Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Handguns Fiber optics on a Freedom Arms?

I need to get a shorter front sight for my M97 and am thinking of trying the fiber optic sight. I've never used them but am thinking it might help with aging eyes. Has anyone used the FA fiber optic front with the premier grade rear sight?

I have zero use for fiber optic sights as they are near impossible to hit precisely with, which is what a FA's is designed to do. I would give Dave Clements a call and have him make you one that is .010" wide thus allowing more light on either side of the blade. This has helped my aging eyes a bunch.

I agree with EdM fiber optic sights are not conducive to precise shot placement.

I own a 97 and 83 both in .41 Magnum and a 5.5" 97 in .22 Long Rifle. The 83 came with the standard ramp front and notch rear. The 97 came with the Express V rear and FO front. The .22 also came with the standard notch rear and ramp front.

I have 62 year old eyes that are still fairly sharp. I don't wear glasses except for some reading of fine print. Personal observations...

The front ramps on the FA are way to angled and turn gray instead of staying nice and black. As Ed suggested I had David Clements make one of his long range front sights that is just slightly narrower than the stock sight and has two holdover bars. It gives a much clearer sight picture and works great at long range. For an in the woods dark condition hunting sight however it is no better than the stock ramp.

Last season on a dark rainy afternoon just after sunset I missed a deer at about 40 yards because I held just a little too high because I could not get a clean sight picture of the top on the front sight in relation to the rear. For hunting in those conditions I will be using a FO from now on.

The FO and V combination on the 4.25" 97 has been changed out several times. The first thing to go was the V and in its place a standard notch. the the FO was changed out to a FA brass bead. That worked pretty well. Right now a ramp is on board that has been painted yellow. It also is working fairly well but the sight needs to be narrowed.

The .22s ramp has been replaced with a brass bead and has been shooting tighter groups than with the ramp.

FA replacement front sights are reasonably priced and easy to switch out...try some different sets and see what works best for you. I know for deer hunting in the woods it is going to be FO front for me...

Bob

97 rear V



97 front FO



Clements Custom Long Range front...



Clements Custom on a USFA Shooting Master .41 Special...

I'm not sure what you consider precise shot placement, but I'm pretty sure I don't do that anyway. I've never shot groups on paper with my FA and couldn't tell you how accurate it is. In fact, that would apply to most of my handguns. I have a 8 inch gong that I shoot at as far back as I can see it. After that I switch to a 12 inch gong. I either hit it or I don't. Any more precise than that doesn't matter. When it comes to hunting, hit or miss is what counts.

I doubt I'd do too well on paper anyway. I have had central serous retinopathy in my dominate eye that has left a slight distortion in my central vision. Straight edges look curved. It's usually not a problem with sights as the target is curved as well. I will probably get the fiber optic front and try it out. If I don't like it I'll go back to the standard front.

In my experience hitting is not as good with fiber optics front sights on a handgun.

I used to hate FO's... when my eye's were better. Now they or something to make the front and rear stand out in a dusky environment are a requirement for me, shooting paper with black bulls in good light less so. I usually use a white outline with a FO front. You might also call Dawson Precision and see if they have anything that will work. EDM's advice for a narrower front sight is a good one, even with a fiber optic front. Can not speak for the Freedom Arms FO's and have never worked with the 'V' rear blade.

Jerry

Shot with TruGlo tritium fiber optic sights;

I had my FA M97 built with the FO front sight and wouldn't ever go back.

At nearly 66 years of age, I need all the help I can get - sight-wise..

Have you called FA and asked about having it done on yours?

I mounted a J P Enterprises Red Dot sight on my FA Premier grade .454 Casull. Had to order a sight base from FA. I really like this sight- easy to pick up in any light, very light weight, and works with my aging eyes! Have it sighted in to hit at 100 yds, and would not hesitate to take any game up to that range.

FA is sending me their FO sight with all three colors. I had no idea which color to get, so they said they'd send all three so I could try them out. If it works, great. If not, all it really cost me were a few bullets to try it out.

Well, that's pretty sweet.. Kudos on FA..

+1 here. I will send you, free of charge, the fiberoptic sights off of my last 2 Smith and Wesson 329PD's. Fiberoptic sights are one of the worst abominations to ever occur on otherwise good guns. I could maybe see a use for them on a short barreled micro pistol, but that is about all.

To each their own, but I cant put fiber on anything revolver, lever, double rifle or plastic tipped bullets in old rifles, I'm retarded that way.

Gunner

+1000