New model Colt Anaconda sight issues

TriggerMan

TriggerMan

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I made a post last week about wanting to get back in to hog hunting. I wanted to recreate a combo I used with great success back in the 80s which consisted of a 44 Mag lever action rifle and a 44 Mag 4" revolver. I purchased a 4" Colt Anaconda revolver.

I played with the revolver at home for a few days before finally getting it the range yesterday. It wasn't until I got to the range, loaded it up and got ready to fire that I noticed the rear sight was adjusted as far to the right as it could go without falling out. I thought to myself that this was odd but adjusted the sight to dead center before firing my first shots. Shooting freehand at 15 yds the impacts were roughly 8" high and 20" to the left. I fired a second cylinder full of ammo with the same results. I then fired two additional cylinders from a pistol rest. These 12 rounds impacted the same area as shooting freehand.

I adjusted the rear sight back to its maximum right side adjustment and made a height adjustment as well. I fired another 12 rounds. Height was spot on but windage was still about 10" left of target firing from a pistol rest placed on a sturdy table.

I'm baffled. Did Colt sight this pistol in knowing it was shooting so far to the left that they moved the rear sight as far possible to the right, threw it in the box and said fk it? From what I can tell just looking at the pistol everything is aligned properly. Everything seems to function properly. There is no damage to the bore or crown. The barrel is aligned and timed with the frame properly. Could it be the ammo? I'm going to go back to the range tomorrow with different ammo and shoot it again. I am baffled. I have never experienced anything like this.


Including a few pictures of the rear sight and it's adjustment notches. Notice the 3 dots and where they are set in comparison to the reference dot on the sight. This is how the pistol came sighted from colt.

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More junk from Colt!

Seen that many a time. Friend had one the barrel unscrewed on him. Their fix just tighten it back. Then you end up with a barrel that is not lined up. Just like the above picture.

That have turned out a bunch of junk.
 
First thing I'd do is ask a friend who shoots 44mag regularly, who you know is a decent shot, to come shoot it. If this friend has the same problems as you are, send it back to Colt. If Colt won't fix it, sell it, and buy a Ruger Redhawk.
 
Frack N Cylons said:
The barrel looks pretty straight. Is the front sight a little out of whack? Looks a bit crooked.
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The front sight is a bit canted. It has an allen screw that tightens in to it from just above the bore on the front of the pistol. When you tighten the screw, it pushes the front sight out of whack.

After playing with the front sight I was able to get it a bit straighter. Don't know if it will stay that way.20230713_133212.jpg

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I will say that some of my issue might be the grips on the pistol. The Hogue monogrip has an exposed back strap, is way way to thin for the size of my hand, and my fingers don't fit in the finger grooves at all. I ordered another set of grips. Hopefully that helps.

Also after looking more closely at the sights, I decided to order a set of Wilson Combat sights. They have to be better than whats on it now.

If neither of those items solve the issue Colt will be hearing from me for sure.

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LazyBones said:
First thing I'd do is ask a friend who shoots 44mag regularly, who you know is a decent shot, to come shoot it. If this friend has the same problems as you are, send it back to Colt. If Colt won't fix it, sell it, and buy a Ruger Redhawk.
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The only person I know who also shoots is my son in law and he is a very inexperienced shooter even though he is a SC State Trooper. The only firearm he has ever shot is his duty issued G17. I will never win any precision large bore pistol tournaments but I feel confident that I should be able to hit a steel silhouette target from a pistol rest at 20 yds. I may load some 44 specials to see if I shoot a lower power load any better. It has been a while since I've shot a 44 Mag pistol and I am a lot older as well.
 
Try shooting it with 44 Special and see where that shots to.
 
TriggerMan said:
The only person I know who also shoots is my son in law and he is a very inexperienced shooter even though he is a SC State Trooper. The only firearm he has ever shot is his duty issued G17. I will never win any precision large bore pistol tournaments but I feel confident that I should be able to hit a steel silhouette target from a pistol rest at 20 yds. I may load some 44 specials to see if I shoot a lower power load any better. It has been a while since I've shot a 44 Mag pistol and I am a lot older as well.
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I wasn't trying to question your ability to shoot, sorry if it came off that way.
Anytime I have a problem with a new gun, or sight, I have my brother, and a friend from the forum shoot the gun in question. We each have different forms, and ways of holding guns. But if all 3 of us are having the same problem with a gun, it's time to take things apart, or send back to the factory. That's all I was getting at.
 
LazyBones said:
I wasn't trying to question your ability to shoot, sorry if it came off that way.
Anytime I have a problem with a new gun, or sight, I have my brother, and a friend from the forum shoot the gun in question. We each have different forms, and ways of holding guns. But if all 3 of us are having the same problem with a gun, it's time to take things apart, or send back to the factory. That's all I was getting at.
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No not at all. It could very well be me. I'm going to load some 44 specials up tomorrow and see how those do. Like I said above, the Hogue grips on this thing are horrible. They make the grip way to thin to hold on to well. I take your suggestion as a valid point. I'm pretty tough skinned as well. It'll take a lot more than a suggestion it could be me to upset me lol.
 
TriggerMan said:
No not at all. It could very well be me. I'm going to load some 44 specials up tomorrow and see how those do. Like I said above, the Hogue grips on this thing are horrible. They make the grip way to thin to hold on to well. I take your suggestion as a valid point. I'm pretty tough skinned as well. It'll take a lot more than a suggestion it could be me to upset me lol.
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Not cheap but very cool. I have a set on a new Python. These fit the new Anaconda as well, as they share grip frame dimensions.

Colt Python late 3rd generation grips, 1979-1985 – Deer Hollow Enterprises, LLC

www.deerhollowonline.com www.deerhollowonline.com
 
Today I recieved the new Wilson Combat sights and installed them. I don't know how they shoot yet but I love the U notch in the rear sight and how it looks with the round 10k gold bead on the front sight sitting in the rear sight. I also got the Pachmayer grips but they don't seem to fit right so they are going back. I guess I'm going to order the wooden presentation grips someone posted above. I don't think I've ever had to spend so much on a brand new gun to make it right.

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Hope she shoots as good as she looks!
 
The Wilson sights fixed my 6” Anaconda. It shoots under an inch at 25 yards with magnum loads. Well, it does for two cylinders full, at which time I start flinching.
Colt replaced a new Python for me that had a frozen front sight. I didn’t ask for it, they just figured it was easier to satisfy the customer. CZ ownership hasn’t been a bad thing.
If the Wilson sights don’t fix it, be sure and put the Colt sights back on, then call Colt for a free return label.
 
BatteryOaksBilly said:
Sorry Pard....I meant the one with the Wonky Sights......I remember your gun....I had a 4 incher like it. I have no experience with the New ones.
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I've been meaning to get up your way. I keep reading posts about your shooting club or what ever it is and the competitions you have. If I make it that way, I'll bring it along. Currently in negotiations with Lloyd's of London to insure it for its full value of $180,000,000 (once the new grips are installed of course) :cool:
 
Well the grips are in and so far I'm loving them. I'll have to wait till tomorrow to shoot it but they feel great in my hand compared to those ultra thin rubber factory grips. I just couldn't close my hand tight enough for the rubber grips.

With the new WC sights and the wood target/presentation grips I can't help but think this is how it should have come from the factory. I actually paid $500 more for the Colt than a comparable S&W 629 that already had the wood grips and better sights. I'm guilty of wanting to re-live my youth when I had a King Cobra, Python, and Anaconda. I guess I had more money back then.

I'll update my accuracy issues as soon as I shoot it. If it's still shooting high left after all of this, it's going back to Colt for sure.

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OK so disapointed. Shooting 44 special loads at roughly 800 fps this pistol is still shooting very high and very left. At 7 yds shots fired at the center of a rifle sight in target aiming at the center target produced hits on the upper left target. Moving back to 15 and 25 yds the sight in target was unhittable aiming at the center target. Three other shooters that just happened to be at the range also shot the Colt with similar results.

Put the stock parts back on and shipped this POS back to Colt this morning.

One of the other shooters had a 6" 629 it was dead on for me shooting at 15 yds with the same ammo being fired in the Colt. Right now I'm kicking my own ass for not buying the 629 I looked at when I bought the Colt and the Smith was $500 less.

I had a similar issue with a SA M1a back in the day. Sent it in they said nothing was wrong with it and sent it back. Expecting Colt to do the same honestly.
 
TriggerMan said:
OK so disapointed. Shooting 44 special loads at roughly 800 fps this pistol is still shooting very high and very left. At 7 yds shots fired at the center of a rifle sight in target aiming at the center target produced hits on the upper left target. Moving back to 15 and 25 yds the sight in target was unhittable aiming at the center target. Three other shooters that just happened to be at the range also shot the Colt with similar results.

Put the stock parts back on and shipped this POS back to Colt this morning.

One of the other shooters had a 6" 629 it was dead on for me shooting at 15 yds with the same ammo being fired in the Colt. Right now I'm kicking my own ass for not buying the 629 I looked at when I bought the Colt and the Smith was $500 less.

I had a similar issue with a SA M1a back in the day. Sent it in they said nothing was wrong with it and sent it back. Expecting Colt to do the same honestly.
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That sucks.
I wonder if they’d like to see this thread when they get the gun?
 
i would be interested to see what the crown on the barrel looks like. seems like everything else is pretty straight.
 
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