Fiber optic light bars: Your opinions?

ModIMark0 · January 15, 2001, 02:51 PM

I saw a Hi-Viz brand fiber optic light bar in a mail order sporting goods catalog. I have seen these before, but finally took a look at this item (as well as having a good first hand look at a fellow TFL members Winchester 1300 outfitted with one), and am considering putting one on my Mossber 590 as an inexpensive low light aiming aid.
Can anyone share their opinions and experiences with fiber optic type sights, and does anyone have any experience with the type that are plastic snap-on (around the barrel) types? Any input is appreciated. Thank you.

jfrancis · January 15, 2001, 07:39 PM

I have a Hi-Viz on a Les Baer pistol and it works very well. Just don't get Gunscrubber on them

I have a Norino 870 copy with the clamp on type. It works very well - very fast to pick up the front sight. Great for fast plate shooting (3-gun matches).

HeadHunter · January 16, 2001, 11:29 AM

I have one of the plain barrel clamp ons for my 1300. It's the greatest thing since sliced bread; much more useful for most serious social interaction than the highly overrated ghost ring sights. Hi-Viz had a new model displayed at the SHOT show which actually replaces the front bead and is protected by wings on either side of the light pipe. Looks like it will be a great setup and I can't wait to get one.

Oleg Volk · January 16, 2001, 01:06 PM

Protective wings would be nice. However, my concerns about the sight fragility were allayed when I realized that the sight I have is butted up against a brass bead which will remain usable should the light-pipe get damaged.

I am investigating the possibility of converting all three of my Glocks to that type of sights.

HeadHunter · January 16, 2001, 07:07 PM

Before putting them on your Glock(s), you might want to wait until the new Hi-Viz type for pistols comes out. They also had this at the SHOT show and it is a BIG improvement over the current version. The light pipe will be non-removable and encapsulated in a clear plastic like lucite. Looks like it will be very durable, much more so than the current version.

NAD · January 16, 2001, 07:59 PM

I have one of the snap-ons on my Benelli. It works great. The fiberoptic light bar is large enough to gather indoor artificial light and still glow.

I use fiber optic front sights on my IPSC competition pistols and they do hold up. Solvents will make them brittle so avoid getting it on them. Unless there is a direct hit on the fiber optic fiber itself they will last for thousands of rounds. At any rate, if one breaks they are easy to replace.

Derek Zeanah · January 16, 2001, 10:04 PM

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Ok, how do these compare to the Williams FireSights? Same idea?

Headhunter: can you explain why you prefer these to ghost rings? I'm
reasonably familiar with peep sights, and the only shotgun shooting
I've done has been trap/skeet/sportingclays/dove/quail.

It seems that a peep sight would be fairly practical for slugs.
What's the trade-off with HiViz sights? ZFaster aquisition but less
accurate? Or just easier all-around?

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ModIMark0 · January 17, 2001, 09:56 AM

In regard to this question:

It seems that a peep sight would be fairly practical for slugs. What's the trade-off with HiViz sights? ZFaster aquisition but less accurate? Or just easier all-around?

I'll clarify the purpose I have intended for a shotgun (spec. a Mossberg 590) with a HiViz sight. Home Protection/Defense. I have heard from a fellow TFLer that the HiViz has significantly increased his scores in hitting clays, and that lends itself as a good skill in hitting rapidly moving targets, which is a given in defending oneself from an assailant.

handgun357 · January 18, 2001, 12:24 AM

Fiber optics are great. They have changed alot of things for the better. I have these sights on handguns, bows,rifles, and shotguns. I just love hi-tech.

Dave McC · January 18, 2001, 08:25 AM

This is an area where no clearcut, truthful answer exists. Any sight system in use has its positive and negative sides, here's my opinions...

For wingshooting, I like a minimal bead. The bead's kinda just an alignment check,the real point of reference is the end of the bbl, but I'm not looking at it, I'm looking over it at the bird. Wingshooting's a different game tho.

For deer hunting,HD and tactical stuff, I like a peep, and my front sights are painted up with bright enamel to quicken acquistion. If I were setting up a new "Serious" shotgun, I'd check out the fiber optic stuff, or any other Hi Viz sights, including those Ashley "Make your Geiger Counter go crazy" sights. If I were building another "Frankenstein" 870,this time for HD, this one would not have a peep, but a bright bead and rib setup.

Wingshooting means pointing, "Serious" shotgunning means aiming.

And now that I've waffled around and squandered an inordinate amount of bandwidth, let me say this....

IMO, anyone interested in "Serious" shotgunning that isn't finding out just what sighting setup works for him/her and where/when only has the illusion of being prepared.

And it doesn't have to cost a lot to find out. Plenty of shotgunners will let a friend take a shot or two from their pet project, or at least look down the bbl. Or, a $2 bottle of Testor's enamel will tell you a lot about Hi Vzi and low light.

HeadHunter · January 18, 2001, 11:19 PM

Dzeanah wrote:

"Headhunter: can you explain why you prefer these to ghost rings? I'm
reasonably familiar with peep sights, and the only shotgun shooting
I've done has been trap/skeet/sportingclays/dove/quail.

It seems that a peep sight would be fairly practical for slugs.
What's the trade-off with HiViz sights? ZFaster aquisition but less
accurate? Or just easier all-around?"

For close range work (18 yards or less) the fiber optic type is much faster to use than ghost rings. I've done this enough times at the Rogers school to have no doubt about it. For long distance work with slugs, I agree ghost rings are probably better. I just think that, as a private citizen, it would be difficult for me to explain in court why I needed to plink a criminal at 50 yards with a slug.

able2ski · January 21, 2001, 07:01 PM

I put a set of the Williams Fire Sights on my 1187 Police. The sights are identicly shaped to the rifle sights that came on the gun, so my sight picture in the dark is no different than before.

Daylight is another matter......these things are so bright! My set uses a green "dot" on either side of the notch, and the front rib is red.

I also discovered that even darkness, the fibers pick up a little light from my Surefire light.......nothing like daylight, but sight aquisition is still an improvement over the plain sights that came on the gun.

Although I am a novice shotgunner, I have no problem point shooting by just referencing the front red sight, or making precise long distance slug hits. The diameter of the rods are small, favoring a precise sight picture over blatant obviousness like the Ashley Express dots.

The optic rods themselves *may* be prone to breakage in harsh use, but even so, I'm left with an identical notch & rib as the gun came with. I don't see a downside to these......

Andrew

PS: when is someone going to offer them for an AR15?

RHC · January 21, 2001, 09:57 PM

Ten years ago I thought they were unnecessary.
Now that I'm 45 and don't see as well,
I think they're great.

January 18, 2001, 12:24 AM	#9
handgun357 Senior Member Join Date: January 11, 2001 Location: Northern Indiana Posts: 293	fiber optics Fiber optics are great. They have changed alot of things for the better. I have these sights on handguns, bows,rifles, and shotguns. I just love hi-tech.

January 15, 2001, 02:51 PM	#1
ModIMark0 Senior Member Join Date: October 21, 1998 Location: Minneapolis,MN, U.S.A. Posts: 243	I saw a Hi-Viz brand fiber optic light bar in a mail order sporting goods catalog. I have seen these before, but finally took a look at this item (as well as having a good first hand look at a fellow TFL members Winchester 1300 outfitted with one), and am considering putting one on my Mossber 590 as an inexpensive low light aiming aid. Can anyone share their opinions and experiences with fiber optic type sights, and does anyone have any experience with the type that are plastic snap-on (around the barrel) types? Any input is appreciated. Thank you.

January 15, 2001, 07:39 PM	#2
jfrancis Senior Member Join Date: January 6, 2000 Location: Orlando, FL, USA Posts: 211	I have a Hi-Viz on a Les Baer pistol and it works very well. Just don't get Gunscrubber on them I have a Norino 870 copy with the clamp on type. It works very well - very fast to pick up the front sight. Great for fast plate shooting (3-gun matches).

January 16, 2001, 11:29 AM	#3
HeadHunter Senior Member Join Date: May 21, 1999 Location: Atlanta Posts: 162	I have one of the plain barrel clamp ons for my 1300. It's the greatest thing since sliced bread; much more useful for most serious social interaction than the highly overrated ghost ring sights. Hi-Viz had a new model displayed at the SHOT show which actually replaces the front bead and is protected by wings on either side of the light pipe. Looks like it will be a great setup and I can't wait to get one.

January 16, 2001, 01:06 PM	#4
Oleg Volk Staff Alumnus Join Date: December 6, 1999 Location: Nashville, TN Posts: 7,022	Protective wings would be nice. However, my concerns about the sight fragility were allayed when I realized that the sight I have is butted up against a brass bead which will remain usable should the light-pipe get damaged. I am investigating the possibility of converting all three of my Glocks to that type of sights.

January 16, 2001, 07:07 PM	#5
HeadHunter Senior Member Join Date: May 21, 1999 Location: Atlanta Posts: 162	Before putting them on your Glock(s), you might want to wait until the new Hi-Viz type for pistols comes out. They also had this at the SHOT show and it is a BIG improvement over the current version. The light pipe will be non-removable and encapsulated in a clear plastic like lucite. Looks like it will be very durable, much more so than the current version.

January 16, 2001, 07:59 PM	#6
NAD Senior Member Join Date: October 20, 1998 Posts: 169	I have one of the snap-ons on my Benelli. It works great. The fiberoptic light bar is large enough to gather indoor artificial light and still glow. I use fiber optic front sights on my IPSC competition pistols and they do hold up. Solvents will make them brittle so avoid getting it on them. Unless there is a direct hit on the fiber optic fiber itself they will last for thousands of rounds. At any rate, if one breaks they are easy to replace.

January 16, 2001, 10:04 PM	#7
Derek Zeanah Senior Member Join Date: March 30, 2000 Location: South GA Posts: 267	-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- Hash: SHA1 Ok, how do these compare to the Williams FireSights? Same idea? Headhunter: can you explain why you prefer these to ghost rings? I'm reasonably familiar with peep sights, and the only shotgun shooting I've done has been trap/skeet/sportingclays/dove/quail. It seems that a peep sight would be fairly practical for slugs. What's the trade-off with HiViz sights? ZFaster aquisition but less accurate? Or just easier all-around? -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE----- Version: PGP 6.5.8 iQA/AwUBOmUMqHwHztq84JegEQIwkgCeML+KC87rdOZ2OVLj2XUjolVsdVQAoJRp MNsjraNiXbDsPdRgM8HxFdvN =Kq9E -----END PGP SIGNATURE-----

January 17, 2001, 09:56 AM	#8
ModIMark0 Senior Member Join Date: October 21, 1998 Location: Minneapolis,MN, U.S.A. Posts: 243	In regard to this question: It seems that a peep sight would be fairly practical for slugs. What's the trade-off with HiViz sights? ZFaster aquisition but less accurate? Or just easier all-around? I'll clarify the purpose I have intended for a shotgun (spec. a Mossberg 590) with a HiViz sight. Home Protection/Defense. I have heard from a fellow TFLer that the HiViz has significantly increased his scores in hitting clays, and that lends itself as a good skill in hitting rapidly moving targets, which is a given in defending oneself from an assailant.

January 18, 2001, 08:25 AM	#10
Dave McC Staff In Memoriam Join Date: October 13, 1999 Location: Columbia, Md, USA Posts: 8,811	This is an area where no clearcut, truthful answer exists. Any sight system in use has its positive and negative sides, here's my opinions... For wingshooting, I like a minimal bead. The bead's kinda just an alignment check,the real point of reference is the end of the bbl, but I'm not looking at it, I'm looking over it at the bird. Wingshooting's a different game tho. For deer hunting,HD and tactical stuff, I like a peep, and my front sights are painted up with bright enamel to quicken acquistion. If I were setting up a new "Serious" shotgun, I'd check out the fiber optic stuff, or any other Hi Viz sights, including those Ashley "Make your Geiger Counter go crazy" sights. If I were building another "Frankenstein" 870,this time for HD, this one would not have a peep, but a bright bead and rib setup. Wingshooting means pointing, "Serious" shotgunning means aiming. And now that I've waffled around and squandered an inordinate amount of bandwidth, let me say this.... IMO, anyone interested in "Serious" shotgunning that isn't finding out just what sighting setup works for him/her and where/when only has the illusion of being prepared. And it doesn't have to cost a lot to find out. Plenty of shotgunners will let a friend take a shot or two from their pet project, or at least look down the bbl. Or, a $2 bottle of Testor's enamel will tell you a lot about Hi Vzi and low light.

January 18, 2001, 11:19 PM	#11
HeadHunter Senior Member Join Date: May 21, 1999 Location: Atlanta Posts: 162	Dzeanah wrote: "Headhunter: can you explain why you prefer these to ghost rings? I'm reasonably familiar with peep sights, and the only shotgun shooting I've done has been trap/skeet/sportingclays/dove/quail. It seems that a peep sight would be fairly practical for slugs. What's the trade-off with HiViz sights? ZFaster aquisition but less accurate? Or just easier all-around?" For close range work (18 yards or less) the fiber optic type is much faster to use than ghost rings. I've done this enough times at the Rogers school to have no doubt about it. For long distance work with slugs, I agree ghost rings are probably better. I just think that, as a private citizen, it would be difficult for me to explain in court why I needed to plink a criminal at 50 yards with a slug.

January 21, 2001, 07:01 PM	#12
able2ski Member Join Date: January 24, 2000 Posts: 35	I put a set of the Williams Fire Sights on my 1187 Police. The sights are identicly shaped to the rifle sights that came on the gun, so my sight picture in the dark is no different than before. Daylight is another matter......these things are so bright! My set uses a green "dot" on either side of the notch, and the front rib is red. I also discovered that even darkness, the fibers pick up a little light from my Surefire light.......nothing like daylight, but sight aquisition is still an improvement over the plain sights that came on the gun. Although I am a novice shotgunner, I have no problem point shooting by just referencing the front red sight, or making precise long distance slug hits. The diameter of the rods are small, favoring a precise sight picture over blatant obviousness like the Ashley Express dots. The optic rods themselves may be prone to breakage in harsh use, but even so, I'm left with an identical notch & rib as the gun came with. I don't see a downside to these...... Andrew PS: when is someone going to offer them for an AR15?

January 21, 2001, 09:57 PM	#13
RHC Senior Member Join Date: March 30, 2000 Posts: 678	Ten years ago I thought they were unnecessary. Now that I'm 45 and don't see as well, I think they're great.