Anyone have problems with fiber optic sights?

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dumbhunter

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Hey guys,
So I took out two new pistols with fiber optic front sights- one brand new, and one new to me. The new one is a Wilson EDC X9. The used one is a S&W 686. I could not, for the life of me, shoot accurately with them. Now while I'm not an expert, I am usually a decent shot. What was interesting, was that I was shooting low with both. Thinking it was me just shooting like crap that day, I took out my old USP 9, and I was dead on- shooting lights out! The strange thing (at least with the EDC X9, was that the faster I shot, the better the groups. When doing double taps or Mozambique drills my groups tightened up.
Now, it might be that I just need to get used to them, but it really seems that my eyes couldn't handle the fiber optic sights.

Anyone else have issues with these types of sights?

Thanks!
 
As I get older, I prefer the fiber optic front sights. I like green the best too. Sometimes red or orange washes out on me in low light.
 
Black on black or a blaze orange front sight. Old school I know but even at 75 years young the fiber optic is not as accurate for me.
 
dumbhunter said:
I could not, for the life of me, shoot accurately with them...

The strange thing (at least with the EDC X9, was that the faster I shot, the better the groups. When doing double taps or Mozambique drills my groups tightened up.
Click to expand...

Sounds like you need to decide what you want them FOR. If for careful target shooting, black them out or replace them with a real Patridge. If for speed shooting, you are all set.

Some sight black would let you tell if it were the guns or the sights that were less accurate.
 
I had the front sight fiber optic just disappear once.
 
They sell FO rod by the yard for a reason. My FO sights are all steel boxed, they ain't going anywhere.

If the rod is too bright, just sharpie it a little to dim it. Other than that, I can't see why one would be less accurate than anything else. Your rear sight is plain black, right?
 
I have one on a Browning Buckmark ('Camper' model of some flavor)

I like the concept and I definitely like the green color my only complaint is I wish it was smaller in diameter.

I might not make sense but it's such a large diameter that it kind of "washes out" in really bright sunlight (not to mention it subtends way too much of a target even at shorter distances)

I put a Dawson Precision FO front sight on a stainless, Springfield Armory "loaded" 9mm and bought the smallest diameter they offered.
Super bright and capable of high precision.

So,I guess you can count me as 50/50
 
I'm another that has never warmed up to fiber optic sights on handguns. The few that I have are green since the red doesn't show up very well under lower light. Now I have found green fiber optic beads more useful on shotguns
 
12Bravo20 said:
I'm another that has never warmed up to fiber optic sights on handguns. The few that I have are green since the red doesn't show up very well under lower light. Now I have found green fiber optic beads more useful on shotguns
Click to expand...

Yeah, I think shotguns are where this type of sight is the way to go.

Precision rifles, target style handguns... maybe not so much.

Quick, "instinctive" style shooting, :thumbup:
 
JoeHenry said:
Black on black or a blaze orange front sight. Old school I know but even at 75 years young the fiber optic is not as accurate for me.
Click to expand...

Same for me...they have a place, especially on competition guns and/or CC weapons but I find for my use, where 90% of my shooting is recreational/plinking, they just don't offer the same level of accuracy of a Boughman or Patridge front sight. Too, I suspect that FO sights are a bit more fragile than classic steel on a handgun.

All the former notwithstanding, the FO/tritium front sight on my Sig P365 is really easy to pick up for defensive shooting inside 15 yds and I really like it.

YMMv, Best Regards, Rod
 
I like fiber optic front sights, but they're not all the same. Some fiber optics are a bit sloppy, I like the ones from Dawson Precision.
 
Pat Riot said:
I like green fiber optic sights. Red blobs out on me. This is due to astigmatism in my right eye.
Click to expand...
I agree. Green is so much easier to see, especially in daylight (artificial light isn't too bad)

I wish I could get a green conversation kit for my Eotech :cool:
 
I have fiber optic front sights on a coup!e of pistols. I find it easier to pick up the front sight quickly. I look at it as the original red dot...no batteries required.:)
 
I swapped out the front site on my mk2 that I shoot steel challenge with. I find it alot faster, my granddaughter hates it. says the sight is too bright.
 
Like a couple of others said above, I have FO sights on guns that I would primarily use as fast reaction carry guns like my Glocks or self defense revolvers like the 2” Colt Cobra, shorter-barreled Ruger GP’s, etc. These guns aren’t bullseye guns, so fine sights are either wasted on these guns or tough to pick up quickly. My groups aren’t as great with FO sights, but I pick them up faster to put hits on target so I am good with that. :thumbup:

C655DD1A-DB83-4EDA-9ACE-2273414145D1.jpeg 9533AF53-6C36-4903-8613-4FB4AF9BE2F4.jpeg 425A6323-30BB-4C98-B661-4F6B32523970.jpeg

4” GP above now wears a green FO. Swap takes 30 seconds.

Target specific handguns and those with fixed front sights in my quiver are ones that I am not going to fiddle with, so stock they stay. :)

Stay safe.
 
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