Changing sights on 1911

[vincentobrien]

Hey all, I'm looking to buy some tritium night sights for my father's Springfield 1911 GI. He's mentioned them so I think it'll be a good xmas present.

What are the best options out there?

 

[mljdeckard]

My dad is doing the exact same thing. I'm steering him toward XS big dot sights. He is getting older, and his eyes need the help.

 

[Zach S]

There are a few options for the rear GI dovetail (wilson comes to mind), although the best options involve a gunsmith and a mill (IMO).

The biggest obstacle is the lack of a dovetail up front. I dont know of any night sights available for the Series 70/GI or Series 80 staked front sight, whichever the GI uses. In which case you'll need a 'smith with a mill... There may be some available for the S80 staked front sight, but I dont own any, so I dont look.

And of course, the slide will need refinished as well. Easy if its stainless. Not so easy if its parkerized or blued.

If you could get it away from him, several companies will do the required machining and install the sights. Novak claims 1 week or less. Two downsides are that you have to get it away from him, and it cant be undone if he doesn't like it. One upside is that Novak dovetails are popular, and there are plenty of sights to choose from if he doesn't like them.

 

[Onmilo]

He could just buy a set of Trijicon night sights that fit the factory dovetail and front post hole.

Any gunsmith familiar with 1911s can install them, no milling needed, and they will be just as secure as the factory fixed sights.

 

[Redgum]

That's exactly what I did on my '93 vintage Para-Ord. P14.
I didn't want to make any irreversable mods, so a set of Trijicon's was the easy answer.
I think they were only around $100 from Brownells and fitting was about $25
Solid as a rock & shoots to point of aim at 25 yards.
I've never looked back and have absolutely no regrets or envy

 

[Lar1911]

I have a micro compact 1911 GI. i had my gunsmith put them on. they came from Brownells.

Go the Springfields Custom shop and check out the upgrades they can do for you.

http://www.springfield-armory.com/custom.php

You can turn his GI into a loaded:

1911-A1 Loaded Package

Upgrade your older 1911-A1 model with new Springfield “Loaded” features!!
Install Novak low mount rear sight, dovetail front sight, 3-Dot tritium night sights, lightweight aluminum speed trigger, extended ambidextrous
thumb safety, flat checkered mainspring housing, beavertail grip safety, delta hammer, cocobolo grips, carry bevel™ all sharp edges of pistol,
deburr pistol internally, tune extractor & ejector, recut barrel throat and polish feed ramp, titanium firing pin with heavy duty firing pin spring, tune
trigger to 4.5lb pull, parkerize or blue frame, slide & small parts as needed.

 

[Doogledog]

I ordered a set of Trijicons from Midway and installed them myself. After a lot of reading and questions asked on this forum. You will need the wide tenon for the front sight and it will have to filed to fit. You can get a tool from Brownell's to stake the front night sight too. It really isn't all that hard.