Colt 1911 Sight Picture

R

Roland Thunder

New member
I have a Colt XSE Government model 1911. Does anyone know if the sight picture is 6 O'clock hold or center mass. I don't have the manual handy or I would look it up
 
I'm not trying to be a smart alec,but the way to KNOW the answer to that is shoot it.Shoot about three magazines at the same precise point.Then see what you get.That point CAN be 6 oclock on a round bull.The 6 is your point of aim to reference.
My eyes see the sight alignment more precisely against the contrasting light color of the target.

Realize a change of grip squeeze or bullet weight,etc can change your results.
 
A 6:00 hold requires a known target size and known target distance, so there's no way a gun can come from the factory sighted for a 6:00 hold without those specifics (6" bull at 25 yards, etc.).
Firing a few groups at 25 yards will give you the POA/POI relationship.
 
Shoot the gun and see where it hits. I've had several that shot about 6" low at 25 yards. For a s/d gun to shoot about an inch above the sights at 25 Yards, if it shoots low you can't see a small target to hit it. You need adjustable sights if you want to shoot bulls eye.
 
1911

Some shooters like a center aim and others a 6:00 hold.

A 6:00 hold allows the shooter to see the entire center of the target as you are shooting at while a center hold does not.

Depends on what you are comfortable with. Shoot both ways and make a determination.

I use 6:00 for iron sights and center hold for red dots.

Have fun.
 
ammo.crafter said:
A 6:00 hold allows the shooter to see the entire center of the target as you are shooting at while a center hold d
Click to expand...
But if the intent is to hit the center of the bullseye, as RickB pointed out you can only have the sights regulated for one size bullseye at one pre-established distance. At any other distance or different size bullseye, parallax will result in a POI that's not in the center of the bullseye. On the other hand, the center is always the center.

Pretty much all current makers of handguns have the sights set up (as much as possible, considering variations in both visual perception and shooting technique) for center hold.
 
A fixed sight 1911 is traditionally (for over a century) sighted in for a 230 gr. bullet and a 6 o'clock hold at 25 yards. With a traditionally sized 6" bull that places impact in the center, about 3" impact above point of aim. Bullet impact will be lower on the target with a lighter bullet. So in a piece sighted in for 230 gr. bullet at 25 yards impact with a 185 gr. pill can be "point of aim, point of impact" or close to it.

In manufacturing there is a formula for this that varies only with the length of the slide on fixed sight guns and presumes a standard bullet weight. That is a relationship between the height of the front and rear sights that will differ with the length of the slide.

In practice this only makes a difference in bullseye shooting and hunting. In defensive shooting it makes little to no practical difference.

As others have said go out and shoot the gun and learn for yourself. The gun in your hands will tell you.

tipoc
 
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