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I am having a 9mm 1911 Colt being built by Lou at Business End, and one option I'm hung up on is the front sight. This is only a gun for range/competition, and will not be a carry gun. I am leaning serrated black because a couple of the old timers that embarrass me at league night use them, but the most popular choice seems to be the other extreme, fiber optic. Of course, everyone tells me I should get what they have. I shoot a couple thousand rounds a year since the shortage, hopefully that will pick up. I have enough handguns that I'm not sure how many I own, and they have an array of sights, but I can't exactly compare apples to apples with my fiber optics being on non production guns with great ergos and triggers -of course I shoot them better than an old P38. So I figured this would be a place where I would find some people with trigger time on the same platform using different sights. For just general paper and steel (and occasionally aging produce in the woods), what would be your choice? Thanks, and I look forward to your thoughts.

First, if you don't have a set, determined answer yourself, after shooting both, then I would say you can't go wrong with either. The old-timers shooting well with black ramps are used to shooting that set-up. In general a sharp black on black will show up most clearly on a white paper background. Using that set-up exclusively for all around shooting allows you to know how it works in other settings. In low light/dark background, you could be at a disadvantage. The fiber sights are bright and easy to pick up quickly and work well for aging eyes. However, they are not as sharp across the top and the sides as a good, sharp ramp. So, for target shooting/competition in well lighted conditions a black ramp (with a good rear) works very well. For shooting/plinking at various targets in varying conditions, a fiber would work well. I honestly though don't think you'd be disadvantaged with either set-up.

Thanks. It's a classic older Colt, and I'd prefer not to drop a space age looking F/O front sight on it, but would for accuracy's sake. Barring a lot of contrary evidence, I think I'll try the serrated black and see how I shoot it.

Good call. If you'd mentioned it was going on a vintage Colt I would've just said go with the black ramp! Fiber optic on a classic 1911 is ALMOST as bad as fiber optic on a muzzleloader....almost. There's just something so right about classic sights on a classic Colt.

Agreed. I'll post her up when completed. Should be just a couple more months now.

Chuck's golf balls work is done on the frame:


Here's the slide, though none of the modifications are done yet at photo time: