I pulled the Colt out of the holster and answered in the affirmative, that at one time the Colt and a Hawes Western Marshall were the only sixguns I had that were suitable for hunting. He was fixated on the Colt, and in so many words stated that he was sure I was aware that there were better handguns with good triggers and adjustable sights that were more accurate for serious work like hunting.
It wasn’t the first time someone questioned my judgment regarding that old Colt, but it was the first occasion to be dressed down over it. Under the circumstances, I let the gentleman chew on me a bit, but after a couple of cervezas, I asked if he had done any serious work with a Colt SAA, or any of the S&W duty revolvers with fixed sights. He had not, mostly because he required target sights for good accuracy, and his readers expected him to use an elite handgun that was capable of fine accuracy. It was the first time I had heard anyone refer to a Smith & Wesson as “elite,” as if the rest of the industry were building second-class trash, or worse.
Eventually, I got around to noting that as far as I was concerned, once fixed sights on a Colt or any handgun are set up to place the standard weight bullet for the caliber, 250 to 255 grains for the .45 Colt for example, about 1.5 to 2 inches above point of aim at 25 yards or so, the sights don’t need to be adjustable. If adjustable sights on a Ruger Blackhawk, for example, are set up for a given load, they remain fixed since I had no intention of packing a screwdriver around in the field adjusting the sights for shots that vary with each opportunity. The solution is to visually adjust the front sight in relation to the rear sight to account for variations in distance. In effect, no two shots are ever the same, so it’s a waste of time to adjust sights, or a scope, in the field.
As for the difference in quality in sights, such as fixed sights on a Colt, Smith & Wesson or Ruger, in my opinion it’s simply a matter of familiarization with the sights, and practice* shooting at targets placed at various distances other than 25 yards. That adds up to field experience with opportunities to shoot at unknown ranges, including thousands of shots at small game – jackrabbits, badgers, foxes, coyotes and prairie dogs – or deer, even rocks or whatever over the years.
It is also important to know that adjustable sights are not necessarily target sights or vice versa. Moreover, target sights do not necessarily make good hunting sights, although a good set of adjustable sights might prove quite adequate for field use.
Continue reading your story on the app
Continue reading your story in the magazine
SHOOTERS WORLD AR-PLUS
PROPELLANT PROFILES
THE SAME OLD – OVER AND OVER
RELOADER’S PRESS
LOADS FOR THE 6MM GT
WILDCAT CARTRIDGES
LOADING THE .32 ACP
Not Easy, but Worth the Effort
Handloading Harder, Denser Shot
The Evolution of Tungsten Shot
IMPROVED COYOTE PELT LOADS
PRACTICAL HANDLOADING
CRIMPING THE .45 COLT
BULLETS & BRASS
CIMARRON UBERTI MODEL P ORIGINAL FINISH .45 COLT
FROM THE HIP
.22 RIMFIRE SHOT CARTRIDGE
CARTRIDGE BOARD
.22 CREEDMOOR EXCLUSIVE
The Ultimate Varmint Catridge?
The last playoff win
Perhaps for some Dolphins fans it seems like just yesterday. For others, it might seem like an entire generation ago.
Flat Top Follow Up
PRODUCT REVIEWS
PIPER COLT
A REAL CONTENDER
CASSIE & COLTON: RESTRAINING ORDER DRAMA!
DISTURBING ALLEGATIONS ARE REVEALED AS BACHELOR COLTON UNDERWOOD IS BARRED FROM SEEING EX CASSIE RANDOLPH.
Guns of Mexico's Freedom Fighters
During Mexico’s 1910 Revolution, rebel forces fought with muzzle-loaders, lever-action and bolt-action repeaters—even machine guns.
Cap & Ball Six-Guns A Smoke -Filled Adventure
Firearms fans are finding old-timey black powder revolver replicas offer a "time travel"shooting experience.
ELVIS DIDN'T HAVE TO DIE!
Autopsy PROVES surgery could've save the King!
Punch in a Pocket— 1848 Baby Dragoon Revolver
Superior in design, function and quality to any other concealable pistol of the mid-19th century, Colt’s little “revolving pistol” was an immediate success.
Western Bear Hunting
The Struggle: Lessons Learned
Divine Diagnosis
“Colt, I think I’m going to die.” My wife, Krystyna, struggled to get the words out. I had to lean in to hear her. Her voice was weak. She looked small in the hospital bed, her skin pale and shining with sweat.