Gold bead sight on 1911

[NorCal Einstein]

After about 6 months of owning a Baer Custom Carry with factory 3-dot night sights, I think it just isn't for me. I'm use to shooting with a black serrated rear and fiber front, and the 3-dot is just too distracting for me although I had to try them out since it was my first set of night sights.

Now I'm looking to swap out the sights and over the weekend I've been leaning toward running a gold bead front with 10-8 rear. For you sight gurus, on my other 5" slide gun I run a .100 wide front with a .125 rear notch. I have grown use to larger sight picture through the thinner front blade. For the 1911, what combination should I be looking at?

Should it be Wilson's .190 height gold bead with 10-8's standard height .156 notch rear? Are there also any other gold bead front sights that I should be aware of besides Wilson?

Thanks!

[FourT6and2]

I second that. Wilson's gold bead is great. I like their rear battle sight, too.

[NorCal Einstein]

There's a guy on 1911forum saying Wilson's version has a gold bead that's too small and mounted too far down the post. Does any of that jive with your experience?

[FourT6and2]

There's a guy on 1911forum saying Wilson's version has a gold bead that's too small and mounted too far down the post. Does any of that jive with your experience?

I have no experience with Wilson's stuff on non-Wilson guns. But the Wilsons I've handled that had them were great. The gold bead seemed to be mounted right where it should.

[rsmorgan]

Before you change everything, try putting some black tape over your rear sight night sight "dots." Try shooting your gun that way. I'm not much of a fan of the three-dot system but find the combination of a night sight on the front and a plain rear quite useful.

[redcliff]

I like the Novak gold beads location on the front sight, or the SDM Fabricating gold beads. Haven't used a Wilson. SDM also sells the gold bead seperately if you wanted to have one fit to an existing front sight in a location you choose.

This photo should show the approximate location of the Novak gold bead on the front sight post, it sits nice and high:

[Oceanbob]

Here's a 10-8 set on my daughters G19. .140 U with a .215 front post with bead. Love how this set up is so easy to acquire with my eyes...

She shoots fish in our pool on occasion....

[redcliff]

Here's a 10-8 set on my daughters G19. .140 U with a .215 front post with bead. Love how this set up is so easy to acquire with my eyes...

She shoots fish in our pool on occasion....

Nice looking backyard Bob! I really like that your daughter enjoys shooting, very cool.

I agree that gold beads are a big help, especially as we advance in age a bit

[Uncle Leo]

These are better than fiber optic?

[fiddletown]

These are better than fiber optic?

I think so. They're not as fragile.

A few years ago I had some gold bead front sights installed in several of my 1911s by John Harrison in Georgia. He did a great job and turned them around pretty quickly. Here's the story.

I believe he fabricated the front sights himself.

[NorCal Einstein]

I like the Novak gold beads location on the front sight, or the SDM Fabricating gold beads. Haven't used a Wilson. SDM also sells the gold bead seperately if you wanted to have one fit to an existing front sight in a location you choose.

This photo should show the approximate location of the Novak gold bead on the front sight post, it sits nice and high:

Thanks for mentioning SDM! If only the Novak gold bead sight was serrated, it might have been the clear winner for me.

Here's a 10-8 set on my daughters G19. .140 U with a .215 front post with bead. Love how this set up is so easy to acquire with my eyes...

She shoots fish in our pool on occasion....

That sight picture looks great. If you went with the 10-8 set, that means the front is a brass bead right?

A few years ago I had some gold bead front sights installed in several of my 1911s by John Harrison in Georgia. He did a great job and turned them around pretty quickly. Here's the story.

I believe he fabricated the front sights himself.

I was poking around on John's site earlier today looking at his price list. I had traded emails with him a few weeks ago regarding his trigger and from what I could gather in 3 emails, he seems like a good guy to deal with.

If I just try and price out the front sight work I think it is:
$65 - Remove existing dovetail front sight, supply & install sight blank & machine blade to spec for height, width & profile. Serrate face 50lpi
$60 - Install 14k Gold dot in dovetail front sight

[NorCal Einstein]

Well, sending to John Harrison is out of the equation now. His waitlist is 90+ deep with a estimated time of 4 years.

I was REALLY liking that work he did for you as well fiddletown.

[plsmyk]

NorCal,

I sent you a pm...

[fiddletown]

Well, sending to John Harrison is out of the equation now. His waitlist is 90+ deep with a estimated time of 4 years.

I was REALLY liking that work he did for you as well fiddletown.

Wow! I guess a lot of other folks have figured out that he does good work.

[negolien]

Take a look at the Big Dot XS sights.