Fiber optic front sights - color question


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rick_reno
January 17, 2005, 10:35 AM
I was told that a green vs. red insert in the front sight is easier to pick up with the eye. Anyone know if this is true?

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Jim Watson
January 17, 2005, 10:53 AM
In general, yes.
But lighting conditions and eyesight vary so much that it is not a definite call.
I use red BECAUSE the green is so bright as to dazzle me.
I am trying yellow in a Brazos just because it came with three colors and I wanted to practice my melting technique with the odd color after two reds kicked out.
It surprised me by doing as well as red, and I am not yanking it out any time soon.

Yooper
January 17, 2005, 11:05 AM
Another consideration is background contrast. I've found that the easiest colors to spot in the woods in the absence of snow are white, with orange and pink a close second and third. Against a white backdrop, orange is probably the best, although nearly any bright color would work other than white or nearly white. This is based upon flagging used in boundary surveying over the years.

Werewolf
January 17, 2005, 02:50 PM
The human eye is most sensitive to green and yellow light so yes either is easy to pick up than the red.

That said RED contrasts with more things in nature or civilization than either green or yellow. The human eye/brain reacts more quickly to motion and contrast than anything else.

I've used all three on high-vis sights. The green and yellow are very bright and easy to see and I prefer both to red when it comes to shooting paper (which is mostly what I do). If walking around in the woods I prefer red but since I don't do a lot of walking around in the woods my high-vis usually stays green.

rick_reno
January 17, 2005, 04:53 PM
Thanks a lot! This really helps...

Roadrunner
January 19, 2005, 11:39 AM
I have a lime-green Hi-Viz sight on my trap/skeet shotgun. Works well for me and it still stands out when wearing sunglasses.

Logistar
January 19, 2005, 01:57 PM
It really depends on your background I think. I seem to find that the green/yellow seems to work better most of the time for me. I started using orange/red but that didn't work really well for me. (Especially when shooting red targets at the range! ;) )

Black Snowman
January 19, 2005, 02:49 PM
I went green on my HD shotty, and two of my revolvers. I can pick it out more easily in low light than the red. Haven't had the chance to try them in full sunlight yet. Should be interesting.

Tman
January 19, 2005, 09:09 PM
I have a small red fiberoptic on one pistol, larger light green on another. For me, the light green one is much easier to see (besides being bigger).

paul105
January 19, 2005, 09:16 PM
FWIW, on my bow, green (followed by yellow) is the first pin you can see in the morning. Red is the last one visible. These pins are somewhat smaller than the average fibre optic tube used in firearms applications, so that could make a diff. Haven't tried orange.

paul105
January 19, 2005, 09:19 PM
Ment to mention that my S&W 396 Mtn Lite has a green fiber optic front and a "V" notch rear. This is a highly visable combination -- I really like the green.

rdbrowning
January 20, 2005, 10:20 AM
My Ruger Super Red Hawk had a orange painted front sight. One evening at the range, the sun was just at the horizon and the whole sky turned orange. I could NOT see the fron sight at all. The sun reflected off of the clouds was the same color as my sight and for about 5-10 minutes I could not see it at all. I got some model paint and dipped toothpicks into different colors then held them up at arms length to see which slowed up best against the most backgrounds. One was a redish/orangish/yellowish sort of color, sort of like the pink anti-freeze. I didn't find a back ground that it could not be seen against. If I could get a fiber optic blade, that would really show up.

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