Best Front Sight Solution for Me -Part 2 (pics)

[morehops52]

It seems a lot of folks are bothered by the same thing I am, front sights that we just don't like. I've never owned anything with sights where I liked what the maker put on it. Over the years I've filed and painted and replaced any number of sights but I think I've found my answer for at least a couple of rifles I own. I like a fine front sight where I can pinpoint my aim to a finer degree than what standard sights give me. Compounding the issue is trying to hunt near dusk where the sights almost disappear against dark game and background. I finally figured that I needed a fiber optic out front but the ones I've seen had diameters that were too large and housings that looked clunky to me. So after reading, searching and measuring I found my solution.

I ordered multi-colored replacement fiber optics. I found a supplier who offered various colors and diameters and ordered a color variety in 1.5mm. The green one looked the brightest to me and would show up well for my situation. I filed the top of my GPR's front sight to get a good clean flat and epoxied a length of fiber optic on top of it. This was a bit trickier than I thought as I had to make fine adjustments with a toothpick while looking thru a magnifier to make sure I got it straight and centered on the front post. Once dried, I took a small triangular file to the epoxy that had oozed out the bottom to clean up the sight picture.

It works perfectly for me. With just a bit of light on it the green glows nicely even under my deck on an overcast day. I used a 1.5mm fiber rod which is about half the width of the original sight and that was the critical measurement that got this all together for me. This is also a smaller diameter than the day glow sights on my airguns which are useless beyond 25 yards. That smaller diameter lets me really see a finer sight picture. I also discovered that when sighting towards a white(ish) background in low light that the rod looks like a dark bead above the post & still works well. I like this better than replacing the front sight.

I ordered them from Bullseye Fiber Optics on everyone's fav auction site for $6.95. Pics below show:

1. Full length on one optic.
2. Package as received with four colors. Note one end is flared (shown) to about 1.75-2.0mm
3. The smaller fiber optic is the diameter I used. The larger one is the standard front sight on my airgun. Couldn't get any clearer.
4. 4 shots @ 50 yds. GPR .54 100gr 3f. Not great but certainly "deer accurate" and something to work on.

Hope this helps someone besides me. Good luck.

 

[yonderin]

I'm thinking that would help a lot of us with older eyes. Nice work.

 

[LSB]

I like your idea but the third photo confuses me. You said you used green but the picture appears to show 2 red inserts. Could you clarify and maybe show a photo from the side and maybe a 3/4 view so I could better visualize what was done. Thanks.

 

[morehops52]

I like your idea but the third photo confuses me. You said you used green but the picture appears to show 2 red inserts. Could you clarify and maybe show a photo from the side and maybe a 3/4 view so I could better visualize what was done. Thanks.

I just taped the red sight to the top of my airgun sight which was red. I wanted to show the difference in the orig factory sight and the size i was now using. It is not a permanent set up. I also cut the sight I used to fit the flat on the GPR post. I showed the FO on the ruler at full size to show what I had started with. If I can get a clearer pic of sight I will post it and sorry for any confusion.

 

[LSB]

Gotcha. Thanks.

 

[morehops52]

Gotcha. Thanks.

As mentioned above the most difficult part is getting it glued on straight and centered on the post. I have an 8X loupe with a cutout sides i used for photo retouching (I'm a bit older than Photoshop). That enabled me to adjust it with a toothpick to get it right. The JB Weld does not set up quick so there is plenty of time to work it. I tried taping it but there was tension on the sight pulling it off line. I decided free handing it was the best for me. It will still work if a little off because your eyes will find the target but your brain will scream I WANT TO SEE SYMMETRY!

 

[doubleset]

I've been doing the same thing basically -- but gluing (Gorilla Epoxy) a short length of one of the smaller diameter fiber optic lengths to the top of a TOW front blade sight I've been tinkering to get just the right height with the fiber optic on it for my 25/50/100 yd target shooting. It's coming along. Not sure what color I'll prefer. I thought it might be orange, but I'm leaning towards the green. Might try blue at some point, but I have to stop fussing with it and start using it.

 

[morehops52]

I've been doing the same thing basically -- but gluing (Gorilla Epoxy) a short length of one of the smaller diameter fiber optic lengths to the top of a TOW front blade sight I've been tinkering to get just the right height with the fiber optic on it for my 25/50/100 yd target shooting. It's coming along. Not sure what color I'll prefer. I thought it might be orange, but I'm leaning towards the green. Might try blue at some point, but I have to stop fussing with it and start using it.

I chose green for its brightness and contrast . I found that adding a 1.5mm plus epoxy made my GPR shoot 6" low at 50 yds.

 

[doubleset]

For me the green seems to provide the best contrast as well -- both to the target and to the rear sight. But I did get concerned that it might be a little too bright in some circumstances and so become a bit "fuzzy". That's why I thought I might try the blue at some point -- or a "clear white" if that's available. I'm real close with the elevation now. Just a few licks of the file away. But part of that is deciding what sight picture you want for each distance.

 

[Johnny Tremain]

I just moved the rear sight forward. Been clear for over 15 years now.

 

[doubleset]

For me, it's not really the "clarity" of the front sight, but the visibility of it against various targets (particularly for match shooting). Black on black just doesn't do it for me. A white bead or post would be good -- and in fact better under some circumstances than a fiber optic. But when I've actually compared that myself, the fiber optic still wins out. So, at least for me, the fiber optic provides the best contrast and sight picture both against the target and within the slot of the rear sight. Otherwise, my preference would be to go with a globe front and aperture rear, which I used in 3-position. But that's not acceptable in most BP match scenarios. And I think the fiber optic will be just fine on squirrels.

 

[morehops52]

That's what I really like about finding multiple colors in various diameters. Because there are so many differences in what shooters prefer that anyone willing to put a little time in can find what works best for them and their rifle. Keep in mind that the best size for one rifle might be different for a rifle with a longer or shorter bbl. As far as fuzz out goes I think that is also dependent on the diameter of the fiber optic at a specific distance.

 

[morehops52]

For me, it's not really the "clarity" of the front sight, but the visibility of it against various targets (particularly for match shooting). Black on black just doesn't do it for me. A white bead or post would be good -- and in fact better under some circumstances than a fiber optic. But when I've actually compared that myself, the fiber optic still wins out. So, at least for me, the fiber optic provides the best contrast and sight picture both against the target and within the slot of the rear sight. Otherwise, my preference would be to go with a globe front and aperture rear, which I used in 3-position. But that's not acceptable in most BP match scenarios. And I think the fiber optic will be just fine on squirrels. 🐿

I hadn't looked at this for a match shoot situation. My main concern was only hunting in low light and my aging eyes. I can tell you it did help at the range and as far as bushytails are concerned I ain't never seen a squirrel that would blend in against my glowing green sight

 

[doubleset]

I hadn't looked at this for a match shoot situation. My main concern was only hunting in low light and my aging eyes.

I think a solid white "bead" is actually better than a colored fiber optic under certain low light conditions, or conditions where the light source is at a particular angle. But among shooting conditions, these are relatively infrequent, and the fiber optic in those situations tends still to be sufficiently good. It's really only in waning light just before dark, or dim light where the source is behind you, where the solid white bead provides more visibility. So for BP, I'm going with the new tech -- though my Browning Hi-Power now sports white 3-dot sights.

 

[morehops52]

I think a solid white "bead" is actually better than a colored fiber optic under certain low light conditions, or conditions where the light source is at a particular angle. But among shooting conditions, these are relatively infrequent, and the fiber optic in those situations tends still to be sufficiently good. It's really only in waning light just before dark, or dim light where the source is behind you, where the solid white bead provides more visibility. So for BP, I'm going with the new tech -- though my Browning Hi-Power now sports white 3-dot sights.

Some of my Lymans have white dots and they do work well in good light. My experience with them at 10 min til shooting ends is that they are useless for me personally. I'm finding in my later years that I am looking for solutions to problems that I didn't have in my younger years.

 

[doubleset]

Duh. And some that -- let's be honest -- don't have solutions.

 

[ord sgt]

Williams Gun Sights makes a fiber optic front sight. You have to remove the old front sight from the dovetail and push the new sight into place. Just be sure to get the front sight centered on the barrel.
I replaced the front and rear sights on my last build. I did this to help new shooters line up the front and rear sight. Two green dots in the rear and a red dot front sight.