Best Sights for IDPA

[rbwillnj]

I'm pretty experianced at Bullseye shooting, but fairly new to IDPA. For IDPA, I usually use one of my Kimber Stainless Gold Matches with plain black adjustable Bomar type sights. I sometimes use my Beretta Elite II which has plain black Novak sights.

I have been thinking about replacing the sights on one of these guns with something better for IDPA. Is there any common thinking out there on the best sights for IDPA? Plain Black? Three Dot White? Three Dot Tritium? High Vis? What's your thinking?

 

[laynlow]

Most folks just put a fiber optic front sight on with a plain rear. Personally, I like Dawson Precision. If you shoot indoor matches or matches with low light TruGlow now has a sight that is both fiber optic and tritium illuminated. That really helps on indoor no light stages.

 

[ted murphy]

I use plain old Heinies. Lots of folks are using the fiber optics now.

Ted

 

[Corey ACP]

IDPA Sights

I like plain black sights on all my guns. I am in the minority though. I use Heinies, (plain black) on my XD,
On my .45 Les Baer, I replaced the serrated ramp front sight that is stock with a plain black patridge and use the original rear., (bomar type)
On my 9mm 1911, a black patridge front with a black fixed MMC? rear.
The fiber optic has gotten popular at my club, as wel as the 3 dot setup. I just prefer black on black.

 

[Ktulu]

I use a Dawson front sight with the stock Kimber rear on my 1911s. What I really like is to use a narrower front blade. This enables me to pick up the front sight a little faster then the factory one because there is more daylight on either side.

 

[rock jock]

I know IDPA is a game, but it was designed for, and you will realize the most benefit from, shooting the exact same setup you would use for a duty/CCW gun.

 

[rbwillnj]

As I said when I started the thread, I do a fair amount of bullseye shooting, and for that, the Kimber (Bomar type) sites are ideal. There is a very small light gap between the the front and rear sights. That makes it great for bullseye, but seems to make it difficult to get rapid target aquisition. My Beretta Elite has black sights as well, but the light gap is much wider, which makes it a bit easier, but I was wondering if something else would be better.

I should say, that at our club, all of out stages are indoor. Some with good lighting, some not such good lighting. There are other clubs in the area, and I'd like to get out to them as well, so I don't won't to gear up just for indoor shooting.

 

[Ankeny]

Ditto the narrow front sight. On my Baer I installed the .90 Caspian front and took a file to the notch in the rear sight blade. I know accuracy guys want "tight" sights, but for daily carry, IPSC, and IDPA I really prefer more light around the front sight. Still easy enough to center the sights for long or difficult shots.

As for what gun to shoot. Well that debate is constant. IDPA is a game, not self defense training. Games are supposed to be fun so shoot what ever gives you kicks.

 

[Curare]

I like plain black Novaks for target work--with the front sight trimmed to .120 or less. Nice sight picture and low profile.

 

[C. H. Luke]

If you're a Bullseye shooter you probably understand the value of a precise sight picture markedly better than most. Why give that up? Personally tried all the gimmicks, including fiberoptics, and went back to plain old black-on-black Bo-Mars with .125 notch and a slighly thinned front of ca. .115. Part of it's just refusing to give up precision shot ability just to hose a bunch of close targets. May have taken more work but am just about as fast as the best "Hosers" while getting {trying} more 0-down hits.
FWIW, a lot of guys shoot with, "look-over" {the top of} their sights for the quick and close Stages/Strings.

 

[Walt Rauch]

A wider rear sight notch might help some but consider this, you're being asked to to hit an eight incle circle on a large target. Targets, by IDPA rules, are generally to be no further than 15 yards away. The rules do allow the occasional longer shot to 35 yards.

Steel targets, usually Pepper Poppers, can only be one third of all tagets in the match.

The challange is to hit them all well but do it quickly. (while following IDPA rules.)

Notice I've mentioned the "rules" a few times? Many newcomers to this sport will avoid frustration and disappointment by reading the rule book before shooting matches.

 

[C. H. Luke]

"Targets, by IDPA rules, are generally to be no further than 15 yards away. The rules do allow the occasional longer shot to 35 yards."

While the below "rule" from IDPA's Web LGB is not phrased well, one could interpret it at "75%". When I was MD for our local Club there were always targets past 15 yds. This was true for the fellow who ran it before me. New and even intermediate level shooters always have trouble with the "long" shots on Stage 3, position 4 of the Classifier {20 yds}. Since IDPA is also supposed to be about "Skill" our planning group felt longer shots helped, especially as one could refine their kneeling & even prone positions, etc. Our local and State Police members, Thunder Ranch, Gunsite & Chuck Taylor alumni also encouraged this. Not to mention the Hollywood "Shootout" debacle spurred interest. We have found it can be quite a trick to engage a number of targets up close very fast & then slow down for targets at longer distances.



"75% of all shots required in a match must be 15 yards or less; however, occasional targets out to 35 yards are to be encouraged."