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What type of sights do you prefer on a handgun?

  • Stock white dot fixed

    Votes: 20 10.7%
  • Stock white dot adjustible

    Votes: 20 10.7%
  • Night Sights

    Votes: 120 64.2%
  • Black Sights

    Votes: 9 4.8%
  • Fiber Optics

    Votes: 17 9.1%
  • XS Sights

    Votes: 1 0.5%

Stock sights or night sights?

12K views 73 replies 47 participants last post by  S&WM&P 
#1 ·
What kind of sights do you prefer?

Stock white dot fixed
Stock white dot adjustible
Night Sights
Black sights
Fiber Optics
 
#6 ·
Smith & Wesson persisted in putting a red insert in their front sight blades. You are supposed to see a thin black strip above the red, but I never could. I could never hold as precise elevation with these red inserts, so had them removed from my guns. The all-black Ruger sights worked best. The white outline sights never gave me as sharp a sight pictue as plain black. Even early morning or late evening, I still prefer black.

My S&W M19 also sports black sights, this for defensive carry. If I can't see my front sight, its too dark to shoot.

I did have one man tell me he found one advantage to glow-in-the-dark sights-they helped him find his gun one night during a power outtage.

Bob Wright
 
#10 · (Edited)
I like stock, white dot sites - especially when they are big, white dot sights. The HKs have big dots that are very clear. So do the S&W 1911s. Springfield 1911s use Novak sights too, but the dots are little crappy dots.

I generally leave my sights stock, if I really like them. My Walthers are fine the way they are, so I don't feel like messing with them and replacing the sights. Previously paid for factory night sights on a G26 over a year ago, and when the slide came back from Glock, the white circles around the tritium was all screwed up. Sent it back, and Glock said there were "within factory specifications."

After that, if it ain't broke, I just leave it alone.

As for the all black sights, I can't shoot at an indoor range with that. My eyesight ain't good enough for that. I use the dots, not the sight, when I shoot.
 
#12 ·
I was probably one of the first Police officers in my state to have Night Sights on my service gun. My personally owned S&W 39-2 then my personally owned S&W model 67 Put on in 1978 and 1979. Now all our department pistols have them (since 1992) they belong on a serious defense pistol.
 
#13 ·
Charlie said:
What about XS night sights? Honestly that's what I would prefer.:mrgreen:
Yup, they're the night sights too.

Here's a tip - If you order from XS and the sights are on backorder, that's actually good news - it usually means that they are out to Trijicon getting the vials installed. So when you do get them they are fresh and super-bright.
 
#15 ·
I was leaning that way at first, but with the first set I ordered I went with what XS recommends, the big ones. Glad I did too - they seem just right to me.

I've not noticed the lack of accuracy that some mention - granted, I do most of my practice at 7-15 yards, but they work really well for me. Strangely enough too, with the XS big dots, I can do rapid, coursely aimed fire (not even worrying about the rear alignment and just pasting the dot over the target) and I get really good results, certainly better than conventional sights, and sometimes better than if I take my time with the XS's.
 
#17 ·
I bought a Dan Wesson 1911 last year - with the big dot - thought I would like it, with my eyes being what they were. Gun just wasn't accurate for me, even at 7 yards. Tried to aim higher/figure out a pattern. Just wasn't getting what I found acceptable from a 1911. Damn dovetail on this Dan Wesson was also huge - no other standard sights were gonna fit it w/o welding the hole on the slide. Ended up trading the gun back the same day for a Glock 34.

I'll never try different sights again w/o trying them first on someone else's gun. That's why I won't buy a steyr w/o trying it first (they have those triangle sites)
 
#20 ·
Shipwreck said:
I'll never try different sights again w/o trying them first on someone else's gun. That's why I won't buy a steyr w/o trying it first (they have those triangle sites)
I had been lucky enough to be able to check out the XS's installed on a PPK years ago at a gun show, back when the company was still called Ashley Outdoors.

One thing you could try, Charlie, is to get a bit crafty and mock up that type of sight picture with some black electrical tape and whiteout - either covering over the existing sights or taping it to a stick - just to get a feel for whether or not your eyes will respond to that type of sight picture or not.

BTW - I tried the Steyr sights on a rental gun at the range - not too bad IMO. But what turned me off of the gun was the mag release not being in a good spot for me, and the mag well felt like it could use a bevel job.
 
#21 ·
If I'd been able to go to the dang gun show this last weekend I probably could have answered all my questions as well as been able to do some visual comparisons. The little bitty sights on my stock Defender are just a one click above not having any. I will check closely the dovetail specs. for the rear sight. The front sight is staked in so I may have to have somebody put it on. How much trouble is removing and replacing a "staked in" front sight?
 
#22 ·
On a 1911, the staked front sight can be tricky - it can go south really fast if you're not careful - so I'd recommend smith installation for that. There are even special tools out there for it, if that's any indication as to what's involved.

Also, I recall the XS has a few different dovetail sizes available for 1911's - if you can't find an exact match, go for a little bigger and the same smith should be able to make them fit, provided that the angles are the same.

If it's a box-stock Defender slide, and XS doesn't list it specifically, give em a call and they should be able to help you figure it out.

All the XS sights I've gotten have been slightly oversize and required minor fitting, but that's to be expected. Overall, their QC seems to be pretty good - and it's better to have extra meat to work with than not enough..
 
#25 ·
Shipwreck said:
Well, seeing them in person and using them while shooting are 2 different things. I won't deviate from standard sites w/o actually trying any other type of sights out first - that's what I meant. :smt022 :smt022 :smt022
I hear ya - I can't quite describe it, but for me at least, I didn't need to actually shoot with them first, just seeing the sight picture was enough - I could actually percieve that they were the ticket for me, it just kinda clicked. It's like my eye's said "Oh yeah, that's what I need!"

But to each his or her own, I've heard of other that can never get used to them.
 
#26 ·
Charlie said:
The front sight is staked in so I may have to have somebody put it on. How much trouble is removing and replacing a "staked in" front sight?
It's pretty easy to swap out if you have some coordination and a few tools. You will need a front sight staking tool, Brownells sells them. Let me know if you need more info.:mrgreen:
 
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