Which Night sights - XDTalk Forums - Your HS2000/SA-XD Information Source!

Johnnybgood · 05-20-2007, 03:05 PM

I just picked up my new XD-.40 SC and want to put a set of night sights on it. This will be my CCW and of course it will be used at the range as well. Which night sights would be best?

philbo · 05-20-2007, 05:22 PM

My first set of night sights were Truglo TFO's on my XD45. When they were new they were fantastic. Less than a year later the fiber optics were cracked, the tritium vials were damaged, and they were not as good as the stock sights that came on the gun. Apparently even being careful with oil and solvents was too much for these delicate sights. Truglo's customer service was worse than a joke when I tried to contact them, and I decided to change brands. I now have a set from Ameriglo and a set of Trijicons on my XD45 & XD9sc respectively. Both similar in price and style. Much more rugged, just as bright at night, and haven't had to contact customer service yet! My advice, Ameriglo, Trijicon, or Meprolights, but not another Truglo product.

Heathen-Yak · 05-21-2007, 12:19 PM

That was also a concern of mine, i was worried the TFO's were too fragile so I never purchased a set. The only reason I got a set is my kimber came with black on black sights with no dots or other witness marks. and while i shoot it fine i desired better sights so it has trijicons on it now and i like them. the white rings around the tritium vials give me something to sight in on during the day and they glow pleanty bright at night.

SoCalXD · 05-21-2007, 01:18 PM

I own three sets of TFO's, two Dawson's, a set of Mepros, a set of Trijicons, and a set of XS Big Dots.

The TFO's go dim pretty quickly and the inserts in the front sight blades are never dead center. They are nice and fast for daylight and dim lighting though due to the fiber inserts. The Trijicons are bright & well centered, but the blades are a little to fat for short barrled pistols. The XS's are fast at 7 yards in daylight, but slow and in-accurate past 15 yards and the tritium is not very bright at night. The Dawsons are bright, well centered, perfectly sized for both short and long barelled pistols (providing a nice "fine-to-medium" sight picure using the 0.125" front blade in all XD barrel lenghs) and has the only inserts which are smaller in the rear, bigger in the front to insure easy front sight ID at night (thought the newer Trijicons might ship like that now also...anyone?)

So, I vote Dawson's for most applications (and that's coming from someone who has over $600 worth of other brands of tritium sights!). For those with poor/dim eyesight, the TFO's aren't a bad choice either, primarily due to the Fiber inserts; so long as you can get over the other shortcomings I mentioned. I've also taken to painting the front sights of my carry guns with either neon green or white paint...MUCH faster for a flash sight picture with very little detriment for precision distant shooting.

The more night/dim light shooting I do without a flashlight, the more I realize that I think I'd be just as happy with a single tritium insert in the front sight, blade painted, with the rear sights all black. Keep in mind that when you use a bright flashlight the tritum glow is not seen at all (though the fiber inserts of the TFO's can be seen fairly well)

If you are currently running stock sights (or even aftermarket that still seem "slow"), try painting the front sight first and see if that speeds up your aquisition time...it's cheap and if you use "Bright Sights" sight paint it comes right off when you want it to!
http://www.brightsights.com/products.shtml

dirtdawg · 06-04-2007, 12:03 AM

Trijicons or Meps-both look similar when the lights go down. I think Meps come in a Novak set, so that is what I recommend.

My .02

mpak87 · 06-11-2007, 01:38 AM

My XD-9 Service came from the factory with Trijicons, so those are the only ones that I have experience with. That being said, I love them, and when I go to buy a Subcompact, I intend to get the same sights for it. The only ones that I've really heard anything bad about are the Truglo TFO's. I've also heard rumors of a new generation of TFO's coming out soon, which will be a bit more durable. If I could choose by concept, I'd take the TFO's, because that idea is just sweet. However, choosing by quality and durability makes me look to Trijicon.

slugger6 · 06-11-2007, 04:40 AM

I highly recommend the TruGlo TFOs. I have used them on my XD45 for over a year now and they have been absolutely outstanding. Mine have not been affected in the least by solvents, they shoot dead center, and appear to be as bright as the day I bought them. Afterall, tritium has a half-life of 12.32 years! Others may have had different experiences, but as for me I'm going to get TFOs mounted on my next XD as well.

LivNLo94 · 06-22-2007, 02:42 PM

My XD40 Sub Came WIth Trijicon Night Sights And I Love Them.

CSA · 06-22-2007, 10:39 PM

The Trijicons rock. I don't have them on my XDs yet, but I have them on my Glock 23. The shape of the sites and the white circles around the dots give a nice sharp site picture.

GlockConvert · 06-22-2007, 11:17 PM

I have had all the above brands except the TFOs. have also had novaks, heinies... I I love my dawsons. The site picture is awesome by day and visible at night. Easily the best sights I have had

05-20-2007, 03:05 PM	#1
Johnnybgood XDTalk 500 Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: North West Florida Posts: 555	Which Night sights I just picked up my new XD-.40 SC and want to put a set of night sights on it. This will be my CCW and of course it will be used at the range as well. Which night sights would be best?

05-20-2007, 05:22 PM	#2
philbo XDTalk 100 Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Houston, Texas Posts: 279	My first set of night sights were Truglo TFO's on my XD45. When they were new they were fantastic. Less than a year later the fiber optics were cracked, the tritium vials were damaged, and they were not as good as the stock sights that came on the gun. Apparently even being careful with oil and solvents was too much for these delicate sights. Truglo's customer service was worse than a joke when I tried to contact them, and I decided to change brands. I now have a set from Ameriglo and a set of Trijicons on my XD45 & XD9sc respectively. Both similar in price and style. Much more rugged, just as bright at night, and haven't had to contact customer service yet! My advice, Ameriglo, Trijicon, or Meprolights, but not another Truglo product. Last edited by philbo : 05-20-2007 at 05:24 PM.

05-21-2007, 01:18 PM	#4
SoCalXD XDTalk 500 Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: San Diego, CA Posts: 516	I own three sets of TFO's, two Dawson's, a set of Mepros, a set of Trijicons, and a set of XS Big Dots. The TFO's go dim pretty quickly and the inserts in the front sight blades are never dead center. They are nice and fast for daylight and dim lighting though due to the fiber inserts. The Trijicons are bright & well centered, but the blades are a little to fat for short barrled pistols. The XS's are fast at 7 yards in daylight, but slow and in-accurate past 15 yards and the tritium is not very bright at night. The Dawsons are bright, well centered, perfectly sized for both short and long barelled pistols (providing a nice "fine-to-medium" sight picure using the 0.125" front blade in all XD barrel lenghs) and has the only inserts which are smaller in the rear, bigger in the front to insure easy front sight ID at night (thought the newer Trijicons might ship like that now also...anyone?) So, I vote Dawson's for most applications (and that's coming from someone who has over $600 worth of other brands of tritium sights!). For those with poor/dim eyesight, the TFO's aren't a bad choice either, primarily due to the Fiber inserts; so long as you can get over the other shortcomings I mentioned. I've also taken to painting the front sights of my carry guns with either neon green or white paint...MUCH faster for a flash sight picture with very little detriment for precision distant shooting. The more night/dim light shooting I do without a flashlight, the more I realize that I think I'd be just as happy with a single tritium insert in the front sight, blade painted, with the rear sights all black. Keep in mind that when you use a bright flashlight the tritum glow is not seen at all (though the fiber inserts of the TFO's can be seen fairly well) If you are currently running stock sights (or even aftermarket that still seem "slow"), try painting the front sight first and see if that speeds up your aquisition time...it's cheap and if you use "Bright Sights" sight paint it comes right off when you want it to! http://www.brightsights.com/products.shtml __________________ My XD-40's: Duty, IDPA & Home-Defense: Tactical: Springer Trigger & Slide Release, Dawson Adj. Tritium Sights, Full Cobra Chrome, CC Mag Release, D.G.R., 16# Spring, Magloc Magwell w/full beveling, Pachmayr Mag Bumpers, Insight 3X w/contured remote. EFK 9mm Conversion Barrel for IDPA & Training. CCW: SC: Springer Trigger & Slide Release, TFOs, Canyon Creek Mag Release, Pearce Extensions, Sand Decal Grips. Last edited by SoCalXD : 05-21-2007 at 01:22 PM.

06-04-2007, 12:03 AM	#5
dirtdawg XDTalk Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Mostlysunny Posts: 49	Trijicons or Meps-both look similar when the lights go down. I think Meps come in a Novak set, so that is what I recommend. My .02 __________________ "You can't pick and choose your Rights..." Ronald W. Reagan, 40th President of the United States of America

06-11-2007, 01:38 AM	#6
mpak87 XDTalk 100 Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: From Anchorage AK, but going to school in Klamath Falls, Oregon Posts: 291	My XD-9 Service came from the factory with Trijicons, so those are the only ones that I have experience with. That being said, I love them, and when I go to buy a Subcompact, I intend to get the same sights for it. The only ones that I've really heard anything bad about are the Truglo TFO's. I've also heard rumors of a new generation of TFO's coming out soon, which will be a bit more durable. If I could choose by concept, I'd take the TFO's, because that idea is just sweet. However, choosing by quality and durability makes me look to Trijicon. __________________ XD-9 Service Stag Arms Mod. 2L Lefty M-4gery (KB!'d ) A couple others

05-21-2007, 12:19 PM	#3
Heathen-Yak XDTalk 100 Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Wilmington, NC Posts: 497	That was also a concern of mine, i was worried the TFO's were too fragile so I never purchased a set. The only reason I got a set is my kimber came with black on black sights with no dots or other witness marks. and while i shoot it fine i desired better sights so it has trijicons on it now and i like them. the white rings around the tritium vials give me something to sight in on during the day and they glow pleanty bright at night.

06-11-2007, 04:40 AM	#7
slugger6 XDTalk 10K Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Ohio Posts: 17,890	I highly recommend the TruGlo TFOs. I have used them on my XD45 for over a year now and they have been absolutely outstanding. Mine have not been affected in the least by solvents, they shoot dead center, and appear to be as bright as the day I bought them. Afterall, tritium has a half-life of 12.32 years! Others may have had different experiences, but as for me I'm going to get TFOs mounted on my next XD as well. __________________ "What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us". - Ralph Waldo Emerson

06-22-2007, 02:42 PM	#8
LivNLo94 XDTalk Newbie Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 3	My XD40 Sub Came WIth Trijicon Night Sights And I Love Them.

06-22-2007, 10:39 PM	#9
CSA XDTalk Newbie Join Date: May 2007 Posts: 12	The Trijicons rock. I don't have them on my XDs yet, but I have them on my Glock 23. The shape of the sites and the white circles around the dots give a nice sharp site picture. __________________ XD-45 Service XD-9 Tactical Glock 23 Colt Govt. Model 70 Series Colt Python S&W Model 36 Eagle Arms EA15 Remington 870

06-22-2007, 11:17 PM	#10
GlockConvert XDTalk 100 Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: PAC NW Posts: 295	I have had all the above brands except the TFOs. have also had novaks, heinies... I I love my dawsons. The site picture is awesome by day and visible at night. Easily the best sights I have had __________________ Damien in Seattle I don't list my guns - I know glocks, FALs, and AKs but I'm not sure my ability to fill a gunsafe with guns make me an expert on anything. All that you can depend on from a 45 is that it will drill a .45 - .70 inch hole about 14 inches into someone. There will not be "energy dump", people will not fly backwards, and they will not necessarily fall as if they have been struck by lighting.

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