I'm thinking about getting a slide with fixed sights for a Colt Gold Cup National Match and I'm looking at all the sight possibilities.What do you like or what would your recommendation be for fixed pistol sights? I've heard some good things about brass bead front sights and I just wonder if they are better than white dots. And if you're recommending night sights, then please say which ones and why.
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Handgun Sights for a Carry Pistol
Started by
Buzzard
, Apr 04 2012 01:34 PM
21 replies to this topic
#1
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Posted 04 April 2012 - 01:34 PM
"The rifle itself has no moral stature, since it has no will of its own. Naturally, it may be used by evil men for evil purposes,
but there are more good men than evil, and while the latter cannot be persuaded to the path of righteousness by propaganda,
they can certainly be corrected by good men with rifles." — Jeff Cooper, The Art of the Rifle
but there are more good men than evil, and while the latter cannot be persuaded to the path of righteousness by propaganda,
they can certainly be corrected by good men with rifles." — Jeff Cooper, The Art of the Rifle
#2
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Posted 04 April 2012 - 01:53 PM
Am I reading you correctly in that you're thinking about a Gold Cup Nat Match Colt as a carry weapon??
I prefer 3-dot night sights ... ones that basically look white in the day and glow in low-light conditions. I also prefer low-profile sights. And durable ones, made out of metal. I don't really have a preference on brand, though Trijicons are good, and Tru-glo are known to be less than durable.
I prefer 3-dot night sights ... ones that basically look white in the day and glow in low-light conditions. I also prefer low-profile sights. And durable ones, made out of metal. I don't really have a preference on brand, though Trijicons are good, and Tru-glo are known to be less than durable.
"It takes all the running you can do just to keep in the same place."
Lewis Carroll, 1872
Lewis Carroll, 1872
#3
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Posted 04 April 2012 - 02:22 PM
I like XS Big dots but a lot of people hate them. -shrug-
MAKE SURE your rear sight is NOT a "No-Snag" or "Low Profile" sight as it will make 1-handed work (where you rack the gun off your belt using the rear sight to "catch" and help with the rack) MUCH more difficult.
Clearing a malfunction 1-handed sucks.
Clearing a malfunction 1 handed with "No Snag" sights sucks a lot more.
Here's some videos that might help explain what I'm talking about:
Some Thoughts on 1 Hand Gun Work by Gomez-Training.com
Dealing with One Hand Only FTE/Double Feed Stoppages by Gomez-Training.com
XS Bog dots on the right - trijicon night sights on the left on Glock 19s
MAKE SURE your rear sight is NOT a "No-Snag" or "Low Profile" sight as it will make 1-handed work (where you rack the gun off your belt using the rear sight to "catch" and help with the rack) MUCH more difficult.
Clearing a malfunction 1-handed sucks.
Clearing a malfunction 1 handed with "No Snag" sights sucks a lot more.
Here's some videos that might help explain what I'm talking about:
Some Thoughts on 1 Hand Gun Work by Gomez-Training.com
Dealing with One Hand Only FTE/Double Feed Stoppages by Gomez-Training.com
XS Bog dots on the right - trijicon night sights on the left on Glock 19s
Edited by xmikex, 04 April 2012 - 02:23 PM.
"I may disapprove of what arms you bear, but I will defend to the death your right to remain armed." -xmikex
#4
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Posted 04 April 2012 - 03:11 PM
GarandFan, on 04 April 2012 - 01:53 PM, said:
Am I reading you correctly in that you're thinking about a Gold Cup Nat Match Colt as a carry weapon??
Yeah.....thinkin' about it......
I've got a GC NM Series 70 that has been altered from factory stock. It's got Pachmayr grips, extended slide release, extended thumb safety, the mag release has been swapped out for a plated one (?). Now PLEASE UNDERSTAND.....It's the way I bought it - as a shooter. So it's collectable resale has been diminished quite a bit.
I'm thinking that a Series 70 Government carry piece - while being quite heavy - would still be pretty cool. It'd be something I wouldn't be carrying all day. But it would need different sights because the target sights aren't easy to acquire in a hurry. Have you had any opportunity to try out a brass bead front sight?
"The rifle itself has no moral stature, since it has no will of its own. Naturally, it may be used by evil men for evil purposes,
but there are more good men than evil, and while the latter cannot be persuaded to the path of righteousness by propaganda,
they can certainly be corrected by good men with rifles." — Jeff Cooper, The Art of the Rifle
but there are more good men than evil, and while the latter cannot be persuaded to the path of righteousness by propaganda,
they can certainly be corrected by good men with rifles." — Jeff Cooper, The Art of the Rifle
#5
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Posted 04 April 2012 - 03:19 PM
+1 make sure they are not "no snag" sights
#6
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Posted 04 April 2012 - 04:03 PM
Romano For Rep, on 04 April 2012 - 03:19 PM, said:
+1 make sure they are not "no snag" sights
Did you mean "make sure they ARE 'no snag' sights"?
"The rifle itself has no moral stature, since it has no will of its own. Naturally, it may be used by evil men for evil purposes,
but there are more good men than evil, and while the latter cannot be persuaded to the path of righteousness by propaganda,
they can certainly be corrected by good men with rifles." — Jeff Cooper, The Art of the Rifle
but there are more good men than evil, and while the latter cannot be persuaded to the path of righteousness by propaganda,
they can certainly be corrected by good men with rifles." — Jeff Cooper, The Art of the Rifle
#7
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Posted 04 April 2012 - 04:07 PM
Well, if you're going to use a National Match for a concealed carry weapon, why not go all the way and get a red dot installed?
Bud
Seriously, the legalization of dueling would end political pandering and solve political corruption in the State
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Seriously, the legalization of dueling would end political pandering and solve political corruption in the State
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ONE STATE- ONE LAW
#8
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Posted 04 April 2012 - 04:11 PM
Bud, on 04 April 2012 - 04:07 PM, said:
Well, if you're going to use a National Match for a concealed carry weapon, why not go all the way and get a red dot installed?
#9
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Posted 04 April 2012 - 04:11 PM
What about the XS Big Dot Tritium sights? I'm trying to find somewhere that has some for 1911 - and not having much luck. One person over at 1911 forum says they're the best for old eyes. My link
"The rifle itself has no moral stature, since it has no will of its own. Naturally, it may be used by evil men for evil purposes,
but there are more good men than evil, and while the latter cannot be persuaded to the path of righteousness by propaganda,
they can certainly be corrected by good men with rifles." — Jeff Cooper, The Art of the Rifle
but there are more good men than evil, and while the latter cannot be persuaded to the path of righteousness by propaganda,
they can certainly be corrected by good men with rifles." — Jeff Cooper, The Art of the Rifle
#10
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Posted 04 April 2012 - 04:15 PM
Buzzard, on 04 April 2012 - 04:03 PM, said:
Did you mean "make sure they ARE 'no snag' sights"?
Buzzard - you WANT them to snag on a belt to help you clear 1-handed malfunctions.
Here's another good video on the historical evolution of malfunction clearances and WHY "no-snag" sights evolved and why they suck.
Stoppage Reductions By Gomez-Training.com
Paul knows his stuff - AND he'll be coming to Racine WI for training classes at the end of June / beginning of July. I'm the class host.
I always use Google Shopping to find the best prices. For the record, I like the XSBDs to have tritium front and rear.
Here's a link to Google Shopping:
Google Shopping: XS Big Dot 1911
Edited by xmikex, 04 April 2012 - 04:22 PM.
"I may disapprove of what arms you bear, but I will defend to the death your right to remain armed." -xmikex
#11
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Posted 04 April 2012 - 04:25 PM
+1 for the XS Big Dots.
I put a set on my Glock last year and for fast target acquisition they are hard to beat. And the shape of the rear is perfect for one-handed cycling of the slide.
I put a set on my Glock last year and for fast target acquisition they are hard to beat. And the shape of the rear is perfect for one-handed cycling of the slide.
#12
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Posted 04 April 2012 - 05:14 PM
I have a set of XS Tritium Big Dots on my Glock 19 carry gun. I like them for fast target acquisition, but they aren't the thing for precision shooting. I won them in a match so I installed them, but they wouldn't be my first choice. For general all around use, a set of tritium 3-dot night sights like Trijicons or Meprolights are hard to beat.
#13
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Posted 04 April 2012 - 06:24 PM
The only set of night sights I have ever owned came on my Kimber. I like them but since I have never used any other brand , I can't say they are the best way to go.
#14
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Posted 04 April 2012 - 06:44 PM
Its funny because we have similar tastes in a carry gun. My EDC at least for the winter and colder months is going to be my new S&W 1911PD(commander length). Right now it has CT Laser Grips on it and standard "white dot" sights. I personally like night sights so i will be putting on a set sometime in the near future. Will I ever need them? Probably not, but it makes me feel better.
I was curious what people had to say about Trijicons vs Novak night sights. I like the fact that with Novak you can get different color rear sights(Orange or Yellow) as a special order vs the green on green of the Trijicons. That being said; I have had Triji's on two different SIG's and I loved them on both. They might not be quite as bright as a Meprolight but I like the sight picture a little better.
I am interested in the XS sights too. I found myself shooting damn accurate out of the box with a K9 at about 10 yards using the standard "bar and dot" type sight and it looks like XS are the only ones left who make a similar arrangement in a night sight. I think I will try them on a "fun" gun before I try them on a gun that is going to (hopefully, if things go well in the legislature) be protecting my every day for 6-8 months of the year.
BTW: GUN PORN!!!!!
I was curious what people had to say about Trijicons vs Novak night sights. I like the fact that with Novak you can get different color rear sights(Orange or Yellow) as a special order vs the green on green of the Trijicons. That being said; I have had Triji's on two different SIG's and I loved them on both. They might not be quite as bright as a Meprolight but I like the sight picture a little better.
I am interested in the XS sights too. I found myself shooting damn accurate out of the box with a K9 at about 10 yards using the standard "bar and dot" type sight and it looks like XS are the only ones left who make a similar arrangement in a night sight. I think I will try them on a "fun" gun before I try them on a gun that is going to (hopefully, if things go well in the legislature) be protecting my every day for 6-8 months of the year.
BTW: GUN PORN!!!!!
Edited by Patriots & Tyrants, 04 April 2012 - 06:49 PM.
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Posted 04 April 2012 - 08:00 PM
Romano for Rep & xmikex: Thanks for the tip on the "make sure they are not 'no snag' sights." I was not aware of such training. I will have to look into it.
To the others on the Xs Sights: I'm going to give them a good, long look.
I've heard that brass bead dots show up well in low light. And Gold even better without the dulling of brass. Anyone have any experience with them?
To the others on the Xs Sights: I'm going to give them a good, long look.
I've heard that brass bead dots show up well in low light. And Gold even better without the dulling of brass. Anyone have any experience with them?
"The rifle itself has no moral stature, since it has no will of its own. Naturally, it may be used by evil men for evil purposes,
but there are more good men than evil, and while the latter cannot be persuaded to the path of righteousness by propaganda,
they can certainly be corrected by good men with rifles." — Jeff Cooper, The Art of the Rifle
but there are more good men than evil, and while the latter cannot be persuaded to the path of righteousness by propaganda,
they can certainly be corrected by good men with rifles." — Jeff Cooper, The Art of the Rifle
#16
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Posted 04 April 2012 - 09:22 PM
I haven't been able to get on Xs Sights webpage.
Quote
Firefox can't establish a connection to the server at www.xssights.com.
"The rifle itself has no moral stature, since it has no will of its own. Naturally, it may be used by evil men for evil purposes,
but there are more good men than evil, and while the latter cannot be persuaded to the path of righteousness by propaganda,
they can certainly be corrected by good men with rifles." — Jeff Cooper, The Art of the Rifle
but there are more good men than evil, and while the latter cannot be persuaded to the path of righteousness by propaganda,
they can certainly be corrected by good men with rifles." — Jeff Cooper, The Art of the Rifle
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Posted 04 April 2012 - 10:21 PM
Worked for me - click this link:
http://www.xssights.com/index.php
Only brass bead sight I've used is on my shotgun - and if I had the cash, I'd toss a Big Dot on it too LOL
XS Big Dots are not as precise as traditional notch and post sights - but they're great for 99% of handgun distances.
I've made repeatable, reliable 100yard shots on man-sized steel targets with a G26, G19 and G17 with XS Big Dots.
http://www.xssights.com/index.php
Only brass bead sight I've used is on my shotgun - and if I had the cash, I'd toss a Big Dot on it too LOL
XS Big Dots are not as precise as traditional notch and post sights - but they're great for 99% of handgun distances.
I've made repeatable, reliable 100yard shots on man-sized steel targets with a G26, G19 and G17 with XS Big Dots.
Edited by xmikex, 04 April 2012 - 10:29 PM.
"I may disapprove of what arms you bear, but I will defend to the death your right to remain armed." -xmikex
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Posted 05 April 2012 - 06:12 AM
If it's a NM gn, then why not NM sights (at least the rear)?
Although not "snag free" this has become my personal favorite rear sight, even above the XS (which I really do like). 10-8 Performance makes them for a standard mil-spec dovetail as well as a similar sight for Novak cuts. The rear uses a wide U shape and the entire sight is very beefy and provides a good picture for me.
10-8 Performance
They also have a brass bead front sight option. I like gold bead/brass bead sights, but the brass will tarnish over time and become less visible. If you don't plan to polish the bead from time to time it may not be the best choice. Someone out there makes a gold line front sight that looks great and doesn't tarnish (maybe Heirloom Precision?) but it may be pricey.
Although not "snag free" this has become my personal favorite rear sight, even above the XS (which I really do like). 10-8 Performance makes them for a standard mil-spec dovetail as well as a similar sight for Novak cuts. The rear uses a wide U shape and the entire sight is very beefy and provides a good picture for me.
10-8 Performance
They also have a brass bead front sight option. I like gold bead/brass bead sights, but the brass will tarnish over time and become less visible. If you don't plan to polish the bead from time to time it may not be the best choice. Someone out there makes a gold line front sight that looks great and doesn't tarnish (maybe Heirloom Precision?) but it may be pricey.
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Posted 24 April 2012 - 10:06 AM
I'm changing my plans. Rather than change the slide on my Gold Cup, I'm going to save up for something in a Commander size pistol for carry. I've been watching videos on Xs Sights and I like what I see. But I haven't taken a gold dot front sight off the table just yet.
"The rifle itself has no moral stature, since it has no will of its own. Naturally, it may be used by evil men for evil purposes,
but there are more good men than evil, and while the latter cannot be persuaded to the path of righteousness by propaganda,
they can certainly be corrected by good men with rifles." — Jeff Cooper, The Art of the Rifle
but there are more good men than evil, and while the latter cannot be persuaded to the path of righteousness by propaganda,
they can certainly be corrected by good men with rifles." — Jeff Cooper, The Art of the Rifle
#20
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Posted 24 April 2012 - 11:24 AM
Commander-sized 1911's - while maybe more comfortable for carry, tend to have reliability issues you don't see in the full-size guns (which by modern standards tend to be less reliable than more modern designs).
Try out some different CCW holsters for your current 1911 before you buy a commander. You might find one that works well and is comfortable - with a (generally) more reliable full-sized 1911.
Hope this helps,
Mike
Try out some different CCW holsters for your current 1911 before you buy a commander. You might find one that works well and is comfortable - with a (generally) more reliable full-sized 1911.
Hope this helps,
Mike
"I may disapprove of what arms you bear, but I will defend to the death your right to remain armed." -xmikex
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Posted 24 April 2012 - 11:50 AM
xmikex, on 24 April 2012 - 11:24 AM, said:
Commander-sized 1911's - while maybe more comfortable for carry, tend to have reliability issues you don't see in the full-size guns (which by modern standards tend to be less reliable than more modern designs).
Try out some different CCW holsters for your current 1911 before you buy a commander. You might find one that works well and is comfortable - with a (generally) more reliable full-sized 1911.
Hope this helps,
Mike
Try out some different CCW holsters for your current 1911 before you buy a commander. You might find one that works well and is comfortable - with a (generally) more reliable full-sized 1911.
Hope this helps,
Mike
xmikex, on 24 April 2012 - 11:24 AM, said:
Commander-sized 1911's - while maybe more comfortable for carry, tend to have reliability issues you don't see in the full-size guns (which by modern standards tend to be less reliable than more modern designs).
Hmmm. I hadn't heard that before. And when you say "reliability issues", I'm assuming you're speaking of FTF/jamming issues and not breakage where parts fail in the smaller platform pistols. I have heard of reliability issues in the three inch barreled guns. But I believe the 3" Colt Defender is Abolt's everyday carry piece and if it was causing problems - I'm pretty sure it would either be corrected or it would be gone. And I have't heard that has happened yet. Could it be that the Commander problems are just certain guns that need to be tweaked? I'd like to hear more on these relieability issues and what make/model guns they are.
"The rifle itself has no moral stature, since it has no will of its own. Naturally, it may be used by evil men for evil purposes,
but there are more good men than evil, and while the latter cannot be persuaded to the path of righteousness by propaganda,
they can certainly be corrected by good men with rifles." — Jeff Cooper, The Art of the Rifle
but there are more good men than evil, and while the latter cannot be persuaded to the path of righteousness by propaganda,
they can certainly be corrected by good men with rifles." — Jeff Cooper, The Art of the Rifle
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Posted 25 April 2012 - 01:43 AM
Correct - jamming issues. Though I have seen a commander-sized springfield's plunger tube/pin peel away from the frame and make the gun non-functional on the 2nd day of a 2-day handgun class. -shrug-
The difficult part of concealing a handgun is hiding the grip - not the slide.
Experiment with some GOOD holsters around the house and at the range and see if that works for you before you buy another gun.
I'm a 9mm Glock guy and highly recommend them - but if you're happy with your 1911 and shoot it well, then focus on getting a carry setup that works for your chosen handgun before you go out and spend a good chunk of change on a whole new gun.
Hope this helps - the right holster can make all the difference in the world as far as comfort and concealability.
The difficult part of concealing a handgun is hiding the grip - not the slide.
Experiment with some GOOD holsters around the house and at the range and see if that works for you before you buy another gun.
I'm a 9mm Glock guy and highly recommend them - but if you're happy with your 1911 and shoot it well, then focus on getting a carry setup that works for your chosen handgun before you go out and spend a good chunk of change on a whole new gun.
Hope this helps - the right holster can make all the difference in the world as far as comfort and concealability.
"I may disapprove of what arms you bear, but I will defend to the death your right to remain armed." -xmikex
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