New Interchangeable Front Sight for Freedom Arms Fixed Sight Revolvers

 

by Jeff Quinn

photography by Jeff Quinn

December 14th, 2006

 

 

 

Freedom Arms makes the finest revolvers on this planet. Don’t just take my word for it. Ask any knowledgeable handgunner or custom gunsmith, and they will tell you the same thing. The guns are strong, accurate, and built with the utmost precision. They really are that good.

They are also rugged in the extreme, and are built to withstand the harshest hunting conditions. For that very reason, many buyers of Freedom Arms revolvers opt for the fixed sights, and they are as close to being "dead on" as any fixed sight handgun can be. However, shooters use various bullet weights, and everyone holds a handgun just a little bit differently, making fixed sighted guns just close, but not dead on, for most people.

Freedom Arms has a solution. A few months ago, I was talking with Bob Baker, president of Freedom Arms, on the telephone and he told me of a new front sight that they were working on, but I was sworn to secrecy until now.  The new sight is dovetailed into the barrel, and is adjustable for windage correction by loosening an Allen screw and sliding the sight to either side. To take care of elevation changes for various bullet weights, Freedom offers the front sights in three different heights, and of course they can be worked down with a mill file and touched-up with cold blue to fine tune the adjustment. This is also good news for shooters who have one load for whitetail deer and similar game, and another load for heavier stuff. He can have different front sights to easily change to suit the load.

The new front sight is available on new Freedom Arms revolvers, and is also available for existing Freedom Arms revolvers by sending in the weapon to have the new sight installed at the factory. Freedom also sells the new sights to those who would prefer to have their local gunsmith install it. All that is required is a simple dovetail slot be milled into the barrel. The new Freedom sight is also a great option to have installed on other fixed sight revolvers such as the Ruger Vaquero. There are thousands of those out there in shooter’s hands, and most could use a little sight correction to improve their usefulness and practical accuracy. Freedom Arms will install the new sight on any Freedom Arms revolver, but for other brands, you must have someone else do the work.

Freedom did a good job of hiding the Allen screw into the center of the blade. This looks much better to me than a screw in the dovetail base. The rear of the sight is ramped and serrated to reduce glare and make for a smooth draw from a holster. It also makes for a good, clear sight picture. With this new sight, a shooter can have the anvil-like ruggedness of the Freedom Arms rear fixed sight, and still be able to sight the weapon to suit his load and shooting style.  It is also a darned good-looking front sight, and I highly recommend it.

For information on ordering the new front sight, contact Freedom Arms at: 307-883-2468.

For information on the full line of Freedom Arms products, go to:  www.freedomarms.com.

Jeff Quinn

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