FO front AND back for SP-01 Tactical

[boss281]

With my aging eyes, I was surprised that Dawson Precision fiber optic front and rears on my P-01 collected enough light when shooting at an OUTSIDE range (not in indoor ranges) that I could use them effectively even wearing my distance prescription shooting glasses. Not perfect but enough to hit targets beyond defensive ranges.

For competition, I was going to mill a second slide for my heavier SP-01 Tactical and put a red dot on it.  But curious, I installed the EZ/D fiber optic front with black rear sight on the Tactical. Not bad but the contrasting green fiber optics on my P-01 really help align the sights quickly. But Dawson Precision doesn't offer a rear fiber optic sight for the Tactical. Their web pages specifically say not to use on the Tactical model.

Does anyone else make FO sights for CZs that might work on the Tactical?

[M1A4ME]

I'm not a real fan of FO sights, but I've learned a couple things I suggest people check out for themselves.

1.  Color.  My XDM has the amber/orange FO front sight and I hate it.  Like a big orange basket ball glowing on the end of the slide.  When I got my used Tactical Sport it had a green FO front sight.  Great.  When I saw the pistol I thought I'd be changing the front sight.  When I took it to the range I found I liked it, so I left it alone.

2.  Size/diameter of the FO rod (which the front side is made for).  The FO rod on the Tactical Sport is a smaller diameter than the XDM and still plenty visible.  Just right.  Too big may be part of the issue with the orange front sight on the XDM, too.

[boss281]

I'm not a real fan of FO sights, but I've learned a couple things I suggest people check out for themselves.

1.  Color.  My XDM has the amber/orange FO front sight and I hate it.  Like a big orange basket ball glowing on the end of the slide.  When I got my used Tactical Sport it had a green FO front sight.  Great.  When I saw the pistol I thought I'd be changing the front sight.  When I took it to the range I found I liked it, so I left it alone.

2.  Size/diameter of the FO rod (which the front side is made for).  The FO rod on the Tactical Sport is a smaller diameter than the XDM and still plenty visible.  Just right.  Too big may be part of the issue with the orange front sight on the XDM, too.

Thanks for responding.

I'm 62 and the last five years my eyesight has really been changing. I quite using my irons on rifles and have switched exclusively to red dots or glass for competitions.  I have tried multiple (expensive) approaches to prescription lenses that allow me to see both target and front sight.  From 5-10 yards, maybe 15 yards, I can shoot defensive pistol acceptably.  But for sighting on targets on the move that might be pushing 25 yards, I'm about ready to switch to red dots.

I've tried various colors and sizes, plus various color shooting glasses, over the past few years and have landed on fiber optics as the best compromise--it was an extensive experiment.  I need to have my distance glasses on period, and finding a way to see a fuzzy set of pistol sights has been problematic. I happened to take my P-01 with front and rear fiber optics (front red, rear green) to the outdoor range the other day, just for some close in shooting after I sighted in a new red dot on my Scorpion pistol, and was astonished to see the difference between light gathering in the optic between indoor and outdoor ranges.  Kind of a "duh-uh" moment, of COURSE that will make a difference, but I had't realized it until now.

I have a large orange site on my P-09 bedside gun (Fission site) and it works well enough indoors at close range, but completely washes out with my prescription.  YMMV.

So, the quest for fiber optic rear for my SP-01 Tactical, my competition pistol. If it doesn't work I'll sell off most of my pistols and just get the spare SP-01 slide milled for a red dot and call it a day.

Such a process man, such a process!

[Earl Keese]

Might as well get the dot and start training with it.

Sent from my SM-G970U using Tapatalk

[boss281]

Might as well get the dot and start training with it.

Sent from my SM-G970U using Tapatalk

My guess, Earl, is that going with a red dot is a given soon. It's why I picked up the spare slide and researching pistil red dots.  But I thought once last try with FO front and rear sights running a competition stage would finish the experiment...

[Raining_Brass]

I don't think FO front and rear will solve your problem. Generally the answer to shooting with aging eyes to only have one thing to look through down to the target : a red dot.

[boss281]

I don't think FO front and rear will solve your problem. Generally the answer to shooting with aging eyes to only have one thing to look through down to the target : a red dot.

Funny, I was just on your website looking at options...

Sent from my Pixel 3a using Tapatalk

[Raining_Brass]

I don't think FO front and rear will solve your problem. Generally the answer to shooting with aging eyes to only have one thing to look through down to the target : a red dot.

Funny, I was just on your website looking at options...

Sent from my Pixel 3a using Tapatalk

You'd be amazed at the amount of slides well mill for guys 60+ complaining about iron sights no longer getting the job done and how glad they are that that's the direction they went!

[boss281]

I don't think FO front and rear will solve your problem. Generally the answer to shooting with aging eyes to only have one thing to look through down to the target : a red dot.

Funny, I was just on your website looking at options...

Sent from my Pixel 3a using Tapatalk

You'd be amazed at the amount of slides well mill for guys 60+ complaining about iron sights no longer getting the job done and how glad they are that that's the direction they went!

If you don't mind PM'ing your name I'll call shortly to get advice on options.

[Earl Keese]

Training for target focus will take longer than you think. My eyes don't require using a red dot yet, but I see it coming. I made the decision last year to start training with it exclusively.  The only regret I have is not starting sooner.

[Raining_Brass]

I don't think FO front and rear will solve your problem. Generally the answer to shooting with aging eyes to only have one thing to look through down to the target : a red dot.

Funny, I was just on your website looking at options...

Sent from my Pixel 3a using Tapatalk

You'd be amazed at the amount of slides well mill for guys 60+ complaining about iron sights no longer getting the job done and how glad they are that that's the direction they went!

If you don't mind PM'ing your name I'll call shortly to get advice on options.

Shoot me an email. We'd prefer to be able to look back on conversations through email than try to think back on a phone call.
bruce@primarymachine.com

[boss281]

I don't think FO front and rear will solve your problem. Generally the answer to shooting with aging eyes to only have one thing to look through down to the target : a red dot.

Funny, I was just on your website looking at options...

Sent from my Pixel 3a using Tapatalk

You'd be amazed at the amount of slides well mill for guys 60+ complaining about iron sights no longer getting the job done and how glad they are that that's the direction they went!

If you don't mind PM'ing your name I'll call shortly to get advice on options.

Shoot me an email. We'd prefer to be able to look back on conversations through email than try to think back on a phone call.
bruce@primarymachine.com

Will do Bruce.