1911 Front Sight Recommendation

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Uncle Richard

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I now understand why so many like the 1911. I recently inherited a colt 1911a1 that was manufactured in 1942, and got to shoot it today for the first time. It has one of the smoothest actions I have ever experienced.

Anyways, it shoot's low. At 20 feet, it hits close to 10"-12" low. The front sight is at least 1/4" high as seen in the picture. Note that the pistol in the picture is a representative to what I have with regards to the front sight but my rear sight is fixed. Is it the front sight or maybe a worn out part? Can the front sight be replaced, filed down, etc?

I would greatly appreciate any recommendations with regards adjusting or replacing the front sights.
 

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We need a real picture, not a "representative" of a pellet gun.

A 1942 1911A1 should not have a tall sight. Something is strange here. Note that an unaltered 1911A1 is worth a good deal of money.
 
Yep!

Sounds like somebody put a 'Target' front sight on a slide and forgot to change out the rear sight to an adjustable target sight and sight it in.

A mil-spec 1911 of that vintage would have a sight set like this.

As you can see, the front sight should be no more then a thin rounded blade about 1/8" high.

1911a1_984284j.jpg

You got a half-unfinished Bubba 'target pistol' slide there.

But as Jim said.
We need photos of the actual slide to tell you exactly what you have, or have not.

rc
 
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Not only is that front site homely, it appears to be completely non-functional with the rear. I would suggest having the proper front site installed if you want to shoot it (or look at it lustfully). ;) If your eyes are older like mine and cannot focus on the small scale combat sites, get a set of the modern simple sites that come on the Colt series 70 pistols.

http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl...wmM&ei=3O6tUp7WJZD4oATC7IK4CA&ved=0CAIQsCUoAA
 
Yep.

Somebody started to put target sights on the slide and never got around to finishing the job.

You can either put an adjustable target sight on it now.
Or file down the front until it is zeroed with the military rear sight you have.

I'm gonna say though, that the 1/8" front blade is way too wide to use with the standard notch in the rear sight you have on it.

rc
 
Yup, that is a target type front sight installed on a GI slide without the formality of a (high) target rear sight.
It looks like it is soldered on. A restorer would melt out the solder, put on a GI front sight and refinish the slide (Probably the whole gun from what I can see of the receiver.) to make it "correct." This would not be a cheap project.

If you just want to shoot it, you can file the sight down until it zeroes at whatever range you like.

And widen the rear notch to give some light on each side of the front blade.
 
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I want to make it shootable. What front sight should buy, would appreciate a link? I'm going to take it to a gunsmith in a couple weeks.
 
It would be advisable to have the gunsmith take that sight off first and see if the hole for the GI tenon sight was enlarged when the target sight was installed.

If it has been, a GI sight will not work any longer because the hole will be too big to swage a GI tenon sight in the hole.

rc
 
thanks rc and jim

I will talk to a gunsmith next weekend and mention to him about the front sight hole being to big.. Plus I'm going to get a cost estimate on reblueing. I will let you know if interested.
 
Please do some study on this.
A real GI 1911A1 is no longer cheap army surplus.
If you can get a correct front sight put back on it, and the gun Parkerized to the original factory finish, it will be worth a bit of money as a "correct" weapon.
A typical gunsmith buff and reblue will knock off hundreds of dollars in value.
 
+ 1,000!

Listen to this advice, for it is good!!

If you can put a correct GI sight back on it?
It will be worth more just like it is with no finish then re-parkerized too!!

Those old grey rat 1911's didn't get to look like that laying in somebody's sock drawer for 70 years.

Refinishing it would be erasing history!!

rc
 
I agree on fitting a correct front sight. Not so much on a properly done refinish. We restore cars, furniture, and everything else under the sun, but get all wonky over doing a collectible gun. My concern with the refinish is getting it to someone who understands the necessity for preserving the roll marks and crisp edges, and who will avoid over buffing, etc. The idea is to make it look absolutely original IF you decide to refinish. Too many so called gunsmiths and refinishers have absolutely no concept of how to do that and would not recognize the difference if they were smacked between the eyes. Do your due diligence on selecting who to use for any work before handing it over.

Either way, refinish or not, please don't start cutting it up to modernize it with beavertail, Novak sights, etc. Refinish or not, it is an historic, collectible piece that has earned its place.
 
picture of slide

Jim and RC

below is the picture of the slide. Note that the receiver and slide have different numbers, but they both date for the same year, 1942. I would greatly appreciate your help with identifying what sight I need. Also, in your opinion, would getting it re-parkerized increase or decrease value? Honestly, I have no desire to sell it. It was owned by my two of my Uncles, and has considerable sentimental value.

I believe the wood grips (not pictured) are original. The checkering is worn, however, someone put their initials inside the grips (makes it more interesting who might have used it in WWII and where it's been).
 

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Plastic stocks were standard in 1942. Walnut could have been substituted at any time.

I don't know what the sights that RC links lack.

If the front sight could be replaced without having to refinish the gun, that would leave it with more collector interest, and save money, too. But if the slide is as discolored from soldering as it appears, it would look better if refinished.

Coolgunsite says
Colt 729,993 to780,000: First parkerized pistol. Parkerizing adopted as the standard finish. Pistols in this range are observed to have a mixed assortment of blued and parkerized small parts..
Colt 780,000 to end of war production: All pistols and small parts are parkerized.

WB: Waldemar Broberg Colt S/N 750,500 to 861,000
 
Yes, looks like they didn't go to the rampette until 1943.
But this is probably not headed for a museum grade restoration and even the WW II serrated ramp GI sight will be serviceable and not badly out of line in appearance.
 
I agree the later ramp style would be O.K..

But I will be really surprised if they didn't hog out the hole for that 1/8" wide target sight post peg before they silvered-soldered it on.

Most of them were installed that way.

And that makes properly re-installing a GI tenon sight impossible.
The hole would have to be TIG welded shut and re-cut to the proper size for the GI sight.

rc
 
Yes, could be.
In which case I would be over at FLG with him hunkered over the milling machine.
We would soon have a shootable front sight if not a milspec front sight.
 
Best idea so far Jim!

I think that would most likely be the best course of action at this point.

If the target sight is silver-soldered on, it isn't going to shoot itself off.

So, leave it on, mill it down & thin it to match the rear sight notch, and just make a GI looking sight out of it!!

PS: This is another option!
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Colt-1911-Slide-WW2-World-War-II-Government-model-/171194646640

Better ones then this show up on EvilBay all the time.

rc
 
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I'd rather widen the rear notch.
Or try to find a King's Hardball rear that would fit the GI dovetail and be a bit taller and more visible without being out of proportion. The current Colt fixed sight is taller than old GI for that matter, but you have to look twice to realize it.
 
thanks

I like the idea of milling it down. Talked to my gunsmith about it and will take a look at it this saturday. I have a lot of confidence he can mill it down or replace it. Been smith'n for 30plus years.

If interested, I will post.
 
Oh for sure post the results.

We already have two days of posts invested in this.
So it would be real nice to find out the outcome!!

rc
 
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