Question about XD sights - XDTalk Forums - Your HS2000/SA-XD Information Source!

deerslayer · 07-08-2008, 04:08 PM

I ordered my XD-9 Tactical yesterday, then, after (I kid you not, I did not see this) spending a good deal of time making my decision to buy this pistol and examining its pros and cons, I came across the "6 O'clock sight picture" disclaimer. I've always believed that the point of aim should also be the point of the shot- should I foresee myself having a problem acclimating to the sight picture the pistol seems to require? Was this sight picture intended for use with the XD, and can aftermarket sights correct the "problem" so that I may find the sight picture i've always trained myself to use?

**mhillsing23** · 07-08-2008, 04:46 PM

Here are some opinions in a recent thread. Sight Picture for XD

My Service with aftermarket sights does not use a 6:00 picture, my stock SC does.

deerslayer · 07-08-2008, 05:13 PM

Is that a luck-of-the-draw issue, totally dependent on your gun and body?

jfdavis58 · 07-08-2008, 07:02 PM

Most of this discussion (the one referenced) is largely internet blather. The actual sight adjustment to move the point of impact 1 inch is about 6/1000s of an inch; and you would need to know a lot more about the process than anyone provided--except in one or two obscure links. The problem with the SA manual is not choosing to hold to center or 6 o'clock; the problem is they don't specify ammo, size of target circle or target distance.

Regardless of the blather and SA's omissions from the manual, to check your pistols POI/POA you need a good bench rest technique, lot's of ammo, and clear directions--and these should come from either experience with sight-fitting that the gun's owner possesses or from the smith that will make the adjustment/replacement. Absent either, read the WIKI article--it's closest to comprehensible of any reference cited.

deerslayer · 07-08-2008, 07:08 PM

Thanks so much for the technical side of the issue. But the question remains- if I've never fired a gun that used 6 o'clock positioning as its standard, should I consider it an issue if/when I start getting groupings that are consistently high, or consider gunsmithing/new sights to correct the issue when I decide to replace the sights?

**Se2002** · 07-08-2008, 07:14 PM

07-08-2008, 04:08 PM	#1
deerslayer XDTalk 100 Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Louisiana Posts: 201	Question about XD sights I ordered my XD-9 Tactical yesterday, then, after (I kid you not, I did not see this) spending a good deal of time making my decision to buy this pistol and examining its pros and cons, I came across the "6 O'clock sight picture" disclaimer. I've always believed that the point of aim should also be the point of the shot- should I foresee myself having a problem acclimating to the sight picture the pistol seems to require? Was this sight picture intended for use with the XD, and can aftermarket sights correct the "problem" so that I may find the sight picture i've always trained myself to use?

07-08-2008, 04:46 PM	#2
mhillsing23 XDTalk 2K Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: +38 26 31 -90 22 48 Posts: 2,419	Here are some opinions in a recent thread. Sight Picture for XD My Service with aftermarket sights does not use a 6:00 picture, my stock SC does. __________________ Governments tend not to solve problems, only to rearrange them. - Ronald Wilson Reagan

07-08-2008, 07:14 PM	#6
Se2002 XDTalk 1K Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: AL Posts: 1,245 Blog Entries: 1	LollyPop works on all of mine __________________ If the prospect of having your thumb hit by the bolt is unacceptable do not attempt to load your Garand.

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07-08-2008, 05:13 PM	#3
deerslayer XDTalk 100 Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Louisiana Posts: 201	Is that a luck-of-the-draw issue, totally dependent on your gun and body?

07-08-2008, 07:02 PM	#4
jfdavis58 XDTalk Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 92	Most of this discussion (the one referenced) is largely internet blather. The actual sight adjustment to move the point of impact 1 inch is about 6/1000s of an inch; and you would need to know a lot more about the process than anyone provided--except in one or two obscure links. The problem with the SA manual is not choosing to hold to center or 6 o'clock; the problem is they don't specify ammo, size of target circle or target distance. Regardless of the blather and SA's omissions from the manual, to check your pistols POI/POA you need a good bench rest technique, lot's of ammo, and clear directions--and these should come from either experience with sight-fitting that the gun's owner possesses or from the smith that will make the adjustment/replacement. Absent either, read the WIKI article--it's closest to comprehensible of any reference cited.

07-08-2008, 07:08 PM	#5
deerslayer XDTalk 100 Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Louisiana Posts: 201	Thanks so much for the technical side of the issue. But the question remains- if I've never fired a gun that used 6 o'clock positioning as its standard, should I consider it an issue if/when I start getting groupings that are consistently high, or consider gunsmithing/new sights to correct the issue when I decide to replace the sights?