Fiber optic sight

[oceanforest]

I'm thinking about installing a fiber optic front sight on my S&W 627. I've read that it improves target acquisition. Can someone comment on this.
Also, how easy is it to install. My current factory is pinned.

Thanks

 

[BAM-BAM]

Added one to my M&P .22 compact last week....... while not a precision target sight .... it's great for fast front sight acquisition with my +60 year old eyes.

 

[dben002]

Here is a less expensive option and works just as well in my opinion.

Front sight done is florescent paint.



These are at Wal-Mart and come in all colors.

https://www.walmart.com/ip/LIQUITEX...M-FINE-FLUORESCENT-GREEN-TRANSLUCENT/53452417

 

[JamesArthur60]

Fiber optic front sights are a must in competition shooting. Most shooters have one. The eye simply focuses on that bright pipe much quicker. On an outside sunny day it pops. The pipe color, red or green is a personal preference.

 

[Pizza Bob]

Definitely FO over paint. If this gun is used for gun games (IDPA, USPSA, ICORE) a slimmer blade (.100") will be quicker to acquire than normal width (.125") with a standard rear notch (also .125").

Once the old sight blade is removed, you will need to drill the tang of the new sight blade. Do NOT attempt to drill straight through. Using the holes in the sight base as a guide, drill from each side.

FO with a plain black target rear sight is de rigueur for competition guns. I'm using Dawson or HiViz front blades with either an LPA or Bowen Rough Country rear (the latter is preferred).

Good luck with whatever you choose to do.

Adios,

Pizza Bob

 

[OKFC05]

I use FO front sights on IDPA and USPSA pistols, and on a couple of revolvers. IMHO, they provide the potential to go faster on these type of targets, if you learn to use them with a proper grip and trigger control. My favorite is plain black rear with a .100 FO front.


They don't automatically make you faster, and are no advantage in accuracy. A patridge sight, taking the time to align it, still gives the best iron sight accuracy, IMHO, so is better suited for bullseye shooting. What game are you shooting?

 

[Protocall_Design]

I use F/O rear and .100 front that I make on all my iron sight revos. I use orange front and green for the rear. I find the orange is much brighter than the red.

When using F/O on both, the temptation is to just get the dots lined up somewhat close and break the shot. That does not end well past 10 yards. I find you still need to line up the notch and post the same as you would without dots to make an accurate shot. Where the dots really help is on the draw, between shots, and in low light conditions or dark background. The dots help keep track of where the sights are in relation to each other very quickly, then you can refine the sight picture all in one fluid part of a second. In bright sunlight (ideal conditions) I can see all black sights sort of OK, but in overcast, shadow of a tree, etc., the fibers make all the difference.

 

[Kurusu]

In a word. I hate them.

Cost me extra to have the one in my STI Spartan changed even before it was delivered (had tried them before).

 

[Westie1]

Been using a FO front with a ghost ring rear since the mid 90's. Since I was wearing bifocals, was having problems with normal sights. Even had a custom gun built with the FO/ghost ring set up, and to this day love it.

 

[Kiwi cop]

When I had an adjustable rear sight and a dove tail front sight installed on my Springfield 1911 I had a fluoro red insert set into the front sight. I very quickly came to dislike it.

Given that I shoot IPSC and we use quite a few clamshell targets here with No Shoots leaving only a narrow slice of the Shoot target visible after activation, the fluoro insert just wasn't acurate enough for me to reliably hit the target while not putting a hole in the No Shoot. I also found myself shooting high as I was naturally using the fluoro dot instead of the top of the front sight.

Yes I could could have adjusted the rear sight for this but as our courses of fire can range from 7 out to more than 40 meters I felt it better just to black out the dot and go back to using the front sight properly.

 

[Wee Hooker]

Lots written here on this topic. A search will produce most of it including installation discussions.
That said, installation is fairly involved and not for the faint of heart. If you you are unsure if you'll like the FO sight, you might try painting your partridge sight . (White base coat then topped with green or red). That will give you a 75% solution while you make up your mind.

Here is a 617 I did some time back while I get up the gumption to fit a new FO.

p.s. Fiber optics are brighter but tend to be round and therefore less precise. The advantage of painting your existing sight is that the top of the sight stays square while still providing good contrast.