eric nielsen Posted August 4, 2006 Share Posted August 4, 2006 I've been looking at these guns and also long-slide Limited guns, especially the posts by Benos and by people who have shot these guns. I've PM'd several shooters and their responses have really helped. This old thread has the best input from Brian, comparing 1980's compguns, Hybrid-ported 5" guns, the new 5" unported Hybrids... also has some bad guesses by me & others that Sighttrackers would take over the world: http://www.brianenos.com/forums/index.php?...=14648&st=0 If you're interested, Brian put up a great post way back on Page 15 of Training Techniques [a gold mine of info from 2001] on the subject of feels-bad, scores-well shooting with TGO's first longslide: http://www.brianenos.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=984 Back to the SV Sighttracker: Brian asked, what is the difference between watching for front & rear sights to move together, versus watching & waiting for front & rear sight to expand & contract?? Here's my random guess: --- With the new SV, the FS is wobbling around stop/starting as the barrel moves, pivots, drops, stops, pivots some more, and then finally pops forward. Meanwhile the RS is flying around 100x faster and farther & almost out of sequence with the FS. This was something we trained ourselves to look for in the 1980s. We had 180 pf loads, hardly anyone had a lightened slide, and ABSOLUTELY no one had a fiber optic front sight. We had serrations on the front sight & spray-on Sight Black. We didn't have red-dot optics yet, and we didn't do much competing with stock guns, every gun was Open. Flash forward to 2006. Many of us have shot today's Open guns with a red dot, and we've shot today's Limited guns with a fiber optic FS. So we’ve trained ourselves to look for 2 kinds of aiming advice from the gun itself. Kind of like 2 languages. Open guns now tell us where the gun is pointing during recoil by bobbing a red dot around. Where the dot is, is where a bullet will hit. We don’t watch for some part of the rear of the gun flying around, we ignore it; it’s not part of the Open language any more. Limited guns now tell us where they’re pointed by the motion of the entire slide, with some squarish shape at the back and even more interesting, some red or yellow or green glowing plastic rod thing flying around at the front. For a lot of us it’s the motion of slide, Bomar, and glowing fiber FS that together “point the way” especially when they go back forward. My pet theory is that longer slides like a 6” 1911 catch the eye of some shooters even better, they speak to us more; draw a better line in the air. But now here’s the SV sighttracker. Most of them have a fiber optic FS, the front glows, it doesn't move much, it bobs around. So it LOOKS like it's going to say something in Open, or say something in Limited, but it surprises you. Like the cute girl in Miami who you think is going to speak up in Spanish or in English but then she surprises you with Portuguese. That’s what the Sighttracker is doing. Like the girl from Brazil, maybe it’s appealing enough for you to learn a third language. Or I'm thinking too much, as usual... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nemo Posted August 4, 2006 Share Posted August 4, 2006 Let's wait and see how many of the top16 at Nats use a Sight Tracker... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrianH Posted August 5, 2006 Share Posted August 5, 2006 Let's wait and see how many of the top16 at Nats use a Sight Tracker... Same was said back when Mike Martolin made the Top 16 at the nats with a 5 inch hybrid and Schuemann said they would take over the sport. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dirtypool40 Posted August 5, 2006 Share Posted August 5, 2006 The non ported hybrid has been around for a couple of year now, I think Jeff Gambrell shot one in 2004. I shot his and have had three guns built since, not one was a "site tracker". For me they feel like a boat anchor, and I didn't notice any speedier site aquisition. To each their own. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shawn Knight Posted August 5, 2006 Share Posted August 5, 2006 (edited) If someone new starts with one of these guns then it would be breaking new ground, but what if a major competitor starts using one? Will it become all the rage? I am not saying I have experience with anything like that. I am stating the obvious that marketing sells products. If they market this and get the right "shooter" to use and endorse the product they will sell like hotcakes. Now whether or these guns become safequeens..... Wins will tell. Edited August 5, 2006 by theknightoflight Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EricW Posted August 5, 2006 Share Posted August 5, 2006 Well...I obviously ain't so smart about sights, but I'm definitely with you on the Brazillian chick. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shawn Knight Posted August 5, 2006 Share Posted August 5, 2006 What? Who? Brazillian chick??? Where??!?!? I want one too! Maybe if they get brazillian chicks to hold the gun they will sell a crapload of them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eric nielsen Posted August 5, 2006 Author Share Posted August 5, 2006 (edited) DP Chuck & Shootersconnection gives a pretty good rundown at the end of this thread. Several ppl said the solid hybrid seems to kick more than a well-build std slide: http://www.brianenos.com/forums/index.php?...mp;hl=lightning Also someone said they talked with 2 M-Ltd shooters at a big match, both had new Sighttracker guns, both thought it made almost no difference in their shooting. When I shot a full mag out of Alex's SV I couldn't really catch the front sight staying in place. I've shot single-stacks that stayed flatter than that gun but his ammo was pretty hot, over 180pf. Very possible it's the coolest thing ever when shot at 135 pf. I know that cranking rounds out of a Ruger .22 looks pretty cool, front sight just jiggling around & bullets flying downrange like tracers out of machinegun. I think a lot of the ho-hum vs WOW reactions different people have comes down to, what do your eyes like to look for? Do they look for one little spot to not move, or do they look for a 'sight funnel' even when it's moving? Stuff like that. Also Benos mentioned how ugly the Hybrid nub looks out there on the end of the gun when the slide is fully back. I'd agree with that point. Edited August 5, 2006 by eric nielsen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crusher Posted August 5, 2006 Share Posted August 5, 2006 Add another to the "Brazillian chick" order sheet. I want one too. As far as the "Sight Tracker" or "Tru-sight" I have all I can do to comprehend english so I'll stick with the classic slides with the possibility of some lightening cuts here and there just so "it" can speek faster. I kind of like the way the front and rear sights move in unison, it has some balance to it, I guess it's a Yin/Yang thing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
splashdown Posted August 5, 2006 Share Posted August 5, 2006 I love mine just because it's my first single action. It's definitely got a cool factor associated with it, but I've been shooting really poorly lately no matter what it is I'm shooting. FWIW, Lisa Munson is shooting a sight tracker now. She's been shooting it for several months now but I don't know how she compares it to the standard config. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
benny hill Posted August 5, 2006 Share Posted August 5, 2006 I think I have said before, it's the indian, not the arrow that counts but the hot chick could go a long way to changing one's mind. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Cheely Posted August 5, 2006 Share Posted August 5, 2006 My next gun is going to have one of these barrels simply because I found one, and I wanted to try it. We'll see if I can tell any difference... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EricW Posted August 5, 2006 Share Posted August 5, 2006 I know that cranking rounds out of a Ruger .22 looks pretty cool, front sight just jiggling around & bullets flying downrange like tracers out of machinegun. That was the basis of my ignorance. Clearly the concept doesn't scale up well at Major PF. The last consistent supply of smoking Brazillian chicks I found was in college. Oh...and the Brazillian Olympic Volleyball team at the Goodwill games... Can we just have the next World Shoot in Brazil...? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eric nielsen Posted August 5, 2006 Author Share Posted August 5, 2006 Lincoln Road, Miami Beach. Not that the Cubanas are hard to look at either... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
L9X25 Posted August 5, 2006 Share Posted August 5, 2006 I think I have said before, it's the indian, not the arrow that counts I totally agree with the above statement but have a hard time understanding how making the slide lighter and barrel heavier are going to have a negative impact on the feel of the gun. I think Eric Stanley is already in the "short dust cover" camp, so he already likes (and is accustomed) to the lighter muzzle. The folks that usually use a long dust cover gun might adapt the heavy muzzle sight tracker concept a little easier. I personally think that the difference is a wash. The heavier guns are flatter and softer but move slower and the light guns are slightly more violent but move faster. Either gun is capable of winning in the right hands. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaxshooter Posted August 5, 2006 Share Posted August 5, 2006 I am not a good shooter by any stretch of the imagination. I have an SV Sight Tracker and an STI Executive. Both guns are set up the same as to feel , sights etc. I cannot tell the difference between the two as far as the sight picture when the slide is cycling. I would think a 6" slide would be an advantage in keeping the gun flatter and the extended sight radius would help also. The only difference between the two guns is the SV is fit and finished better than the STI and cosmetics don't help the gun shoot any better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
konkapot Posted August 6, 2006 Share Posted August 6, 2006 I had one built on a Springfield HiCap frame........it's nice, but doesn't rock my world. I had Caspian limited gun with a lightened slide (non-SightTracker) that actually felt better. FY42385 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eric nielsen Posted August 6, 2006 Author Share Posted August 6, 2006 (edited) Just got a message back from Chris Tilley. I knew he had shot a lightened 6" ltd gun, an Edge, and now the SV Sighttracker. Chris was pretty high on the Sighttracker, his clear #1 choice. He's done well with it this year in tournaments, for sure. -- Friends of mine spoke with TGO, his #1 choice was his [steel frame] 6" gun. Not sure if Rob has tried the solid Hybrid or not. Owners of the Benny Hill Fat Free longslides are also very high on those guns. That's my problem - they get them, they shoot them, they love them, and they never sell them! --- Seems like both gun types allow a nice 'calling of the shot' - if you're able to take advantage of how they work. Edited August 6, 2006 by eric nielsen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XRe Posted August 6, 2006 Share Posted August 6, 2006 Chris was pretty high on the Sighttracker, his clear #1 choice. He's done well with it this year in tournaments, for sure. And isn't he sponsorted by SV ??? In the end, just shoot it... Just remember that sponsored shooters may or may not be giving you an unbiased opinion, based on who's paying their bills... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
L9X25 Posted August 7, 2006 Share Posted August 7, 2006 (edited) Just remember that sponsored shooters may or may not be giving you an unbiased opinion, based on who's paying their bills... That same comment can be made about anybody in the top 16 at the Nationals. The majority are sponsored and shoot what the are told to shoot. As mentioned before, those would likely be the same 16 guys regardless of what is in their holster. I see TJ spanking a lot of people with superior guns. With that said there is nothing wrong, and a lot is right, with the sight tracker. If Chris Tilley felt that he could shoot better with a "standard" SV limited gun, he would have that in his holster rather than the sight tracker. Edited August 7, 2006 by L9X25 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin Kline Posted August 7, 2006 Share Posted August 7, 2006 Eric, Sorry for the off topic, but its great to see you back. I thought you were taking a break for a while due to school? If not, let's rock dude, see you out there! Kevin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eric nielsen Posted August 7, 2006 Author Share Posted August 7, 2006 Yeah Kevin, I'm knocking the rust off. Starting to shoot well - in Open. But Sandro beat us all in Ruskin today, my hat's off to him. I still suck at Limited... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Tilley Posted August 19, 2006 Share Posted August 19, 2006 I the past 3 days I’ve shot roughly 2,600rds. with a Sight Tracker and a reg. top end pistol. I’m so amazed with how different the two pistols are. The sight tracker appears to be slower flipping than reg. top end pistol witch I think is an illusion because the times are the same at the end of the run but I have better points with the Sight Tracker. It also seems that I can push a little harder because the Sight Tracker is more forgiving. PS: I don’t get paid to say any thing about any thing… I say what I truly think and try to help fellow shooters make better decisions. DvC, Chris Tilley Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jasonub Posted August 19, 2006 Share Posted August 19, 2006 thanks for the review Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BOGA Posted August 19, 2006 Share Posted August 19, 2006 I have the same observation as Chris I am very happy with my Sight Tracker. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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