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Sight Material? Brass, Iron, Silver?

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jrmflintlock

45 Cal.
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So, all my firearms with open sights have steel front and back, what do you all use? And under what conditions? Low light? Bright light? Targets only? Hunting only? All shooting?

I've heard brass is hard to see in bright light.

I'm only talking about traditional open sights, not peeps or adjustable ramp style. Only "fixed" sights.

Also differences in front and rear, ie brass front and steel rear or visa versa or any combination.

Thanks for the advice!!
 
I have brass sights on a couple and black on a couple of others. If I can't see the lighter sights well depending on conditions or the target, I use a black magic marker to darken the edge of them. On the black sights I use a piece of white chalk to lighten them up. I only do this on the front sight obviously. Neither is permanent and can be easily undone. Some folks use "whiteout" on dark sights to paint a white mark on the sight.
 
I think everything is hard to see in bright light...

But I think brass holds up over the widest range of backgrounds....

I'm sure everyone has their preference...
 
I have a silver blade on the front of my hawken and a black semi buck horn rear sight.
Last time I shot which was last week, I noticed I'm having problems picking up the front sight, I was thinking of putting a dab of orange paint on the edge neer the tip.
 
I have copper and German silver. With both I polish them up, but then soot them black with a candle.

If I get out and it's bright I just shoot.

If I get out and it's overcast or the sun is setting I wipe off the soot and have a brighter sight.
 
Mooman76 said:
Let brass tarnish and don't shine it. If it's still too much reflection coat it with black marker, paint or whatever. I would think silver would be even worse.

Agreed!.....blackened and it disappears in the shadows...polished and disappears in the light...
Natural tarnish seems to be the best for all circumstances...
 
Steel blued very dark (black). Front sight left barely 1/32" too tall, fine knife edge file is used to make a thin horizontal "cut" just below top of the from sight, this becomes an easy to see "top" to the front sight regardless of light conditions.
 
I use a thin, silver, front sight post. I get mine from Track of the Wolf. In low light the sight is very visible, and the thin blade gives me the best accuracy.

I started using them when I owned a Pedersoli made Blue Ridge Hunter from Cabela's. It had a standard Pedersoli steel front sight post, and it was like looking over the top of a 2x4 when shooting at 100 yards. Swapping it out for the thin silver blade made a huge difference.

LD
 
Stumpkiller said:
I have copper and German silver. With both I polish them up, but then soot them black with a candle.

If I get out and it's bright I just shoot.

If I get out and it's overcast or the sun is setting I wipe off the soot and have a brighter sight.

Bingo!

No single color of front sight is good in all lighting conditions. Sooting a bright sight is the only way to fly with my eyes.
 
My squirrel LR has an all steel front sight for durability and stability w/ an angled sterling silver insert soldered in. Has worked since 1978 and the many head hit squirrels can attest to its utility.......Fred
 
My favorite, fine, rifle has silver front and rear. Beautiful. But :shocked2: I darken them with black felt tip marker. I really prefer black or dark browned sights, front and rear. They give enough contrast to be usable in all light conditions and even against dark targets. If it is too dark to see them, go home and start drinking. :wink:
 
Could be my poor color vision, but I see a German Silver front sight best. I blacken the rear of the rear sight and it's great contrast between the two.

As a hunter, I'm almost never in "bright" light. If I am shooting at the range in full sun, I do hit the front sight with a black marker.

I also have brass and prefer it polished for visibility.

If I have a steel front sight, I paint it florescent yellow or white.

I like my rear sight slot filed just wide enough so I see a little daylight on each side of the front sight.
 
I have front sights of steel, brass and GS. I paint the rear of the front sights white and it stands out in the woods and bush. At the range the firing line is covered but the sight is easily blackened if needed.
 
Shape is more important then material in my opinion.
I always make my own fronts of mild steel with a brass insert and make them flat on top with parallel sides.
Flat tops will always hold elevation better than any other shape and if the leading edge is angled forward a brass insert will pick up any available light.
A white bead is good for close jump shooting of game but does not hold elevation as well as a partridge (square) profile.
Another thing is the so called buck horn sights are the dumbest invention on the planet for a rear sight. They were more about style than function from a precision aiming stand point. The wings are useless and in the way for running shots on game. A wide shallow notched V with a white line center is much more useful ,practical and accurate for game shooting.
For targets I like a rear square notch big enough to silhouette the front in a line of light all around it. Using a six o'clock hold one can clearly see center and maintain elevation.
 
I like shiny brass best. I hunt with my guns a lot more than I target shoot them. Deer are dark and they are seen most frequently in early morning and late evening which means dark.

Brass doesn't reflect light as much as silver but still shows up against a dark background.
On steel sights I paint the back edge with a white or yellow paint pen.
 
Hi,
I now make my front sight blades using a sandwich of thin brass soldered between two sheets of blackened steel. In bright light the steel shows well, in shade, the thin brass center shows well.

dave
 
Thanks Guys for all the responses, as was said its a to each his own. I will have to try some other materials. You all have good rational for the different types!
 
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