[Bwana]

I've got the old over 65 eyes thing. I have a 1911 Commander with Novak sight cuts. Thinking I want a fiber(not sure on color) optic front sight and maybe a wilson rear. Don't know what height.
Anyone have some good ideas for sights and heights of both sights in my application?

Thanks for your help!

 

[TimR]

Green FO has always been the most visible for me.

 

[john_anch_ak]

Hi, you and I are in the same "old folks" boat. Simply cannot see what used to be in plain sight. Oh well...not much we can do about that. Another issue I'm starting to have is arthritis in both hands which is making the 9mm more attractive than it used to be.
Anyway, I put green fiber optic on my front sight and left the Trigicon rear sight as is. I've found that the green fiber optic is easier for my old eyes to see. Not sure what to tell you about the "heights". When I got my new front sight I just told the retailer that I was replacing the front sight on a commander sized pistol and they sent the correct one.

 

[studenygreg]

I just put trijicon HD sights on mine. I love them so far. These are from 2013 so they are well I to their service life by now. Trijicon will replace the lamps or about $60

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

 

[~JM~]

I looked at a Springfield Hellcat the other day. I really like the sights. Front is a big dot & the rear is the bottom half of a circle. Looks like a smiling cyclops.

EDIT: Here's a pic.

 

[Icky Thump]

Addressing the same issue for the last year or so..50+ yrs old.

Have had Trijicon XD w/ both standard and XR fronts/orange. Definitely better than all blk, white dot or white dot w/ tritium insert.

Just got my first fiber optic front and it is by far the most easily 'picked up". Will be a little more fragile than other types, but can more easily be replaced than when tritium goes "dark".

I find the green works better than the other colors as well. I like red, works great indoor and outdoor but I "find" the green faster no matter the background.

 

[azpoolguy]

I like a red dot.

 

[SparkyAZ]

I like a red dot. View attachment 435243

Damned kids...
I try to look thru a red dot and I see a distorted blob due to my old eyes...

 

[Tactical Rico]

I had the same problem and found a TruGlow TFX front with a plain black rear worked best for me......
Now I'm trying out Red Dot RMR's and they seem to work best, at least in Competition (3 gun). I still carry the 10-8 rear with a TFX front..............

This is actually the original TFO fiber optic front, the next pic shows the current TFX front

the above is the current front sight....Next is the new top end for the same pistol............

I'm trying to adjust to the RMR and will be my EDC as soon as the top end w/ RMR in 45acp is done......
but that's a different gun story.
TR

 

[Whiten]

Novak is selling Night Fision sights, I have one on the way. Hope they work out as I need a bigger dot to see.

https://www.novaksights.com/

 

[jcc7x7]

Same problem older eyes and beat up hands.
But
A 10-8 rear or Wilson battlesight about 140 Wide and a Fiber Optic front about 115-125 so there is a little extra light on both side of the sight helps a bunch.
The FO rod picks up light really well, except at night. Worse case you need a flash light at night!

 

[jmm]

Old guy with Commander here. Had Novak switch out mine to green fiber optic rear and red fiber optic front. I can see them much better. No match for RMR on my G19, but enjoy the Commander and still shoot it good enough.

 

[George McCleary]

I have good luck with Novak opened about.015 in the rear and one of his gold bead partridge on a HP and Gov't model
I like the look of that Glow Dome sight he has now

 

[jcc7x7]

Finally went with a Warren tactical set.
150W rear and a Fiber Optic front at .115.
Sounds like a huge difference but I shot them today and they are very easy to see with any light at all. Very quick under ten yards and plenty accurate out to 25 though I did take an extra tenth or two of a second to check alignment at 25.
Fiber optic picks up any light available at all, not self illuminating, but I can see it in a dark room with just a computer screen back lighting the area. And very visible with a flash light in a completely dark room

 

[Jim 1855]

I have XS Big Dot tritium on a Commander. Novak rear cut to a half-round notch before this was a standard option. Not the best for accuracy but I can find 'em.

Would like to add fiber optic to the front as well but would have to give up something.

Jim

 

[zipper046]

the Trijicon HD's work great....the new Novak mega dots with Fision Glow Dome work great....and the Tru Glo TFX's are pretty good....

BUT....recently I had Steve @ Integrity Arms install a white ball on a used Springer....WOW...I REALLY like it alot....i've run fiber optics on my competition guns for years and run night sights on my carry guns (including Trijicon HD's), but that white ball works GREAT in light and low light....

Oh...and 52yrs old and just starting to use "cheaters".....sucks...

 

[pcar157]

Damned kids...
I try to look thru a red dot and I see a distorted blob due to my old eyes...

I'm pretty sure your ophthalmologist can take care of that for you.

 

[Chuc]

Novak is selling Night Fision sights, I have one on the way. Hope they work out as I need a bigger dot to see.

https://www.novaksights.com/

The Night Fision sights are absolutely visible! I have a set on my Glock 45. I bought a front sight from Novak but have yet to put them on since I prefer Guncrafter’s gold dot.

 

[SF180A]

I've got the old over 65 eyes thing. I have a 1911 Commander with Novak sight cuts. Thinking I want a fiber(not sure on color) optic front sight and maybe a wilson rear. Don't know what height.
Anyone have some good ideas for sights and heights of both sights in my application?

Thanks for your help!

I am new to the forum and mostly have been reading and learning here. Although new to this forum I have been around 1911's (military and civilian) since 72. I to am in the maturing eyesight group and over the years have tried various tritium and fiber optic sights for daytime shooting as well as mounted and handheld lights for night/nightstand duty. What I have found (just my opinion) is that fiber optic or gold bead front sight is easier for my eyes to pick up vs tritium/tritium big dot. For my EDC DW Guardian, years ago I added crimson trace laser grips and carry a stream light micro stream in my pocket for times I need to illuminate a room or an outside area. Since my intro to shooting in limited light to complete darkness with lights and lasers I am a believer in the old adage of the First, Fast, Accurate Shot goes home and that needs to be you. This may be an added option to consider. Good luck with your choice.

 

[pwgunny]

I'm very nearsighted and I've always worn contact lenses with no issues. Now that I'm over 50, I have to shoot with my prescription eyeglasses on. Couldn't do it with the contacts and reading glasses. I shoot some pistols with red fiber optic and some with green.
I prefer the GREEN.