Author Topic: Aging eyes and iron sights (Read 499 times)

olywa · « **on:** November 25, 2005, 01:24:37 PM »

While I really enjoy my G2 Contender 10" 44 Mag with 2X scope, I'd like to try iron sights one more time before I admit that my eyes are getting too old to use them effectively. One setup that has worked well for me on my Ruger P4 22/45 involved installing a Hi-Viz fiber optic front sight and swapping out the adjustable rear sight blade with the "V" blade that Ruger offers for their Redhawk. I got the idea from the MKII forum (how'd I ever get by without the internet?). It's a sweet setup and it allows both fast target acquisition and a darned good sight picture for me since I rarely shoot this pistol over 50 yards.

I tried the One-Ragged-Hole peepsight blade with this setup first, but my days of using a peep effectively are over. However, it's amazing how well that fiber front and shallow V rear line up for me. The Hi-Viz front sight also came with red and green light pipes in 3 different sizes so I can swap them out to refine the sight picture as needed.

I'd like to try this with my Contender but the only adjustable rear sight that I've seen that has a replaceable blade is made by Williams and it looks like it sits pretty high on the barrel. Can anyone tell me what height front sight I will need to work with the Williams rear on a 10" bull barrel? Also, any recommendations for an aftermarket ramp with a standard dovetail that will fit the standard hole spacing on a Contender barrel? I'm hoping that someone else has tried this so that I can eliminate all the trial-and-error part.

MnMike · « **Reply #1 on:** November 27, 2005, 02:56:02 PM »

I bought a TC fiber rear sight for my .45 WinMag. It just screwed on. The barrel had a silver soldered front sight. Rather than replacing it, I drilled a couple of small holes in the blade and and used them to mount a piece of fiber with a couple of pieces of small wire. The wire is epoxyed into the holes. Has worked great. With just epoxy (no wire) the thing kept coming off in the case. A bit of carefully applied black paint makes the setup look like it came from a factory. Not a real good factory maybe, but not bad.

mike

olywa · « **Reply #2 on:** November 27, 2005, 07:01:34 PM »

Sounds like an interesting and effective solution. I did a little more research and it looks like there is a shallow V blade that fits the Williams rear peep sight for the Contender. I now need to find out if their Shorty ramp will fit the hole spacing for the front sight.

The V blade on my Ruger has a white vertical line so that all you have to do is "dot the i" by placing the fiber optic bead at the center of the V. This works well for me out to about 75 yards.

Mack the Knife · « **Reply #3 on:** November 29, 2005, 02:43:10 PM »

Well I am 80, so I know all about them. Try a peep site, or a Ghost ring on the receiver. Works for me.

olywa · « **Reply #4 on:** November 30, 2005, 04:10:05 AM »

Thanks Mack, I wish I could still use a peep effectively. I've used them all my life but now even the ghost rings are looking fuzzy and oval. However the combination of a shallow V and a fiber dot up front seems to line up beautifully for me. Kind of like an Express rifle setup for close-in shooting. Most of my shots on deer are under 50 yards and I'm having no trouble keeping my shots under "minute-of-pie plate" at that range. Plus it's a heck of a lot more convenient to carry an unscoped pistol.