susan28

thanks again Flex.. did you see my above post showing the ghosts? those are the Novaks i was referring to but i've seen the one you pictured as well. this sight's actually for my 1911 but if i like it will also get one for my Glock, as i'd like to have the same sights on both guns.

yeah i think i might do well with the Novak bar-dot ghost configuration. comparing it to the Ashley/XS, though the Ashley's supposed to be quicker, i kind of like the way the ghost "frames" the sight picture kind of like the uprights on a goalpost, giving a basic windage/elevation reference, and i think it would help me get it "in the ballpark" with a little less conscious effort than the Ashley. basically seems like the vertical plane of the ghost sight would provide the same elevation reference as a 3-got design without the eye-drawing distraction of the dots, with the uprights kind of getting fuzzy like a regular ghost ring, providing "subliminal" reference as opposed to the, ummm.. "liminal" (hehe) characteristics of the 3-dotters. mind you this is a home-defense gun for an average jane, not a bullseye or competition shooter, so getting a quick, general sight picture within a 10-foot or so radius is what i'm after.

even a white bar would be better than none if that's what you're after, least you could see it in daytime. the one thing that i noticed on the Novaks, though - and this is just from the pics on their site, haven't seen them in real life - is that the tritium seems pretty bright and looks like it casts a glow in the "shadowbox" cavity, which i wouldn't like, but this seems more the case with the rear dot than the rear bar type.

thanks Guild.. er, Machine Doctor i was thinking the same thing. my problem with organised events is scheduling, as mine fluctuates unpredictably making it nearly impossible to make commitments in advance, so i just get the practice in as shedule permits. we do have an outdoor range in my area though where i think they hold some events, maybe i'll see what's happening there, perhaps some indivudual competition-like training is available that gives use of the courses. funny, for years i've gotten by just fine with an old .357 revolver, and more recently the Glock, neither of which i had any inclination to change, but these 1911's are like old hot rods, ya just wanna build 'em

thanks you guys, learning alot reading the posts. consensus seems to make a good case for learning how to shoot instead of relying on big dished-out sights to speed acquisition, hehe.. i'm a 10mm shooter and just got my first 1911, prior to this my main experience has been with the G20, which has the very-wide "U" rear sight with large single front dot, and though i've heard nothing but negative comments about this sight, i nonetheless acquire faster with it than any "normal" notch sight i've ever used, with little or no difference in accuracy at the distances i shoot, which i attribute to the huge square notch. i just dunk that big dot in the "u" like a donut in a cup of coffee and hit the mark. so i thought a bar-dot ghost sight might simulate this performance, but i've never tried Heinie's and thought i might give them a go, especially since my much-respected smith swears by them. thinking maybe getting them, but with the Novak dovetail so i'm not locked in, and trying the Heinie's both normal and widened before throwing precision to the wind and going for the "coffee cups" as i call them.. (the Glock sights are more like a mug ) one thing that did speak to me in these threads, though, was the comments on moving targets and shooting on-the-run or out of breath, since although i do shoot a decent bit, i don't compete and my experience is solely shooting stationary paper targets at indoor ranges and if what i've read here so far is any indication, i might end up with some serious accuracy issues when shooting under pressure, which for me means in a real-life gunfight.. not a good time to discover one's hidden imperfections..

right on, thanks eric! i'd searched the site for "enos cut" but if it's Brian who's doing the describing he probably wouldn't call it that (being the humble soul he is) .. ok i'll go have a look-see, thanks again..

yes i like the bar as well.. draws less attention and also makes me less fussy about a "perfect" line-up since it gives some horizontal latitude, whereas with 2 dots i'm naturally inclined (a bit of an obsessive personality) to try to make a "perfect 8" before firing. so it technically makes me faster. i'm checking out the ghosts because a) i'm getting farsighted and the standard rear "notch" is getting hard to see, and i expect most engagements to be within 10 yrards if not 10 feet and the ghost cut acquires faster while still "framing" the sight picture a lil better than something like the Ashley's. plus that vertical bar beckons for the time-consuming "perfect" line-up. anyway this is why i thought maybe a "V" notched Heinie might be a good compromise between the ghost cut Novak and the standard Heinie, and i thought maybe that's what Brian's cut was but haven't been able to find any pics of it, have just heard that he has a special cut on his Heinie's, which is infact what brought me to this forum.. but now that i'm here i'm also digging all the bonus "enlightenment", very cool

anyone have a pic of a Heinie Slant Pro with "Enos Cut" notch? Brian? torn between the 8's and Novak "ghost" sight with bar-dot config (tritium) and read somewhere about Brian's special cut on the Heinies, and thought that might be a good compromise between the two for quick acquisition with good accuracy. also interested in opinions on the ghost-cut Novak bar-dots if anyone's ever used them. thanks!