Time to change sights?

[tackleberry45]

So as I am aging I am finding it more difficult to get centered in a three-dot setup. I am wondering if anyone else has gone through this? I shot a Kahr with XS sights and they seem to work OK. I had someone else suggest Trijicon HD which is a rear notch and high visibility front. Thoughts from the forum? Pistol is a G17

 

[Flfiremedic]

I've run both Trijicon and and Meprolite. Meprolite have lasted longer for me

 

[rcmodel]

Don't even try to look at the three dots.

Nobody's eyes can focus at two or three different distances at the same time.

So it is impossible to look at the rear sight, the front sight, and the target all at the same time.

Focus only on the front sight.
And the rear sight notch and target will take care of themselves.

rc

 

[9mmepiphany]

As I've aged, I've found it easier to go with a wide rear notch...10-8 Performance offers a .156" notch...and a narrower front blade...currently using a .100" Dawson with a fiber optic rod in it to help catch me eye as I bring it up.

I've long done away with any dots on the rear blade as too distracting, when trying to align the sights, and reverted back to an all black rear blade.

I still have some guns with a night sight lamp in the front blade. but it is mostly useful for finding the gun in the dark

 

[plateshooter]

I am having the same older age, can't see the sights problem myself. I went to the Truglo TFO sights on my G21 and M&P45, and the Xs big dots on my M&P9c and XDm 40.

I like the TFOs the best for HD and gaming, and the XS best for CCW guns.

My experience, yours may vary.

 

[Zaydok Allen]

I've always gone with three dot systems, but I recently handled a 5.25 XDm. It uses a black rear notch and fiber optic front sight setup. I liked it alot. It seemed a little quicker for target aquisition.

Really, on a three dot system, all I pay attention to is focussing on the front dot, and then I make sure the front post is level with the rear sight. I don't even look at the rear dots really. They don't bug me, but I can see why some people find them distracting.

As I've aged, I've found it easier to go with a wide rear notch...19-8 Performance offers a .156" notch...and a narrower front blade...currently using a .100" Dawson with a fiber optic rod in it to help catch me eye as I bring it up.

Pretty sure 9mm meant to say 10-8 Performance.

 

[9mmepiphany]

Yes I did, thanks for bringing it to my attention...I corrected the original

You are correct that you can ignore the rear dots, but it is more a conscious action than a subconscious one. Testing has found that the subconscious has a hard time ignoring the rear dots, because it perceives it as language and tries to read it.

When trying to quickly align the sights on a pistol, the subconscious perceives the align sights faster than the conscious mind can act on seeing the sights aligned.

What I've done on guns with the 3-dot sights, to avoid the temptation to look at them, is to paint them over in black model paint.

I had a chance to handle the 5.25 XDm a while back and was very impressed with it as an out of the box competition ready pistol

 

[Zaydok Allen]

Testing has found that the subconscious has a hard time ignoring the rear dots, because it perceives it as language and tries to read it.

That makes a lot of sense.

 

[wally]

I've always just painted any crap on the rear sight flat black. A fiber optic front is a big help for these old eyeballs. A red dot optic (RMR, Fastfire, etc.) is even better!

 

[MICHAEL T]

I painted out real sight dots . That helped a bunch Could spend more money but for now that works for me.

 

[1SOW]

I wear bifocals and find a flat notched rear with FO front sights are easiest and fastest for me. Anything other than a highly visible front sight slows me down a lot.

The most accurate for me is the same rear with a plain black thin front sight, but it's slower for me. Sights similar to iron sights on a .22lr target pistol.

An optometrist told me that as you age your eyes cannot switch from near to far vision as fast as they did when young and nothing can fix that.

Look at the target and bring the sights into view; then front sight only.

 

[JTQ]

Here is a good article from one of our forum moderators, Frank Ettin, that you may find helpful.

http://ezine.m1911.org/showthread.php?t=39