XS Sights

[Curare]

Sights will likely not be used in self defense situations. At close range, in low light, when you and an attacker are both moving, you can index on center of mass and squeeze the trigger before you can obtain a good sight picture. The idea that you are going to be able to remove your attention from an armed attacker to stare at your front sight is laughable.

At longer distances, when sights may actually be useful, XS sights are a liability.

I've purchased several pairs of XS sights over the last decade and noted no advantage over partridge style sights--just 50% larger 25yd. groups.

Also, the rear sights are typically rather loose in the dovetail and essentially secured only by two small set screws. On several Glocks I've mounted them on you can clearly see daylight under the sight. Not reassuring.

I like plain black sights with a light--specifically Kyle Defoor Ameriglo sights.

 

[Sapper771]

I was running a set of XS big dots on my G19. They worked well for what they were designed for, but they are not as "surgical" as standard post and notch sights. Like others have said, the rear is close to useless.
I also installed a set on a friend's G19. They had some teething problems at first while shooting. After about 200 rounds, they were good out to 15 yards.

One good thing to note about them is the fact that they can be installed on the spot without the use of a sight pusher. They come with everything you need too, minus a small mallet.
The negative that I have experienced is with the set screws in the rear sight. The ones in my last set of XS sights were fragile. They seem to rely more on the set screws and loctite over a press fit, which has worked so far.

My Fusion Custom 1911 had a very nice sight setup. A 10-8 Precision U notch rear and a XS standard dot tritium front. I found that the long sight radius and combo sights complimented each other very well for both speed and accuracy.

I am a fan of the Warren Tactical sights. I prefer a black rear sight with tritium front. I have thought of buying a XS standard dot to use with the Warren rear. I may venture and try it out.

 

[Shawn Dodson]

The idea that you are going to be able to remove your attention from an armed attacker to stare at your front sight is laughable.

With a "target focus" sighting technique you don't acquire a hard focus on the front sight (as you do when bullseye shooting). Instead you acquire a hard focus on your aim point on the target where you want your bullet to land. You "see" your front sight in "soft" focus and drive it directly to your aim point.

The target focus technique is identical to the intuitive manner in which you point your finger at an object. You don't "stare" at the tip of your finger. Instead you look at the object and intuitively point your finger at it. You see you finger in "soft" focus and the object in "hard" focus. Target focus technique allows you to easily track moving targets with your front sight.

For me XS Sights are as accurate as iron sights. I don't have any problem with the shallow "v" notch in the rear sight. When I need to place a bullet with precision I simply place the front sight dot on top of the vertical line located directly below the center of the "v" in the rear sight. Maybe it's just experience.

I haven't had any problem with the rear sight coming loose in the 9 years that I've been using XS Sights.

A couple of videos that demonstrate accuracy of XS Sights:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AY5RURFEGd8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iQVCeJ103BQ

 

[racine]

XS Big Dot Tritium

I switched all my CCW pistols and even one shotty to this from the previous Trijicons. They are fast and easy to see. For long distance of 25yds use something else but for carry and up close you can't beat them. Company stands behind their products as well when I had a sight go dim in 3 years that they replaced at my convenience. All mine are now 8-12 years and still visible.

 

[possum]

i have been running the BD XS sights for years on various handguns, most commonly an xd service model, glock23, and glock 19. They are big a bright, fast and easy to install on glocks. they really come into thier own when you are shooting moving targets, and or you are moving, and or you and your target are moving. some people complain that they don't get enough accuracy out of them. with use and practice you will do fine, and you will get plenty of speed and accuracy out of them, especially in the context of defensive shooting. they are not match sights but they are fighting sights.

 

[stickhauler]

I put a set on my SR-9 C, shot it for a while with stock sights and then changed them out. My accuracy increased with the XS sights over how well I shot with the stock ones. I love the hell out of the things! I'll eventually switch all my pistols over to them, as funds allow.