Work'n on a front sight.

[Dusty Miller]

My Model '83 has consistently shot low from the day I got it and after some bench shooting I decided to start work'n on the front sight.  I've very slowly taken on just a bit with a mill file and its shooting much closer to point of aim with both 45 Colt loads and 454 Casull fodder. This is the kind of thing I get into very reluctantly because I always figure there's about two dozen things that CAN go wrong that I can't even begin to imagine COULD go wrong.    However, so far so good and I'm proceeding VERY slowly.  Wish me luck!!

[4MUL8R]

Although I am NOT an expert, I noted today that being sighted in at short range resulted in very high shots at longer range.  The excellent group at 15 yards was certainly exciting, but at 25 and 50 yards the scope had to be dialed down many inches.  As I recall, it was over six inches high at 50 yards while dead on at 15 yards.

So, I learned that sighting in with a scoped handgun had to be carefully managed.  With the iron sights I wonder if the same situation exists?

[Lee Robinson]

Dusty,

Good luck. Sounds like everything is going well. I was told one time that these guns were designed to hit a little low so they could be brought in by the shooter/ammo combo with the file as altitude is influenced by bullet weight, powder load, and shooter sight window preferrence. So far, I haven't shot my Freedom Arms enough to cause me to file the sight as it is a "permenant" alteration and I haven't yet decided on a final load. I was also instructed not to alter anything until I have shot my desired load about 500 times and am certain of its point of impact and my desire to stick with it for this very reason. However, my gun from the factory came with a front sight with sharp edges that would catch and clothing as the edges on it were very clean and sharp and serrated. I took some 220 sandpaper (fine grit) and BARELY "deburred" or "desharpened" just the slightest portions of the edges of my sight and like it much better this way...my sanding was so minimal that no one would notice it.

Chipster, A scope sits much higher on the gun (above the barrel) than does iron sights. Sights are above the barrel, but just barely. What I have found with sighted riffles is I like to be about an inch low at 25-30 yards in order to be on at 100 yards. I have no experience with scopes on a handgun.