Beretta 71 Sight issues and a question.

[sailor723]

I have a Beretta 71 that i bought recently on the EE. Nice gun and functions flawlessly in terms of loading,firing and ejecting but the first time out i was unable to put any rounds at all on paper at 20 yds. The next time out I put up a large 36"x48" target and shot the gun from a rest. The gun is grouping something like 18-20" low at 20 yards .

In comparing photos of beretta 70 series guns online it looks as if the front sight on mine is noticeably higher than some of the photos. In looking at this site...

http://www.berettaweb.com/mod_70/mod_70_p5.htm Look at the difference between the Mod 72/73 (fixed rear sight) and the mod 74 that has adjustable rear sights. My front sight looks more like the one on the 74.

I'm thinking that my gun may have a barrel off a 74 as the front sight on that model looks higher. (the 74 has adjustable rear sight mounted forward on the back end of the barrel rather than a fixed rear sight on the back of the slide like mine) I looking at the photos there it appears to me the front sights on the fixed rear sight models (71/72/73) are lower than the front sights the guns that have adjustable rear sights.

I crudely measured the height of mine with a pair of dividers and then held the dividers up against a tape. i came up with just a hair under 8mm with is around .31" A google search found one reference to front sight height in an old thread on a US Forum where it was given as .16

Here's my question....does anyone have a beretta 71/72/73 (fixed rear sights and front sight mounted on the barrel) and a pair of calipers who could measure the height of the front sight and let me know?

 

[tarnow1942]

I bought 2 beretta 71s with the 6' barrel. Both guns were used ex Italy probably police. Both barrels were made in Canada,i assume. Both started off completely innacurate and the front sight was way too high. ie-the gun would shoot low with a very poor grouping. I am in the process of having one barrel cut to 4.25" by a gunsmith; the other gun will be stripped for parts and destroyed. ??other similar experieces? I think the Canadian barrels are s**t.

 

[caramel]

I have a 74 with adj sights and the proof marks on the barrel are the same than the ones on the reciever, i think this is it's original 6 inch barrel... JP.

 

[sailor723]

Update....

A guy at the club had a 71 and we compared the sights. Mine are .041" higher when measured with a micrometer. I looked at my barrel carefully and found a "PB" stamp and also an Italian proof house mark. I am almost sure i have a OEM Beretta Series 74 target barrel on a regular series 71 fixed sight frame. off to the smith to have the front sight taken down tomorrow.

 

[SUPER TENERE]

Delete

 

[sailor723]

If you want it to shoot point of aim, simply start filing the front sight down until it hits where you want. Had a model 70S back in the day. 3 1/2 incher. Same gun. Mine shot low so I had to add to the front sight.

Shot low and you added to the front sight?? Mine shoots low and I'm looking at lowering the front sight.