[Cimarron]

I have been toying with the idea of putting a fiber optic front sight on my PT145 for two reasons... (a) the fiber optic sights are fantastic for being seen in the daylight, and (b) they can be ordered in a format shorter than the original Heine front sight which should help with the consistent problem of the guns shooting low.

Muscles installed a Dawson (fiber optic) front sight sight (see thread). I have chosen the Hiviz front sight designed for the Browning Hi-Power.

Here are the pictures of the installation. The original Taurus sight width for the front is .300. I broke a torque bit off in the front sight of the Taurus which meant I would have to cut the sight in order to remove it... the front sight hex set is set into the slide to made the slide impossible to drift off without removing the pin, or cutting the sight. So I set the slide into a padded vice and got out the dremel tool

The Hiviz Browning Hi-Power Front is .290 so I knew I would have to do some "shimming" but I chose to use the old technique of "peening" the edge of the dovetail where the sight would cover it... and with some "blue" Locktite, I was able to set the new sight into place.

The Hiviz sight is nice in the fact that the light tube is encased in epoxy which means that the tube can't be damaged, and the tube will never need to be replaced.

In any kind of daylight, the fiber optic sight just blazes... you simply can't miss it. It sets closer to the slide so it should raise the POI to the POA, but I will have to test that theory out with a trip to the range.

The only disappointment is the fact that since it was designed for the rounded Browning Hi-Power slide, there is a small "air gap" on the Taurus. To best the thickness it is about 4 thicknesses of a paper sheet or .02 on the chronometer. I don't think this will be a problem, but I'll report any issues which arise.

One of the reasons I wanted to document this is to show you that changing sights on the Taurus isn't that difficult a task. If you are unhappy, don't wait for years for Taurus to introduce a set of sights that you like... just find what you like and "fit it." Most of the Novak and Kimber sights have a base width of .330 which means you will need to removed .030 to fit them to the Taurus, but judicious use of tools makes that a task that most handi-man guys could tackle... and if you can't, see if you have a shooter friend who can... or know that any gunsmith is going to be able to change the sights by fitting other models (most 1911 type models can be modified to work).

 

[Cimarron]

Range Report

I am VERY delighted at the impact of the front sight on the use of my PT145. The front sight is extraordinarily bright and easy to pick up. It now fits into the rear sight as intended with a "dead on" aim. I was shooting at a target about the size of a softball at about 7-10 yards and hit it 10 out of 10 times. This is as fast a sighting system as I could imagine. It is well worth the effort and I am exceedingly pleased at the outcome.

 

[KaliS-Pugilist]

great job...im JEALOUS!!!

i just may go to my local smith and see about getting some night sights fitted...after reading your post im confident that something should be able to work.

 

[frostyeyes]

I have the HiViz sights on my XD for about a year now and I'm very happy with that set up, I've been toying with the idea of fitting a set of tritium fiber optic sights on my PT1911 but haven't gotten to it yet. Does anyone know if the Heine strait 8's are standard size on the PT1911????????

 

[Cimarron]

It appears as though they are all the same size as the rest of the Taurus line. If you have a caliper, please help the group and measure them! We should be able to build a pretty decent data base of information right here!

 

[jwc007]

Cool! Nice job! Am wondering if that sight will fit the Dovetail of my PT908's smallish front sight. If not, I'm sure I can find one that does! Another Gunsmith project to my list!

 

[Catbird]

Thank you for the report.

I have previously installed HiViz sights on one of my Glocks and one of my Walther P22s and like them very much. Both of them, of course, install quite differently and utilize small hex head screws from the bottom.

Now that I'm aware that the Hi Power sight will fit, with slight tweaking, I will be ordering one soon for my new PT145.

 

[BbnLbpt145]

Nice job. Really impressed

 

[Catbird]

I received my Browning Hi Power HiViz sight in today's mail and will be installing it in the near future on my PT145. I'm a little surprised how loosely it fits in the slide dovetail. I may try a combination of peening the slide as well as a bit of shimming under the sight base. For shimming, I was thinking about cutting a tiny rectangle from the lid of a tin can.

Can anyone else suggest a better shimming material?

 

[jwc007]

For better shimming material, consider inexpensive stainless steel feeler gauges from either an Auto Parts Store or Discount Store. One or Two of those gauges will be the exact thickness you need. I used one to Shim the Enterprise Arms Beretta 92 Ghost Ring Rear Sight on my Taurus PT92. The older versions of PT92's had smallish rear sights, unlike the current models, which have much bigger rear sights. You can see the shimms in my pic.

Taurus PT92 with Enterprise Arms Ghost Ring Rear Sight

 

[Catbird]

For better shimming material, consider inexpensive stainless steel feeler gauges...

I like that idea - thanks.

Update:
I installed the HiViz front sight in my PT145's dovetail today. I happened to have an extra, well-used feeler gauge on hand to use as shimming material. After a little trial-and-error, I finally decided on the .010" blade thickness. Since I don't plan on ever removing the new sight, I also chose to coat the surfaces of the dovetail with RED Loctite for a bit of added security. I'm going to give the Loctite a couple of days to fully cure before shooting and verifying POI. Cosmetically, I think it looks very nice.

 

[Cimarron]

Catbird, I think you will enjoy the sight. PS... I also used the red Loctite and it is now very stubborn about moving at all... so center it well and use the rear sight to adjust windage.

My Hi-Viz has put me dead on target for the way I shoot, and you just can't miss seeing that front sight! Plus, I like the fact that there are no light tubes to be replaced... it is encased in epoxy so it's there forever. Good shooting! And folks will be really impressed the first time they sight down your gun!

 

[Catbird]

I decided not to wait the full two days and took the PT145 to the indoor range today. While the range is really too dim to get the full effects of the HiViz properties, I was primarily interested to see if POA was equal to POI. It was and I'm fully satisfied with the results. Thanks to Cimarron and jwc007 for the suggestions.

Yes Cimarron, I used my calipers to ensure that I had my new front sight installed dead center before allowing the Loctite to dry.

The last thing I will be doing, just for aesthetics, is finding a suitable material to put in the front and rear gaps under the HiViz sight (like Cimarron described). I'm considering a couple of thin strips of black rubber inner tube -- I'll have to look around my workshop and see what I can come up with.

Edited to add pics -

 

[MoReloader]

I used a set of Browning high power trijicons. It worked fine. A lot of filing on the rear and shiming on the front, and a lot of trial and error on filing and shimming the front to get the point of impact right. Now it shoots great. I used brass for shim stock so that it could be flattened and fitted perfect.

 

[45 Forever]

I heard if the site bases are the same size, with the old Heinie width wise you just mark the slide with a pencil and you should not have to re-zero as fare as windage. I'm not a smith and your doing more than I would do but it is somthing I read here on a post