BOWEN CLASSIC ARMS RUGER SIGHT

by Jim Taylor

While the sights that come from the factory on most handguns are adequate, for many shooters they just do not do the job. If you are one who shoots competition or a handgun hunter most likely you have found some area of your handgun that could do with an upgrade. And more likely than not this involves the sights. Responding to the requests of handgunners Bowen Classic Arms has come up with a replacement sight designed to help the shooter who wants something more than the factory offers. The sight offers a very positive detent system that locks the sight solidly, both in the windage and elevation adjustments. The large blade gives a nice frame of reference for the eye to see the rear sight notch. While all eyes see sights differently at least in some aspects, everyone here who tried the Bowen sight liked it.

I had received the sight from Bowen Classic Arms and not having a New Model Ruger on which to install it I asked fellow-Shootist Jerry West if he would like to have a new rear sight for his 10 1/2" Super Blackhawk. The gun has been very accurate over the years so I knew it would be a good test-bed to try the sight on. Jerry said, "Sure!" and so we set a time for the project.

I read the instructions that came with the sight the night before we installed it. Bowen Classic Arms makes it clear what tools will be needed and points out that if you are all thumbs you may want a gunsmith to install it for you. Pitfalls and trouble areas are outlined in the instructions very adequately as I was to find out.

We began the work by making sure the sixgun was unloaded. Using a small punch I moved the sight pin over and then using a small drift we drove it out of the frame. The sight was unscrewed and then removed from the pistol. Next I checked to see that the Bowen sight would fit into the frame with no problems, which it did. This is a potential trouble area if your gun has some casting flaws. Then I tried to drift the sight pin back in. After a few attempts to get it to go I backed it out. Unscrewing the sight screw from the frame I committed an error that Bowen warns explicitly not to do. I unscrewed the sight screw too far from the sight body itself and the detent plunger popped underneath the screw preventing me from re-installing the sight! After a half hour or so we were able to come up with a 1/16th" Allen Wrench (THAT was a MIRACLE!), back out the little Allen screw, get the detent back into it's proper place and then go about installing the sight in the frame. The reason I had problems getting the sight pin to go into the sight and through the frame was that I had boogered the end of the pin when I originally removed it. Some small file work on the end of the pin and the sight was in and functioning fine.

On the range we began by sighting it in for windage only. Shooting at a vertical line 8" long anbout 1/2" width we soon had it hitting center. Then we sighted it in for elevation again using a single line this time a horizontal one. During this phase of sighting-in we discovered the sight screw was too long. If we screwed the sight down to where we wanted it the screw hit the cylinder. (This was warned of in the instructions that are included with the sight.) A little file work and we able to get the sight adjustment we needed. After getting it where we wanted it, I fired a 3-shot group using Black Hills 300 gr. JHP loading. All three shots went into 1 1/8" which was very fine with me.

For those of you who are looking for a different rear sight for your New Model Ruger, Bowen Classic Arms has it. The sight fits all New Model Ruger Single Actions (both large frame and small frame) as well as the Redhawk. I believe they have sights for old model Rugersnow also. In any event, you   can check with them.  For a catalog of their products send them $3.00. To order a sight send $59.95 plus $4.00 shipping and handling to

BOWEN CLASSIC ARMS, INC.
P.O. BOX 67
LOUISVILLE, TN 37777

You may also visit their website by clicking HERE