Anyone have XS tritium sights on their handgun?

[dwarven1]

I've got a 1911 I'm having new sights put on. The gunsmith is trying to sell me on the XS Tritium sights - the rear sight is basically a shallow V with a tritium dot at the base and you line up that and the front sight dot vertically. I'm more partial to a three-dot setup, but the 1911 apparently has a Colt rear cut and a Heinie front sight cut... and the only set he can find are the XS sights.

So... does anyone out in Metrowest have a gun with these sights on them? Would you be willing to let me put some rounds through it so I can see if I will like these sights? (I'd be happy to spring for lunch or something as a thank you!) I'd just like to try these things out before I put a set of them on my gun. (I'm a member of Harvard but I'm willing to travel up to about 45 mins or so to get to your club!)

Set looks kinda like this.

 

[JGreen]

I had them on a G19 and went back to basic fiber optic/irons. The XS were great within 10 yds but not pinpoint accurate beyond that. I am considering them for a snubby.

 

[TheRoland]

So... does anyone out in Metrowest have a gun with these sights on them?

I don't have them, but I've seen them used on a Glock 17. Some people like them. I'm not a fan on most handguns. They're great on shotguns and would be great for a J-frame.

but the 1911 apparently has a Colt rear cut

Use a rear sight like this. Match to whatever front.

 

[M1911]

I had an XS big dot front and a Heinie slant pro rear. I didn't like the rounded top of the big dot and had it replaced with a traditional front sight.

I suggest that you get a regular tritium front sight and a plain black rear.

 

[mousegunfan]

I have them on my Glock and M&P. I like them. It really come down to how you like to shoot and the purpose of the 1911. I like to shoot at steel plates, not paper, so the big dots are nice. If you shoot at paper for close groups, I would not use them. The 1911's are so nice and accurate that I would not put them on one. Try them on a compact Glock or something first. They work good for the compact guns.

 

[dwarven1]

Thanks, everyone, for the feedback. Going to have the smith keep looking for something else. It sounds like these are good for close in shooting, and I really don't want to limit the gun to just one purpose.

 

[Greg Derr]

Ater installing hundreds of sights of all brands it really comes down to you and your eyesight. I like the XS big dot to run and gun with older eyes, since even in the daylight they show up well, take a standard tritium sight and in the daylight they are a tad worse than the standard white dot soght. Same for some of the F/O sights. For older eyes you need the larger fiber as opposed to the Dawson which is better for younger eyes. Sights are so important to the sport that is is well worth seeking out someone with the set up you want. Try to stick with a standard dovetail cut too, since you may want to change the sights later in life. That means no Millet duel crimp sights.