Rethinking the Novak sights

G

George Hill

Staff Alumnus
Do you guys ever practice one handed?
Loading, clearing stoppages etc One handed?

The HK USP had a SOLID rear sight that allowed me to hook it onto my holster or belt and manipulate the slide.
The Novaks on my new guns do not let me do this.
To me - this is most annoying. Almost to the point I wanted to replace them with less worth gun sights.
However they remain very good sites for a pistol - as long as you got two hands.

------------------
"A fear of weapons is a sign of retarded sexual and emotional maturity." - Sigmund Freud
Hey, have I mentioned my new book? It is called:
MEN ARE FROM MARS and WOMEN JUST NEED TO DEAL WITH IT!




[This message has been edited by George Hill (edited November 30, 1999).]
 
George, you raise an excellent point. In my opinion, the Novak (or any other similarly shaped sight) should not be on a gun you use for personal defense for just the sort of emergency drills you describe. Some will argue that such a drill is carrying things to the extreme. However, I am a big believer in Murphy's Law. If things can go bad at the worst possible moment -- they will!
 
Yes, I never understood the 'snag free' sight concept. Seems like when you'd really want to be sure that the sight wasn't going to get caught on anything would be when the gun was coming OUT of the holster. So why make it snag free in both directions when there is a really good reason not to?
 
Well,

I sometimes carry in an IWB holster and when I wear clothing that are somewhat loose, I've had my Heinie rear sight catch on my clothes while clearing leather. I find this to happen more often than my need to work the slide one handed. However, the slide clearing excercise has made me think about what to do if I should get no snag sites; I'm thinking of getting a new piece that comes with Novaks.

The way I've practiced working the slide is I bend my knees slightly to hold the slide on the back of my knees. Then I work the slide by pushing the frame. I admit it's not perfect and less safe then working the slide by hooking your site, but it works for me. YMMV.
 
I have worked with a Kimber with fixed sights that are very snag free. Even though you can not hook the sight on anything you can get enought pressure on it to cycle the slide consistantly. You just need to try it a few times to build the confidence that it does work.
 
If you are so worried about the need to clear a malfunction with one hand, two things come to mind:

1) You might consider replacing the pistol/ammunition you are currently using, and/or;

2) You might consider carrying a backup weapon.

I suspect that one can draw a backup weapon faster than clearing a malfunction with only one hand.
 
The method I use to work the slide is to drop to one knee (behind cover, if possible) and use my heel to catch the sight. It seems much more solid than hooking my belt or holster, and for me it is quicker.
However, I agree with Daniel, a backup is better. But, you should practice doing both, just in case. Yes, Dogger, Murphy is a friend of mine, too.
 
I have a set of Novak's on my Glock 34. I have no problem pressing the rear sight into my waist at the belt and racking the slide one handed. I suspect there are many elements involved here. Strength, belt, mainspring strength, practice, etc.
I do know that it works for me.

Neil Casper
 
I for one am not going to have the muzzle of the gun anywhere near my body when the slide is worked. Of the methods that have been mentioned in this thread, the one where the rear sight is hooked on the boot heel seems the safest.

However, if you are that worried about clearing a malfunction, carry a revolver.
 
Hey, TFLers!

You're the first to know about the latest in self-defense malf clearing drills--the Cheapo technique!

Install the rubbery version of skateboard tape on your slide, one piece on the sides and over the top. Your choice of in front of the ejection port or behind it.

The technique--just bite the slide and push the frame. Keeps the muzzle pointed away from all important body parts, and your jawbone and teeth will almost certainly be available if you're still conscious. If not (and gumming it doesn't work), you probably should not be engaging the bad people anyway.

You might even be able to inspect the dud round as it flies through your field of vision.
 
cdf - You asked a very good question...
The HK USP is still in my opinion one of the best pistols you can get - so why change?
Hey man, you knew I was considering moving it off - I even gave you first dibbs on it...
;)
Check your email...

Cheapo - Thats the strangest gun idea I have heard of since the WWI Chauchat Machine Gun.



------------------
"A fear of weapons is a sign of retarded sexual and emotional maturity." - Sigmund Freud
Hey, have I mentioned my new book? It is called:
MEN ARE FROM MARS and WOMEN JUST NEED TO DEAL WITH IT!
 
Not to be sarcastic or anything, but what are you going to do with your primary, while reaching for your backup? Set it down? Stick it in your belt? Then draw your secondary. Either way, it's a lot more time/danger than tapping the magazine base plate on your knee and racking the slide on your belt, pocket, or shoe.

Daniel, faith in weapons or equipment has nothing to do with anything. We carry the best we can, and since it was made by imperfect men and machines, hope it works when things go to hell. Sometimes, however rare, bad things happen. I suspect many of us carry daily, yet how often do we need it?

Things happen, and you may not have the things you need when you need them anyways, so I agree with George, snag-free doesn't make sense on the muzzle side of the sights. Now a flat front side and snag free rear portion of the sight shouldn't be to hard to come up with. Are there any out there? If not, then I have dibs on the patent!

Chuck
 
Chuck - That is why I teach people (and any worthy arms school) to take cover before doing a stoppage drill or even getting that back up.
Oh - and if you have to make a transition from handgun to handgun... Just drop it.
drop it NOW.
Reason?
Your in a fire fight... your main weapon has just gone south - you have more to worry about than the finsh on your no longer functioning pistol. Drop it - transition - reengage the threat. Once it's all over - then you can worry about it.
Your life is worth more than a pistol. You can replace a pistol. Your life? You only got one and repairs cost a lot more money and pain and suffering to fix than on a pistol's.

------------------
"A fear of weapons is a sign of retarded sexual and emotional maturity." - Sigmund Freud
Hey, have I mentioned my new book? It is called:
MEN ARE FROM MARS and WOMEN JUST NEED TO DEAL WITH IT!
 
George is right. Drop the damn thing before you take some scumbags FMJ .380 in the gut. But I don't think we can forgive George for mentioning the Chauchat.
Well, wait a minute...Since scumbags tend to shoot palm-down and don't do anything like aim, maybe you can tuck away your Piece before drawing a fresh one!
 
I don't own a USP so I don't know if this will work for you or not, but on my Glocks and some SIG's (not a P210) you can hook the heel of the shoe on the rear of the ejection port.
 
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