Best 1911 Sights – Top 10 Best Sights for 1911 Review

One of the best things about owning a 1911 are the nearly endless options for customization, and one of the first things most 1911 owners choose to upgrade is their sights. Since most of these pistols come with stock sights that are mediocre at best, swapping them out is one of the best ways to improve the performance of your pistol. 

With a ton of aftermarket support for these popular sidearms, finding the best 1911 sights can be a confusing and complicated undertaking. We’re here to make the process just a little bit easier by suggesting a few of our favorites. 

If you don’t have time for the details, check out the list below for the best rated 1911 Sights:

1. Meprolight 1911 Novak Style Night Sights
2. TRUGLO Glow-in-The-Dark Night Sights for 1911
3. TRUGLO Fiber-Optic Front and Rear Sights for Kimber 1911
4. Trijicon 1911 Colt Cut HD Night Sight Set
5. HIVIZ 1911 Front Tenon Style Fiber Optic Sight
6. Kensight DAS 1911 Defense Adjustable Rear Sight
7. Fusion Firearms Ghost Ring Tritium Sights
8. Crimson Trace Lasergrip for 1911
9. Burris Fastfire III Red Dot Sight
10. Vortex Optics Razor Red Dot Sights

Choosing Sights for Your 1911

The biggest factor in choosing sights for your 1911 is how you’ll be using the pistol. 

If you’ll be using your 1911 primarily for self-defense, you’ll want low profile sights with smooth or rounded edges. This design will ensure your sights won’t hang up on your clothing or holster when you draw your weapon. 

Self-defense sights should also be sturdy, easy to align, and highly visible. Many sights designed for self-defense feature bold colors or some sort of bright luminescence. This makes your aiming points easy to see, making alignment much easier in low light conditions. Since most defensive encounters happen at night, high-visibility sights are a major asset. 

Competition shooters may need more adjustability and a finer aiming point than many self-defense sights provide. Because pinpoint precision is a must in serious competition, the best competition sights often have smaller rear blades with an angular design. Additionally, the front sight post is often thinner and may have a finer dot to facilitate more precise aiming. 

Best 1911 Sights on the Market Reviews

What constitutes the “best” 1911 sights is largely a matter of personal preference. The sights one shooter absolutely loves could be the bane of another’s existence. That being said, we’ve compiled this list of a few top-quality aftermarket upgrades. This is by no means an exclusive list, although we’ve tried to include something suitable for the most popular shooting applications. 

 1   Meprolight 1911 Novak Style Night Sights

If you plan to use your 1911 for self-defense, having a good set of night sights is just plain smart. These Novak Style sights from Meprolight are some of the best options for 1911 pistols on the market. 

These iron sights come as a set, and feature a standard front sight post and a U-shaped rear sight. The style is easy to use and promotes rapid target acquisition, even when shooting under stress. 

Both sights feature bright, luminescent markings that are highly visible, even in darker shooting environments. Because they use tritium phosphate, the marks glow brightly without an external power source. 

 2   TRUGLO Glow-in-The-Dark Night Sights for 1911

TRUGLO makes pretty awesome night sights. Sturdy, reliable, and easy-to-align, these glow-in-the-darks are perfect for nighttime, open sight shooting. They come as a front and rear set that feature tritium luminescence for after-dark visibility. 

The green aiming points become standard white dots in brighter conditions, making them just as visible during the day. TRUGLO Glow-in-the-Dark sights are also designed to provide a longer sight radius for more consistent accuracy

TRUGLO Glow-in-the Dark night sights are made from durable, CNC-machined steel. Although they have a tough, all-metal construction, they are also lightweight and compact. This means they won’t upset the balance of your firearm. 

These 1911 sights also feature a snag-free design that won’t slow down your draw, making them a great option for concealed carry. 

 3   TRUGLO Fiber-Optic Front and Rear Sights for Kimber 1911

TRUGLO does it again with these traditional fiber optic sights that are specifically designed for your Kimber 1911. 

A great option for low light shooting, these sights feature a standard three-dot configuration with contrasting front and rear colors. The front sight post features a bright red aiming point, while the rear U-shaped sight is made with bright green dots. These dots use fiber optic technology that gathers light and directs it toward the shooter’s eye. This creates a glowing effect that is highly apparent to the shooter, but can’t be seen by the target. The best part about these high-visibility sights is that they accomplish this feat without needing battery power. 

Like TRUGLO’s tritium models, this front/rear combo features a snag-free design and is made from tough, CNC-machined steel for extra durability. 

 4   Trijicon 1911 Colt Cut HD Night Sight Set

Trijicon is famous for designing battle-ready combat optics, and these battery-free night sights are built to the same level of toughness and reliability. This version of Trijicon’s night sights are built specifically for handguns with Colt cut sights. 

These three-dot iron sights self-illuminate using battery-free, tritium-phosphor lamps. The glow is bright, easy-to-see, and never needs recharging, so they are always ready to go when you need them. 

Although designed as night sights, these versatile sights work just as well in bright and transitional lighting. No matter how bright the shooting environment, the painted outline of the dots naturally draws your eye to the front sight post for fast, instinctive alignment. 

Insanely durable, Trijicon Night Sights are built from sturdy, machined steel. Each tritium lamp is contained within a protective aluminum cylinder that is capped with a sapphire jewel. This adds extra protection from recoil, accidental puncture, and general wear and tear. It also helps evenly distribute the light for enhanced visibility. 

 5   HIVIZ 1911 Front Tenon Style Fiber Optic Sight

Sometimes, simply updating your front sight can make all the difference in the world. If you don’t want to swap out your whole sight set-up, we highly recommend this front sight from HIVIZ. It fits most wide tenon 1911s.

Made in the USA from high-quality steel, this is one solid, sturdy sight post. It is built to handle pretty much anything that may come your way. 

One of the best features of this HIVIZ front sight is its interchangeable fiber optic LitePipes. The set comes with three green, two red, and one white, so you can easily change them out to suit your mood, target, or shooting conditions. Each Litepipe is made from a proprietary, chemical-resistant material and is injection molded for jaw-dropping brightness and maximum durability. 

The LitePipe is slightly recessed in the front sight post to eliminate the bothersome halo effect common on many other night sights. This design ensures a bright, crisp aiming dot, even for shooters with older eyes.

 6   Kensight DAS 1911 Defense Adjustable Rear Sight

If you want to enhance the usability of your rear sight, this adjustable option from Kensight is definitely up to the task. Perfect for most 1911s, the Kensight DAS fits any Novak LoMount rear sight dovetail. 

It features a snag-free, combat-style design that offers a smooth, unhindered draw. It also allows for easy, one-handed slide operation. This rear sight has absolutely no sharp edges to cut hands or catch on clothing. 

The Kensight DAS 1911has a standard U-shape with a pair of high-visibility white dots, one on either side of the sight. It also features a slightly slanted, serrated blade. This design reduces glare and helps channel the eye to the front sight for rapid target acquisition in any shooting condition. 

For precision shooting at any distance, the Kensight DAS 1911 has positive-click windage and elevation adjustments. The adjustments are easy and precise to produce reliable and consistent point of impact changes.

Built to last, the Kensight DAS 1911 is Wire-EDM machined from 4140 chrome moly steel. The steel is heat-treated to a hardness of RC 38-40 to ensure both lasting durability, and a glove-like, part-to-part fit with your firearm. 

 7   Fusion Firearms Ghost Ring Tritium Sights

The large aperture of a ghost ring rear sight provides instinctive aiming. Although using one with a handgun can take some getting used to, there are plenty of accomplished handgunners who swear by them. In our opinion, this ghost ring sight set from Fusion Firearms is one of the best out there. Plus, it looks really cool on a traditional 1911.

The rear sight is an open circle with two tritium lamps that glow with green luminescence. Both self-luminescent dots are ringed with a white outline for easy visibility and fast target acquisition in daylight. 

The front sight post also features a tritium-phosphor lamp that glows brightly without the need for batteries, even in total darkness. These dots are perfectly visible in all lighting conditions and are a perfect option for shooters with old eyes. 

The set is relatively easy to install and comes with a retaining screw and wrench. 

 8   Crimson Trace Lasergrip for 1911

When it comes to laser sights, Crimson Trace really knows their stuff. This company only makes laser sights, and they’ve done a ton of work improving these handy aiming devices from the big and bulky versions of the past. Today, Lasergrips seamlessly integrate with your firearm. 

The Lasergrip is made with a patented Instinctive Activation design that automatically activates when you establish a natural shooting grip. With an integrated, rubber over-molded activation button, there is no fumbling for a switch. This makes the Lasergrip perfect for self-defense scenarios where seconds can mean the difference between life and death. 

Lasergrips also allow for accurate shooting, even from less desirable shooting positions. All you need to do is place the laser on your intended target and pull the trigger. 

The whole design is reliable, comfortable, and seriously durable. Every Lasergrip comes factory-sighted to 50 feet. However, the sight is fully adjustable for windage and elevation. 

 9   Burris Fastfire III Red Dot Sight

Red dot sights are perfect for hunting, target shooting, and personal protection. The Burris Fastfire III is one of our all-time favorite red dots. It features a fine, 3 MOA dot that is perfect for precision shooting. 

It has an internal sensor that automatically adjusts brightness levels to match ambient lighting conditions. This ensures optimal visibility of your aiming point without ever needing to fumble with brightness controls. 

The Fastfire III is made with high-grade optical glass that is multi-coated to reduce glare and provide a crisp, clear sight picture. 

This red dot optic is super durable, incredibly compact, and weighs just over 3 ounces. The Fastfire III definitely isn’t going to add bulk or off-balance your handgun. 

Although red dots are definitely awesome, Mounting one on your Colt 1911 can be problematic. You’ll need a Burris Fastfire Mount specifically designed for a standard 1911. 

 10   Vortex Optics Razor Red Dot Sights

When it comes to quality optics, Vortex has been around the block a time or two. They have a reputation for quality, and their Razor Red Dot is certainly a credit to the company.

The Vortex Razor is super rugged. It has a one-piece chassis crafted from tough aircraft-grade aluminum. The chassis is o-ring sealed, making it dependably shockproof and waterproof. 

With premium glass that is fully multi-coated, shooters can enjoy a crisp, clear sight picture, even in low light. The exterior lenses are also treated with an Armortek coating to prevent scratching and resist damage from dirt, oil, and debris. 

The 3 MOA red dot promotes precision aiming. It also features nine illumination settings, allowing you to find the perfect brightness level for every shooting condition. The whole thing runs on a single CR 2032 battery, which provides up to a full year of use, even when the optic is set to the brightest level. 

Final Thoughts

Whether you use your pistol for competition, hunting, duty, or self-defense, the best 1911 sights will be durable, reliable, and easy to use. 

It isn’t always easy to install new sights on a 1911. If you have questions or concerns, you should contact a competent gunsmith to prevent accidental damage to your firearm.