Lower Impact on Fixed Sight 1911

I have a fixed sighted 45 1911. A 3.9 gr Bullseye and 185 SWC shoots height at 25 yards. Would lighter bullets shoot lower. 
Rush

Slower bullets will shoot lower.  You can likely get a taller front sight from Dawson Precision as another solution.

Rush223 wrote:I have a fixed sighted 45 1911. A 3.9 gr Bullseye and 185 SWC shoots height at 25 yards. Would lighter bullets shoot lower. 
Rush

Yes, out of a handgun and hand-held, lighter bullets shoot lower than heavier bullets at equal distances.

Rush223 wrote:I have a fixed sighted 45 1911. A 3.9 gr Bullseye and 185 SWC shoots height at 25 yards. Would lighter bullets shoot lower. 
Rush

There is no short answer to your question.
Given that a heavier bullet is often driven slower and a lighter bullet often faster.
Given that a slower bullet is in the barrel longer, could the muzzle have already started to rise before the bullet has left the muzzle?

So would the lighter bullet traveling faster than the heavier bullet impact slightly lower than the heavier bullet? At some distance probably yes. At a close distance likely very similar impact. At a greater distance the slower, heavier bullet may have dropped thereby impacting lower than the lighter faster bullet.

Trial and error with loads with your gun in your hands and your sights and multiple (2 typically) distances would have to come into play.

Assuming the windage impact is acceptable, I wouid spend more time perfecting the hold and trigger control than spending countless hours on load development. Assuming that your load is a good load for your gun, and works in the hold area that you like for either the 50 yds or 25yds, then run with that at that distance. For the other distance, hold where you like to hold, (from other distance) and see where it prints after an adequate number of shots to determine a grouping area. Then go to that target, mark the hits and simply invert it 180*. Go back to that distance, and now hold on that grouping of shots. It should put the impacts in the center area that you desire. I know of no better way to determine the "Kentucky hold over or under required, given fixed sights. Of course you can change the front or rear sight, but that doesn't cure the drop of rise going from 50 to 25 yds.

Give it a shot, it's work. It is AREA AIMING, don't look for an exact spot, because you likely can't hold it on an exact spot anyway. Just keep in that area and cause the gun to fire without the sights getting misaligned or leaving the Aiming Area.

Good luck in your quest. Maybe the above will help.

Allgoodhits,
Excellent explanation of area aiming. When I was a kid it was taught as Kentucky windage and Tennessee elevation. Had never thought of turning the target 180 degrees but it makes sense. If groups are 2 inches high and 3 inches left just pick a spot 2 inches lower and 3 inches right.
Since different loads shoot to different spots find the load your gun shoots best and stick with that load.

Our target guns don't have this issue but it is very important when in a service pistol match or as issued match requiring duty guns to be unmodified. Another time for example is western style revolvers or fixed sight service revolvers where the rear sight is a groove in the top strap. You learn where it shoots and hold off accordingly.

Darrell