear sight to the left, makes the gun shoot to the left. Rear - same way, front - opposite.

[doug]

     when I bent my barrel, I put wooden cradles under the muzzle and right at the wedding ring but also put a pad under the barrel to limit how far down it flexed.  If the barrel still shoots low then use a thinner pad and flex the barrel down more.  Main point is that it gives you control on how much you flex the barrel each time

cheers Doug

[Waksupi]

What are these rear sights, of which you speak? 

[bob in the woods]

One of the first things I mention when talking smoothbores is sight picture. You don't aim down the barrel like a rifle, which so many try to do because that is what they are used to.  Your eye is the rear sight, so just raise your "view" a little and you will shoot higher. Within reason , unless your barrel is really off, this should work.