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Thread: dovetail sight dimensions

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  1. #1
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    dovetail sight dimensions

    I'm looking to put new sights on my 1911A1. I'm having problems figuring out what I should be measuring. Need help. The front and rear sights are 65 deg., the front and rear dovetail widths I've measured and the last dimension I'm not sure about. Is it the height of the dovetail itself or the height from the top of the frame to the top of the sight? or is it the height from the bottom of the dovetail to the top of the sight?

  2. #2
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    Quote Originally Posted by stevenwr
    I'm looking to put new sights on my 1911A1. I'm having problems figuring out what I should be measuring. Need help. The front and rear sights are 65 deg., the front and rear dovetail widths I've measured and the last dimension I'm not sure about. Is it the height of the dovetail itself or the height from the top of the frame to the top of the sight? or is it the height from the bottom of the dovetail to the top of the sight?
    I think we all feel your pain as the sight dimensions are ambiguous at best. Let's say it's called out as 65degreeX.330"X.070"and is .165" high. Okay 65 deg. next .330" is the dovetail dimension at the bottom, then .070" is how thick the dovetail is, and the .165" would be from the top of the dovetail to the top of the sight and should also be from the top of slide to top of sight. Sort of. H&K gives an overall height so you have to measure and compare until you get the hang of what's being described.

    LOG

  3. #3
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    dovetail sight dimensions

    Thanks for the reply, I'm surprised by how many different dovetail dimensions are sold for the 1911.
    The sights I'm looking at are listed as: Front 65deg.x .331 wide and .180 high
    Rear 65deg.x.495 Novak cut. The height dimensions they've listed are what I'm not sure about.
    My front dimensions are 65deg. x .2490 width and .1815 high (bottom of dovetail to top of sight) The top of the sight to top of frame .0800
    Rear 65deg.x.330 width and .3065 (bottom of dovetail to top of sight) The top of sight to top of frame .2035.
    Also if my gun shoots low I seen somewhere a formula for figuring out the new sight height. My gun shoots 4 inches low at 25 yards.

  4. #4
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    Quote Originally Posted by stevenwr
    Also if my gun shoots low I seen somewhere a formula for figuring out the new sight height. My gun shoots 4 inches low at 25 yards.
    To correct your present sights, the front sight would have to shortened about 0.029" if your sight radius is 6½".

    The general formula is: Change In One Sight = (Sight Radius) X (Point Of Impact Change) ÷ (Range). Just make sure the units are all the same - whatever they are: inches, cm, rods, cubits, furlongs, etc.

    But, if you're going to change both sights you'll have to get them installed first and then start fresh.

    Regards
    When you can measure what you are speaking about, and express it in numbers, you know something about it; but when you cannot measure it, when you cannot express it in numbers, your knowledge is of a meagre and unsatisfactory kind. [Lord Kelvin]

  5. #5
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    Quote Originally Posted by stevenwr
    . . .I'm surprised by how many different dovetail dimensions are sold for the 1911.
    The funny part is that the listed (nominal) width of the dovetail is seldom the actual width of the cut, as shown here:
    When you can measure what you are speaking about, and express it in numbers, you know something about it; but when you cannot measure it, when you cannot express it in numbers, your knowledge is of a meagre and unsatisfactory kind. [Lord Kelvin]

  6. #6
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    dovetail sight dimension

    What is sight radius? and how do you measure it?
    Thanks for all the info. I really appreciate it.

  7. #7
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    Quote Originally Posted by stevenwr
    What is sight radius?
    It's the distance between the top of the front sight and the aft top surface of the rear sight. For a USGI M1911A1 it's 6.481 inches (according to the Army blueprint). Just use a ruler to measure it - yours may be different - and a measurement within 1/16" is close enough.

    Regards
    When you can measure what you are speaking about, and express it in numbers, you know something about it; but when you cannot measure it, when you cannot express it in numbers, your knowledge is of a meagre and unsatisfactory kind. [Lord Kelvin]

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