Sight Question

[jesseatamez]

Had the opportunity to shoot a Colt New Service in 45 ACP today. First, yes they're big revolvers! My second thing is this, I loved the sights! They were just natural to use. (In fairness there was a dot of orange nail polish on top of the sight blade)

Does anyone else feel the New Service's Patridge style sight is better than the half moons on Springfield's comparable period revolvers?

Now before you go all technical please know thatI tried to find a hard and fast definition of Patridge sights but y'all know how the internet is haha. Is the half moon a Patridge style sight or is the patridge defined by its rear facing flat face? I always assumed it was the latter, so the Colt has a Patridge sight if that's the defining characteristic. The long and short of it is that I really like a Patridge sight, and I wonder why S&W chose to stick with the half moon for it's large frame fixed sighted guns during the 5 screw era? Is there an advantage the design? Let me say that I have shot K and I frames with half moons, and always found ramp sights better. (Patridges seemed only to be offered on adjustable sight guns in my experience)

Anyway, enough jawjacking, have a nice one all, look forward to your thoughts and opinions!

[Hondo44]

A true Patridge style sight is defined by its rear facing vertical flat face.

The 1/2 moon sight gives you a post sight picture just like a Patridge with the added benefit of a snagless design when drawn from holster or especially a pocket or waistband. Early 1/2 moons blades were tapered but later ones give you a true 'post' sight picture. In the late '50s they were also given a ramp-like rear serrated surface which was better yet.

[red9]

As Jim said, different front sight blades suit different purposes. Yes, the sight picture provided by a Patridge blade is better, and Smith did use it on all revolvers reasonably intended to be target arms. Most of Smith's (and Colt's) business, however, was military/police/defense and the half moon is less likely to snag when drawn from a pocket, waistband, or even a holster. The serrated ramp is a compromise, giving a better sight picture than the half moon and faster to draw than a Patridge.

Bob

[jesseatamez]

Come to think of it Jim, I suppose a non-tapered half moon would basically imitate the Patridge style front sight. My experience had been with tapered variants only. I have seen the later half moons with the serrated ramp cut into the rear face. Practically speaking I can see the advantage of the half moon in a service arm. But, this raises the issue in my mind of why Colt would equip its fixed sight New Service with a sight that was more likely to snag? I know, not the Colt forum, but I'm just seeking thoughts and opinions.

Thanks All

[Hondo44]

Originally Posted by jesseatamez

Come to think of it Jim, I suppose a non-tapered half moon would basically imitate the Patridge style front sight. My experience had been with tapered variants only. I have seen the later half moons with the serrated ramp cut into the rear face. Practically speaking I can see the advantage of the half moon in a service arm. But, this raises the issue in my mind of why Colt would equip its fixed sight New Service with a sight that was more likely to snag? I know, not the Colt forum, but I'm just seeking thoughts and opinions.

Thanks All

The two major gun makers were very competitive and I believe wanted to maintain their individual identity by not mimicking their competitor's design.

[jesseatamez]

Makes sense, being that the New Service was the flagship of the Colt DA revolver line, still they did use half moons on all their other fixed sight guns. Haha, I guess the New Service's sights weren't too inefficient coming out of a holster though, Charlie Askins used it in many "social encounters" and made it ok.

Thanks

[Art Doc]

Shark fin.

That's what Colt guys call the front sight on the NS revolver.

[jesseatamez]

Very swank SP, those fancy Colt folks and their Shark Fin front sights haha. I always appreciate hearing from you sir. Thanks for that tidbit of information.