Anybody put better sights on pocket pistols

Consider that they're made with minimal sights just because they ARE pocket pistols, and those sights are like that to minimalize them hanging up on your clothing in a fast draw situation. They're not meant to be target sights, the pistols are made to be self defense guns at bad-breath range where the sights would typically be useless anyway. Changing the sights would kinda defeat the purpose, yes?

Compare a Bersa Thunder .380 to a Bersa Thunder .380 CC. Pretty much the same gun but the CCW model is designed to be more snag-free with lower profile sights, smaller hammer, different grip. The BT .380 is much easier for target shooting than the BT .380CC. Then there's the Colt New Agent DAO that's double action, has no exposed hammer, and the "sights" are just a groove down the top of the slide. Lots of pistols been made this way, just for saving lives, not target shooting.

The only pocket pistol that I'm familiar with which has a usable sight is the Kahr PM9. All other sub compacts are as explained before. Point and shoot at very close range, no sights needed.

One of the reasons the Beretta Pico is interesting to me is that it will be about the same size as the other pocket 380s out there (LCP etc), but will have "real" sights.

sent using CPIP (see RFC 1149)

While not really a pocket pistol by virtue of its overall size, my Colt New Agent has a set of XS sights on it. I didn't care for the version without sights (the trench set-up), and I really liked the way I could quickly acquire the large front sight with the shallow V notch rear sight.

NWCP said:

The only pocket pistol that I'm familiar with which has a usable sight is the Kahr PM9. All other sub compacts are as explained before. Point and shoot at very close range, no sights needed.

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Years ago when I bought my conceal carry gun ( Kahr PM9) I ordered it with night sights.I'm very happy with them and I can see the gun in a dark bedroom on the nghtstand.

I differ from some here (who am I kidding? we're all of our own mind). But to me a "pocket pistol" isn't something that warrants sights at all. It's better than a knife at close quarters. I'd be more worried about the grip and controlling the recoil due to lousy grip. Had one firearm where this was a problem and extended mag fixed it.

The only real solution I see is carry something bigger if you need more range. Lots of choices out there.

After market sights on a pocket/belly gun is like putting a spoiler on a Moped. Looks cool but what good does it do you?

My Taurus 709 has an rear sight adjustable for windage and elevation.

Which is good because the size of the grip causes lots of people to dump rounds low and left.

It's easily corrected and the gun shoots very well. Of only extra mags weren't $80...

Adjustable sights are over-rated and fixed sights are under-appreciated. My Ruger Mark II came with dovetail rear adjustable for windage with punch and hammer and an over-tall front blade adjustable for elevation with a file. I zeroed the sights for .22 LR 40gr high velocity (three inch bullseye on top of the post like an "i" at 25 yards) and have had no need to adjust the sights since 1987. That is a holster gun intended to be shot in the field aimed at small game or medium predators, or shot at the range aimed at targets.

You should practice with a pocket pistol so you point it like your index finger rather than aim. If necessary to correct point-of-point to point-of-impact, custom grips are a better investment on a pocket pistol than custom sights.

Retired Cop friend has a P32 Kel-Tec and he had difficulty "making the pyramid" out of those vestigial sights. He got one of those "HiViz" shot gun sight sets from Wal Wart and stuck one of the long light fiber optic sights on his P32 Slide. They are appearently held on shot gun ribs by a magnetic base but he added Super Glue and I could not pull them off.

He chose a bright yellow dot as his choice on the idea that he might see it better in low light when he felt most likely to need the thing.

I shot his and mine side by side as it were and against the timer the HiViz set up worked "better" for both of us at 3 and 7 yards that is to say that first shots were closer to Center of Mass/ "aiming" point (centered on head at 3 and centered on A ring at 7) than with the issue sights and as fast or slightly faster.

He claimed to have several hundred shots through the set up over six months when I tried it.

I keep thinking about it but have come up with one excuse or another not to so modify my P32.

I keep thinking about one of the lasers that are out there, but I am concerned about dead batteries when I need them and the need to do one more thing ( turn on the light) before the shot can take place.

-kBob

Sent using smoke signals from the burning desk top at home.

I generally have trouble with fixed sights due to my poor vision, but I agree with NWCP. I shoot well with the stock sights on my Kahr PM (mine's the 45).

I have a Seecamp .32 ACP. It has no sights - period. I can place accurate shots out to about 10 yards. I'd prefer 15 yards, as that's about three car lengths, but I have to settle for 10.

It's not hard to learn to shoot without sights out to 10 yards.

My Taurus .380 has about the best sights I've seen on a small pocket pistol. A whole lot better than those on my P32. But at self-defense distance, who needs them? I intentionally practice point shooting out to 7 yards for just that reason.

I know i've seen pics on here from one of the members of a Ruger LCP that he had custom fitted with "real sights."
Whoever did it, did a good job.

My LCP just has the stock sights, with a little red nail polish on the front blade. Works just fine for the distance intended, although I do try, every so often, to hit the 6" gong at the 100yrd line on my range. No luck thus far, with about 3 mags worth of ammo.

IMO you can't get better sites than the ones that come on the Sig P238

NWCP said:

The only pocket pistol that I'm familiar with which has a usable sight is the Kahr PM9. All other sub compacts are as explained before. Point and shoot at very close range, no sights needed.

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I guess you haven't used the Sig Sauer P238. Best sights I have seen on a pocket pistol, they actually are as good as full size handguns.... And the gun is as accurate as a full size gun as well.

Pocket guns don't get better than the Sig, and sights on any other pocket gun sure as heck don't beat the P238

There is someone who mills the slots and installs some "real" 3-dot sights on an LCP. I can't remember the name but I imagine you can find it.

If I buy an LCP again, I will probably do this.

ETA: Ahh...there it is.
http://www.innovativearms.com/id18.html

In the mean time, my Kahr PM9 has "real" sights on it, and is one of the pistols I have owned the longest. I have a Kahr CW380 on order (replacement for my last LCP) and it has "real" sights as well.

Not sure this is what you're looking for, but my LCP got

http://www.laserlyte.com/products/ck-amf9

I count on upper torso/center body mass at close range, helped by the dot at a little more distance. I know I can put all 7 inside 6" at 50 feet, I practice to do this every range session

I like decent iron sights on my defense guns but I put (good) lasers or laser lights on all my defense guns.

I picket carry the Ruger LCP a lot. Wouldn't think of carrying it, or LC9, without a laser installed.

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or something like the J frame S&W, without the Crimson Trace lasers installed.

My only "pocket pistol" is a S&W Bodyguard with the built in laser.

Don't need much better than that.

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Actually, yeah....I forgot about Crimson Trace Lasergrips! I've had them on my Compact 1911 for so long I didn't think about them. Would those be an option for you? Perfect for aiming up close when you can't use/see the sights, and no permanent modifications or gunsmithing needed. I love mine. If you can dot him, you got him!