How should three dot sights be used?

H

Hank15

New member
I've had my 1911 for a while now, and I have yet to master the three dot sights.

This is how I aim it:

I line up the three dots, and I cover half of my target with the front sight.

So far it's been giving me decent results, but people have told me that I should be covering up the entire target with the dotted front sight.

What do you guys think? Any suggestions?
 
These are TruGlo TFO sights, but they illustrate the concept.
G19.jpg

My carry load (9PBLE) shoots in the center of the front dot at 10-15', at the top of the dot at 25' and on top of the front sight at 20-30 yds.

There are times when knowing that might just come in handy!!
 
Some sights are set up for 'six o'clock hold' where the target sits on top of the center dot, others have a POI hold where the dot is covering the target.

My Sig is POI, all the others are six o'clock.
 
I think it depends on the gun and distance.For example at 25 yrds with spinning steel plates with my Kahr CW 45 I can plink them with the front site cutting through center target another words front site blocks target view some what.With my Glock 19 9mm seems Its reversed that the target rest on top of front site for positive hits.I dont use back sites they just get slipped out of focus,I do look through the rear but they seem to disapear when I focus on the front.
 
The dots are there ONLY for the times when conditions/lighting obscure the outlines of the sights.

In those cases line up the three dots & blast away.

In all other situations sighting should be done using the outline of the sights--the dots should be ignored.
 
I suppose that depends on the shooter. I've been using the dots so long now, I see them first and have to switch focus to get a traditional sight picture.

I find the dots much quicker to pick up, in any light or lack of it, and dont usually switch focus until the target is 15 or more yards away. Even then, its still very easy to make good hits quickly using the dots.
 
I guess I should have been more specific.

I have a Colt 1911 Government XSE that came with Colt's own 3 dot sights.

I don't know if anyone else out there has the same gun as mine, but if you do, please advise on how you achieve the best results.

Thanks for the help so far guys, I really appreciate it.
 
Depends on the ammo, in some respects because different ammunition will give you a slightly different POI. When I shoot I tend to look only at the front sight. The rear sights sort of disappear and I don't think about them. It's always a case for me of putting the sight on or slightly below the target, depending on the ammunition.
 
Please don't take my reply as critical...you asked a legitimate question as there are several ways sights are meant to be used, but... can't you shoot your own pistol and then tell how the sights are aligned? From a rest, shooting any one, or all of the three usual sight pictures at a fixed distance should answer your question better than someone not shooting your personal pistol. Actual shooting will answer any other qustions that will arise too.
 
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My local range is strange

My local firing range only allows shooting standing up, so I can't try shooting my 1911 from a sand bag. They don't allow double tap either...

I've put about 1000 rounds through my 1911.

First 500s was more like a learning curve (trigger control, correcting form and grip, etc.)

The second 500s was an attempt to try and understand exactly how I should aim with my 1911.

So far I've had mixed results with the front sight right under the target, the front sight covering half the target, and the white dot covering the entire target.

My precision is not horrible:(, I average 3" to 5" groups (by groups I mean my entire shooting session) at about 21 yards. But my accuracy is inconsistent...because I don't know which method is correct or the best. So often the silhouette will end up losing a random chunk of its body :D.

Oh, and I seem to be getting these results with almost any ammo (magtech, winchester white boxes, fiocchi, american eagle,etc.)

Please post if you have any more suggestions/comments.

I don't want to burn ammo anymore :mad:.
 
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If you want to know for sure, you need to stop switching around between the different methods during your time there.

I would use one method the whole time and then compare targets later. Your answer will revealed at the end.
 
If you're placing the sight consistently on the same part of the target and you're averaging 3 to 5 inch groups, then it isn't the sight or sight placement that's causing the spread. I'd think about trigger control and whether you're actually being as consistent in sighting the target as you think you are. I'd also ask myself whether my gun is compatible with whatever ammunition I'm using, if it were me. Some guns just don't perform well with certain ammo brands. Whether or not your groups are a problem also depends how far away from the target you are. 3 - 5 inch groups shot offhand, from 25 yards, while definitely not something that will win bullseye competitions, are not bad for the average shooter. At 10 yards, groups of 3 - 5 inches leave definite room for improvement. Are you shooting consistently high or low or to one side or the other? Or, are you scattering your shots around. Consistent placement above, below, or to one side or the other of POA suggests problems with flinching or grip. Scattered groups suggest inconsistent sighting or trigger control, or problems with the ammo.
 
When I'm shooting at a black target at the indoor range, my ol' eyes have a hard time picking up the top of the black iron front sight, so I cover the center of the target with the dot on the sight. My groups are about 5 inches at 21 feet, which is adequate for my defensive carry purposes.(I think). Once in a while my mind wanders a little and I flinch or jerk the trigger and get a flyer.
 
Sometimes it's hard to see the black front sight against a black target. Try putting a dab of "White Out" correction fluid on the top front face of the front sight. It will come off easily later if you want. It really helps the front sight contrast against the target and gives your eyes a focal point. Especially old tired 50 plus year old eyes like mine.
 
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