Anyone run XS Big Dot Sights on a Glock?

[Averageman]

Averageman:

What the hell? Have you got three hands or something?

Yeah I'm pretty "handy" that way.

 

[340PD]

Maybe a compromise option.
http://www.trijicon.com/na_en/products/product1.php?id=HDNS

 

[Certaindeaf]

I've got some non-biguns that came on a used pistol (CD-HP). It's not my target gun and they work plenty fast and good enough to not warrant changing them.
On a dangerous game rifle, these type sights certainly have their proponents. That's for sure. Personally, on a dangerous game rifle/express rifle, I'd prefer an ivory or tritium front and a real big peep hole in the rear.

 

[Bullz]

This is an interesting thread. I do have a question about one of the sight configurations mentioned here. Many people are saying they prefer some kind of dot/blade with a blacked out rear notch. If your using a tritium front post with a black rear notch, how do you align your sights in the dark?

I was curious so I tried this out last night by putting some black tape over my rear tritium dots to see how it would go and I found it difficult to pick up the sights. I typically press the front sight but I would find that it would occasionally "vanish" if I didn't press perfectly... In the dark, I can't see the black rear notch. When this happened, I had to guess what side was covering it which made aiming take longer. I ran this drill for about 30 min and my success rate for a proper sight picture on a quick press was maybe 80%... not good enough. What do you guys do to keep that from happening?

I'm only curious about this because I was playing with my friends M&P which had a fiber optic front blade and black notch and it was so easy to clover leaf with that setup (in the day light). But I'm not really sure what the technique would be to quickly acquire a proper sight picture in the dark. Any insight?

 

[Orion8472]

Bullz, that is about the same I was thinking. I would rather have the "dot on top of another dot" style of tritium sight than just a plan black blade for the reason you mentioned.

Now some guys have their muscle memory worked out that what you posted isn't an issue, . . . but I'm with you on this.

 

[ForumSurfer]

This is an interesting thread. I do have a question about one of the sight configurations mentioned here. Many people are saying they prefer some kind of dot/blade with a blacked out rear notch. If your using a tritium front post with a black rear notch, how do you align your sights in the dark?

I was curious so I tried this out last night by putting some black tape over my rear tritium dots to see how it would go and I found it difficult to pick up the sights. I typically press the front sight but I would find that it would occasionally "vanish" if I didn't press perfectly... In the dark, I can't see the black rear notch. When this happened, I had to guess what side was covering it which made aiming take longer. I ran this drill for about 30 min and my success rate for a proper sight picture on a quick press was maybe 80%... not good enough. What do you guys do to keep that from happening?

I'm only curious about this because I was playing with my friends M&P which had a fiber optic front blade and black notch and it was so easy to clover leaf with that setup (in the day light). But I'm not really sure what the technique would be to quickly acquire a proper sight picture in the dark. Any insight?

I've found that when there is enough light to acquire the target, there's enough for a flash sight picture if you aren't point shooting. If there isn't enough light to acquire the target, I need more light before I can shoot anything. This is while running drills or experimenting in my own home, my home range or my yard at ranges inside 15 yards. Inside my home when I put that green dot on my target, I'm going to hit it even if my sights are slightly misaligned.

I'm sure if I tried reallllllllly hard I could find a place where I am in total darkness and my target is well lit Lying underneath a vehicle for cover in my yard comes to mind, but honestly I still see a black outline there. I guess another concern would be when transitioning from light to dark before your eyes adjust. In either case, I'm not going to feel comfortable unless I have a light source because target acquisition is going to be iffy in those scenarios. Also keep in mind that when you're looking at a target silhouette, you need to remind yourself that there is a huge difference between hitting that silhouette and positively identifying it before shooting it. Someone pointed that out to me and it was like a light came on in my head. The black rear sight benefits the other 99.9% of my shooting, so I'm ok with that.

Bullz, that is about the same I was thinking. I would rather have the "dot on top of another dot" style of tritium sight than just a plan black blade for the reason you mentioned.

Now some guys have their muscle memory worked out that what you posted isn't an issue, . . . but I'm with you on this.

Completely understood. That's why we need to practice, practice, practice. Draw and fire quickly, target transitions, shooting multiple targets after identifying them...basically anything you can do to keep you practicing firing from low and ready, from the draw and from any position you may use. Training is great, but you gotta keep practicing for retention of the skills you learn.

I can't find fault in your line of thinking. My older sights are 2 dot stack the dot. Instead of replacing them now that I'm more confident, I simply colored them in with a green sharpie. It looks mostly black, but you still see tritium at night.

I'll also admit that I doubt I would have ever switched to an all black rear if my eyes instantly focused on the front sight as I punch out at step 4 of the 4 count draw. A dot on the rear distracts my focus from the front sight no matter how much I train. It takes me a split second to shift focus, where as with an all black rear...BAM! Front sight, front sight, front sight every time instantly. Same thing with target handgun sights at distance, if I hold that sight picture long enough my eyes want to focus at the rear. Maybe it's my age or astigmatism, but the black rear cures me.

 

[CommanderCrusty]

I haven't tried them on a Glock, but I had them on an XD9 4". I could not get used to them. I found "Dotting the I" to be very slow for me. Much slower than standard sights. My groups also opened up about 50% and I had no confidence I could hit anything at 25 yards. I eventually traded the gun and a SR9 with standard 3 dots sights. Much better, faster and more accurate. YMMV.

 

[Bullz]

Orion and ForumSurfer,

Thanks for the thoughtful replies. I have a couple of guns that are running bar dot combat sights (which I've come to love) that I'm thinking of upgrading to night sights. Can't decide if I want that style with tritium or if I should go with 3-dot tritium like my primary. I think I would miss the rear notch on the XS sights... not sure. The standard sights work fine with a flashlight... but there's a very real advantage to tritium...

Anyway, thanks again

 

[Averageman]

In the end my uneducated theory on why it didn't work for me is that.
A) I didn't find the dotting the i any faster than finding my front sight after drawing my pistol.
B) Alligning the front sight between the rear notch isn't necassary for me to shoot close in targets. Most of the time after shooting a stage of IDPA unless I shoot at great than 15 yds I dont even use the rear sight.
C) The Dot seems too big, essentially it covers too much mass at longer distance for me to be accurate. Yes, I have seen the video on the website, but to be honest, give me enough time and ammo and I too could shoot the big dot like that.
In the end, I think if you spend enough time and shoot enough ammo you shouldn't need a "big dont". When shot placement is critical, I want a blade front sight and a pistol that I have shot thousands of rounds of practise with.

 

[Zerodefect]

XS Big Dot sights are obsolete and rattleing somewhere around the bottom of my tools and parts range box.

They were great when I was a newb. They offer really fast 7 yard aimed rapid fire shots. Now I can do the same thing without any sights at all. I need sights for range, not close up. Skinny front sight, wide rear.

Big Dots stunk at longer ranges. Slow and inaccurate. A liability.

I use a Sevigny Comp sight setup on my Glock 23 and nearly the same type of setup on all of my pistols. Usually a .156" wide notch plain rear sight. Teamed with either a .110" wide front fibre optic blade(daytime), or .125" wide front nightsight.

One dot only nightsights rule. Nothing on the rear is needed for me.

My day time setup allows me to shoot aimed slightly-rapid fire into a a piece of notebook paper at 25 yards consistantly. Plenty good for IDPA or defense.

I used to recommend the Big Dots, but I'm a much better shot now and no longer have any use for them.

 

[rcmodel]

Had one set.
Don't have them now!

They suck for any attempt at accuracy beyond bad breath & BO range.

I can do better then that without sights!

rc

 

[Shawn Dodson]

I can shoot potatoes, 1 shot/1 hit (exploding potato), no problem at 50 yards using XS Big Dot sights, with very little effort.

When I first started using them I found them to be quite frustrating. Then, after my patience had just about reached the limit, I decided to go back and read the F'n manual. I learned that I was doing it wrong. The moment I started following the instructions I was able to achieve excellent results.