Ever snagged your front sight?

[Serafino]

Although I see a lot of references to avoiding snagging sights as a consideration in choosing equipment or methods of carry, I haven't been able to find any actual testimony from someone whose front sight snagged on clothing and significantly interfered with drawing a gun. As an experiment I tried to make an unloaded G34 catch the sight while drawing from inside a tucked shirt (cross-draw) today and I couldn't make it happen. I'm beginning to wonder if I should worry that even extra-large suppressor sights would be an issue drawing from a suitable holster even if tucked or inside a jacket. Anyone have or know of any stories?

[JHC]

Never found sights to present any issue. Once garments are cleared for the draw, it should be clear sailing. I've never been much of a pocket carrier.

[JTQ]

I have with a 1911 drawing from a new "slide" holster (El Paso Saddlery High Slide http://www.epsaddlery.com/pc-149-20-high-slide.aspx ). It didn't prevent drawing, but it caused a hitch in the draw and the surprise slowed me down a bit. Either the holster broke in, or I got better with the draw stroke with that particular holster and the problem has gone away. I haven't caught anything on clothes, though.

[okie john]

Although I see a lot of references to avoiding snagging sights as a consideration in choosing equipment or methods of carry, I haven't been able to find any actual testimony from someone whose front sight snagged on clothing and significantly interfered with drawing a gun. As an experiment I tried to make an unloaded G34 catch the sight while drawing from inside a tucked shirt (cross-draw) today and I couldn't make it happen. I'm beginning to wonder if I should worry that even extra-large suppressor sights would be an issue drawing from a suitable holster even if tucked or inside a jacket. Anyone have or know of any stories?

That was good advice back in the days before action shooting revealed how sights for fighting pistols should be set up, but it refers more to the angle of the front sight face than to the overall height of the sight.

When I started shooting seriously back in the 70's, action shooting was rare outside of Southern California. Bullseye was still the primary driver of ideas on how a semi-auto in a serious caliber should be laid out, and bullseye shooters worried about accuracy above all else. We never drew from the holster--in fact, nobody wore a holster on the line. We only loaded on the range master's command. We never reloaded in the middle of a string and we'd only clear a malfunction with an RO standing by.

Front sights with a vertical face were common, as were "hawkbill" sights, where the top of the rear sight was closer to the shooter than the bottom (as on this http://ruger.com/products/markIIICom...on/models.html). That front sight design was common because in bright light, a ramped sight like we all use today can shift POI laterally due to optical factors that I can't remember exactly right now. The shift was enough to lower your slow-fire scores on a square range with tiny targets 25 and 50 yards away. The overhang casts a shadow that eliminates the problem, which is why people still use them for bullseye or other pure accuracy shooting games.

As action shooting spread beyond Southern California, a lot of people tried to use bullseye pistols for action shooting. They needed to be told that a front sight shaped like a shark fin would cause problems, and that they'd rip their hands open if they tried to do a tap-rack-bang over a stock Bomar or Micro rear sight. I was one of them--I shot a softball gun built by Jim Clark, Sr. in my first action match--but I had read that advice and I never had problems.

Yes, those sights did snag on things. But while most handgun makers have gotten their act together with regard to sights, some shooters will still try to get by using a target pistol for concealed carry. The advice is still valid for them.

All of the suppressor sights I've seen are tall, but the face is at the correct angle, so they're pretty snag-resistant despite their height.


Okie John