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Post by inFALable on Jul 23, 2009 12:37:47 GMT -5
I'm going to get married next year and plan on asking for an FA 97 as my present from my parents. It will be a .44 spl, 5.5", octagon barrel, special serial number, and have ebony grips.
I'm torn between a fixed rear sight with the new adjustable front or regular adjustables. Does anyone have any experience with the fixed sight model?
If someone has a photo of the sight picture provided with the fixed sight model with drift adjustable front sight I'd be in your debt.
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Post by majorKAP on Jul 23, 2009 13:03:44 GMT -5
"I'm going to get married next year and plan on asking for an FA 97 as my present from my parents."
WHAT!?
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Fowler
.401 Bobcat
Posts: 3,557
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Post by Fowler on Jul 23, 2009 13:16:59 GMT -5
Maybe thats why he is marrying her....
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Post by Mountaineer on Jul 23, 2009 14:30:32 GMT -5
Now this has the potential to be an interesting thread. So many questions, I don't know where to begin...
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Post by Boge Quinn on Jul 23, 2009 15:04:53 GMT -5
Congratulations inFALable - I got a washer & dryer! A FA gun would have outlasted both the gift AND the marriage. www.gunblast.com/Freedom_NewSight.htmUnfortunately there's no "sight picture" picture in the article. I'll try to remember to take one for you - I love my drift-sight M97 .45, and plan to get a .44. |
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Post by inFALable on Jul 23, 2009 15:15:22 GMT -5
LOL, Thanks Boge. I'm an only child. I guess I'm spoiled. I already have a house and land and everything necessary for a household. Wedding presents are always for the girl. Its time to get a good man gift.  |
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johnnu
.240 Incinerator
Posts: 58
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Post by johnnu on Jul 23, 2009 15:20:06 GMT -5
 I seldom post but yours was too good a post to ignore :-) .You must be doing something right because I never got a present for any of my marriages. Congratulations, may your happiness last forever (your FA certainly will). P.S. While I love the looks of this beauty, if I were to do one again, it would be with adjustable rear sight only. John N. |
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Post by Flatlander on Jul 23, 2009 21:01:25 GMT -5
I've had both. The fixed sight guns sure are sleek, frame is more rounded where it joins the barrel, etc - but the adjustable sights are hell for stout, the blade heights interchange easily, the sight picture is better, and in the 5.5", I think they even look better. They are gorgeous guns with the octagon barrel ... still just as gorgeous with the adjustable sights perched on top.
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adp3
.240 Incinerator
Posts: 16
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Post by adp3 on Jul 23, 2009 21:34:21 GMT -5
I've owned two fixed-sight FA 97's. Both were in .357. The the first one took about four months of load experimentation (a trip to the range every week or two) before I found the load that shot the tightest groups (5.7 of Win #231 and a 158 LSWC). After that I filed down the front sight to get the elevation correct. Windage was spot on with almost every load that I tried. A friend talked me out of it and I replaced it with its twin. Same process with it but I started with Win 231. 6.0 grains did it the second time. If you reload there are few disadvantages to the fixed sight FA. The fixed-sight FA still offers a good sight picture. Your load may limit the versatility of the revolver though. Mine were great for the range and wandering in the woods but I forfeited optimum hunting cartridge power by going with a good paper-punching. bumming around load.
Best Regards,
ADP3
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Post by inFALable on Jul 24, 2009 13:38:35 GMT -5
Thanks for the observations. I'm really a one load kind of guy so setting the sights and leaving them isn't an issue with me. I'm more concerned about the sight picture. I will definitely hunt with this revolver. I really like the looks of the fixed sighted model and often carry my SA sixguns stuffed down the front of my pants crossdraw so not having a rear sight poking me is a plus. I look forward to seeing Boge's pic of the sight picture.
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Post by Flatlander on Jul 24, 2009 15:30:09 GMT -5
It is pretty easy to dehorn the adjustable rear of the FA ... but the 44 Special, of all cartridges, is the one I would worry less about load variance versus point of impact. In other words, if I was going to get a fixed sight 97, I would get it in 44 Special.
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Post by Ken O'Neill on Jul 25, 2009 13:00:06 GMT -5
The fixed sight rear notch is not square. It is more shallow than the width of the notch. For my use, the sight picture is greatly inferior to that of the adjustable sights. Fixed sights may look sleek and racy, but if the object is hitting the target-and mine is- I'm an adjustable sight guy, all the way.
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Post by Boge Quinn on Jul 26, 2009 15:35:31 GMT -5
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Post by Ken O'Neill on Jul 26, 2009 18:20:17 GMT -5
Great photos for illustration, Boge.
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Post by inFALable on Jul 26, 2009 18:36:37 GMT -5
Wow, thanks. That will help alot with my decision. It doesn't seem like a bad sight picture but the adjustable rear gives a perfect one...tough one.
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