Replacement foresight blades for Taurus LBR..?

[Daryll]

I've taken my new .38 /.357 LBR ( Thanks Primer, it worked fine!) down to the range today and while it grouped well, (when rested), it was shooting high.... approx 25cm high at 25m.

I was using ammo that I'd loaded for my rifle, mild target loads that I use for Gallery Rifle, but I can't imagine any loads would make that much elevation difference at 25m...??

The rear sights were wound down as far as poss, so I think I need a 3-4mm higher foresight blade (looks interchangeable, pinned in) to get somewhere near point of aim.

Anyone know where I can get replacements in a range of sizes..? (I've tried Googling, but nothing came up....)

...or is it a case of bodging.... I mean carefully fabricating... a new one myself..?

I suppose the only other alternative is a scope mount and red-dot....

TIA

Daryll

[Tiff]

I would suggest trying a few different loads first, since they can make quite a difference; which is often more pronounced the shorter the barrel is.

[Primer]

What load were you using Daryll. ?

Just looking through my load data and on my first outing with it I used some of my underlever loads:

.38 special case with a 158gr truncated cone hard cast head using 4.6gr N 320 which gave an average of 838 fps (1023fps in the underlever) and was shooting around 3" high

I never got round to developing a more accurate load for it, maybe try dropping Jon Benn a PM on here as I got the gun from him and I think he was using .357 cases and 158gr truncated cone hard cast head using Red Dot powder

[Daryll]

Thanks Gents...

I was using a load of 3.8 gns of Accurate#2, with a 158gn TC bullet, in .357 cases.

I'm surprised that the consensus is loads... I've used light target loads and full factory magnums through my Marlin, and there was only a 2-3 inch difference in elevation between them...

My reloading press is not set up at the moment, but hopefully in the next couple of weeks I'll be stating load development with N320 for both rifle and LBR.

According to the Vit load tables for "cowboy action" loads, for .38 special their range is 3.3 to 3.8 gn of N320, for .357 its 3.9 to 5.0gn.
I'll be using .357 cases, looking for a target .38 load, so will start at about 3.5 to 4.0gn


I'll hold off on the sight blades and try some different loads.

Thanks,

Daryll.

[Sim G]

A lighter bullet will bring down the point of impact, as will not shooting it rested.

[Daryll]

Just a further update to this.....went out today with 5 different batches of ammo... all .357 cases, Remington small pistol primers, GM hardcast 158gn TC, and 3.3, 3.6, 3.8, 4.0 and 4.4 gns of N320....

Hardly any elevation difference between them...!

The 4.4 gn went a bit lower, (which matches my experience of shooting light target loads and full factory magnums... the faster rounds go lower..), but they were a bit heavy to shoot in Gallery Rifle comps.

The 3.3 gn load grouped quite nicely, and felt on a par with the old "2.7gn of Bullseye behind a Bingley HBWC" load we all used to shoot back in the day...I just need to get it somewhere near POA.

I have got a few lead 125gn RNFP that I experimented with many years ago, so i might try SIMG's idea of those and the light load.

But it looks like I need some extra sight adjustment, and probably easiest is a scope mount (if i can find one!) and red-dot....