Why no adjustable rear sight notch width on American sights?

Semi-rhetorical question here, but maybe someone can help.  If you look at the high-end European target pistols, they come with rear sights that can have the notch width adjusted, either mechanically or through interchangable rear sight blades.  American guns don't come with this...and they really need to.  The rear sight notch is chronically very narrow, allowing only a thin strip of light to be seen.  Not the best setup for shooting with iron sights, the Soviets worked out that a light-to-front sight-to-light ratio of 1:2:1 was optimal or close to it.

It's a vexation...because I really prefer iron sights to sticking a dot on top of the gun.  Especially when I shoot other disciplines that require iron sights.

Greetings,

Actually, back in the 1960's, and maybe earlier, Micro rear sights offered optional rear blades with different widths.

Current day? Most likely the cost of fabrication.

Cheers,

Dave

Safe edge file and flat black model paint. Be careful and take your time. As an aside I have had guns with adjustable sight blades come loose, extremely problematic for precision work. Personally have found that less points of adjustment = more reliability.

Probably because a low percentage of US shooters shoot competition compared the EU.

Wilson Combat makes their adjustable rear available with two notch widths.

BLADE, REAR SIGHT, LO-MOUNT, ADJUSTABLE, STANDARD BLADE

Specifications

Sight Notch Width	.128"
Sight Notch Depth	.090"
Sight Blade Height	.450"
Sight Blade Width	.760"

BLADE, REAR SIGHT, LO-MOUNT, ADJUSTABLE, NARROW TARGET

Specifications

Sight Notch Width	.110"
Sight Notch Depth	.090"
Sight Blade Height	.450"
Sight Blade Width	.760"

Not just American!  I opened up the rear sight notch of my 208.  There are replacement rear sight blades available but to change it you have to disassemble the entire rear sight (the 208s change out is easy though).

I used a diamond abrasive plate from the portable knife sharpener made by Worksharp.  The plates can be removed and the edges have no abrasive:

https://i.postimg.cc/jj8f0ZFb/20221224-141122.jpg

Here is the widened 208 sight notch:

https://i.postimg.cc/zBVgJKsR/20221224-140650.jpg

Here is the same on my SW 41:

https://i.postimg.cc/C58n8YLh/20221224-140905.jpg

This cold bluing (blacking actually) seems to work better than black marker to treat the bare metal surfaces:

https://i.postimg.cc/cH2866Wk/20221224-140657.jpg

The rear sight on my Daisy 777 air pistol is fully adjustable, including width. I've always wondered the same thing as the OP.

My old German made Winchester air rifle and air pistols from the mid 1970's had rear sites that you could rotate the blade on the back of the site for different rear sight openings.  Seems like an easy thing to do although it could snag on a holster.