better with short sight radius??

[piece of meat]

Recently took my sig 1911 out for its third trip to the range...and for the third time I shot better with my glock 26. One thing I've noticed is that although long sight radius is good for long distance shooting, that's pretty much all its good for. I noticed with the sig (and had the same problem with my old cz75) that it takes a long time to bring up the gun and line up the sights. It weighs prob 50 ounces loaded, and has a looong sight radius with small sights, none of which are condusive to speed. Takes longer to raise gun, longer to get sight picture, and slower transitions between targets, and the weight of it weights on outstretched arms before long. I also shot it very poorly, which was no doubt my own fault and not the guns, apparently I just do not shoot 1911's well.
When I shot the glock 26 next, first thing you notice is it feels weightless in your hands. When I bring it up it comes up instantly and effortlessly, and the sights seem to line up immediately. Transition between targets is fast and effortless. I found I was hitting faster and much more accurately with it.

Seems to be that since handguns are primarliy a close range weapon where a fast draw, aim and shoot is required, that one that is light weight and has a shorter sight radius with easily visible sights would typically be preferrable?

 

[C0untZer0]

You hear this come up with the "I'm more accurate with my Glock 19 than I am with my Glock 17" thread.

For slow fire bullseye shooting, I shoot my 17L more accurately than I shoot my G34.

I am pretty sure I shoot my G34 more accurately than I would shoot the G17, and I am pretty sure I would shoot the G17 more accurately than I would shoot the G19, and I am pretty sure I would shoot the G19 more accurately than I would shoot the G26.

But it does depend on what the course of fire is and what constitutes "accuracy".

Does knocking down an 8" plate or punching a hole in a silhouette constitute accuracy or does scoring a hit on an X constitute accuracy?

 

[Sam1911]

There are a lot of moving parts (i.e.: separate but related issues) here, so a blanket answer won't be useful.

However, you're seeing a few important points.

1) The sights need to be optimal for the sight radius AND your eyes. Too small, too narrow, too dark, too light, and too far apart (length of radius) all can conspire to make them difficult to see quickly/immediately.

Now, aligning them isn't really the biggest issue for defensive-style shooting, so much as seeing the FRONT sight clearly on the target, out past a couple of yards at least. Truly aligning the sights is of more importance out at longer range (or if you're shooting for tightest groups/bullseye, but that's a different matter).

2) Size and weight can be very important factors depending on your build and physical condition. There are plenty of folks who can shoot a large, all-steel gun with lightning fast draws and transitions, and there are plenty who can do so faster and more easily with a lighter gun. More weight helps dampen the effects of recoil, but that inertia can cause slowness like you saw.

Now, I'm not sure about the weight of the gun in your outstretched arms. What are you doing that has you holding the gun out there long enough to get tired? If you're working on defensive shooting skills, long strings of fire at a static target really aren't useful, and will just wear you out. You'll notice little or no discomfort or weighing down if you'll practice draws and transitions with 2-3 shots per target. Safety, holster, reset timer, repeat ad infinitum. Even a 50 oz. pistol isn't that difficult to hold up for a couple of seconds at a stretch. Very little you need to be doing requires you to hang it out there for 5 or 10 seconds or more.

 

[tarosean]

Your more familiar with your Glock, with only 3 outings with the sig. It's a completely different weapon and caliber (assuming its a 45).

However, if you become proficient with it I'd bet your splits would be surprisingly close.

 

[powder]

How many rounds have you run on each make/model?

 

[TestPilot]

From my experience, the distance from the front and rear sight becomes negligible once it reaches a certain point.

The distance between the aiming eye and the front sight also has an effect. The shape of the sight also has an effect. How wide is the front sight? How wide is the rear sight notch in relaiton to the front sight? All these come into play. Some configuration makes misaligment less obvious than others. That might give a false impression of faster alignment, but misaligned is misaligned.

Glock 19's sight radius is not short at all, although it is shorter compared to Glock 17 or 34.

 

[piece of meat]

I've run 300 or so rounds thru my new sig 1911, but prior to that I owned a rock island 1911 which I put many more rounds thru. I've also shot other 1911's at the range. I've never shot them very well. But lol they are so damn appealing (being a 1911), and I thought I'd maybe do better with a higher end one. I did decent with a les baer I tried a couple times. And I'm not a tiny weak guy by any means but for longer shooting sessions I feel the weight of them a lot more that with glocks obviously, which feel like I could shoot them all day with no sign of fatigue, esp when trying to line up the far away front sight.
Many people say the 1911 points naturally for them, and glocks are infamous for their grip angle.
But for me personally its the opposite, glocks have always pointed extremely naturally for me (the compact and subcompact ones at least) but while 1911's fit good in the hand, they do not point naturally for me at all.

 

[Sam1911]

There is both more and less in the "natural" grip angle than people make of it.

The Glock is the more closely "naturally" ergonomic of the two when firing in the modern isosceles stance, as most shooters tend to use these days. However, what comes "naturally" is largely a function of what you're used to and how you practice.

With your current experience and practice, the Glock is making it easier for you to meet with success than the 1911 is. Nothing wrong with that. Concentrate on practicing with whichever gets you the most accurate hits, fastest.

 

[powder]

I've run 300 or so rounds thru my new sig 1911, but prior to that I owned a rock island 1911 which I put many more rounds thru. I've also shot other 1911's at the range.

No, I was asking as it pertains to getting used to the pistols and being broken in.

How are you shooting these pistols, position-wise?