ltwguns.com

Hey all,

I am hoping you all can give me some advice about sights. I have 2 Colts, a NRM and a XSE Commander. I like both of them but the factory sights are just too hard for me to see now that I am getting older. I just cannot get a clear sight picture anymore on those Colt sights.

What would be good for me to upgrade to? The guns will be used for target shooting at the range and some CCW use too.
Any advice you all can give me about my sights and what to do?

Thanks everyone for your time and help.

Nala

I wear glasses so the doc added a trifocal section that lets me see at the distance of arms length. The standards sights work just great and the target is blurred. if you don't wear glasses, you can get a pair of cheaters to do the same thing, don't get the reading glasses for up close, but hold something at arms length to test for proper strength.

(I am 70 and try to shoot once a week)

Tony

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Tony T
The only guns I like are those with triggers..

Do a forum search in custom pistols with "Over 50 Sights"

Those sights will solve your problem.

For strictly CCW, Ashley 24/7 sights are another choice.

Regards,
John

Nala, You might try something as simple as having the front blade narrowed or the rear notch widened. Normal pistol sights are 125/125. In otherwords, you have a .125 inch notch in the rear with a .125 wide blade in front. I wear progressive lenses all the time, and found that I couldn't get a clear sight picture with a standard setup. First time I put a set of YOBO sights on a customers gun and went to test fire the gun, I was pleasantly surprised to find a VERY clear sight picture. Found out later that Ted and Lew had set these up with a standard width blade, but a .140 rear notch. That difference really helps. Best,

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Don Williams
http://www.theactionworks.com
http://www.ltwguns.com

The guy who has mentored me in NRA High Power rifle shooting (he's a High Master) can shoot 2" groups at 200 yards with iron sights. But at the Single Stack I noticed he was kinda crooking his head to shoot-- he told me he's shooting with his left eye, can't focus on the front sight any more with the right eye. He can still do the rifle because the front sight's out far enough. Happy to say that this guy, one of the top rifle shots in the country, but usually and inexplicably not towards the top in local matches, somehow manages to do his best pistol shooting at the Single Stack.

Anyhoo-- I understand the problem. Don's solution works. Also, you might try the XS Sights. I think a lot of people are turned off by their wide-open appearance and assume that accuracy will suffer greatly. I don't have a whole lot of experience with them but I did want to answer the accuracy question. I found I could hold 3" at 28 yards with them, and this was a gun that I don't believe was capable of much better regardless of sights. Now, I did "cheat" a little by sizing the target to make it easy to center the big dot at that distance-- a piece of typing paper folded to *' square is just right. But the important point is that I found I could get good enough register between the front and the rear to shoot an acceptable-plus group.

I think a guy could mock up a set of XS sights on a piece of wood to get some idea if they would work for him.

I am 69 with diseased retinae so I understand the problem. Don Williams has narrowed the front sight on 3 of my 1911s which has worked very well for me. He did the first one about 3plus years ago so I have really tested this. More air really makes a difference. I also have a Caspian diamond ghost ring with a lime green front sight on one of my 1911s which also works well.

Dean
deanrtaylor@att.net
410-952-7848

Dean Taylor,
It is good to see you here!

We met at the 2006 SHOT Show.
I'm looking forward to your contributions.
Chuck

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http://www.rogersprecision.com

I never saw the Caspian ghost ring till right now.
I have heard people say they are no good on a pistol as there is not enough distance for them.. Haven't heard many good reviews BUT it seems most people who comment about them don't have them themselves...

I may have to try that on my next CCO!!!

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Kentucky Colonel, Tennessee Squire & Combat Leprechaun
"You won't rise to the occasion - you'll default to your level of training." Barrett Tillman

If you don't want to spend a lot of money and/or have your slide cut, you might consider installing a Yost-Bonitz Retro rear sight. It fits in the standard rear sight cut and is MUCH better than the stock sight. I just put one (along with an Ed Brown ramped front sight) on an old Norinco that I have and the improvement is drastic. Total cost was less than $50 and the difference is 100%.

I've got one 1911 with a narrowed .110 front sight and it works very well. I've also got a 1911 with Novak's wide notch rear sight which is .145 wide and it also works very well. If I had my preference, I like the .110 narrow front sight a little better than the wider rear notch, but I could live with either.

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Ted

Will a tritium insert fit in a .110 front sight?

I'm assuming not, and that's why some are using a .140" rear with a .125" front (same .015" difference).

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Aubrey<><

It'll make it pretty weak. The Heinie rears use a smaller insert, you can probably get Trijicon to install one in a front for you. Most inserts I use are .076 or so, that doesn't leave much strength in a .110 sight. The smaller ones are .060-ish.

Thanks Ned. I didn't know about the different-diameter inserts; useful to know for future projects.

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Aubrey<><