The best sights for such purpose are those which are used on duelling pistols.
It is most extraordinary that all pistol sights except the French duelling ones are so very unsuitable.
The military front sight consists of an upright narrow rod as seen when aiming. This is very thin and high and is black, with the top, when it has been used for any time, polished a dull grey, from use.
The hind sight has a very minute notch in it. The result in aiming is as follows: You faintly see a very thin black rod with a hazy top against the dark object you are trying to shoot.
By searching for it very carefully you see a microscopic notch in the hind sight, much too small to enclose this rod when aiming.
You cannot keep your elevation in shooting. As soon as you try to take the top of this front sight in your minute notch you lose sight of it altogether.
The rod so blocks the notch that you do not know if you have the front sight centrally in the notch or at one side.
In fact if I was asked to devise a set of sights to prevent a man being able to shoot well, the regulation military sights are what I would choose.
If strong enough the ivory ball would be the ideal colour for a front sight, as it is a dull white, instead of the reflection which sometimes comes from silver highly polished.
What is called “frosted” silver would be a good surface for the silver front sight if it did not tarnish.