.410 shooting high - new bead?

sky hawk

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
I've got a .410 single shot with a single bead and no vent rib that is shooting high. This is a cheap CVA gun - it's pretty much terrible, but it has some family history. There is a step-down from the receiver to the barrel of 1/4" or so, and then there is a plain barrel with a small, screw-in bead on the end. I can't even sight correctly down the top of the gun because of this step-down, so I just have to line up the top of the receiver with the bead. It shoots about 14" high at 30 yards with a normal hold or 6-7" high when I sight it so I can just barely see the top of the bead.

I would like to fix that. I was thinking of putting on a new bead, or even a fiber optic, but I need it to sit about twice as high as it is now. A high bead of some kind. I wouldn't mind a fiber optic, as most of the shooting will be at stationary targets, but most are made for a vent rib, which this gun doesn't have. I have no idea what kind of thread is on the screw. What do I need? What are my options?
 

lasttombstone

Kinder, Gentler LTS
I put a TruGlo Longbead universal on my .410 and really like it for turkeys. It comes with 4 different threaded screws to mount it. The packaging does not specify CVA but it probably is one of the 4. Maybe search CVA and see if you can find out for sure. The top of the sight only sits less than an eighth off the barrel so that might not help you any. Someone once told me to try a piece of bubblegum and a toothpick to try and gauge the height you need then check some place like Midway or Brownells. Good luck.
 

nccatfisher

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
A higher bead will lower it, but it would take a pretty tall bead to do it. I have trued several shotgun barrels in a lathe you used a dial indicator, a jack and it takes time. If you or someone you know has access to this equipment that would be the optimum way to do it, or take it to a smith.
 

pattersonj11

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
For a cheap gun, look and read up on bending a barrel. Many clay target shooters still do this. That should give you some help. Most shotguns shoot high. They are designed to shoot high.
 

shurshot

Ten Pointer
Pretty much agree with all the suggestions but getting the barrel bent by a gunsmith would fix the problem. Doesn’t take much bending to change.
 

41magnum

Twelve Pointer
most shops should have a barrel straightener ...we built them for ourselves in gunsmith school as part of machining class.

small bead threads are normally 3-56, the rest are often 6-48 and a few are 6-40
 
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sky hawk

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
Ok, I'll look into getting the barrel bent. Any rough guess on the charge from a gunsmith to do that?
 
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