View Full Version : recommend sights/gunsmith for my 1911
alright I have a SA mil spec and I want to change the sights to some NS, I'm thinking Novak. Also which 1911 gunsmith do you recommend for the job with a fast turnaround and do I need to send the whole pistol or slide only ? thanks
JiMfraRED1911
05-17-09, 20:54
What's wrong with SA's Custom Shop?
dunno, haven't thought of them. do they have a fast turnaround ? ( i have an ITTS class end of June)
JiMfraRED1911
05-17-09, 21:05
Pretty sure a faster turn around time than Novak. You should give Deb a call.
JiMfraRED1911
05-17-09, 21:10
FWIW, Novak's WEBsite says most sight jobs take one week or less. So...I dunno. Have you called Novak's shop?
Heinie Specialty Products does only sight work and has a fast turn around time. Of course, if you don't like Heinie sights....
decodeddiesel
05-18-09, 09:46
Don't get me wrong I love the SA Custom Shop, but FWIW I have had my SA Loaded at the shop now for 8 weeks, so you may be looking at a significant backlog. I am however getting the pistol refinished which tends to take a lot of time. Sight installs should take that long, but they will have to re cut the slide so it is not a trivial install.
What sights are you going with? If I may, my current sweetheart of 1911 sights is the .140" 10-8 rear sight with a Dawson white outlined tritium front sight. It's fast and easy to make solid hits with in daylight or low light, you just put the dot on the target and squeeze.
I may however change them out though when Warren releases his 2 dot 1911 sights. I have them on my M&P and they are just amazing. Either of those, Novak, or Heinie are excellent choices.
FWIW, I sent Heinie a pistol slide for sight install and they got it on Weds. UPS just returned the slide to me today (Monday). That's like a one day turnaround!
decodeddiesel
05-18-09, 10:18
FWIW, I sent Heinie a pistol slide for sight install and they got it on Weds. UPS just returned the slide to me today (Monday). That's like a one day turnaround!
WOW! Well you can't beat that. Not too sure though if he'd be willing to install a competitor's sight though.
The longer you wait to call them, the shorter time that they'll have to do the job. Call them (Novak, Heinie or Springfield) now and tell them when you need the slide back and your reason, I would give them the date ONE week before the actual needed date, so you'll have time to take it to a range and verify point of impact. Don't forget to loctite the sight screw, some shop don't loctite them and half an hour into your class, the sight would be hanging off one side of your slide.
that's good to know for Heinie, I'm open for suggestions :which heinie set do you recommend and height ? thanks !
David Thomas
05-18-09, 11:29
that's good to know for Heinie, I'm open for suggestions :which heinie set do you recommend and height ? thanks !
I am a big fan of Heinie's sights, and the slant pro straight eights are hard to beat.
decodeddiesel
05-18-09, 12:32
that's good to know for Heinie, I'm open for suggestions :which heinie set do you recommend and height ? thanks !
I would go with the Ledge Straight-8 opened up to .140" notch, with a white outlined tritium front if you can. I would just call and let them install the correct height as I have no idea what your pistol would use after having the dovetails cut.
I've got two pistols now with Heinie Straight Eights - one is a Glock 21 and the second (Glock 17) has the Ledge/Qwik modifications. I literally just got the second pistol back today. The Qwik version has a wide rear notch - maybe too wide. Also, I forgot to note that a 1911 will take longer to turn around due to the extra labor involved.
decodeddiesel
05-18-09, 15:00
I've got two pistols now with Heinie Straight Eights - one is a Glock 21 and the second (Glock 17) has the Ledge/Qwik modifications. I literally just got the second pistol back today. The Qwik version has a wide rear notch - maybe too wide. Also, I forgot to note that a 1911 will take longer to turn around due to the extra labor involved.
The wide rear grows on you, trust me. I find I pick up a sight picture VERY fast with a .140" rear notch. I do have a tough time hitting a gallon size jug at 50 yards unless I really take my time and steady the shot, so head shots at long range may become difficult. However the way I see it is it's a pistol not a bolt gun. YMMV.
Springfield Loaded models with factory Novak style sights do not require milling in order to fit Novak low mount sights. It's even stated as "requires NO MACHINING" on the Novak website. Should have read closer as you said SA mil-spec... To install any low mount such as the Novak or Heinie will require machining. Installing Heinie's on a Glock is significantly different as Heinie makes a sight specifically to fit with no modifications to the slide. A simple sight pusher for the rear and socket for the front is all that is required to install on a Glock so I would expect time to machine a 1911 slide to be quite different.
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