Change out barrel length or scope it?

[BubbaNColo]

I've got a Field Grade 454 in 4.75" and I bought it due to price and really did like the handling and balance of pistol. I've bought a Freedom Holster for it and used in a Bear hunt last fall. I had trouble seeing front sight as the light started to fade, in fact well ahead of what I consider too dark to shoot. Anyway I've considered replacing the front and rear sight with a Express sight set, will this really help? Also considering using a TSOB mount and mounting my Lep 2x20 scope and then low light wouldn't be a issue. I'm concerned about mounting a scope to the 4.75" barrel in that the mount might hit front sight. This made me think about having Freedom Arms replace the barrel with a 7.5" and also mounting the TSOB setup. I'm torn because I do like the short barrel for carry but also would like the 7.5" with scope and can't afford yet another $1500 pistol. I'd say I would use this mainly for hunting just because I own two 10mm autos which could be used as a woods carry gun.
Adding a scope would kill idea of quick handling short barrel package so why not change out barrel to 7.5" or even 10"...?

Help a sick guy make up his mind, thanks

[Steve P]

Well, you have a predicament don't you!  My FAs have the long barrels, but I have Rugers with the shorties.  I have not done anything so far, because I have only carried my revolvers for back-up.  Here are the options I would consider IF I were in your shoes.   Fiber optic front sight.  They work great on my muzzle loaders and shot guns.  I also have a semi auto that has a line across the rear sight blade and a line across the front sight blade.  During the day, I line up the sights like normal.  When it is darker, the lines have a luminescent paint that glows.  I just line up the line straight across and sights are level.  Only problem with this is sometimes the light gap is off a little, but that is me.   Check out this sight and see if one of these might work for you.  http://www.hivizsights.com/Ruger-C10.aspx

FA has blades also, but no pictures of them.  The prices are reasonable too.  Go to the FA website:

FIBER OPTIC SIGHT BLADES
HGT. NUMBER M.M.
.280 704-6525F 7.11
.330 704-6535F 8.38
.380 704-6545F 9.65
.430 704-6555F 10.92
.480 704-6565F 12.19
.530 704-6575F 13.46


Good Luck

Steve 

P.S.  You notice I did not mention the scope.  I have scope mounts for my FAs and do use that to sight them in when working up loads.  I have Contenders and XPs with scopes on them and have hunted with them.  For close in bear, hog, whitetail, I will take my open sights for speed in finding my target.  For longer shots from a blind or from a stand, the scopes work good.  Even the Leupold 2x!!

[paul105]

Freedom Arms offers a Fiber Optic Front sight -- it can be used with the regular square notch rear sight.




Also, did you read the thread below, titled "FA New JP Red Dot Mounts"  really compact units that should work on your 4 5/8" bbl.

Here's a picture from Freedom Arms website




Paul

[BubbaNColo]

Just was browsing the Freedom web site and saw the optic front sight $32, I also saw they have a Millet competition rear sight which has white outlines at $136 ouch! I couldn't find any info on Bushnell Holosite, just a picture, I take it that the standard Holosite mounts to the TSOB?
I really like idea of just a front sight change, those who have this optic front sight how protected is it? I had a TC Thunderhawk which had the optic front sight and it broke because I leaned it against a tree. That sight used only 3 protection ribs, the new Encore optic sight has 5 ribs and is just as bright.

Paul can you post a top view of that optic sight you show in picture? How does it hold up in a holster?

Freedom Arms offers a Fiber Optic Front sight -- it can be used with the regular square notch rear sight.




Also, did you read the thread below, titled "FA New JP Red Dot Mounts"  really compact units that should work on your 4 5/8" bbl.

Here's a picture from Freedom Arms website




Paul

[paul105]

Bubba,

Holds up fine in my holsters.  I've got one on my .475 Linebaugh.  I bought the .475 in early Aug of 2007  --  I've shot 6,000 rounds thru it since then (mostly 400s at 1,100 fps), it's been dropped twice (scratched up pretty good), and I rapped the fiibre optic front against a rock.  Fiber optic is still intact.  With that said, it'll probably fall apart tomorrow. 

This is as close to a "top" picture I have.




Paul

[BubbaNColo]

You guys ROCK
You saved be about $400
I'll give Freedom a call this afternoon and order up the optic sight and give it a try.
I use optic sights on my Thompson Contender barrels and Thunderhawk Black Powder rifle and love them! Of course they have optics in both front and rear but I was able to see rear sight it was only the front that I was having trouble with....!

[BubbaNColo]

I'm back thinking about ordering the optic fibre sight for my 4 3/4" 454 and am mins from calling up Freedom arms. I have one more question. 
Does the fibre optic front sight work well with the black rear sight? I mean is it accurate? As accurate as the black square front sight?

[paul105]

Works fine with standard black, square notch rear sight.  Not as precise as good black front blade that isn't shinny on top.  I can't tell diff accuracy wise, and the better visability makes all the diff for me.  Now you have to make up your mind on color.  I have several of the original orange.   Recently got a green by mistake -- the green is really easy to pick up -- not sure which I prefer.

Paul

[BubbaNColo]

Thanks Paul
I still torn between two solutions.
One is buy the optic front sight and continue to use pistol in current format for hunting and bear/people self defense and some limited close range hunting.
The other is send gun to Freedom Arms and have a 7 1/2" barrel installed a 45 Colt cyl fitted and a TSOB mount installed and use a Lep 2x I already own, now I've got a great hunting tool out to 100 yards which is mostly my max shooting condition. Seems extreme but selling my current FA and buying another already setup this way won't be cheap either.

Thou I might just be insane because I only hunt with a black powder anymore 
Antelope and Buffalo are the only things I use a rifle on, thou since I've killed my share of Loper over the years with a rifle, using the Freedom Arms is just enough of a challange to make it interesting. The Buffalo would require the full blown 454 scoped etc. Or I've considered buying a 6.5 JDJ for my contender for Antelope. If I go that way keeping the Freedom Arms 454 in a 4 3/4 inch format would make the most sense. Thou ownership of certain firearms doesn't always follow along the lines of making sense, it becomes more of an emotional thing.

[Ken ONeill]

Personally, I haven't found the FA brass bead or fiber optic (which are a smaller diameter) front sights to be a significant improvement for me at dusk. I find a Leupold 2X scope to be better for my use, and a red dot to be still a little better as darkness nears, although the light intensity needs to be turned down as it gets darker.
What works for me though, may not be right for everyone. For example, I've replaced all my FA standard ramp front sights with undercut patridge sights, because the standard FA ramp is just awful for me to see properly.

By the way, as to barrel length, don't forget the 6" FA option. A T'SOB or similar base, and a 2X or even 4X Leupold will work fine with a 6"er.

[BubbaNColo]

I also thought about the 6", and know where there is a 6" pistol for sale, but think mine is cleaner and it would cost $200 if he gave me full value that I bought it for, so reason for just spending $290 to have Freedom change out barrel and I would still have shorter barrel if I changed my mind.

[EdK]

So far I've resisted scoping any of my wheelguns. I'm not trying to knock those that do but since I noticed you are also a Contender shooter therein lies the reason why. The price of a FA barrel, new cylinder and shipping will be close to your 6.5JDJ and some nice glass. Seems obvious to me

[BubbaNColo]

So far I've resisted scoping any of my wheelguns. I'm not trying to knock those that do but since I noticed you are also a Contender shooter therein lies the reason why. The price of a FA barrel, new cylinder and shipping will be close to your 6.5JDJ and some nice glass. Seems obvious to me

I also have resisted scoping my wheel guns. They are easy to carry and are made for brush hunting etc. only reason I started thinking down those lines was because of the inability to see front sight in low light(45 mins prior to sundown in dark timber) It's hard to beat the 454 in short range timber; multiple shots, fast to put into play, plenty of power to knock Elk down. I could use my TC in 44mag 12" hunter with a 2x Lep but power is not as good and follow up shots would be harder to do. You know I went down the road of a TC scoped etc for hunting, I tried a 7-30 on Antelope, 35 Rem on Elk and found the TC just isn't as easy to pack as a wheel gun like a 44 mag Redhawk or the 454 Cas, also holding them steady without a rest is REAL hard, so I'm back to looking to pack a wheel gun. But was looking for better sights or maybe a RedDot or ?? I've almost called FA several times to just order the express sights but.... have always like the looks of a 454 FA 7.5" with a silver scope mounted to it, seemed like the perfect firearm. Just one bad mother so to speak. Hell if money was no object I've have one of each. To be honest I just checked prices and between getting a 45 Colt cly and a new barrel I'd be out another $700 without a scope mount or differant sights.....
So I'm down to looking very hard at the standard Express sight package or going with Express rear and a optic front sight. That would save my holster and still keep the whole rig easy to pack etc. Might have to pick up a Pistol Packing Holster to carry it in. Thanks for your feedback.

[EdK]

I have thought of a 45 Colt cyl but that is about all. Really, how could you ever save enough money over 454 brass to make up for it? It's not like they're giving away good quality 45 Colt brass these days either.

I also checked into the cyl change/rebarrel thing when I thought I wanted a 475 more than a 454 but quickly learned that would be an expensive conversion even if FA would do it (which they won't - no cal changes allowed).

Yes, your 4-3/4" carries much better than a scoped Contender... now add a 7/5" barrel... then add your Leupy 2x and mount. The difference will really shrink. To me a 2x scoped 7.5" FA is about the same overall size as a 2x scoped 10" Contender. Now a 12" or 14" Contender is less handy than the FA but you do get something for that: increased performance. The fact that higher powered glass on a TC makes it harder to hold steady and shoot well is the same for a FA.

To repeat, I'm not knocking scoped wheelguns or those who choose them for their personal setup. It's just that I have something else worked out for those type hunting opportunities. Also I would not trade my FA for anything however it remains my shorter range choice, sidearm, etc.