Help with 1911 Sights.....

[jdgabbard]

Sweet Jesus.... I knew that 1911 could be modified to be completely custom, but I never would have guessed for a second that there would be so many dang variations of sight dovetails....

So with having said that, I have a RIA 1911-A1-CS (Officers Model). It to my knowledge has a narrow tenon, and it does have the standard GI rear notch.

I need some combat sights. What can you guys point me to, as I am not going to try to decipher what the websites are calling "factory" or the 10 other variations that they use to tell you absolutely nothing about what you're wanting to know.

[jdgabbard]

Some that are snag free if possible.

[Mooseman]

Look at the ghost ring sights that Brownells sell.
5431554316

This is My Combat 1911 , and The GR sight gives fast aquisition and has been snag free.

Rich

[Alan in Vermont]

How high does the front sight have to be to work with that GR? My old 1911 (GI made prior to 1927) needs some drastic sight improvements to something I can see. I'm watching for a cheap slide that I can have cut for a front dovetail instead of the tiny front sight now on it. I keep dreaming of finding a commercial slide already set up with adjustables, which is what I would really like. I need a different slide as there is no way I'm doing any machining on the original.

[jdgabbard]

Moose, I dislike the ghostring sights, they're not quick on target for me. But appetures on rifles are another story, strange....

[Awsar]

go with low mount novak rear and have front dove tailed for a frt sight of your choice
have them done by a competent gunsmith . i put them on my colt commander love them no snags either.
definatly have front dovetailed so you can have choice of different sights.

[jmsj]

JD,
It was quite awhile ago but I believe that I put some combat style snag free type sights on Colt Commander for someone. I believe they were from Wilson Combat and they used the factory rear dovetail and front tenon. Check out their site for the correct height front sight for your RIA compact.
By the way, how do you like that RIA compact? I have been thinking about getting one myself.
Good luck, jmsj

[jdgabbard]

Yeah, I definitely don't want to have the slide dovetailed. I don't like the way they look. I like good lines.

I will check out the wilson line. But I haven't been impressed with the descriptions on brownells. I'm competent to do the job. But they should better describe for the layman.

[Mk42gunner]

I don't know how snag free they would be for a concealed carry piece, but when I was carrying a 1911A1 I liked the King's Hardball sights. They didn't gouge bits of leather from the holsters I was using at the time.

Robert

[Mooseman]

How high does the front sight have to be to work with that GR? My old 1911 (GI made prior to 1927) needs some drastic sight improvements to something I can see. I'm watching for a cheap slide that I can have cut for a front dovetail instead of the tiny front sight now on it. I keep dreaming of finding a commercial slide already set up with adjustables, which is what I would really like. I need a different slide as there is no way I'm doing any machining on the original.
I use my original front sight and it brought it right up to where it needed to be on target,
so Thats all I did. The eye has a tendency to find the front sight thru a hole faster in tests than conventional sights with both eyes open. My life depends on it.
Rich

[Dan Cash]

If you want snag free, I would vote for the stock sight. You can take a small round file and open the rear notch for a much improved sight picture and acquisition. Next, and best in my opinion, a set of Novac sights. For self defense you don't need or want adjustable target sights. A dovetailed front can be radiused to match the slide.

[jdgabbard]

I ended up buying a pair today. When with a plain Jane three dot set, that ride over the back I the slide, but looked low profile enough to do very little snagging. I'll post pics when I get them put on.

[MtGun44]

Narrow tenon sights need to be mounted by a competent person, if done right
they will stay forever, done wrong they will fly off soon. Get a Brownell's
catalog (paper) and spend a couple of hours reading.

IMO - the green fiber optic with a GOOD FLAT METAL TOP AND SIDED just barely
peaking around the green is optimum for 1911s. There are many different
rears that will work, but buy the set together if you want fixed. If adjustable,
then they still need to be matched by the maker to work together. There is
a nice adjustable Novak style rear that is stout, snag free and still adjustable.

I can tell you how to do the front properly, and the rear IF you stick to the
same dovetail. I have done dozens of narrow and wide tenon front, never
had one come off.

Literally hundreds of sights avail for 1911, you need to see what you like,
what you want to pay for and what will fit your rear dovetail before you
can go farther.

Bill

[jdgabbard]

Thanks for the advice bill, buy I'm a step ahead of you. Already ordered the sights, and know how I stake the front. Fitting the rear to the dovetail, in the case it is oversized, concerns me more that the front post.

[MtGun44]

Fitting the rear is pretty easy, too. File on the BOTTOM of the sight, very carefully, to narrow
the sight dovetail until it fits the gun and you can add a TINY, (.0005" or so) extra removal on
the entry edge. Any more and it will enter easy, but wedge up tight too soon.

Bill

[JIMinPHX]

Not 1911 specific, but most sight dovetails that I fooled with were tapered a little. Be aware of this when you file down the bottom of your dovetail. Be sure that you are checking your fit from the end with more clearance.

[jdgabbard]

57746

Btw, here is what they ended up looking like on the pistol after I installed front and back.

[wv109323]

jdgabbard,
Who is the manufacturer of the sights that you installed? Where did you purchase them?

[Jammersix]

Original sights are perfectly "snag free". Whatever that means. It's sort of like saying the brakes in your car are slam free.

[MBTcustom]

I carry the same gun, "slightly" modified of course.
I confess, I am a fan of the original military style sights.
You should get the ambidextrous safety on that gun. I like RIs version better than anything on the market. Give Armscor a call, and ask to talk to their gunsmith. His name is Arnell and he's a strait shooter! You'll laugh when you find out how much replacement parts are for these guns.
Once a year, I call him up and get him to send me new magazine and recoil springs (for a fee of course) and he is always very accommodating.
Have you ever tried a 1911 with a strait trigger? Get one that has the rebound adjustment tab, and the overtravel screw.
Buy the fixture and stone in your sears.
Stone out the innards so everything is silky smooth.
When you are done stoning and tuning, your trigger will be like a button on your i-pad. Makes double taps a lot easier to pull off cleanly.
That Rock has some serious potential! I would never start a custom build for somebody with one, but for a DIYSer who is looking for a rugged piece with a custom feel, they are unbeatable.