Posted: 7/28/2005 5:58:52 AM EDT
| I want to have Novak Lo-mount sights installed on my SA Champion. Is it necessary to replace the front sight or can I just leave what's on there already? |
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It depends on which Champion you have. If it's not the GI/WW II Champion, and not the current one with a Novak on it already, then you can get away with it. Novak Lo-Mounts, in general will work with most stock front sights, but that is for 5" barrelled guns. When installed properly, they duplicate the rear sight height found on most 5" guns. When you go to shorter barrels, the angle of the barrel changes, and requires a shorter front sight or taller rear. It's slight amount with a 4 1/4" barrel, but the Champion is a 4", and it becomes more of a factor. Novak makes a Lo-Mount specifically for the Colt Officer's ACP, which is what the current Springfield loaded Champions have on them. Basically, it's impossible to tell for sure how much your sights will be off with a regular Novak Lo-Mount rear until it's installed. You have two choices. Get the regular, or get the Officer's ACP Lo-Mount. If you get the regular, and find it shoots too low, you can always get the front sight lowered, though you will have a slight cosmetic issue with a filed down or milled down front sight. It would need to be re-finished, and that entails either cold blue or hot blue. Cold blue is quick and cheap, but wears off easily, while hot blue entails dipping the whole slide in the bluing tank. I know it's a complicated answer, but you should be okay with the regular Lo-Mount keeping your front sight. The best way to tell, since I don't know what you have for sights, is to measure both the front and rear sight heights. If you can tell me the sight heights as measured with a depth micrometer or a caliper, and also tell me where your gun shoots in regards to elevation at a given range, I can tell you which sight will serve you best. Good luck. |
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Thanks for the reply. Actually, I haven't even shot the gun yet. I bought it on AuctionArms almost a month ago and I haven't taken the time to go out and see if it even shoots at all. I am in the process of getting parts together to get it where I want it, i.e. beavertail grip safety, new grips, ambidextrous safety, new trigger and the aforementioned sights. Whoever had the gun before me took really great care of it except for the fact that they jeweled the trigger and the rear of the barrel, and that's too bling-bling for me so it's got to go. The sights that are on it now are the standard G.I. sights I think.  I got rid of those grips and put a pair of VZ 320s on it plus replaced the arched mainspring housing with a flat checkered one. I plan to post before and after pics when I'm done. |
| Before I say it's good to go on the regular Lo-Mounts, I'm just curious what the sights measure. I assume they are stock height, but Springfield is one of the few manufacturers who calim to have more than one rear sight height per model. If you have a caliper, measure when you get a chance. That way we can be sure. |
Thanks. I have a caliper and I'll attempt to measure the sights as soon as I get home. Your help is MUCH appreciated. |