installing Novak sight on 1911

[neomentat]

When installing novak rear sight on a GI 1911 does the frame needs to be cut? if so how much?

I had GI sights on therebut swaped to Wilson Combat snagfree sights. When I made the switch the slide didn't need to be cut, but I heard Novaks are wider, is this true?

[neomentat]

while i'm at it, I'm thinking about the Novak Fiber Optic sights and this will be a carry gun. Will the Fiber Optic Sights present a problem for carry? does it snag? should I get the 3 dot instead?

[railroader]

I have fiber optic on most of my autos. I have drawn them from holsters many times and I haven't had a problem with snags or breaking the fiber. Even if the fiber you still will have a black front sight. Mark

[chuck762]

Depends which Novak sight.

These don't.

http://www.novaksights.com/genuine%20novak%20sights/colt_-_any_1911_style.htm

These do

http://www.novaksights.com/genuine%20novak%20sights/colt_commander_&_government.htm

[hkfooey]

I sent my SA Mil-Spec to Novak to install the night site for me. They need to "cut" it to make it work. Not sure if GI & Mil-Spec is the same (and also which site you are installing). Call Novak - their customer support is good.

On the other hand - if you plan to carry, I won't install the fiber front - but install night site instead... since at night - you can't see your fiber front at all.

Of course, IMHO.

[Kenzdawg]

I'm going to send a couple firearms to Novak to install the sights and have them sight it in at the same time.

It sure can't hurt, the sights on these guns are so off.

[m1match]

To install Novak sights in a Springfield GI slide, the slide will need to be milled for the front and rear dovetails. I would send the slide to Novak's and have them do it. Their turnaround time on sight installs in faster than anyone else that I know of. They had mine back in a little over a week.

[Kenzdawg]

To install Novak sights in a Springfield GI slide, the slide will need to be milled for the front and rear dovetails. I would send the slide to Novak's and have them do it. Their turnaround time on sight installs in faster than anyone else that I know of. They had mine back in a little over a week.

I was told you can send the slide to them, but the more accurate way would be to send the whole firearm so they can sight it in as well.

Having written that, how accurate are the sights on your firearm when you shot it?

I'm curious, if I really do need to send the whole thing or can I just send the slide and assume it's dead on balls accurate when I get it back.

[mike452]

Novak will cut their sight base to fit your slide if necessary. I think they have sights made for what you have.

No Fiber Optic Sights for a carry gun because they are too high. Get a fixed 3 dot or night sight instead.

[railroader]

No Fiber Optic Sights for a carry gun because they are too high

My front fiber optic front sight is .180" on my kimber which really isn't high. That said night sights would be a better option for carry. Fiber doesn't work when it's dark. Mark

[tonelar]

I'm curious, if I really do need to send the whole thing or can I just send the slide and assume it's dead on balls accurate when I get it back.

If you're talking about a Personal/ Home defense pistol... you should never assume anything. Just like practicing with the ammo you will be relying on; you should practice with the "set up" you'll be relying on as well.

I wouldn't treat it with the same scrutiny I would an action or trigger job, but I'd want to practice and see for myself how "dead on balls accurate" it is, Kenzdawg.

[Kenzdawg]

If you're talking about a Personal/ Home defense pistol... you should never assume anything. Just like practicing with the ammo you will be relying on; you should practice with the "set up" you'll be relying on as well.

I wouldn't treat it with the same scrutiny I would an action or trigger job, but I'd want to practice and see for myself how "dead on balls accurate" it is, Kenzdawg.

Ah, thank you... kinda borrowed the phrase from "My Cousin Vinny" I saw the other day.

I purchased a laser sight from WalMart the other day. You stick it in the barrel and it fires a laser so you can tell how far off or not the fixed sights are. All the firearms I have with the exception of the CZ 75 SP-01 are way off.

Knowing how far off they are and where I should align the front and rear sights by using that laser sight, i took it to the range. Sure enough, my groups were tighter and I was very satisfied with my night out at the range.

That $40 gizmo was a lifesaver, being i'm a sort of noob shot.

[tonelar]

Up close in a pistol, the bore sighter gives a good rough guess when you're making sure about windage (L-R), however your elevation should be off when observed with a bore-sighter.

[pottymouth310]

If you don't have the tools why chance it.
take it to Gunrunners in Duarte, it's close to you & they have a really good gunsmith there.

[aplinker]

Ah, thank you... kinda borrowed the phrase from "My Cousin Vinny" I saw the other day.

I purchased a laser sight from WalMart the other day. You stick it in the barrel and it fires a laser so you can tell how far off or not the fixed sights are. All the firearms I have with the exception of the CZ 75 SP-01 are way off.

Knowing how far off they are and where I should align the front and rear sights by using that laser sight, i took it to the range. Sure enough, my groups were tighter and I was very satisfied with my night out at the range.

That $40 gizmo was a lifesaver, being i'm a sort of noob shot.

That part doesn't make sense. By adjusting your sights you're realigning the center of your group, but it won't change your group size (unless you're trying to compensate for where your group is going on every shot).

A bore sighter is completely unnecessary. It only gets you on paper. As tonelar said, you always have to adjust from there by how it actually shoots - and it's not like sights are going to be so bad or unnoticeable on how to adjust at 25yds you can't get on paper.