How to measure front sight height

R

Roland Thunder

New member
I was going to purchase a Dawson fiber optic front sight for my SA Loaded Target 9mm 1911. The Dawson sights come in a variety of heights and widths. The Dawson CSR told me I could find the height of my current front sight by measuring them with calipers. I don't see how that can be done since I can't get the caliper jaws around both the top and bottom of the sights due to it being mounted on the slide.

Any suggestions?
 
Measure from the top of the sight to the bottom of the slide. Then measure the height of the slide. Subtract the slide height from the slide/sight total to get sight height.
 
Measure from the top of the sight to the bottom of the slide. Then measure the height of the slide. Subtract the slide height from the slide/sight total to get sight height.
Click to expand...

Simple, but awesomely effective. Excellent. :D
 
Tried burrhead's method and Mike38's method. Got the same results both ways, .173

Dawson doesn't have any sights exactly that height, they have .170 and .180. How would either of those impact my shooting (higher or lower) and what adjustment would I have to make to the rear sight.

Thanks to all
 
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The loaded target has an adjustable rear, so if you get the slightly shorter front, you might have to turn the rear down a click, and if you get the .180 you'll have to go up a couple or three.
 
You measured your front sight to the top, which is normally your line of sight. But on the F/O sights: are the measurements to the top of the fiber, or to the center of the fiber(which will be your line of sight)?

You can do the math ...
 
To the top of the sight blade, like any other post sight.
The dot is an indicator of where the front sight is, not a replacement for the sight.
 
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