Iron Verus Modern Sights

[paladin42]

With these old eyes of mine, I can see the front sight, the rear sight, and the target, but not any two at the same time. I bit the bullet and bought a Holosun green sight. It's made a world of difference for me.

 

[AJ]

Need I say more?

 

[AJ]

With these old eyes of mine, I can see the front sight, the rear sight, and the target, but not any two at the same time. I bit the bullet and bought a Holosun green sight. It's made a world of difference for me.

You can only focus on one thing at a time. We were taught to focus on the front sight. All other things should be blurry.

 

[Mike SC Hunter]

For nearly 300 years iron sights have done the job........They don't require batteries-plates-screens-rings or any of that other necessary junk..........I like "em" on my handguns and some of my rifles.
I'll bet anyone on this forum that if a bad guy burst into a room with you and opens fire up close.....Ya gonna Point & Shoot........ Not be looking for a dinky dot....

 

[paladin42]

You can only focus on one thing at a time. We were taught to focus on the front sight. All other things should be blurry.

Easier said than done with eyesight like mine. I too was trained to focus on the front sight, but now if I do that, anything past 10 yards or so is an incomprehensible wall of blur.

 

[paladin42]

For nearly 300 years iron sights have done the job........They don't require batteries-plates-screens-rings or any of that other necessary junk..........I like "em" on my handguns and some of my rifles.
I'll bet anyone on this forum that if a bad guy burst into a room with you and opens fire up close.....Ya gonna Point & Shoot........ Not be looking for a dinky dot....

That would be true for me in that scenario. However, I do like to shoot targets, hunt, and other things as well.

 

[Kiwi cop]

I use iron sight for most of my shooting. The only exception is speed steel. I have Crossfire red dots on my Browning Buckmark (.22 Pistol Open), S&W 15-22 (Rimfire Rifle Open) and on a PCC chassis holding a Tanfoglio P19 Combat (CZ75 clone from the 90's in PCC Open. It shoots low with iron sights anyway, even with the front sight filed down almost to the white dot, designed for a neck hold and chest hit). I shoot my open sight Kimber Stainless Target II in Limited Iron Sights.

I am not competitive in Speed steel as I am not a "rabbit" what we call a really fast shooter in IPSC, so I have been thinking of going to a red dot for pistol division too. I have looked at the Kanick range, feel better in my hand than a Glock, cheaper than a Glock, and comes with a red dot mounting plate that replaces the front sight. Will need a new holster (probably) an extra mag (it only comes with two) and magazine holders.

I currently have about 2/3 of the cost in credit at my "local" gun store, 45 minutes away. Will have to see what the cost will be then save a bit more on my account to pay for it.

 

[Kiwi cop]

I've been using RDOs for over 40 years, I'm a fan. BUT, on handguns they're a supplemental sight* (still need the irons-manufacturers that lose the rear sight to add the optic take note!) that my old eyes need for anything with any distance involved. I've got magic specs that let me see the sights clearly, but the target can be an issue. The RDO solves that problem and is outstanding in dim light.

IMHO, what the old eyes need is contrast. The typical black sights don't give you that. OTOH, a stainless ramp shows up well. I saw the fiber optics fail too many times in competition. Yeah, you've got the the sight body there, but that's not what your mind is looking for.

*Best to have irons on the long guns too. Preferably, ones you don't have to flip up.

Some time ago I had a brass bead put on the front sight of my 9mm 1911. It shows up really well in contrast to the black rear sight. In fact it worked so well that I tried it on one of my .45 1911,s but it kept coming off under recoil so I have painted it, all of my other pistols front sights, with gold model paint. The contrast iOS much better, even against the buff cardboard IPSC targets.

 

[WR Moore]

I broke down and sent 2 1911 slides to Novak for white dot dovetailed fronts. Fedex shipped Monday, arrived Wednesday, finished Friday. Much better, might have to shave a couple of thousandths off the top of the rear on one.

Did the Testors metallic gold on my BHP. Dunno when I bought it, but the price tag was $0.35.

 

[AJ]

Easier said than done with eyesight like mine. I too was trained to focus on the front sight, but now if I do that, anything past 10 yards or so is an incomprehensible wall of blur.

Then no gunfights for you over 10 yards!!☺