bledsoeG19
New member
I have big dots on my G19. Love them. Sight acquisition is awesome. And so far as accuracy is concerned, I cut a .270 WIN casing almost in two from a draw at 12 yards. I couldn't do that with the factory sights.
XS Big Dot's..
- Thread starter Tactical Jackalope
- Start date
Bartholomew Roberts
Moderator
My bad, I just wanted to add that the sights I have are the XS Standard Dot; not the Big Dot.
So, I'm a little late to the party. But, for the sake of anyone who actually uses the [admittedly difficult to use] search function before they start a new thread, or any lurkers, here's my take.
I have their standard dot as the front sight on my sp101 - which didn't have a rear to begin with - and it's rather spectacular. I can pick up the sights fast, and speed (DA) shooting silhouettes @ 10 yards my shots are all within COM, so I don't have any complaints there.
For more - and I'm talking in relative terms here - precision shooting it took some getting used to, but I can hit COM @25yds, which is all I really expect/need/can do with a snub anyway.
So, to summarize, I love the standard dot, but it's already quite large, so I'm not sure how useful their "big dot" would be on a handgun.
I'm also not sure that I'd want to give up the rear on a gun where it was an option.
I have their standard dot as the front sight on my sp101 - which didn't have a rear to begin with - and it's rather spectacular. I can pick up the sights fast, and speed (DA) shooting silhouettes @ 10 yards my shots are all within COM, so I don't have any complaints there.
For more - and I'm talking in relative terms here - precision shooting it took some getting used to, but I can hit COM @25yds, which is all I really expect/need/can do with a snub anyway.
So, to summarize, I love the standard dot, but it's already quite large, so I'm not sure how useful their "big dot" would be on a handgun.
I'm also not sure that I'd want to give up the rear on a gun where it was an option.
Tactical Jackalope
New member
Very insightful. (lol)
I actually agree with you. In that for self defense they are great. I was really considering them.
Though how I see it..Is that it's fast. Really fast in moving from target to target. Which in my experience doesn't really require looking directly at the front sight. But with the XS big dot, your peripheral catches it. Which is outstanding.
So CQC it's good to go. That base is covered.
What if for the sake of conversation and for never knowing what will truly happen..You need to make a farther shot and/or are holding down on someone and need to make a precise shot? I don't feel (while other who practice a lot with XS's sight do) feel confident in taking a precise shot with them. I feel I shouldn't have to ruin myself when I'm already trained and tuned to the standard 3-dot sight. ("don't fix what ain't broke")
I feel I have more bases loaded with the Trijicon HD's. I have the same peripheral pick up on it's front sight and the precise 3-dot for long shots, in the event (God forbid) I may ever have to.
Anyone want to add?
Frank Ettin
Administrator
The XS Big Dot has always intrigued me, but a few years ago I tried a gold dot front sight with a wide notch rear. I liked the setup and wrote this article about it.
I'd probably be SOL if I had to be too precise with the ol' sp101 no matter what sights I had on it
They seem pretty marginal for longer shots. But, I don't really have anything to compare it to. It's better than the stock front blade was, but that doesn't say much. It's not as good as my PPQ or 22/45, but that's less a function of the sights than the gun it's self.
If you handload you could probably cook something up so that you'd get a 12:00 POI, and improve it's precision.
Since the SP101 doesn't have a rear sight anyway I definitely feel like it was a step up - and even a step up from a smaller front night sight - but I do think I still prefer the 3 dot setup when available. Maybe someday when I have extra money (I have a kid, so that's doubtful) I'll get a set to try out on one of my autos so I can do an apples to apples comparison.
A enlarged front dot with a standard rear sight might just be a great combination.
Madcap_Magician
New member
I like them, but I like the standard dot better, and the Ameriglo I-Dot just as much as the standard dot XS.
Unfortunately they don't make Ameriglo I-Dot Pros or Trijicon HD sights for my Shield, otherwise I'd use one of those.
Unfortunately they don't make Ameriglo I-Dot Pros or Trijicon HD sights for my Shield, otherwise I'd use one of those.
I have the Standard Dot I believe on my 315 Night Guard and my 310 Night Guard.
They are great for the intended purpose, which is being able to get on target in a self defense situation in low light. They are not designed to be a accurate target sight.
If you are a plinker or target shooter this sight probably is not the best choice for you.
If you conceal carry in low light situations, being able to pick up the front sight might save your bacon. When it is light enough to make out the target, but to dark to see normal sights, is where the XS sights shine.
Some night sights work pretty well when it is too dark for target identification. Add enough light to see the target and they wash out. I had a set of Wilson Night Eyes that were not bright enough for low light shooting.
For what they are designed for the XS sights work pretty well.
Bob
They are great for the intended purpose, which is being able to get on target in a self defense situation in low light. They are not designed to be a accurate target sight.
If you are a plinker or target shooter this sight probably is not the best choice for you.
If you conceal carry in low light situations, being able to pick up the front sight might save your bacon. When it is light enough to make out the target, but to dark to see normal sights, is where the XS sights shine.
Some night sights work pretty well when it is too dark for target identification. Add enough light to see the target and they wash out. I had a set of Wilson Night Eyes that were not bright enough for low light shooting.
For what they are designed for the XS sights work pretty well.
Bob
You have to try them to see for yourself.
I've been using a set of the original Ashley Express Big Dot sights (no rear tritium capsule, just a white line) on my CS45 for many years.
Yes, they're fast and easy to see. A nice, big bright white plastic ring that stays cleaner & brighter than white paint (wipes off more easily, too).
I had to get used to covering the intended POI with the center of the front sight (instead of the top edge). Then, I had to get used to the "dot-the-I" alignment. It's easier than you might think to tip the front Big Dot one way or the other without really noticing it, though.
Yes, you can use it for adequate sighting out to very reasonable handgun distances (I shoot steel at 50+ yards), but it doesn't lend itself to "precision" shooting. At one distances I typically use for drills the Big Dot covers the entire "head" of the threat silhouette, while standard 3-dot sights can easily be used to sight a much smaller part of the threat target, making smaller grouped hits.
So, it depends upon your expectations and application.
I have the standard size XS front night sight dot on my pair of M&P 340's (factory sight setup for the M&P 340/360's). Instead of a wide rear notch and painted line, though, the rear of the snub top-straps have been machined to form a tight U-notch, into which the standard size front night sight fits.
This standard size XS dot sight setup is still very fast to acquire and use. I find I like the standard size dot better than the Big Dot I've been using on my CS45.
It's easily the fastest & mostly easily used sighting system I have on my more than half a dozen J-frames. It makes my J's shoot like full-size guns ... because I can SEE the sights, and they're still small enough to be used for greater precision than a much larger front sight.
I've seen a number of other instructors try the Big Dot sights over the years. Some liked them, most didn't.
They have their practical advantages & disadvantages. Try a gun equipped with them first, if possible. Not just at some gun store counter, but on the firing line of a range for some live-fire.
If I had it to do over again, I'd probably try the Trijicon HD sight setup before the XS Big Dot. Having found the S&W version of a U-notch to capture the XS front sight post so helpful, I prefer having more of a tight rear notch in which to position and align the front sight. The standard Big Dot doesn't do that.
I'll probably continue to use the BD's on my CS45 (although the front capsule is aging and starting to get dim), as I've become accustomed to them over the years ... and I'm too lazy to pull them and install one of the other 3 sight setups I have for the S&W 3rd gen .45's.
They work well enough for their intended role on that little .45 pistol, in my hands.
I think we have a wider range of choices available nowadays, though.
Just my thoughts.
I've been using a set of the original Ashley Express Big Dot sights (no rear tritium capsule, just a white line) on my CS45 for many years.
Yes, they're fast and easy to see. A nice, big bright white plastic ring that stays cleaner & brighter than white paint (wipes off more easily, too).
I had to get used to covering the intended POI with the center of the front sight (instead of the top edge). Then, I had to get used to the "dot-the-I" alignment. It's easier than you might think to tip the front Big Dot one way or the other without really noticing it, though.
Yes, you can use it for adequate sighting out to very reasonable handgun distances (I shoot steel at 50+ yards), but it doesn't lend itself to "precision" shooting. At one distances I typically use for drills the Big Dot covers the entire "head" of the threat silhouette, while standard 3-dot sights can easily be used to sight a much smaller part of the threat target, making smaller grouped hits.
So, it depends upon your expectations and application.
I have the standard size XS front night sight dot on my pair of M&P 340's (factory sight setup for the M&P 340/360's). Instead of a wide rear notch and painted line, though, the rear of the snub top-straps have been machined to form a tight U-notch, into which the standard size front night sight fits.
This standard size XS dot sight setup is still very fast to acquire and use. I find I like the standard size dot better than the Big Dot I've been using on my CS45.
It's easily the fastest & mostly easily used sighting system I have on my more than half a dozen J-frames. It makes my J's shoot like full-size guns ... because I can SEE the sights, and they're still small enough to be used for greater precision than a much larger front sight.
I've seen a number of other instructors try the Big Dot sights over the years. Some liked them, most didn't.
They have their practical advantages & disadvantages. Try a gun equipped with them first, if possible. Not just at some gun store counter, but on the firing line of a range for some live-fire.
If I had it to do over again, I'd probably try the Trijicon HD sight setup before the XS Big Dot. Having found the S&W version of a U-notch to capture the XS front sight post so helpful, I prefer having more of a tight rear notch in which to position and align the front sight. The standard Big Dot doesn't do that.
I'll probably continue to use the BD's on my CS45 (although the front capsule is aging and starting to get dim), as I've become accustomed to them over the years ... and I'm too lazy to pull them and install one of the other 3 sight setups I have for the S&W 3rd gen .45's.
They work well enough for their intended role on that little .45 pistol, in my hands.I think we have a wider range of choices available nowadays, though.
Just my thoughts.