1911A1 Sights

Tinker Pearce · Sep 2, 2017

A few year back my friend Lee came to dinner with a shoe-box in hand. In the box was a 1911A1 that he had sent out for a tactical teflon coating decades ago. Before it was returned he got into Glocks and had no incentive to reassemble it. Eventually he forgot how to put it back together and since he knew I did he asked me to put it back together. It only took a couple of minutes and when I was finished he said, "Merry Christmas," and handed me a bag magazines, ammo etc.

The gun is a Frankengun composed mainly of milsurp parts. The only modifications were Pachymer grips and mainspring housing, a long trigger, beavertail grip safety and Commander hammer. This wasn't a 'race gun;' but rather a purpose-built carry gun and it suited me pretty well. The GI sights suck, but within their limitations the gun is accurate and completely reliable. I've made only two modifications to the gun myself, a Caspian flat-mainspring housing and I made a finger-groove on the front of the handle by one of my old tricks- stretching the Pachmyers over a carved piece of eraser.

It turns out an old buddy of mine has all of the cutters for pretty much any commercial sight dovetail and the skill to use them, so it's time to address the sights. I'm not overly concerned with tritium inserts; usually if it's dark enough for me to see them I can't see the target... I would like to go with fiber-optic sights though. There are a number of them out there of course and we can mount pretty much any of them. I'm looking for something suitable for CC for under $100.

Suggestions?

2Wheels4Ever · Sep 2, 2017

Truglo makes a nice set of novak style fiber optic sights that are only $50. If you want the fiber optic with a tritium insert it is only $100. I must say, I like the tritium, it helps in low light as well, not just when it is pitch black.

Alexx1401 · Sep 2, 2017

Hell of a nice friend!!
As for the sights its one of those very personal things. Everyone seems to have a favorite. Only obvious thing I could say is of course look at one already on another gun first. Don't think you like them and then find out you don't really when they are already on. I too do like Night Sights. As another poster mentioned they are great in low light too.

mortre · Sep 2, 2017

I've been looking at a similar sight swap and have been considering a Harrison Custom Retro rear sight. It's full sized but still fits the GI rear dovetail. It is all black, not dots, and serrated which is how I prefer my rear sights. It still has a retro look to it though that I think would look good on that build.

Tinker Pearce · Sep 2, 2017

mortre said:
I've been looking at a similar sight swap and have been considering a Harrison Custom Retro rear sight. It's full sized but still fits the GI rear dovetail. It is all black, not dots, and serrated which is how I prefer my rear sights. It still has a retro look to it though that I think would look good on that build.

Can you provide a link?