1911 sights

[Will Learn]

I am in the market for some sights for my Springfield GI milspec. I have some low profile sights with no dots on them now. The back is dovetailed and the front is a post(not dovetailed). I'm looking for some sights that're more visible/accurate than three metal nubs. I was quoted $120 for some white dot high profile sights (including installation) from a local smith, is thit decent? Also, would installing new sights hurt the finish? Any help would be appreciated.

 

[BamBam-31]

www.novaksights.com. Send them your slide, they'll install their sights on your gun for about a bill. Novaks give a clean sight picture.

 

[Mac Attack]

Novaks +1

 

[Navy87Guy]

I put a set of King's Gun Works 3-dot target sights on my RIA 1911. ( http://www.kingsgunworks.com/newcatalog/index.html ) It was $42 for the sights and I installed them myself. (But that's one of the things I like about my 1911 -- being able to do a little of my own gunsmithing).

The sight picture is much better than the mil-spec sights that came with my RIA.

Jim

 

[ddj8052]

+2 for sending them to Novak.

I recentley posted on my experience with Novak and the botom lime is they do outstanding work with a very quick turn around time. Here is a pick of my TRP with the new Novak fiber optic front sight and extreme duty rear sight.

 

[JoeHatley]

I sent this Goverment model slide to www.wilsoncombat.com and had them install a set of their high profile sights. You can get them with or with out dots.



IIRC... the total bill including shipping and instalation was just under $100.

Good Luck...

Joe

 

[Will Learn]

Thanks for the help guys those Novaks look great. I called Novak for a quote (night sights+installation) and they told me $260 . They look like real nice sights but that seems a little steep. For another couple hundred a could almost get another GI 1911. The Wilson deal Joe is talking about is more in my price range. Is there a cheaper place to get the Novaks(+installation) or is this just the grim reality of high-end sights? Thanks again all.

 

[BullfrogKen]

I've been partial to Heinie's myself. On both my Commanders, and the Hi-Power.

You're asking for night sights, and those alone are pricy. Go back to your local smith for a re-quote with night sights. The price will go up.

Novak is gonna need to mill your slide to fit the sights correctly, so will Heinie. Or, you can chance it and maybe have them put in sub-standard by someone and look . . . . . well, yuck.

 

[gandog56]

Two words:




Crimson Trace

 

[Will Learn]

I might look into crimson trace actually. How well do they work in daylight at about 25yrds?

 

[marklbucla]

If sending a slide to either Novak or Wilson, is it worth the extra $120+ in shipping to send the whole gun for sighting in or do they do a pretty good job getting the sights on target with the slide only?

 

[DMK]

I might look into crimson trace actually. How well do they work in daylight at about 25yrds?

I can't see the dot at all in bright daylight.

 

[1911 guy]

Want to save money by not milling your slide?

If you've got the cash to spare, Novaks does good work. To save some cash, look at the "Retro" rear sight made by Yost/Bonitz. It fits the existing dovetail and has a .140" notch, wider than the original. Then choose the color dot you want in front from a Kings Tappan sight. Order the medium tennon, it is made for Springfield pistols.

 

[berkbw]

Hienie (sp?) Have a slightly smaller dovetail, and seem to look neater on 1911s.
b-

 

[The Lone Haranguer]

A Novak rear sight, to be mounted low in the slide as it is supposed to be, requires the rear of the slide to be milled off. This is fine as long as you like them, but the change is irreversible.

 

[Technosavant]

It's worth having the sights milled into the slide; they'll blend better, look better, and be more secure. It will require refinishing the slide (if not a stainless finish), but again, I'd do it.

I have two 1911s, one with Heine and one with Novaks. They're both high quality and I'd recommend either. Heines are better for rapid sight acquisition; I can get on target rather fast with them, but will also potentially be a little off vertically (not as big a deal as being off laterally). Novaks are easier to shoot accurately (mine have a wider rear notch than the Heines do, which helps greatly).

Can't go wrong either way, but like I said, do consider spending the money for the milling of the proper dovetails front and rear.

 

[BigO01]

Another option is Millett Sights , I had a set on a Commander years ago and they were just fine .

Problem is you will need to find a Smith to install them for you .

 

[berkbw]

and it helps to be young.

 

[BullfrogKen]

I like Heinie's myself. But Novak's and the Yost Retro sight is nice, too.

We've got a picture of properly installed Novak's up earlier in the thread. Here's a picture of what properly installed Heinie's look like. And I included a snapshot of a sight picture with one. No, that's not a night sight on the front.

This is what a properly installed Yost Retro sight looks like. XavierBreath, I hope you don't mind, but I stole this pic off your site from the built you did.

The Yost Retro is a drop in piece, with little fitting needed. Most every other sight needs to have some machining done to fit it properly. Not to pick on you JoeHatley . . . but the installation of those sights, while cheaper, aren't the best example of good craftmanship. I'm frankly surprised Wilson would let something out of their shop like that.

Most of the aftermarket sights require that the rear of the slide have some machine work done. Mill work is done to remove metal to allow the sights to sit flush within the slide, so you don't get those sharp shoulders I highlighted below.

For the majority of folks, this kind of installation won't bother them. But if you decide to carry a piece like this, those sharp edges will wear and tear at your clothing. The other problem you get is the rear sight is sitting higher than designed. Its meant to be machined to sit deeper into the slide. If the sight is adjustable, you might have enough travel in elevation to lower it to correct the problem. If not, you'll need to replace the front sight with a higher front sight post.

The best solution is to have the slide milled and installed properly. It might cost more up front, because that usually demands a refinishing, too. But it looks better, it won't leave sharp edges to cut your clothes and hands, and it makes sure the gun shoots point-of-aim, point-of-impact. If you're unwilling to spend the money to have that done properly, just install a Yost Retro sight.

 

[XavierBreath]

I might look into crimson trace actually. How well do they work in daylight at about 25yrds?

I have a couple of thoughts on Crimson Trace laser grips for a 1911. I purchased a used SW1911 with them, and soon swapped them out and sold them off.

What I found was that when I indexed my trigger finger alongside the frame, the laser beam was obscured by my finger. For me this made them a poor choice, and negated a lot of the points that many people use to advocate them.

FWIW, I still have CTC grips on my Beretta 92FS. They work fine on that pistol, but they are a not magic wand. If you can't hold your pistol on target through your trigger pull with open sights, laser sights will not help you any. Marksmanship is 90% trigger pulling ability, and 10% sight alignment.

I have found the CTC product to be well made, durable, and they hold their zero well. They did not work well on a 1911 for me, however.