Suggestions For A Fiber Optic Front Sight

[CompVest]

One of the things I do like about Speed Shooter Specialties fiber optics is that it is easy to replace the fiber. You can change colors or replace a lost fiber any where. I just keep an extra piece in my range bag.

[USMC-COL]

I have been using TFOs on several comp and carry Glocks (G17s/19s/23s/26s, etc) for several years and I have never had an issue with the sights. I do know of others who have had issues. The people I know that have had issues have been mostly on G34s/G35s where there is an overhang of the front sight because of the slide cut-out. I do not use them on my G34.

[DONT TREAD ON ME]

I am looking to put them on a 1911...anyone know of any issues for the TFO on a 1911?

[Skiprr]

Skiprr,
Have you used the TFOs at all? I like the idea and would like to get them but the reviews are not that good in the quality area. Alot of the people who used them stated that they broke while firing and abviously the tritium was gone.

I have a green/green TFO combo on a G19, but it's probably seen less than 1,000 rounds on it since the sights were installed a year ago. The pistol just doesn't get much range time or abouse. So I honestly can't comment about durability. Haven't had any issues yet, however.

I will note that for my aging eyes the most challenging lighting condition is dusk, or artificial moderately-low-light. I actually do better in very-low-light (where, as CompVest noted, my preference would be a flashlight...after all, no notch-and-post handgun sights help you identify the target) than in dusk/dawn type conditions (probably a contrast thing). Under those particular circumstances, the TFO combination seems just about ideal for me.

My primary 1911 carry has Tritium sights only, and I'm not unhappy at all about that; they work fine in any lighting conditions, but become basically a plain notch-and-post under bright lighting. A couple of my other pistols have a plain rear sight and a Dawson [abbreviated profanity deleted] front sight. As CompVest mentioned, the fiber replacement rods are dirt cheap and can be quickly replaced at will. For shooting under adequate lighting, including daytime overcast, I'm perfectly happy with that arrangement. Back when, I used to steer away from all [abbreviated profanity deleted] sights because I considered them too fragile for "serious" purposes. But I came around the first time I lost the fiber out of a front sight, and then (doh!) realized it still worked just fine as a "standard" sight without my having to do anything.

Another tidbit, is that I don't even bother with red fiber anymore. I'm sure I'd miss it if I ever found myself in a nice, bright-green, heavily-vegetated environment, but as I've gotten older I consistently find a green front sight much easier to pick-up quickly than a red one...and yellow is plain out of the picture. 'Course, your mileage may vary.