SA Range Officer - Rear sight options??

Seb7701 · October 19, 2018, 11:35 PM

Hi all.

Just been getting acquainted with my new SA Range Officer with factory adjustable rear sight, but just seem to find the gap in rear blade a little too big for my liking.

So, I have figured out that the slide is an LPA cut and have been surprised at the lack of options for adjustable fibre optic rears so far. As such, have started looking for a red dot option and am wondering whether anyone has suggestions for a nice, low-mounted red dot mounting?

Any advice would be appreciated.

Regards,
Seb

Jim Watson · October 20, 2018, 08:21 AM

Dawson makes a fibre optic rear to fit the LPA dovetail but they don't say the notch width and I don't know if they ship to Oz.
https://dawsonprecision.com/dawson-p...c-rear-sight/#

You got Amazon in the Antipodes?
EGW makes a red dot adapter to fit the rear sight cut. It will be taller than a milled in installation but a whole lot less expensive.
https://www.amazon.com/Sight-Mount-D.../dp/B072BYCVSF
Look at Customer Pictures in Reviews.

EGW says they may not ship sights abroad, but I do not know if that is taken to include sight bases. You could ask.
http://www.egwguns.com/index.php?p=home

The first place that comes up on Google for red dot sights in Queensland is The Barn. They catalogue various red dot sights, surely they have or can get appropriate bases.
https://www.thebarn.net.au/categorie...26+Sights/6624

Note that you have to have your mind made up as to WHICH red dot because everybody has his own mount dimensions.

Or would you consider a rail down the top of the gun with a tube type dot sight? That is a common layout for bullseye target shooters but it does not exactly get you a low line of sight.

Seb7701 · October 20, 2018, 07:08 PM

Thanks Jim - you're right, shipping is a little bit of an issue.
EGW can ship their mount directly, so that's cool, just wondering whether there was anything a little lower profile, but I guess it's probably not all that bad.
I was just hoping to replicate a friend's S&W M&P which has the slide milled out especially.

The Dawson stuff is great - didn't know about that one, but will see if anyone brings them in - Amazon Oz are the only ones that ship to here as of recently, but are useless in terms of want they list...

It's funny, I had a Kimber which I thought was limited in choice, but the SA seems oddly worse????

Jim Watson · October 20, 2018, 08:25 PM

Certainly the lowest and most solid installation is to machine the slide to take the RDS directly without mount or adapter. But that limits you to the one or a few brands the cut is made for. $170 at one shop here.

I think the SW CORE is recessed but with different adapter plates. A friend has one coming in Monday.

Seb7701 · October 22, 2018, 06:24 AM

Y'know Jim, that's tempting actually - to get the proper job done and mill the slide...
I just liked the way the M&P was set low enough that I think you could even use the open sights through the lense. (But don't quote me on that...)

That being said, for $$ reasons, I should exhaust the rear fire optic options I suppose...

Jim Watson · October 22, 2018, 08:13 AM

Eyesight and preferences differ, but my standard sight set is a fibre optic front and a black rear.

T. O'Heir · October 22, 2018, 11:22 AM

"...shipping is a little bit of an issue..." More about importing and exporting firearm parts laws on both sides. The U.S. has two government departments involved. State and Commerce. The latter requires manufacturers to have an expensive exporter's licence. The former decides if the part can go to specific countries and what parts for what firearms can be exported at all or if there's a licence required.
Plus the cost of shipping a wee box to the other side of the planet.
Canada doesn't have those daft import/export rules. Dunno what the shipping would cost though. Search a few Canadian suppliers. Exchange rate is a bit better too. 1 AUD is worth $.93 Cdn. Only 70 cents U.S.
Anyway, pistol sights are a set. The front will be matched with the rear. So when you replace 'em for whatever reason, they need to be a set.
Red dots are not as accurate as regular sights either. The dots are usually too big.

Jim Watson · October 22, 2018, 01:37 PM

Quote:

Red dots are not as accurate as regular sights either. The dots are usually too big.

This will be a surprise to a lot of bullseye shooters going for score at 50 yards.
You seldom see iron sights on a NM pistol except for CMP EIC Service Pistol.
They use tube sights with good adjustments, not the slide ride with twiddle and guess settings.

Agree on shipping, I bought some stuff from Italy and shipping was over 1/4 the total cost.

TailGator · October 22, 2018, 02:07 PM

Quote:

Anyway, pistol sights are a set. The front will be matched with the rear. So when you replace 'em for whatever reason, they need to be a set.

Not necessarily true.

Seb7701 · October 23, 2018, 04:48 AM

T - Thats's not a bad idea - will take a look at some Canadian sites!!
As of last night, EGW seems like the only RD mount, but does seems to sit up quite a bit higher than I think I'd like and I'll be darned if I can find a fibre optic, adjustable rear??? Weird I thought, considering the popularity of S.A.???

Jim Watson · October 23, 2018, 07:41 AM

https://dawsonprecision.com/dawson-p...ic-rear-sight/

October 19, 2018, 11:35 PM	#1
Seb7701 Member Join Date: March 12, 2017 Location: QLD, Australia Posts: 16	SA Range Officer - Rear sight options?? Hi all. Just been getting acquainted with my new SA Range Officer with factory adjustable rear sight, but just seem to find the gap in rear blade a little too big for my liking. So, I have figured out that the slide is an LPA cut and have been surprised at the lack of options for adjustable fibre optic rears so far. As such, have started looking for a red dot option and am wondering whether anyone has suggestions for a nice, low-mounted red dot mounting? Any advice would be appreciated. Regards, Seb

October 20, 2018, 08:21 AM	#2
Jim Watson Senior Member Join Date: October 25, 2001 Location: Alabama Posts: 18,535	Dawson makes a fibre optic rear to fit the LPA dovetail but they don't say the notch width and I don't know if they ship to Oz. https://dawsonprecision.com/dawson-p...c-rear-sight/# You got Amazon in the Antipodes? EGW makes a red dot adapter to fit the rear sight cut. It will be taller than a milled in installation but a whole lot less expensive. https://www.amazon.com/Sight-Mount-D.../dp/B072BYCVSF Look at Customer Pictures in Reviews. EGW says they may not ship sights abroad, but I do not know if that is taken to include sight bases. You could ask. http://www.egwguns.com/index.php?p=home The first place that comes up on Google for red dot sights in Queensland is The Barn. They catalogue various red dot sights, surely they have or can get appropriate bases. https://www.thebarn.net.au/categorie...26+Sights/6624 Note that you have to have your mind made up as to WHICH red dot because everybody has his own mount dimensions. Or would you consider a rail down the top of the gun with a tube type dot sight? That is a common layout for bullseye target shooters but it does not exactly get you a low line of sight. Last edited by Jim Watson; October 20, 2018 at 08:31 AM.

October 22, 2018, 11:22 AM	#7
T. O'Heir Senior Member Join Date: February 13, 2002 Location: Canada Posts: 12,453	"...shipping is a little bit of an issue..." More about importing and exporting firearm parts laws on both sides. The U.S. has two government departments involved. State and Commerce. The latter requires manufacturers to have an expensive exporter's licence. The former decides if the part can go to specific countries and what parts for what firearms can be exported at all or if there's a licence required. Plus the cost of shipping a wee box to the other side of the planet. Canada doesn't have those daft import/export rules. Dunno what the shipping would cost though. Search a few Canadian suppliers. Exchange rate is a bit better too. 1 AUD is worth $.93 Cdn. Only 70 cents U.S. Anyway, pistol sights are a set. The front will be matched with the rear. So when you replace 'em for whatever reason, they need to be a set. Red dots are not as accurate as regular sights either. The dots are usually too big. __________________ Spelling and grammar count!

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October 20, 2018, 07:08 PM	#3
Seb7701 Member Join Date: March 12, 2017 Location: QLD, Australia Posts: 16	Thanks Jim - you're right, shipping is a little bit of an issue. EGW can ship their mount directly, so that's cool, just wondering whether there was anything a little lower profile, but I guess it's probably not all that bad. I was just hoping to replicate a friend's S&W M&P which has the slide milled out especially. The Dawson stuff is great - didn't know about that one, but will see if anyone brings them in - Amazon Oz are the only ones that ship to here as of recently, but are useless in terms of want they list... It's funny, I had a Kimber which I thought was limited in choice, but the SA seems oddly worse????

October 20, 2018, 08:25 PM	#4
Jim Watson Senior Member Join Date: October 25, 2001 Location: Alabama Posts: 18,535	Certainly the lowest and most solid installation is to machine the slide to take the RDS directly without mount or adapter. But that limits you to the one or a few brands the cut is made for. $170 at one shop here. I think the SW CORE is recessed but with different adapter plates. A friend has one coming in Monday.

October 22, 2018, 06:24 AM	#5
Seb7701 Member Join Date: March 12, 2017 Location: QLD, Australia Posts: 16	Y'know Jim, that's tempting actually - to get the proper job done and mill the slide... I just liked the way the M&P was set low enough that I think you could even use the open sights through the lense. (But don't quote me on that...) That being said, for $$ reasons, I should exhaust the rear fire optic options I suppose...

October 22, 2018, 08:13 AM	#6
Jim Watson Senior Member Join Date: October 25, 2001 Location: Alabama Posts: 18,535	Eyesight and preferences differ, but my standard sight set is a fibre optic front and a black rear.

October 23, 2018, 04:48 AM	#10
Seb7701 Member Join Date: March 12, 2017 Location: QLD, Australia Posts: 16	T - Thats's not a bad idea - will take a look at some Canadian sites!! As of last night, EGW seems like the only RD mount, but does seems to sit up quite a bit higher than I think I'd like and I'll be darned if I can find a fibre optic, adjustable rear??? Weird I thought, considering the popularity of S.A.???

October 23, 2018, 07:41 AM	#11
Jim Watson Senior Member Join Date: October 25, 2001 Location: Alabama Posts: 18,535	https://dawsonprecision.com/dawson-p...ic-rear-sight/