DR Pro Sight Cut? What is it?

[RevolverJockey]

I recently aquired an STI with DR Middlebrook's Pro Sights on it. I thought this would be a quick fix, but it is turning out more difficult than I thought. I called Tactical Shooting Academy and Custom Shop hoping they could fill me in as the sights designed by him and made by them. To take it a step further, the gun was built by him and even has his initials inside the frame. No luck, they took my name and number, said they would forward the question and that was over a week ago.

Not to be denied, I called STI to get a quote on having STI adjustable sights installed. I assuming since it is an STI, and I was calling STI, I could have STI sights installed. Oddly enough, I was told, "Thats not really what what we do". I hope I just caught the wrong guy on the wrong day and when I call back on monday, I will be mailing in my slide to get new sights. The impression they left me with was that even thought it was their slide and frame, it was not really an STI gun, and as such couldn't take it in.

The informal measurements I made on the rear are about .330" on the base and .270" on the top of the cut and is about .115" deep. The dovetail sits about .650 from the end of the slide and has an equal height cut in front of the read dovetail that is about .375 long. To the best of my knowledge, these are the current production sights they offer.

Any help or previous experience would be greatly appreciated. I have check in hand ready to send off the slide, have no idea where it is going to be sent. I called Dawson and Novak so far, but everyone needs to know in advance what kind of sight I need. I would prefer a low mount type bo-marest sight, but at this point anything limited/steel worthy wins. Thanks in advance guys.

[Joe4d]

What is wrong with the sights you have ? If it is only the V notch D.R. now has a square blade for it. The cut is a lowmount Bomar without the final rear cut for the adjustable part of Bomar sights. Anyone that can cut a Bomar should be able to make the fina stair stepl cut. If you go to DR's websight forum and click on "Custom guns by DR you can get a closeup of several STI's with both Bomar and DR's Prosights so you can see what I mean. Head to http://www.tacticalshooting.com and follow link to the forum. DR stays pretty busy but he usually monitors his forum every couple of days.

[RevolverJockey]

Joe,

I think if I could get the square notch insert for the rear sight and a square post fiber optic front, I would be fine. Provided such a combination oxist with the proper POI.

Lee

[Joe4d]

well the rear sight has adjustment with shims, is the front dovetailed side to side or does it have the length wise slot like he uses with the Witness ? If it is dovetailed Brownell's can hook you up with a front once you determine the height you need.

[shred]

BTW, STI is a gun manufacturer, which is why they don't do customer sight installs, especially if somebody else did the sight cuts in the slide. Kinda like sending your Ford back to Detroit to have the tires changed. Anyway I'd find a gunsmith to work on it. If there's enough metal left (and it sound like there is), they should be able to do a regular Bo-Mar cut on it.

[RevolverJockey]

BTW, STI is a gun manufacturer, which is why they don't do customer sight installs, especially if somebody else did the sight cuts in the slide. Kinda like sending your Ford back to Detroit to have the tires changed. Anyway I'd find a gunsmith to work on it. If there's enough metal left (and it sound like there is), they should be able to do a regular Bo-Mar cut on it.

I hear what you are saying, I do. But, to an extent, I don't buy it. Regardless of where you buy it, dillon takes care of the people supporting their product years later, second, third owner or whatever. Springfield Armory will also swap sights on any gun they sell even a lot they didn't (kimber etc.) STI has the means to help me, they could put my slide in a CNC jig and mill it just as easy as a new one and press in sights, it just so happens they won't.

I have always heard such great things about how STI supports USPSA and all that. I suppose in a money and donation sense they do. But I don't care about a prize table at nationals right now; I care about the 1,500$ paperweight I have that can't hit a plate at 35 yards. I am not flaming, I really am not. It just seems that if you sell fitted slides and frames, people will make guns out of them, and from time to time, these guns will need repair or upgrade. The last thing I expected to hear when I called was, "the best we can do is recommend a gunsmith". I honestly thought they were gunsmiths. I have a world renound gunsmith a few blocks down the road, and in 18 months he can get to my pistol. See my point? I have always believed that the customer you already have is more of an asset than the one you could have.

In the oddest twist of fate, I will probably order a set of STI adjustables and send them with my pistol to SA.

Lee

Edited December 1, 2008 by Mitch_Rapp.45

[technetium-99m]

Hey Lee,

I had a bald 2011 frame/slide fit and called STI to ask if they would make sight cuts etc. They told me that they set up their production line to make a certain line of firearm and they didn't do further smithing, like making sight cuts etc. The slides they sell with cuts are made along with finished guns, think of them as extra parts they sell, just like Ford makes extra hoods for the F150. You have a gunsmith/machining problem and STI doesn't do custom work for customers like the SA custom shop. I have no doubt that STI would stand behind their product if there was a defect. As it stands, I would recommend sending your slide to a good smith and have the machining done. There are several people on this forum that can do this for you.

Good luck,

GT

[shred]

FWIW, last I was at STI, they made slides 16 at a time in a big CNC machine. They stuck a rack of blanks in and either loaded the 'with sight cuts' or 'without sight cuts' program for each batch and let 'er rip. It would be perfectly possible for them to setup a custom shop to do one offs, but they don't.. actually they had one for a brief time, but discontinued it for some reason I'm not aware of.