Fixed or adjustable?

[bullseye308]

How do you like your sights? I prefer adjustable on both pistols and revolvers as I reload everything and when I find a good soft shooting load that produces small groups I adjust the sights to match. Haven’t had much luck over the years with probably half of the fixed sighted guns, and don't like holding off to hit something.

I have passed on a few revolvers I would have enjoyed due to the sights over the years, and I notice this doesn’t seem to be a common complaint, so what am I doing wrong?
I can shoot fairly well so I do t think it’s me necessarily, but I’m stumped.

I am going to replace the rear sight on my Springfield Range Officer Champion to an adjustable, although it does shoot very well. I don’t know, maybe it is just me.

 

[Vern Humphrey]

I once bought, for cheap, a Colt New Service in .45 Colt. It shot a foot high and 18 inches to the left. I finally bobbed the barrel to 5 1/2", put on adjustable sights, and added after-market grips. It's a lot better gun now that it was.

 

[25-5]

I put fixed Bomar sights on my series 70 Colt Government some forty years ago, and haven't touched them since. Years of competition from 7 to 50 yds. My pistols and revolvers with adjustable sights were adjusted once. Nothing intentional, it just worked out that way.

 

[.308 Norma]

How do you like your sights?

It depends on what I intend to use the handgun for.

Years of competition from 7 to 50 yds.

Years of competition (IHMSA) from 50 to 200 meters. I can't remember a single IHMSA competitor that used a handgun with fixed sights. I do remember that by the time I was shooting at the 200 meter rams in a match, my 44 Mag (a 10.5" Ruger Super Silhouette) was 22 "clicks" up from where I started the match shooting at the 50 meter chickens.

 

[25-5]

50 to 200 meters is sure a good reason for adjustable sights. Same reason I keep a dope book for rifle.

 

[Nuclear]

Adjustable, it allows me to adjust the POA/POI without a sight pusher or brass punch and hammer.

 

[someguy2800]

I prefer click adjustable sights. No snag drift adjustable sights are nice for a carry gun. The bad part of adjustable sights is I have a ruger revolver where the windage moves all the time and needs to be readjusted constantly if not held in place with clear nail polish.

 

[someguy2800]

I put fixed Bomar sights on my series 70 Colt Government some forty years ago, and haven't touched them since. .

I love the Bomar sights on my 1911. Never need adjustment once zero'd.

 

[bannockburn]

I prefer adjustable sights when they're available on a particular gun that I'm looking at. If not I will take the highest visibility fixed sights I can find.

 

[Sappyg2.0]

Adjustable is preferred but, fixed is fine. I've found that SW 10s are very well regulated with 158 gr bullets so I'm fine with that.

Once I set my sights I rarely change them anyway, whether I'm shooting at 15 to 100 yards. Beyond 100 (which I haven't tried) im thinking you're going to appreciate adjustable sights more.

This old 29 hits good out to 50 yards and beyond. I don't adjust the sights but this group was probably from 25 yards but might have been 50. A hunert is a REAL challenge

Edit: what I'm trying to say is that from 25 to 100 yards most, not all, handgun rounds are about the same for me. And that fixed sights aren't much of a handicap... for me

 

[Tallball]

Adjustable, unless it's a short-range CC piece.

 

[JTQ]

How do you like your sights? I prefer adjustable on both pistols and revolvers ...

I have passed on a few revolvers I would have enjoyed due to the sights over the years, and I notice this doesn’t seem to be a common complaint, so what am I doing wrong?
I can shoot fairly well so I do t think it’s me necessarily, but I’m stumped.

Since your screen name is "bullseye308", can we assume your primary use of a pistol (or rifle) is for target shooting? If so, it is easy to understand your preference for adjustable sights.

On the other hand, for those whose primary use of a pistol is for concealed carry or personal defense, a fixed sight is usually an advantage as they are generally smaller and smoother, almost always more durable, and most offer night sights or other high visibility sights designed for quick acquisition rather than slow aimed fire. These are advantages for fixed sights to the concealed carrier and personal defense user as the sights are less likely to hang up on clothing or break as adjustable sights are often known to do.

 

[k4swb]

First thing I look for in a gun when I look is adjustable sights. I won't even buy one any more unless they are at least windage adjustable.

 

[mcb]

For me it is very dependent on the intended use of the handgun.

 

[340PD]

For shooting paper or a carry gun?

 

[Corpral_Agarn]

My guns all shoot better than i can so i like fixed sights on all of my handguns.

I have found that if the gun isnt shooting where i want it, it us usually me.

My fixed sights on my P226 and model 10 are plenty accurate without me messing with them. Have tested both up to 240yrds (at a frying pan).

 

[Jim Watson]

Hideout or duty guns should have fixed sights. An auto with dovetailed fixed sights should have them drifted and filed (or exchanged) for a good zero at a reasonable range. A revolver with 1874 vintage "hog wallow" sights is at a great disadvantage. I have seen a few with more visible and even movable fixed sights but they are not real common.

Adjustable sights are necessary for any sort of precision target shooting, and helpful for even the fast action events.

What strikes me as a bit peculiar are the fixed sights made to replace adjustables for "hard use." Since they are low volume items, they cost more than the adjustables.

Proprietary dovetails for fixed sights are a peeve, they limit your choices. Novak cuts are very common in multiple brands now, but you can also run into Novakish sights that you are pretty well stuck with because they are not to his dimensions.

 

[P5 Guy]

Nope, I won't walk away from a gun with adjustable sights but I prefer fixed sights for carry.

 

[Zaydok Allen]

For anything I plan to conceal carry, I like fixed sights. For range or open carry guns, I can go either way. On a competition pistol I'd probably want adjustable.

 

[Bartojc]

Funny, on the ones I have with adjustable I seldom adjust them. On the fixed ones I wish they were adjustable because I want to adjust

We always want what we don't have.

-Jeff

 

[bullseye308]

Since your screen name is "bullseye308", can we assume your primary use of a pistol (or rifle) is for target shooting? If so, it is easy to understand your preference for adjustable sights.

On the other hand, for those whose primary use of a pistol is for concealed carry or personal defense, a fixed sight is usually an advantage as they are generally smaller and smoother, almost always more durable, and most offer night sights or other high visibility sights designed for quick acquisition rather than slow aimed fire. These are advantages for fixed sights to the concealed carrier and personal defense user as the sights are less likely to hang up on clothing or break as adjustable sights are often known to do.

Most all of my shooting is defensive type or practice for maybe getting into competition soon and I’m always trying for the smallest group possible. I reload for 6 different 9’s and have loads worked out for 4 of them currently. I want the smallest group from each gun that I can get. Adjustable sights make that easier. Once I get a load that makes one big hole I adjust the sights to it. My carry gun, practice gun, HD gun, is whatever gun I have on me at the time, mostly a G17L. Each gun has its own ammo and that’s all it gets. Doesn’t matter if I’m plinking, training, or carrying. Every round I fire I want to know will go where I want it, and if not, it’s me and I need to focus more.

 

[bullseye308]

For shooting paper or a carry gun?

Either, same gun and same ammo.

 

[bullseye308]

I would go coo coo for coco puffs if truglo made an adjustable sight like on the Range Officer, rounded the corners, and stuck their TFO tubes in it. I’d get dovetails recut if I had to to get them on my guns. I have a set on a g17 and for me they are terrific, I see them very well day or night and was lucky enough to find a good load that with a little adjustment now shoots dead center.

 

[SwampWolf]

Unless I'm carrying a handgun in my pocket or some other "deep cover" area where I don't want a high profile sight with edges to snag on a draw, I want adjustable sights on all of my handguns for all of the reasons already posted. One other exception would be for a gun with some "historical/traditional" significance (i.e., a 1873 Colt sa revolver) where only fixed sights look appropriate for the era where the gun hails from.

 

[someguy2800]

Since your screen name is "bullseye308", can we assume your primary use of a pistol (or rifle) is for target shooting? If so, it is easy to understand your preference for adjustable sights.

On the other hand, for those whose primary use of a pistol is for concealed carry or personal defense, a fixed sight is usually an advantage as they are generally smaller and smoother, almost always more durable, and most offer night sights or other high visibility sights designed for quick acquisition rather than slow aimed fire. These are advantages for fixed sights to the concealed carrier and personal defense user as the sights are less likely to hang up on clothing or break as adjustable sights are often known to do.

For a carry gun my preference is for raised “Novak style” sights. Whatever type they are they need to be black and raised (preferable with white dots or a white border or something) and at least be drift adjustable for windage. I’ve no desire for any gun with milled in sights.