A little disappointed

[HGunner]

I finally got a chance to do a few days of deer hunting with my FA 83 in  454.   I've hunted for years with a Ruger Bisley 44 mag and I was a little disappointed in some aspects of the FA:


With the cloudy gray light of the morning sun behind me the Premier sights looked light gray and almost invisible when aimed at a whitetail. I was unable to see the front sight in the short time the shot was available. These are sights that I had loved at the range!  Any suggestions for a front sight that stays black when backlit?  Fiber optics always seem too imprecise for good long range shooting.  The flat back sight really lights up too when backlit.


Another thing I noticed was that cocking the FA is much louder than cocking a new model Ruger -- any way to quiet this? 


Finally, it's kind of a pain to have to rotate your cylinder back to the empty chamber when you don't take a shot after cocking. I knew this going in but it's something else to think about and more noise to make while you're still hunting. 


That being said I still love reloading for and shooting the FA and it will go hunting again!

[mk454]

simple solution is to go to FA website and order a fiber optic front sight, i did and have never looked back.  awesome! they are tiny little dots, i prefer the green but they all work. 

[Lloyd Smale]

 Best sight ive seen for them is the blade dave clements makes. Its got a slight forward slant to make drawing from a holster easy but is almost flat and serated so it doesnt reflect any sun. Ive tried alot of blades in bright light and in low light and a good flat black blade will out do anyting. Make sure when he makes you one you spec out a .10 blade as you want light to show on each side of the blade when looking through the rear sight. thats the trick to having it work well in low light. You will also need to measure the height of your existing blade so he can make the new one the same. Another nice option is to have him put a couple gold bars in the face of it for reference when shooting long range. Ive had fiber optic sights on comp guns and on lever guns and found they break at the most inopertune moments. Drop or bump your gun and your sight is trashed. Anymore make mine black thankyou. If i really need low light sights ill buy trinium.

[HGunner]

I ordered the green dot sight from FA.  I have been trying to get in touch with Mr. Clements for a few days without success.  He may be out for the holidays.  I'll keep trying.  Thanks for the help.

[Gswag]

Ken O'Neill makes a nice front sight for the FA also.  They are of an undercut design and always present a perfectly square and black sight picture......GS

[HGunner]

Thanks.  Sent a check to Ken today!

[Ambler]

For 7.5" guns, Ken's sight can't be beat! Clements blades are awfully good and possibly a little easier on leather but it don't get blacker or flatter than Ken's blades.

O'Neill


Clements

[suba]

Not much happening around here anymore. Pity. I believe Kens sights are uber good, but I have a Clements .100 with gold bars on my 454. It turned my gun from accurate to literally a nail driver and it's no doubt easier on leather.


Just my 2c.....no disrespect intended.

[HGunner]

I've now got both Ken's post and FA's fiber optic.  I shoot sightly better targets with the post but the fiber optic is slightly faster -- I like them both!  I haven't gotten around to ordering one from Clements yet.   I'll probably still get one to try.  Do you find that the gold bars are helpful in hunting?

[Lloyd Smale]

not much use for hunting. There more for long range rock busting. There more set up for 200 yard plus shooting which is way to far to be blazing away at live game.

I've now got both Ken's post and FA's fiber optic.  I shoot sightly better targets with the post but the fiber optic is slightly faster -- I like them both!  I haven't gotten around to ordering one from Clements yet.   I'll probably still get one to try.  Do you find that the gold bars are helpful in hunting?