A few thoughts on fiber optic sights and carrying a light

It goes without saying I'm huge fan of a fiber optic front and black rear sights. I have found this combination to be extremely easy to use, consequently allowing you to see what you need to see more quickly and enabling you to shoot faster and more accurately

In regards to fiber optic being durable, I have used a fiber optic front sight of some sort and black rear since 2006 for everything. If installed correctly it has held up very well for me. Folks that know me understand what I put my guns through. I'm about as gentle with them as you would be with a hammer; they are tools and must always work.

When I was competing nearly every weekend from late 2007to late 2009, I shot a pistol with a fiber optic front sight almost everyday, sometimes 2 times a day. I was shooting anywhere from 300 to 1000 rounds per day. Most of my training session were around 500 rounds each day the fiber optic handled that type of consistent use and abuse very well.

I have enough confidence in fiber optic front sights that I put them on a pistol for a deployment to Iraq and they are on the pistols that I carry everyday.

So what about night sights for low light shooting? Here are my thoughts: if you are carrying a pistol in the line of duty or as a responsible citizen and you may have to shoot a human….you need a light. If that light is in your hand or on the gun so you can ID what you are shooting, you will also be able to see any sights you have on the gun.
These are of course my thoughts and opinions based on my experiences.

Like everything else I currently know about guns and shooting, these are things I know to be the truth because I tested/explored it.

If you’re interested in knowing more, this is a great video from 10-8 Performance on installing fiber optics. If you want to see more about the fiber optics and WML (weapon mounted light) I’ve developed, see below.

The Proctor Y Notch pistol sights can be found here; you can check out the light mount he developed with Unity Tactical here.

Frank Proctor spent nearly 2 decades in the military, over half of that in SOF units. He was an instructor at SFAUC (the Special Forces Advanced Urban Combat Course) and later, after entering competitive shooting, a USPSA Grand Master (Limited Division) and holds a Master rank in the IDPA Stock Service Pistol division.

You can read more about Frank Proctor online at Way of the Gun (also on Facebook here). His class schedule is online here; you can also check out his instructor page on the Alias Training and Security Services website.

Images courtesy of Frank Proctor, Way of the Gun and Alias Training social media.