In my last article, I addressed the myth that it’s impossible to use your sights under the stress of a violent encounter. That discussion was primarily focused on the “software” side of the equation — if we train to use our sights appropriately in practice, we can rely on those well-honed habits under stress as well. I also briefly touched on the hardware side of the issue. The more visible your sights, the more useful they are likely to be in a real encounter.
This argument for modern, highly visible sights often meets resistance when it comes to the snub nose revolver. More so than any other type of handgun manufactured today, snubby revolvers are frequently equipped with diminutive sights that can be difficult to see under a variety of lighting conditions. However, considering the short sight radius and the inherent challenge of shooting these guns accurately, would altering the sights really make any worthwhile difference? I wasn’t sure myself and thought it was worth testing with a simple experiment. As the Mythbusters taught us, the only difference between science and screwing around is writing it down, so I set out to test various sights, armed with a set of targets, a timer, and a notepad.
I chose to use the Ruger LCR revolver for the experiment. Small frame revolvers like the LCR and the Smith & Wesson J-frames are common everyday carry guns. Additionally, the front sight of the LCR is easy to change with nothing but a punch and small hammer, making it an ideal platform for a test comparing multiple front sights. The LCR has a fixed trench-style rear sight so I did not have to worry about lining up new sights or changing the style of the rear to match the front.
I decided to first test the factory black ramp front sight as the control. Following that, I would test a low dollar change to the front sight, followed by a more expensive change. I purchased two bottles of nail polish — one white and one green — at a dollar store for a grand total of $2. With the low cost and the ease with which the polish can be applied and removed, it is simple to try various colors to find out what works for your eyes. For the more expensive option, I purchased a $50 Novak “Mega Dot Tritium” front sight. I was able to install it in about two minutes with a 1/16-inch punch and hammer, so neither option is labor intensive.
It was quickly apparent that the Novak’s white insert surrounded by black was easier to pick up against a host of different colors and in various lighting conditions. Either the black or the white was always contrasted against the background, whereas each of the single color options had some condition in which they were difficult to see. I also discovered the green was much too glossy and reflected light in a distracting manner. I could tell right away that this particular green was unsuitable for me, so I did not test it further.
To determine if there was any real difference between the remaining three options, I would need to try them out at the range. In order to provide as accurate a comparison as I could, I shot each set of sights “cold” (with no prior warm-up shots) with two weeks in between each session. I fired from the same lane at the same indoor range under the same lighting.
For lighting conditions, I did my best to simulate a lit parking lot at night. I had most of the overhead lights off and the light source was up and to my right, as though from an overhead security light. The result was lighting conditions very similar to those where defensive pistol use often occurs. I also know that with plain black sights, I tend to bias my shots a bit toward the light source under these conditions and I wanted to see if I could improve that.
For the timed testing, I timed my press-out (gun in strong hand by rib cage, ready to press out to meet the support hand as it is extended toward the target) rather than my full draw stroke in order to eliminate variables in the draw and to show that any differences were strictly the speed at which I could acquire the front sight.
All shooting was done with 148 grain lead wadcutters from a distance of 7 yards on a silhouette style target. With each sight, I attempted both head shots and body shots. Only hits inside the head area and the center scoring zone of the body were counted toward the average time for each sight.
http://www.luckygunner.com/lounge/snub-nose-sights-matter/
