Fiber Optic Sights -- Worth it?

[Sam1911]

Hi!

I picked up my new xDM 9mm on Saturday and have been thinking about replacing the front sight.

I have a green "Hi-Viz" fiber optic front sight for an xD that I won as a door prize at PA IDPA States last year and I got it out to swap it in. But when I held it up next to the factory white dot sight in a normally-lit room, the white dot was noticably brighter!

So now I'm questioning whether I should bother. Are these things really all that helpful? Are Dawson sights enough better than the Hi-Viz that I would see a difference between them? Do these things work a lot better in sunlight than indoors?

What are your experiences?

Thanks!

-Sam

 

[rduckwor]

For contest shooting? You betcha! For carry and HD, not so much.

Good Luck,

RMD

 

[Sam1911]

For contest shooting? You betcha! For carry and HD, not so much.

Oh sure. Sorry, I should have said.

This is a 9mm, so competition only -- no SD/HD use.

-Sam

 

[Hk Dan]

I had a FO front sight on my Limited gun and took it off. After 5-6 months of putting up with it, I just couldn't stand it anymore--it was bright enough that it actually interfered with my ability to place a clean, accurate shot. I lost definition on the top of the sight post.

Now, most USPSA shooting doesn't require that level of accuracy--you might even say it's "accuracy-incidental" in the vast majority of cases. Still, for those rare upper "A" zone shots at 20 yards, I'll stick with Warren Tacticals.

Dan

 

[rcmodel]

Black sights won all the marbles for accuracy for the better part of the 20th century for a reason.

Sun angles glaring off a shiny or glowing front sight will change your POI.

rc

 

[shooter1]

For IDPA where shots are under 20yds, you bet the FO is a plus! For long range work in bright sunlight, black is a bit more precise. The FOs are faster to acquire for me.
str1

 

[Hoser]

I dont like FO sights. I tried them for 1.5-2 years and went back to black on black.

 

[Sam1911]

I dont like FO sights. I tried them for 1.5-2 years and went back to black on black.

What discipline were you shooting? USPSA/IDPA or bullseye style?

-Sam

 

[shooter1]

What disipline?

Judging from the screen name, I'd say USPSA-----------
str1

 

[Sam1911]

Judging from the screen name, I'd say USPSA-----------

Awwww, come on now...everyone knows you can't hose fast enough to win!

-Sam

 

[Howard B]

For IDPA, I have come to prefer fiber optic. Moreso as I get older. I started with black on black about four years ago, but for shooting games, have come to prefer plain black rear and fo front. For me much faster to acquire. It has made a visible improvement in my scores. But, maybe it was dry firing.

Carry guns have trijicon.

 

[eerw]

A lot of people like FO front sights..advantages are that the eye can pick it up quicker..how much quicker..you have to do the work on the range and see.

I keep playing with them..but all my competition guns end up with black on black sights..

 

[CWL]

I don't like FO sights on pistols. I tried a set on my Sig P229 and while they worked great for outdoors, they did not work at all indoors and I was left with using it as a black "iron" sight.

Normally this wouldn't be a problem, but I noticed that I was actively looking for the illuminated dot of the FO sight when indoors -and this slowed down my aim considerably.

I removed it rather than having to deal with separate sighting conditions on one firearm.

If you are putting it on a dedicated outdoors competition pistol, then I think that a FO site is great, but if you want something for carry indoors and in the dark, don't do it.

 

[55FMJ]

I like them and use them on a couple of my guns. In my opinion, they are quick to pick up when shooting fast,especially at closer distances. They are not as "durable" as a regular solid blade sight. The fibers will and do break from time to time but it is an easy fix. Keep in mind that the optics never break when the gun is sitting in your safe. It is always when you are in the middle of shooting that you discover your front optic is missing! I have also found that a lot of "older" people with eye sight issues really like them. I guess it is just a personal choice. Good luck.

 

[TechTeach]

Fiber Optic or Black on Black

I shoot USPSA and it's a time and accuracy game especially if you’re shooting minor. So, accuracy is important in a match. Now, about the FO (fiber optic) versus black the FO and black are both quick to pick up. The problem with the FO is you can become too focused on it and lose sight of the target. When you engage a target from the start position you first focus on the alignment of either the FO and notch or blade and notch then switch your focus to the target. After you break the first shot you watch for the FO or blade to drop back into the notch and as soon as it drops back in you break your shot. Again some have a difficult time switching back to the target with the FO but with the black the switch becomes automatic. One thing you have to remember is as soon as the FO or blade comes into position break the shot don't try to hold it. If you hold it and try to get a perfect alignment the black will go out of focus because of oxygen starvation to the eye you will lose accuracy with the FO it will stay bright but as your trying for the perfect alignment you will lose time. So to make a long story short for competition shooting I like back on black.

 

[Riss]

Any FO sight that is molded in is more durable than the HiViz. Mine broke after a couple hundred rounds. My Dawson front FO is going strong for 2 years now. Have more than 4,000 rounds with it on and it still looks great.

 

[Hoser]

What discipline were you shooting? USPSA/IDPA or bullseye style?

USPSA and a little IDPA thrown in there.

And the black on black sights keeps the Ninjas from screaming "Gamer" when they see my sights.

 

[VegasOPM]

All I can say is to try them. I love them and have them on all my Limited, Production and IDPA guns. I know others that hate them for all of the reasons outlined above and more. Rob Leatham uses them, David Sevigny doesn't- which pretty much tells me that it is a personal choice, rather than a "must have" to win.

 

[eflatminor]

gold!

My favorite front site is a gold dot. Not too bright but always quickly visible. That said, if I wasn't using gold, I prefer a FO front site. Green is my color of choice though I have no problem with red. Black on black is fine and many good shooters use this set up but I like something to make the front site stand out. A gold dot is the "just right" combination for me.

 

[LancerMW]

FO Front is nice for IPSC/IDPA/SteelChallenge

 

[appaws]

I have red front and green rear FO on my XD and I love them. I think they are just super fast to acquire, particularly in bright sunlight.

 

[pwrtool45]

An outdoor stage with lots of longer range targets (bonus if there's hard cover) in bright sunlight can make your fiber go supernova and be a hindrance.

An indoor stage with lots of close range targets and dim lighting can give advantage to the fiber, as you'll actually be able to see it.

If you primarily shoot at one club with one MD who always sets up targets in a similar fashion, certainly tailor your sights to that circumstance.

Otherwise, it can be a wash. For instance, of the monthly matches I shoot, 3-4 are at different clubs, one of which is indoors with limited lighting. One of which is outdoors and facing due west, such that as the match is winding down, we're frequently shooting into the sun. The former favors fiber, the latter favors light-diffusing (serrated, patridge) style irons. Sorta like if you shot the PA state match, then shot the S&W Winter Nats. I don't believe there is one iron sight configuration that would be advantageous in both of the above situations.

So, to throw my two cents at the OP, certainly try it. Maybe you'll like it, maybe you won't. Depends on not just what sport you're shooting, but when and where you're shooting it as well.

 

[Sam1911]

If you primarily shoot at one club with one MD who always sets up targets in a similar fashion, certainly tailor your sights to that circumstance.

Well, primarily I do shoot at one particular club. And the MD is...ME.

And we do have usually one dim or oddly-lighted stage per month. But everything else is highly variable. Or at least, I try to make it so.

Sorta like if you shot the PA state match,

Yes. So you're saying that it's torrentially raining all the time? LOL!

then shot the S&W Winter Nats.

Unfortunately not. But I've read the bulletins brought back by some of my shooters who have.

I don't believe there is one iron sight configuration that would be advantageous in both of the above situations.

Yeah, I suppose I have to take my chances.

I'll shoot it with the stock white-dots until I get around to having someone swap the Hi-Viz in. I can always switch back.

-Sam

 

[Samuel Adams]

I shoot IDPA and bowling pin matches. I have a F/O front sight on my CZ for IDPA and black sights with a white "Nightsiter" dot on the front sight of my 1911 for IDPA and pins. Both work well but the F/O is better outside and the white dot is better indoors. Of course, my eyes aren't what they used to be.