Fiber optic size

[littlejerry]

The FO color thread got me thinking: what has your experience been with .060 vs .040 FO sights? I've only used/owned Warren FO sights which use larger .060 FO rods. Does anyone prefer the smaller diameter?

I'm intrigued by the idea of a smaller dot on a .125 or .115 post. Curious to hear opinions before running a $50 experiment.

[olstyn]

I've only ever run a Dawson front sight, which is a .040" fiber, and IMO it glows plenty bright, especially outdoors. I suppose a .060" fiber might gather more light, which might be beneficial if you're on a less than brilliantly well lit indoor range.

[xmanhockey7]

I've only ever run a Dawson front sight, which is a .040" fiber, and IMO it glows plenty bright, especially outdoors. I suppose a .060" fiber might gather more light, which might be beneficial if you're on a less than brilliantly well lit indoor range.

^ I agree and have the same experience as the above poster.

[BigT]

I find the 1.5mm fibre over powers the front sight. The 1mm (.040) gives me the benefits of fibre with a front blade I can still use.

[dsa]

I too prefer the .040. I also take a black sharpie to the top exposed portion of the fiber optic (Dawson sights) to dim them down a bit. I little trick I picked up in a Ben Stoeger class.

[Mr_White]

I've not used anything larger than the 0.040", which I really like. Anytime I have looked at the bigger size I kind of want to barf. Not really barf, but I don't like how huge it looks.


I too prefer the .040. I also take a black sharpie to the top exposed portion of the fiber optic (Dawson sights) to dim them down a bit. I little trick I picked up in a Ben Stoeger class.

You know, I finally actually tried this as I have been experimenting with green FO recently. Seems really promising. I can't say that I have had a problem with the FO being too bright, but the most surprising thing about the black sharpie treatment on the green FO is that the dot doesn't look much dimmer to me, just smaller. It actually makes the dot look noticeably smaller to my eyes. Kind of cool and I am going to keep playing with it.

[1911Nut]

I have tried red and green fibers and 1.0mm and 1.5mm diameter fibers. I prefer the red color and 1.5mm combination by a significant margin. Front sight width is .125"

It is important to note that I have ageing eyes (68 years old) and have had cataract surgery and accommodative lens transplants within the past 6-8 months, so my preferences/needs may vary significantly from others.