Question about Colt 1911 front sights

[The Lone Haranguer]

Mine is a stainless (?) Combat Commander, series 80, FC serial number prefix. In perusing catalogs for replacement sights, I have run across "wide tenon" and "narrow tenon" front sights. How do I know which one I have? Can I go by the time of production, or did they mix them up willy-nilly between production runs?

 

[nicholst55]

Series 80 Colts use the wide tenon front sights. When you need one, I'd strongly recommend going to a dovetail front sight. Stake-on sights will eventually come loose and/or fly off. A dovetail front sight is essentially a one-time fix for that problem, and the reason they were developed for the 1911 series.

 

[rcmodel]

+1
Get it dove-tailed and be done with it once & for all.

Staked on sights, especially the larger target & night sights, will shoot off sooner or later.
It's just a matter of how soon.


rcmodel

 

[BBBBill]

Series 80 Colts use the wide tenon front sights...

Not all did. The early ones used the small tenon sight. Perhaps six months to a year into the S80s, they changed over to the wide tenon.

Edit to say that I agree with Chuck. The dovetail is far superior for today's sights. Their size/mass will make them shoot loose over time. The dovetail will prevent that.

 

[RogersPrecision]

In the past, I was heard to say,
"If the sight is pounded on, it will pound itself off."
I would refuse to stake on a front sight. I don't like to see work of mine fail in the field.
Go with a dovetail. The .330" x .075" x 65 degrees is the most common and will give you many options.
The cost with the sight, should be less than $100, even if you choose a tritium equipped sight.

 

[The Lone Haranguer]

Thanks for the replies, gentlemen.

It seems to be almost universally recommended that I have the front sight dovetailed. I would like, over time, to put night sights on most or all of my defense handguns. I am very pleased with the Meprolights that Glockmeister put on my Glock 19 ... at their gun show table, while I waited, for $67, no less. I know this job will not be that cheap.

 

[Roswell 1847]

Try soldering the sight into its groove using Highforce 44 solder. You can avoid solder sticking to the slide surface using a stick of material they sell for the purpose, just rubb it on like chalk around the groove and on sight surfaces that you want free of the solder. I received my supply of the Solder and the stick as a gift so I don't know where they bought the stuff, I suspect it came from Brownell.
Also if any solder gets outside the groove you can flux a steel pin, heat it up and draw the excess solder away on the pin.
You'll never have to worry about a part shooting loose if you use Highforce 44.