Dan Wesson sights

taat2d

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Apr 16, 2019
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17
So I just got my new Dan Wesson Specialist. Love the gun. HATE the sights. I want a fiber optic front sight with a black rear notch. Would like to add an adjustable rear sight, (not sure if I can). I measured the front and rear sights. Having never done this, I just wanna make sure I did everything correctly... measured the front sight at .168" and the rear at .320". Does this sound right? LOL. Never did this and don't wanna screw it up. So if ordering Dawson precision sights I need .170" front and .325" rear. Correct?
 
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Tlm

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Jan 8, 2019
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5
So I just got my new Dan Wesson Specialist. Love the gun. HATE the sights. I want a fiber optic front sight with a black rear notch. Would like to add an adjustable rear sight, (not sure if I can). I measured the front and rear sights. Having never done this, I just wanna make sure I did everything correctly... measured the front sight at .168" and the rear at .320". Does this sound right? LOL. Never did this and don't wanna screw it up. So if ordering Dawson precision sights I need .170" front and .325" rear. Correct?
 

Tlm

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Jan 8, 2019
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5
That sounds right but I would contact DW first or talk with someone from Dawson. In my experience they both have excellent customer service.
 

LoneOak

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Jun 12, 2018
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If you just tell the folks at Dawson what you have they will be able to tell you exactly what you need. They always have for me. I have their sights on 2 different DW guns. I like the red fiber optic front on mine.
 

m/v MOJO

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Nov 27, 2018
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21
I put a Dawson Precision fiber optic on the front of my DW Specialist and a Wilson Combat U-notch battle sight on the rear. Love the combination. I don't recall the height and am traveling now so I can't measure, but I do remember having to buy a 2nd front sight because the first one was either too high or too low and the WC rear didn't have enough adjustment to compensate. I had to fit the Dawson front sight to get it in the dovetail (file down the bottom a little to skinny it up) so Dawson wouldn't take it back. Suggest you try to evaluate the height before doing any fitting, but now exactly sure how you would do that!
 

m/v MOJO

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Nov 27, 2018
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I'm a big fan of u-notch rear sights. Faster to get on target and for me more accurate, easier to get front sight centered in the U than to get equal amounts of light on each side like in a square notch. I used this gun to shoot bowling pins and find the transitions to be much faster than a standard square notch.
 

nicalaex

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May 13, 2020
Messages
70
So I just got my new Dan Wesson Specialist. Love the gun. HATE the sights. I want a fiber optic front sight with a black rear notch. Would like to add an adjustable rear sight, (not sure if I can). I measured the front and rear sights. Having never done this, I just wanna make sure I did everything correctly... measured the front sight at .168" and the rear at .320". Does this sound right? LOL. Never did this and don't wanna screw it up. So if ordering Dawson precision sights I need .170" front and .325" rear. Correct?
Get tritium front sight. Front sights are relatively hard to replace on 1911's. Be careful!!!!!
 

Murphy

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Feb 26, 2020
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6
Your DW has standard Novak dovetail sights, front and rear. You really need a pusher and some minor fitting may be needed. You can do it with a brass punch or the aluminum punch that comes with the Dawson sights. But fit it to 1/4 the way in the dovetail by hand. Rear sights come in three sizes. .325", .350" & .375". Normal is .325". Fronts are normally, almost always .180" but you may have a .170". If your gun is sighted in at 15 yards with existing sights then stay with those dimensions. By sighted in I mean 1" groups POA/POI.
you want fiber front, do you not like the existing Novak style rear? If it is .325" (close enough with your .320") get a fiber front same heights for about $60.
 

Murphy

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Feb 26, 2020
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6
I do think Dawson has an adjustable rear in the Novak dovetail. It's pretty good. And of course Novak has a great adjustable rear. Both are shaped like the standard Novak sight just adjustable.
 

taat2d

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Joined
Apr 16, 2019
Messages
17
Thanks for the replies. I'm not planning on changing the sights myself as I don't want to screw up or damage the gun in any way. I'm having a real hard time with the "straight 8" sights. I'm not used to shooting them at all. I so much more prefer conventional FO front sight with a blacked out rear notch.
 

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