Gold bead front sight opinions?

wemoodydc

wemoodydc

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Does anyone have any experience with using a gold bead front sight? I'm thinking of replacing the fiber optic front sight on a Springfield 1911 with one. I don't really like the fiber sights, I much prefer a three dot for an IDPA type pistol, or black-on-black adjustable target sights for target shooting. I'm wondering if the gold bead picks up better than a plain white dot or a traditional Trijicon white ring? If you've shot with one, what do you like or dislike about the gold bead?
 
I replaced the gold bead on a couple revolvers with FO sights. For ME...the visibility is much better, especially when I went with green rear and red front FO.
 
I’ve used gold beads. There’s are two kinds:

Rounded beads, where directional lighting messes with POA/POI at speed because your eye is tracking reflection off a rounded surface.

Flat-cut beads/strips, which may sit flush with the sight blade or protrude a tiny bit. Those are better than rounded, but still far less bright than a F/O.

Either way, they’re more of an affectation then the more effective high-visibility front sight options.

If you are dead set on a three dot system, then you want the brightest front sight possible in most (F/O) or all (Trijicon HD) conditions due to the extra visual clutter (there’s a reason F/O front/blacked rear and HD front/blacked rear are really the only two set-ups you’ll see at USPSA and IDPA matches above the club level).
 
JRV said:
I’ve used gold beads. There’s are two kinds:

Rounded beads, where directional lighting messes with POA/POI at speed because your eye is tracking reflection off a rounded surface.

Flat-cut beads/strips, which may sit flush with the sight blade or protrude a tiny bit. Those are better than rounded, but still far less bright than a F/O.

Either way, they’re more of an affectation then the more effective high-visibility front sight options.

If you are dead set on a three dot system, then you want the brightest front sight possible in most (F/O) or all (Trijicon HD) conditions due to the extra visual clutter (there’s a reason F/O front/blacked rear and HD front/blacked rear are really the only two set-ups you’ll see at USPSA and IDPA matches above the club level).
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Thank you for your detailed explanation. I never considered the light scatter from a rounded bead, which is the style Wilson uses and the one I was shopping. I do really like a three dot system due to my many years grooving it in to my brain. I may just have to run FO for a while and allow myself to get used to it.
 
wemoodydc said:
Thank you for your detailed explanation. I never considered the light scatter from a rounded bead, which is the style Wilson uses and the one I was shopping. I do really like a three dot system due to my many years grooving it in to my brain. I may just have to run FO for a while and allow myself to get used to it.
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You won’t regret it, especially if you do a lot of outdoor shooting. Really quality fiber can almost be too bright. If you haven’t decided on a brand, don’t get “lightpipe” style sights or the Hi-Viz molded F/O sights. Stick to Dawson or Ameriglo or similar form factors—they’re user serviceable (it’s extremely easy to replace the inserts) and rock solid. So, you can experiment with different fiber colors to find your preference (red, green, amber, blue, etc.).
 
It's not so much light scatter as it is a spherical object having shadow if the light is at an angle. You'll tend to center in the bright part.

Use a black Sharpie on the rear dots to try the single for front look. I do that with tritium rears and you can still see the sights, but nicely subdued.
 
I did check out the sight picture on one at the LGS and I didn't hate it. It's just everything I've shot for the last 20 years has been 3 dot or plain...and now I'm getting old and resistant to change.
 
The Gold Bead preceded the FO by almost 100 years.....it was good then....there are much better options today....I have a S&W Registered Magnum from 1939 it came with King Sights installed. There is a flat Gold insert and a tiny round mirror canted on the front sight to throw light up on the Gold sight. The King Sights were quite the thing back then......The FOs are much easier on these old eyes. Look at several before you buy...some are of the unprotected variaty.....they are prone to breakage if exposed.
 
I own several Glocks (the black Vickers RTF2 models from a few years ago) with gold beat front sights. I liked them until one flew out while I saw shooting. I assume it's still somewhere in the dirt at Woody's all these years later.
 
One thing to be aware of when viewing sights at the LGS. They will do different things in broad sunlight, especially late in the year when the sun is low in the sky, or late in the day, same thing, that other sights won’t do. I think the angled reflection off of gold beads would be exacerbated by bright light at an angle like that.
 
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