Sight Color Question

[Gary13]

I finally get my RIA .45 Tactical on Saturday. It comes with black sights. I know from past experience that I do not like plain black sights. I don't want to change them out yet, but was interested in painting the front sight, or both sights. My current handguns have markings on both the front and back, and each use different colors. One has night sights, one has red on the front sight, white on the rear, and one has yellow on the front, red on the rear. All work well for me. I could see just the front being colored working as well.

Should I just paint the front only? Both? What is the prefered color? White, red, something else?

[morrcarr67]

Red/Orange on the front, white or nothing on the back.

[fennecfrank]

try the Heinie Slant Pro night sight:



The front is a conventional, single dot and the rear sight is with a single round dot positioned on the centerline and immediately beneath the notch in the rear sight. This setup is really nice, cause you can't get it reversed or you won't be able to see the front dot.

[Chief-7700]

Just changed out the sights on both my 1911's to red fiber optic front sights and green
fiber optic rear sights. What a difference!

[Vanilla Gorilla]

Red/Orange on the front, white or nothing on the back.

+1 that has been what i do to all of mine

[cineski]

Green is the brightest and most visible color for sights.

[Old4eyes]

Let your eyes tell you. What works for me may not work for you.
I am partially color blind, red and green are my problem colors. I've painted some of mine yellow. Go to the nail polish section where the teenage girls hang out, there are some outrageously bright selections to be found.

[railroader]

Orange in the front is good. It will stand out. Mark

[HogKiller]

I 'painted' my front night sight on my XD9 Service a florescent red (because that's what I had, otherwise I'd have used a bright green) taking care not to cover the tritium. HUGE difference. I'm not the most experienced shooter and have a problem with sighting anyway, this made a very significant improvement in my sight picture/acquisition.

[586L-Frame]

I finally get my RIA .45 Tactical on Saturday. It comes with black sights. I know from past experience that I do not like plain black sights. I don't want to change them out yet, but was interested in painting the front sight, or both sights. My current handguns have markings on both the front and back, and each use different colors. One has night sights, one has red on the front sight, white on the rear, and one has yellow on the front, red on the rear. All work well for me. I could see just the front being colored working as well.

Should I just paint the front only? Both? What is the prefered color? White, red, something else?

[fiddletown]

I've become partial to a gold bead in my front sight, but pretty much any bright color, if you see it readily will do. I also like a plain black rear sight mated to the front sight with bright color.

[Gary13]

I have a green insert on my 22/45 and I like it. I may try that, or white. Only question i have about red or orange is that bullseyes are usually red. Do you find having a red front sight help or hinder you when aiming at a bullseye?

[Voo]

I prefer something bright up front (white or fluorescent) and a plain, flat black rear..

It's more an issue of preference than what is scientifically best. Your eyes have the most photorecptors for the color spectrum of "green", but that doesn't mean you'll shoot best with it. The contrast between your front sight and your target will dictate that.

For my pistols that didn't have a fiber optic, I would carry a bottle of white out in my range bag. Whenever it got dirty or it started to fade, I would simply re-dot the front sight.. It works surprisingly well, not to mention it's only a buck or so..

I've seen a lot of people using a lot of different variations.. Personally, I think if you're of the "front sight" focus mentality, having all that additional color is simply providing a distraction.. What works for you, however, is what works for you..

[Chief-7700]

I have a green insert on my 22/45 and I like it. I may try that, or white. Only question i have about red or orange is that bullseyes are usually red. Do you find having a red front sight help or hinder you when aiming at a bullseye?

Red covers red and it's dead.

[Gary13]

Additional question. I was at a local gunshop today and looked at a Kimber 1911 and I mentioned the all black sights. He said that those are combat sights and they are all black for competition, so that you are concentrating on the target, not the front post, which speeds up the shot.

FUD?