Old Eyes - new sights

[Ranger325]

Happy Independence Day to all!!

I have a Springfield Pro and I'm thinking its time for a front sight that is easier to pic up (jump out) and a rear with a wider notch. All these years I only used factory stock, Trij HDs on my PPQ and Heine straight-8s on my VP9. I looked at the SA Custom Shop list and they seem to offer some options including fiber for the front. I think I'll give them a call this week and see if I can get some more info.

My question to the assembled mass is - has anyone use the custom shop for sights, what did you get and were you satisfied. Any suggestions for replacements other than that, or other pearls of wisdom are much appreciated.

[T2C]

As my eyesight has become less than ideal for shooting handguns, I found a fiber optic front sight was the best way to go.

I have had good luck with Dawson Precision.

[samuse]

Springfield Cust does excellent sight work.

Before you spend a bunch of money, safe the thin side of a file and open up your rear notch. Paint the front with neon fingernail polish.

Profit.

[RWH24]

Trijicon HD Orange has helped my 60 yr old eyes pick up real fast and on target quicker. Damn Bifocals though. Have to tilt my head back like I was using eye drops.

[prestonoconnor]

I have a few 1911's from their custom shop. I really like them. When my eyes starting changing I swapped the rear sight for a 10-8 .140 notch. The wider notch helped a lot. I am still looking for a brighter front sight.

[Bayern]

Trijicon HD Orange has helped my 60 yr old eyes pick up real fast and on target quicker. Damn Bifocals though. Have to tilt my head back like I was using eye drops.

I've got the same problem. I point shoot using the sights as a reference point. Point and shoot. I'm not into "bullseye" shooting. With practice, you can do damn good.

[Former FAM]

At 49 in a few weeks, this issue has struck me as well... I carry a Pro for duty, and a few years ago switched from the Novak rear to a 10-8 .140 notch rear. The tritium tube has become too dim and needed replacement. Yesterday I replaced the front with a .125 wide Dawson Precision fiber optic front with a green insert. Seems to have solved my problem. The combination provides what I think is a good balance between speed and accuracy... As a side note the fiber optic seems to pick up quite a bit of ambient light from a flashlight in low light.

[CAVDOC]

A VERY key thing here make sure you are addressing the eyesight specifically as well. I see TONS of shooters using the wrong glasses for shooting and no decent sight on the gun is going to help as much as the right eyeglasses.
Make sure your glasses for shooting are reading glasses that result in the sights being sharp and the target fuzzy this is simply the only way. Also I see a bunch of my old far sighted friends ( as we age our reading distance / front sight distance vision weakens but does not weaken the distance vision nearly so much) peeking over the sights to look down range to see bullet impacts- horrible habit! If you need to check a target for shot impacts always put down the gun and use your non dominant eye and a spotting scope. Straining eye that are already old and ANY technique that does not encourage proper focus on the front sight is to be avoided like the plague

[Ranger325]

thanks for all the input guys! Here is the update........ SA installed a Dawson fiber optic on-site when I was at Perry for the National Matches last month. Very happy. Had the annual eye appointment last week and had the discussion with my doc. brought the slide and she did some measurements and wrote a script for lenses that will focus on the front sight. Ordered a set that should arrive soon and we'll see how they work. I'm pleased........

[1986s4]

Glad you found something! I put a 10-8 NM rear on my plain Colt .38 super, I think it has the .140 U notch. This combined with a Dawson FO front results in a great sight picture for my middle age eyes.

[Dienekes]

Plunged into a Glock 19 Gen 4 about a year ago. Put on a set of XS' tritium "Big Dot" sights; the rear is an express type shallow V. Very quick and easy to pick up and more accurate at mid-distances than I would have thought. I refer to them as my "Mr. Magoo" sights.

I'm sticking with standard black on black Patridge sights on my other "recreational" pistols, but I like that big old golf ball front sight on the Glock.

[Grip]

Trijicon HD front sight, once you get it measure its height and then order the correct 10-8 rear sight.