Sight recommendations for 1911

[Frog48]

I have a Springfield "GI" 1911, with the basic GI sights. I'm wanting to replace them.

I was looking on CheaperThanDirt's website, and Trijicon makes night sights for Colt 1911's, but there are different sets for pre-1988 and post-1988 models. Which set would my Springfield need? I bought brand new last fall, if that matters.

Or are there other brands I should look at? What would yall recommend, and where did yall get them?

 

[10-Ring]

I like Novaks on my 1911s

 

[bigmedicine]

Novak's all the way

Take your slide and send it to Novaks - you can get any of their sights installed and your slide back in probably less than 2 weeks from start to finish. They are the standard (in my opinion). Heine also has a great product (stright Eights) with similar quick turn around.

 

[Walkalong]

Unless you are really going to need it at night I would suggest plain three white dot sights. They are better in the day than the night sights although the night sights do pretty good. I like the Meps on the Kimbers for day shooting better than the Novaks on the Springfields and they are both nice at night. The Novaks win hands down in the pretty dept.

 

[RM]

For competition, Dawson Precision sights.

 

[Lonestar.45]

I have a GI Champion and I've been researching the same thing. I have gotten good feedback on the Novaks, and if you send them you're slide they'll install and return to you in a week or two, so I hear. I'm thinking about giving it a try. Here's the link:

http://www.novaksights.com/genuine ...eld_without_factory_installed_novak_sight.htm

 

[Ala Dan]

Another vote for the Novak's, very hard too beat under most circumstances.

 

[usp_fan]

Springfield ships their standard 1911's with a military spec rear dovetail, and a non-spec "medium" tenon for the fron sight. If you order night sights to fit this pistol, you will need to order the wide (or later years) tenon front sight. When you install the sight, you or your gunsmith will need to file the tenon to fit your slide, then stake it in place. This is not hard to do.

Another option is to have your slide milled with a front dovetail which will then accept a matching sight. These tend to be somewhat stronger than a stake on front sight, but the milling does cost $. My experience has been to budget btwn $40 and $80 for the milling of a dovetail.

If you want a really neat rear sight that fits your existing dovetail and gives you a great sight picture (but isn't a night sight) try the Yost-Bonitz retro rear sight.

If you need directions on how to stake on a front sight, the search function is your friend.

--usp_fan

 

[SunRunner]

Night Sights

I like the Novak 3-dot night sight I just had Colt install on my 1911. Colt did the machining on both ends of my slide. Clean crisp sight picture at indoor range. Have not shot outdoors as yet so I cannnot comment regarding diferences in using the night sight in daylight. Maybe something to consider as Walkalong mentioned.

 

[LanEvo`]

Another option is to have your slide milled with a front dovetail which will then accept a matching sight. These tend to be somewhat stronger than a stake on front sight, but the milling does cost $. My experience has been to budget between $40 and $80 for the milling of a dovetail.

Don't forget the additional cost of refinishing the slide when you're done!

 

[usp_fan]

Amen on the refinishing. I like to do my own so I parkerize and then Gunkote. If you're not into this, you'll need to pay someone to do it. For a slide only--Figure $60 or so.

--usp_fan

 

[justinlemieux]

trijicon

ive done 2 complete overhauls on SA 1911 gi or similarly cut slides and the trijicons are it. hands down. its true you can have the slides cut. but i figure if you bought the GI you dont want to spend a whole lot of money. i say that because thats why i bought them initially. the second time i bought them was because theyre awsome.

 

[Stevie-Ray]

Don't know if they still make them but mine wears a Pachmayr. They utilize the original front sight, so you replace only the rear. I've loved mine since day one almost 20 years ago.

 

[steelyblue]

I have the bar dot adjustable sights on my Kimber and they make it very easy to hit the target. They are very visible and easy to line up.