EDC Fiber Optic Sights
- Thread starter Styx
- Start date
- Status
JTQ
Member
Here's Frank Proctor's take
http://www.recoilweb.com/a-few-thoughts-on-fiber-optic-sights-and-carrying-a-light-59795.html
http://www.recoilweb.com/a-few-thoughts-on-fiber-optic-sights-and-carrying-a-light-59795.html
JR24
Member
None of my various EDC have had them, and I dont need them enough to purchase them separately.
But if I was setting up a custom EDC from scratch I would strongly consider fiber optic front and blacked out rear.
But if I was setting up a custom EDC from scratch I would strongly consider fiber optic front and blacked out rear.
Two of my various carry guns have come with factory-installed fiber optic sights. They do work well and are easy to find when shooting during the day.
But both guns have had the FO insert fall out and get lost while being carried. They're not hard to replace, and both guns came with replacement FO rods for just that purpose, but now whenever I'm carrying one I have to wonder if the front sights will be there when I draw.
If I were going to EDC a gun that came with FO sights, I'd replace them with tritium sights as soon as I could.
But both guns have had the FO insert fall out and get lost while being carried. They're not hard to replace, and both guns came with replacement FO rods for just that purpose, but now whenever I'm carrying one I have to wonder if the front sights will be there when I draw.
If I were going to EDC a gun that came with FO sights, I'd replace them with tritium sights as soon as I could.
Here's the thing to understand about FO sights - properly configured, they are not the sight. They are merely an attention-getting device intended to draw your eye to the front sight and/or provide greater front-sight awareness while focused on the target. I've had FO's fall out or break while shooting. You just keep shooting. The front sight is still there. You're just back to the equivalent of a plain black sight. If your FO falls out on your EDC gun, it is not that big a deal.
JTQ
Member
Oh, for sure, in fact I shot the EMP for an entire range trip that way.
Two thoughts though: first, if I get into a life or death situation where I have to draw, I don't want one of the first things I look for to be something other than what I'm expecting. Is that unreasonable? Am I making a big deal out of something trivial? Maybe.
Second: if the argument is that losing the fiber rod isn't a big deal because you can shoot just as well without it... Then what's the benefit of having them in the first place?
I do like them on target guns and non-EDC carry guns. I wouldn't fit them to a gun that didn't come with them though.
nettlle
Contributing Member
I have replaced the sights on both my carry guns with a green fiber optic front and flat black rear and have carried this sight setup close to a year now.
Tried gold bead, fiber optic front/rear, and tritium and much prefer the optic front with the flat black rear.
I have never had a problem with losing the front optic. They optic rod can get a little gummed up and is hard to clean on the bottom. When that happens I replace the front rod. A 6" section costs about $3.00.
Tried gold bead, fiber optic front/rear, and tritium and much prefer the optic front with the flat black rear.
I have never had a problem with losing the front optic. They optic rod can get a little gummed up and is hard to clean on the bottom. When that happens I replace the front rod. A 6" section costs about $3.00.
Fine Figure of a Man
Member
I have the same sights on one of my carry guns. Very quick to acquire without my reading glasses.
GBExpat
Member
I have installed TruGlo TFO (Tritium + fiber optic) on 3 of my Glock EDCs (30S, 42, 43).
Like the TFX but much less expensive.
I opted for the green front & yellow rear which, for me, is close to perfect.
Like the TFX but much less expensive.
I opted for the green front & yellow rear which, for me, is close to perfect.
BSA1
member
I have green fiber optic rods installed on my edc Berettas 92FS. I have been using these sights two years now with no problems or concerns.
Fiber optics work using light downrange, above you and behind the target so the darker it is downrange the less effective they are.
Of course fiber optics are much better than night sights in daylight/ inside well lite building. In dim light they are about equally useful.
Beretta 92 front sights are small so F.O. are useful for me.
Last edited:
Zerodefect
member
F/O sights can be much better in a night shoot house.
Nightsights are useless 90% of the time in the dark. Your flashlight messes your eyes up enough where that glow won't be visible until your eyes readjust to the darkness.
When night sights are blacked out because of your flashlight, or light on the subject, they're plain black sights. But unfortunately, the front sight is a big fat slow sight. With less gap than plain black or F/O sights.
The same gap ratio, and thin front sights popular in competition, are best for night time whenever your tritium lamp washes out. A .125 front night sight is just too fat. Anything wider than .125 is not recommended.
I have one pistol with a single night sight and a light. Every other pistol has F/O sights. All of my pistols have plain black rears.
Yes plain black sights work fine in a shoot house. 99% of dark shooting is point shooting anyways. You don't need sights for 7 measly yards.
Nightsights are useless 90% of the time in the dark. Your flashlight messes your eyes up enough where that glow won't be visible until your eyes readjust to the darkness.
When night sights are blacked out because of your flashlight, or light on the subject, they're plain black sights. But unfortunately, the front sight is a big fat slow sight. With less gap than plain black or F/O sights.
The same gap ratio, and thin front sights popular in competition, are best for night time whenever your tritium lamp washes out. A .125 front night sight is just too fat. Anything wider than .125 is not recommended.
I have one pistol with a single night sight and a light. Every other pistol has F/O sights. All of my pistols have plain black rears.
Yes plain black sights work fine in a shoot house. 99% of dark shooting is point shooting anyways. You don't need sights for 7 measly yards.
Last edited:
Coal Dragger
member
Haven’t had it to a low light class yet, but my EDC is an HK VP9 with a long slide top end. The stock sights are a red FO front and adjustable blacked out rear. Once I mounted the Surefire X300U and tested the night sight equipped original slide and the FO equipped long slide in the dark with the light, there was no difference. The weapon light renders all sights effectively plain black. Since I can conceal the pistol with the light on board, I see no huge advantage for the tritium sights in the dark.
Tomorrow Brownell’s tells me that my Aimpoint ACRO P-1 will be arriving. So I will be sending the long slide and the Aimpoint out to have the slide milled for the RDS. Be back to carrying the stock LE slide with tritium sights until the RDS slide comes back.
Then the training process with the RDS begins until I’m proficient enough with it to carry it.
Jesse H
Member
I have Dawson's on my duty G17 for a few years before the department switched everybody over to them. Before getting issued a separate SWAT pistol this was a double duty gun that got a decent amount of abuse. I've broken my fiber optic once and it's a simple 1 minute fix with a lighter.
So far I haven't managed to break the current one and they're I haven't heard about it being an issue with the other guys. Even if it's broken, the front sight is still perfectly fine.
So far I haven't managed to break the current one and they're I haven't heard about it being an issue with the other guys. Even if it's broken, the front sight is still perfectly fine.
JTQ
Member
I think this is a key point. They are easily and cheaply user serviced.
Crack a tritium vial or drop one out of a night sight and you're probably not going to be able to replace it without buying a new sight or sending it back to the factory for repair.
I have dawson precision sights on my EDC (FO front, plain rear). never had an issue with them. the way i figured it, worst case scenario, if the fiber falls out then i have plain black sights which i would prefer to night sights anyway.
Magnus Böner
Member
- Joined
- May 8, 2019
- Messages
- 7
I like a Novak fiber optic front sight, pared with their adjustable rear combat sight on my carry guns.
JTQ
Member
Just a data point from Tom Givens
https://civiliandefender.com/2016/04/01/low-light-red-sights-and-tom-givens-glock-35/
"...in the 60 plus defensive shootings his students have been involved in, the lighting (or lack of lighting) was a factor in the outcome in exactly ZERO cases."
https://civiliandefender.com/2016/04/01/low-light-red-sights-and-tom-givens-glock-35/
"...in the 60 plus defensive shootings his students have been involved in, the lighting (or lack of lighting) was a factor in the outcome in exactly ZERO cases."
- Status
Similar threads
