Fixed Sights V. Adjustable...Sound Off!

[Confederate]

While reading through the thread on the S&W 13, I really started thinking about fixed sights v. adjustable sights. What is it, exactly, that makes fixed sights so appealing?

The advantages of adjustable sights are obvious, yet looking at my Ruger Speed-Six earlier today, I can't deny the benefits. You can't knock them loose, knock them out of alignment, snag your clothes on them or damage them. They also many times offer a better sight picture. In the Ruger's case, it reduces the size of the top strap, making the gun a bit sleeker.

Incredibly, I have friends who have bought very nice guns and have NEVER adjusted their sights! A few monkey around with them, but many really have no idea what they're doing. They pepper their targets with holes and, before they can even get a decent group, they have their little screwdrivers out and are adjusting them (I see it all the time). On the other hand, I can shoot quite well with the fixed sights on my Ruger, though I had to file down the front sight to hit what I was shooting at. Since then, I can use almost any ammo and do pretty well.

What do you think? How many fixed-sight guns do you own and are fixed sights a help or hinderance? With all the various ammo types the .357 takes, is having adjustable sights a must?

Most 1911 autos come with fixed sights. And do adjustable sights really do that much for guns with a 2.5-inch barrel?

Weigh in now!

.

 

[BossHogg]

Fixed sights for CCW. Adjustable for target shooting. That's the way I go about it. 638 fixed mostly for pocket carry. 60 3 in. adjustable but harder to find good leather , but great shooter. I tend to shoot a gun a lot before messing with the sights,but have had a few that needed small one time adjustment.

 

[Evil One]

Fixed for me...
Then again mine are carry and SD weapons.


Jim

 

[Confederate]

You mean that you don't normally enjoy shooting fixed sight guns?

 

[Oro]

What is it, exactly, that makes fixed sights so appealing to me?

There, fixed that for you. Not everyone things they are very appealing.

Most adjustable sight arrangments offer a superior target picture than grooved fix sights, and that's why I like them. For accurate shooting, whether you adjust and perfectly zero them or not, adjustable sights yield more satisfying results for most people.

And the bottom line on "carry" is that for many decades really durable, reliable, and hard-to-damage rear adjustable sights have been around. The S&W system has been virtually unchanged since 1940 and has seen service on more law enforcement guns than any other adjustable sight system I would wager.

The mantra of "fixed sights only for carry" is just a bit to dogmatic for me and you have to ignore too much empirical evidence from the field. Iv'e got two 19's and two 66's - and part of the appeal of them is the fast, accurate, and rugged sight system, both on the range and for carry. A 13 just doesn't interest me that much. If I need to squint and work hard at my sight picture, I can pull out some old M&P's or a mil-spec type 1911!

 

[BullfrogKen]

I prefer fixed sights.


I'm not into wringing out the last bit of precision from my handguns. Even my full-custom build 1911's have Heinie fixed sights on them.


I have some handguns with adjustable sights. Nothing I carry has them. The sharp edges eventually wear my clothing. When I practice malfunction drills with them they tear up my hands.


If I hunted with an open sight handgun, or got into shooting sports that required extreme precision, I'd get them. For what I do with handguns, a fixed sight gun is all I ever needed, and the advantages of the fixed sight never justified the disadvantages for me.

 

[cz85cmbt]

Well I have adjustable sights on my cz 85 and my colt .357. Looking back when I intentionally bought an adjustable sight for my cz to replace the three dot setup I certainly could have gone fixed, punch it around for windage and realistically I will never see an appreciable drop because 9mm is basically 9mm. The .357 though and other magnum revolvers I say adjustable because there is quite a variance in .38 special and .357 magnum ballistics so if you use your weapon for different applications you can drift up and down for a couple of loads. Revolvers I find have better sight pictures with adjustable rather than groove type fixed sights and I hate having the windage off but for 2-2.5" guns adjustable sights are useless.

 

[Cocked & Locked]

...but for 2-2.5" guns adjustable sights are useless.

Even though you didn't say so, do you mean useless for you? Lots of people (including some LEA's) have not thought so. My 2.5" K-frames are some of my most accurate handguns...regardless of barrel length.

The N.C. SBI didn't think the adjustables were useless. This was an issue gun, eventually surplussed for a bottom feeder of course.



Of course I like my 2.5" 44 even though it has fixed sights.

 

[1911Tuner]

Whenever I carry a revolver incognito, it's a fixed sight model...for the reasons stated above. The rear sight doesn't snag and it doesn't eat holes in my clothes...and skin. Open carry...which is a rarity for me...either one will work. The adjustable sight offers the advantage of allowing me to compensate for different ammunition, but beause I don't hun any more...with a revolver or a rifle...it's not as much of a consideration these days. I tend to settle on a particular load and stick to it, so once they set...there's no need to fiddle with'em.

To my eye, the short K-frames are better-looking with fixed sights. My 3-inch Model 13 is my favorite carry revolver, and partly for that reason. Not everything that is preferred has to have a practical reason, y'know. For longer barrels...6 inches and over...the adjustables seem to look better.

My 1911 clones and variants all have fixed sights, and the ones in the carry rotation have had the sharp corners appropriately radiused.

 

[Drail]

+1 for Tuner's answer. I have always settled on one good load for a specific gun and then tweaked the fixed sights for that load. And then don't mess with it any more.

 

[easyrider604]

+2 for Tuner's answer.

I will add (not trying to be a smart ass) that snubbies are really designed to be short range weapons or back up guns. As such, I think the shooter should learn to be proficient at point shooting them. The sight radius on a snubbie is so short I can't hit anything using them, seriously, my eyes are so shot.

 

[Cocked & Locked]

Some guns just wouldn't look right with adjustable sights.



And some just don't look right with them...but I love it anyways. S&W 60-1




ready for the snow johnny?

 

[jad0110]

^^^ Actually, isn't that a Model 50? Adjustable sight version of the Model 60? EDIT: Never mind, just remembered that the Model 50 is the adjustable sight version of the model 36.

As for fixed vs adjustable, I can go either way on a S&W. Though on a Ruger Security/Police Service/Speed Six, I prefer the fixed sight Police Service/Speed Sixes. Like Confederate pointed out, they are sleeker than the Security Six, and the front blade and rear notch are quite generous in size.

 

[Cocked & Locked]

Actually, isn't that a Model 50? Adjustable sight version of the Model 60? EDIT: Never mind, just remembered that the Model 50 is the adjustable sight version of the model 36.

Its a genuine S&W model 60-1. 660 of them in this configuration with the adjustable sights were made for Ashland Distributors once upon a time.

Speed-Six...as far as these go, I just acquired my first one two days ago as part of a trade. I'm in love with it already. What's not to like? Blued steel, tapered 4" barrel, round butt grip, shoots great, and no adjustable sights to snag stuff on.

 

[Vern Humphrey]

It depends. I have several fixed sight guns, including a Ruger MKII automatic, three M1911s (but one wears a Colt Sevice Ace conversion kit with adjustable sights), a Colt Detective Special, a Colt SAA, and so on.

For a handloader, adjustable sights are ideal on some guns. My Colt M357 and my Ruger Blackhawks are good examples -- I shoot a wide range of loads in these guns, ranging from powder-puffs to full-house hunting loads. There an adjustable sight is an advantage.

Then there are special cases like my Colt New Service. This gun was "beautifully" reblued -- and the markings were almost buffed out. I got it for a song. The front sight was about as thick as a razor blade and the rear sight notch matched it. And it shot about a foot high and about 8" left. Nothing would zero that gun!

So I finally said, "To %$#@ with it!" and put on a honking big slab of steel, 1/8" thick and carefully filed it until I got the elevation dead on. Then I opened up the rear sight slot, shading it to the right, until the sight picture looked right and it was dead on for windage.

On that gun, adjustable sights would have been a blessing!

 

[Brian Williams]

I prefer fixed sights and wish that S&W had made the 581 with a 3" barrel. Thus I carry my 3" 13.

OBTW a 50 is a Blue Steel adjustable sighted 36 not a SS 60.

 

[Cocked & Locked]

Then there are special cases like my Colt New Service...Nothing would zero that gun...On that gun, adjustable sights would have been a blessing!

good time to post a pic of my Colt New Service with S&W adjustable sights.

 

[Vern Humphrey]

That's a nice looking Colt -- a 1917, I presume?

Who did the work?

 

[Cocked & Locked]

Yes Vern its a 1917. This gun appears in two of Dean Grennell's books from the 1970-80's, "Book of the 45" and "Pistol and Revolver Digest." According to info in those books, John B. Williams Gunsmithing (now defunct I think) in Fullerton California did the work.

The gun belonged to Dean's brother Ralph. There are several mentions and pics of the gun in the books along with a pic of "brother Ralph" shooting the Colt.









I now have these grips (stocks if one prefers) on the Colt. I acquired the Colt in a trade for a S&W sometime in the past.

 

[rcmodel]

I handgun hunt, and I reload.

If a gun is too big to fit in my pants, it has adjustable sights on it.
(unless it is a Colt SAA.)

A few monkey around with them, but many really have no idea what they're doing.

And that's a good thing!
I have bought several nice old S&W K's & N's cheap over the years with the adjustable sights screwed all the way to one side, or clear up or clear down.

Got to think that's the reason I got them so cheap!

rc

 

[Vern Humphrey]

That gun has apparently had several sets of stocks. In the book, you see it with what appears to be the old issue walnut stocks, and with a thumb-rest stock.

Regardless, that's a fine-looking Colt.

 

[Slamfire]

I like the reliability of fixed sight handguns. I treasure the fixed sight handguns I have that shoot to point of aim. My S&W m10-5 shoots to point of aim with 158’s. My Rodeo shoots to point of aim with 250-255’s and 8.5 grains Unique.

If you own enough handguns, you will have occasions where the sight spring screw backs out. Or the cross pin holding the sight ladder works out. It really makes me think, do I want that for a potential self defense weapon.

I have had on a couple of occasions, the darn elevation tension screw got loose on a M1a/M1 Garand. You think you are adding elevation, but no, your sighting shot is low! Thank goodness the only thing in danger was a score sheet.

I have had buds whose adjustable front sight post on a AR somehow got rotated around.


I think Clint Smith has it all right when he advocates a big bore fixed sight revolver as a self defense weapon. No adjustable sights to get out of order, and the rest of the weapon is simple.





This is an example of a fixed sight pistol that needed a sight change to get it to shoot to point of aim. It needed a taller rear sight. That rear is now fixed in a tight rear dovetail and you will have to shear the set screw to get it to move.

Not all fixed sight guns are that flexible. But they should be.

 

[Cocked & Locked]

I think Clint Smith has it all right when he advocates a big bore fixed sight revolver as a self defense weapon. No adjustable sights to get out of order, and the rest of the weapon is simple.

now we're talking...

 

[Rio Laxas]

I prefer adjustable. I shoot better with them.

 

[Cocked & Locked]

I prefer adjustable. I shoot better with them.

Yep...lots of choices available.

I've got some friends that live in Eagle River by the way! Kinda between Boondock Sporting Goods and Wal Mart.