First time night sight buyer here. I’m planning on getting a Glock 19. I know I want night sights, but which ones?
- Ameriglo
- Glock factory night sights
- Meprolight
- Trijicon
- TruGlo
- XS Sights
The TruGlos seem interesting because they use both fiber optic (for daytime use) and tritium (for nighttime use) elements. Anyone tried them? The Mepros and Trijicons offer contrasting front/rear colors, which seems like a good idea.
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XS sights:
http://www.xssights.com/store/handgun.html
Edited to add XS sights as an option. Thanks.
coal creek sells them. think they have a demo on the floor too.
A quick warning before you go with night sights. They will show through summer-weight clothing when it is dark out. With the half-life of tritium, you’re looking at about two years before they dim enough to not do that any more. However, they also won’t be as visible by then either.
I’d recommend something more like these (http://www.suresight.com/). If it’s so dark that you can’t see the high-viz yellow, it’s probably dark enough that you’d be point-shooting at that point anyway. Plus, the sure sight yellow doesn’t have a half-life.
FWIW, Glock Night Sights are guaranteed for life by Glock.
I have pistols with both Trijicon Tritium night sights and Tru Glo Tritium/Fiber Optic night sights.
Here are the reviews I wrote on both types of sights.
One thing I’ll add: Since I wrote the review of the Tru Glo, I have had the front fiber optic tube fall out and be lost.
Trijicon
http://www.epinions.com/review/Trijicon_Night_Sight_Sets_for_Glock_GL01Models_Trijicon_Glock_Green_Front_Yellow_Rear_Night_Sight_Set_Model_GL01Y/content_451558280836
Tru Glo Fiber Optic/Tritium
http://www.epinions.com/review/Tru_TG131HT_Tritium_Fiber_Optic_Sight_H_K_Usp_Models/content_423361678980
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Get some glow-in-the-dark nail polish and apply to the factory sights with a toothpick… You just gotta make sure your gun sits out in the daylight for a little while every couple of hours.
1) What kind of sight picture is on your other guns? You don’t want an XS big dot on one gun, Heinie Straight Eights on another, and standard three dots on a third. Pick a style, and stick with it on all the guns.
2) The big difference between Trij’s and Meps is that the latter have cast sight bodies instead of machined. This doesn’t make a big difference except on guns that have tight sight channels from the factory (SA XD and SIGs) which can mangle a set of cast Meps during installation (this is why I didn’t stock Meps for SIGs while I was at CCA).
3) Over the years I have come to the conclusion that multicolored dots are a gimmick. Tritium glows green, and the red or amber is achieved with a filter. If you’re going to go multicolored, keep the front dot green so it will be the brightest.
4) Various fiber sights have impressed me with their bright sight pictures, but I’m not 100% sold on their durability. Is this going to be a CCW gun?
(FWIW, were it my G19, I’d just buy the Meps and call it a day. It’s what Glock uses for their OEM sights anyway.)
It looks like the XS sights are all the express style, which I haven’t had much luck with in the past.
The Glock lifetime guarantee on their night sights sounds pretty sweet, considering it’s a foregone conclusion the tritium will give out eventually.
If the Mepros are what Glock uses, then it seems like the easiest solution is to get the 19 with the Glock factory night sights. No installation required and a lifetime warranty. Does that sound about right?
Edited to add: Tam, this will be used for CCW on occasion.
That sounds distinctly plan-like.
Whatever you go with, I cannot recommend the Heinie “straight eight” configuration enough. I put it on both of my 1911s that I carry. The 1+1 front and back configuration is *very* instinctive in the dark. I would strongly recommend that you not put any money into getting sights until you have tried the straight eight setup. There is something about the two dots naturally forming a line that makes it aim like an eleventh finger.
Sounds like a plan. Just make sure Glock hasn’t invested in credit default swaps or subprime mortgages, etc., so you’ll be able to get warranty service when the half-life comes.
Heh. Gaston Glock has one word for us: plastics.