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Posted: 9/13/2017 11:06:26 PM EDT
So I bought a 17L to give to my father. He is late 50's and does not have the best eye sight, he is not blind or anything just the standard age deterioration and wears glasses. I have serrated all black target sights on my 17L and just feel like some fiber optic sights might help him acquire a sight picture better. It would be for informal slow fire plinking and target shooting 10-50yds not for any high speed shooting.

Dawson Precision is were I am leaning right now at $125. Seems like they offer a crisp clean sight picture.

Williams fire sight at $45 are tempting but I feel the fibers might be too large and overly glowing for fine target work.

Are there other adjustable fiber optic sights worth considering or are Dawson's the best?
Link Posted: 9/14/2017 12:12:46 AM EDT
[#1]
Dawsons are good.  I prefer Heinie or 10-8.  They have the same rear sight height, finish, and serrations so any combo of their sights will look and work well together.  

I have a Heinie Classic rear and a 10-8 fiber optic front on a 17L and it's a great sight picture.   10-8 uses a bigger fiber optic rod than everyone else and it really pops.   Their front sight protects the rod very well too.
Link Posted: 9/14/2017 1:10:40 AM EDT
[#2]
If you want the best, stick with Dawson. They include all the right tools and plenty of extra fiber optic too.
Link Posted: 9/14/2017 1:22:09 AM EDT
[#3]
I chose taran tactical because they are melonite coated,  good sights
Link Posted: 9/14/2017 6:34:18 AM EDT
[#4]
Quoted:
are Dawson's the best?
View Quote
Completely subjective.  What works for one might suck ass for another
Link Posted: 9/14/2017 8:42:58 AM EDT
[#5]
I have Dawson, and Wilson FO sights myself they are both great.  The Wilson uses a U notch and the Dawson uses a squared up notch in the rear.  I have Heinie night sights and Tru-Glo FO\NS sights and they are great too.  Which is better I do not know they all work just fine for me and I do not prefer one of the other for quality.  Warren, Heinie, Tru-Glo, Hi-Viz, Wilson, Dawson, and probably many more make great sights.  Which is best I have no clue because they all make great quality stuff.  Pick one and go.
Link Posted: 9/14/2017 9:26:45 AM EDT
[#6]
IMO, Dawson is to sights as Larue is to QD mounts.
Link Posted: 9/14/2017 9:51:18 AM EDT
[#7]
I love the pure amount of choice they offer and the sight designs are excellent. You can even get custom sights made to your spec by them and it doesn't cost much more. My only complaint is the metal they use is a little soft, and the (oxide?) finish they use wears off easily. I usually get shiny areas pretty quickly.
Link Posted: 9/14/2017 10:10:59 AM EDT
[#8]
Taran Tactical
Link Posted: 9/14/2017 12:57:16 PM EDT
[#9]
Dawson are longer than most other brands I have seen.  So, it will gather more light.  It also has a large exposed cavity, so again, more light.

10-8 sights use bigger F/O rods, as do Wilson/Vickers.

I actually prefer smaller diameter, as the light seems more concentrated in a smaller spot, thus I get a crisper sight picture.

I've used nearly all of them, and I have never broken a rod.  Dawson is my preference.
Link Posted: 9/14/2017 1:30:53 PM EDT
[#10]
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Quoted:
I chose taran tactical because they are melonite coated,  good sights
View Quote
10-8 and Heinie are Melonited too.
Link Posted: 9/14/2017 6:59:51 PM EDT
[#11]
I use Taran sights but the new Have Blue sights from Overwatch look really nice.
Link Posted: 9/14/2017 7:56:21 PM EDT
[#12]
I like my Proctor Y sights on my 17.
Link Posted: 9/15/2017 12:22:32 AM EDT
[#13]
My 17 rocked a set of Warren Tacticals, liked them a lot.  

One thing about Dawsons, as someone already mentioned - for some reason they seem sharper than others.  Could be the design, length and opening....but damn for some reason they really seem to pop more than others.
Link Posted: 9/15/2017 1:05:11 PM EDT
[#14]
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Quoted:
My 17 rocked a set of Warren Tacticals, liked them a lot.  

One thing about Dawsons, as someone already mentioned - for some reason they seem sharper than others.  Could be the design, length and opening....but damn for some reason they really seem to pop more than others.
View Quote
One of the main reasons I went with them. Had a chance to compare Dawson, Heinie, Sevigny, and 10-8. The Dawson front is the perfect width and has much of the FO strip exposed. It seemed more vibrant and easier to focus on with my eyes, especially with the red strip.
Link Posted: 9/15/2017 9:00:42 PM EDT
[#15]
I put adjustable Dawsons on my G34. I really like them. Only complaint is that they don't have a durable finish. I just make sure to keep a little oil on them. 
Link Posted: 9/22/2017 8:37:55 PM EDT
[#16]
Thanks for all the suggestions, I learned of a couple new sights from looking up each suggestion.

The Dawson's arrived today and install went well. I think they are going to be great. I wanted an adjustable rear and crisp fiber optics that do not overwhelm and they seem about perfect.

Downside as has been mentioned is the carbon steel with thin bluing instead of a more durable finish.

Now to find a holster.
Link Posted: 9/23/2017 9:41:38 AM EDT
[#17]
Dawsen has a great design but the finish isn't very durable and the metal they use is soft .
Link Posted: 9/23/2017 9:43:20 AM EDT
[#18]
I really like the Vogals.  Small front fiber and a decent sized cup for the rear. Been using them for awhile and I like them better than the 10-8s
Link Posted: 9/23/2017 5:44:51 PM EDT
[#19]
My perspective ( long time bullseye competitor some times uspsa idpa shooter gssf master)
There are two types of sights those that allow fast sight acquisition OR those that allow precision. Most bullseye shooters ( those few of us that still run metallic sights ) use plain black sights for precision ( not very fast to align for most people, with rare exception)
Most action type shooting competitors use bright colored sights for fast acquisition ( fast to align and get on target but with rare exception far less precise)  so they are all a trade off / balance between ease of acquisition and precision and you have to decide which aspect you wish to sacrifice for the other
Link Posted: 9/29/2017 1:19:17 PM EDT
[#20]
I really like Dawson's! I like that the rod goes all the way through the front sight.
 Not sure of name brand but my buddy had a set of fiber optic sights. The rod didn't go all the way through. And I had to put a dab of superglue on the closed end to hold the rod in place....
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