Summary: Top 5 Recommneded Glock Sights

When you think of a Glock, you probably thingk of self-defense and tactical shooting.  Sure, you can use a Glock for distance shooting. In fact, the factory Sights work pretty well for small groups in bright lighting at long distances.  However, the reality is that most people will not have to rely on their firearm to hit a one-inch target at 100 yards.  Unless you are a competition handgun marksman, this ability is just for fun. Your best Glock sights are not your factory sights.

Why?

Most experts say that the average distance from the target for self-defense will be somewhere between 10 and 20 feet.  So what does this mean for you?  A person can close that distance in less than two seconds.  Even if they are empty handed, they will be on top of you by ‘two Mississippi’.  Let that sink in for a second.

So what do you do to prepare for this situation?  You can spend hours at the range perfecting your precision shooting to make sure you do not miss, but target acquisition in a situation like this is completely different.  Your reaction to an attacker is in another world from the calm and protected environment of the shooting range.  You could easily miss a huge target charging straight for you despite your skill at the range.  Why is that?

Self-Defense Variables

When you are at the range, you have complete control over everything.  The lighting is perfect, the target is still, your ears are protected from startling sounds, and you have all the time you need.  However, none of this is realistic for a self-defense scenario.  Bear with me as this is all relevant to the sights you choose.  Here are some factors to consider:

Lighting – In most self-defense scenarios, the lighting is not perfect.  Even being inside your home during the day makes the lighting much lower than what you see at the range.  Many of these situations take place at night with horrible lighting.  How well would you hit your 50-yard target if the range shut off the lights?

Movement – Most people do not practice acquiring a moving target.  It can be quite difficult. Not only do your eyes have a more difficult time focusing on the target, but you have to anticipate the target’s movement.  If your target is moving from right to left, you have to keep your sights moving in that same direction at that same speed.

Speed – At the range you can take all the time you need to line up your front sight with your rear sight.  Do not forget that now you only have two seconds.  Raising your Glock, finding your target, and lining up the front and rear sights can be tough when the pressure is on.

Adrenaline – Have you ever been in a traumatic experience and had your heart pumping?  Think about how much your hands shake.  Now imagine a gun in those hands.  When you see an attacker and realize your life is on the line, your body reacts instantly.  As you are raising your gun to fire, your body is telling you to run.  This means your vision can get blurry, your knees can get shaky, your reflexes can be jumpy, and your hands can be unsteady.

How Does This Affect my Sights?

If you have factory Glock sights, take a look at them.  Now imagine you have to use them in two seconds or less, in the dark, while a mad man runs towards you.  They do not seem quite so adequate now, do they?  Feel their composition. Think if you had to operate your slide one handed.  It is agreed that these sights are not ideal for this scenario.  Here are the qualities we desire in a good Glock sight for self-defense:

• Metal composition – Your sights need to be steel or aluminum. Plastic is simply not acceptable.  It would be easy for them to break when you need them the most, especially a plastic rear sight if you attempted a one-handed slide operation.

• Size – Size does matter when it comes to sights. Remember that your target is not a beer can 50 yards away.  It is an attacker 10 feet away.  Your front sight, in particular, should be quite large.

• Daytime Visibility – Not all attacks will happen at midnight. Having a front sight with bright or glow-in-the-dark paint is ideal for medium-light situations.  Remember, we need fast target acquisition in any lighting.

• Night Illumination – The ideal sights will have lighting on the front sight or on both the front and rear sights to ensure you can properly aim at night.

• Slide Operation – It is nice to have a hook or angle on the front of the rear sight to allow one-handed slide operation in an emergency.

• Front Sight Focus – A good sight draws your focus away from the rear sight and towards the front sight in any lighting. This can be done with the texture and angle of the rear sight, or by making the front sight more visible.

• Simplicity – The sights you choose need to make it easy to accurately point and shoot at your target in any situation. Complicated sight patterns are not ideal.

• Installation – Some of these sights can require professional installation, so that must be factored into the hassle and the cost.

Reviews of the 5 Best Glock Sights

We have considered all these factors, shortlisted and reviewed 5 most popular Glock sights for you to choose from.

Big Dot Tritium Sight Review

One fact I must point out immediately is these sights are not fun to use at the range.  The front sight is so large that you will probably be hitting a 12 inch grouping at 25 yards.  However, remember that a 12 inch grouping at 25 yards is more than we need to take down an attacker that is running down an ally or inside our home.  Just a fair warning.  Many users did not like this sight until they tried it for tactical applications.

Now for the good part.  These sights are ridiculously easy to use.  The front sight is a large dot that shines white during the day or night.  It is lined with glow-in-the-dark paint for daytime and has a tritium light for night conditions.  The rear sight is a shallow ‘V’ but has a vertical line below it. This line also shines white day or night with the same paint and tritium light as the front sights.  You just raise your gun and dot the “I’ as they say.  It could not be easier.

The real beauty of this sight set is the size and brightness of the single dot on the front sight.  When making a comparison to three dot sights, we found this option to be easier for focus and aim.  It draws all of your attention to the front sight allowing a fast trigger pull.  The three dot sights seem to confuse the eye for a fraction of a second longer. This also means that your rapid fire groups will be more accurate.

This sight package fell in the middle of the group in cost.  Despite multiple complaints about range accuracy, we understand the purpose of this sight and feel it is a very practical option for this firearm. It is also easy to install yourself.

Pros: Simple, front and rear lights, unique target picture, easy installation

Cons: No significant warranty, poor range shooting

>>Check Price and More Reviews

Trijicon HD GL101O Night Sight Set Review

This sight package came in a very close second to the Big Dot.  We have several positive things to say about the Trijicon construction.  This is also a front and rear set but only the front sight is illuminated.  However, they have still included several elements that draw your focus to the front.

The front sight is a bit less gaudy with a smaller yellow or orange circle of the same glowing paint, but with a green three dot light for night shooting.  The front sight is described as a glowing fireball during the day.  The rear sight is ‘U’ shaped which allows for a very quick and easy target acquisition.  In addition, the surface of the rear sight is serrated and angled away to dull the appearance.  The rear rings are painted black, drawing your eye to the front sight.

There are a few additional features that are nice on this model.  The front of the rear sight is hooked for one handed operation of the slide.  The paint on the front sight really stands out during the day.  The tritium light is warrantied for 12 years on this model, which is by far the best warranty we found.  The main downsides are that this model needs to be installed by a professional, and that it is by far the most expensive option we reviewed.

Pros: Front sight focus, rear sight hooked, 12 year warranty, front and rear

Cons: Cost, professional install

>>Check Price and More Reviews

Glock 42 43 Factory OEM Front Night Sight Review

This sight is a factory replacement which in my mind makes it a valid option.  It is a front only sight, but is illuminated in a green dot pattern at night with a white dot during the day.  In my mind, if you are only going to replace one of your sights the front is the more important one.  This sight is very bright in all light conditions and is taller and wider than most.  It also is easy to install and is the least expensive option we reviewed.

Pros: Bright, large, inexpensive, factory replacement, easy install

Cons: Front only

>>Check Price and More Reviews

Glock OEM Night Sight Review

This sight is another factory replacement, but in this case is a rear only sight.  It is quite unique in that the sight has both a light and a glowing paint ring on both sides of the target picture. They light up green at night and appear as white dots during the day.  The front is angled making it good for single handed slide operation, and it has a square sight picture for a more accurate distance shot during the day. It is one of the few sight options that seems to work as well at distance as it does for tactical use.

Pros: Double light, factory replacement, square picture

Cons: rear only, no draw to front sight

>>Check Price and More Reviews

Glock ATS Sight Review

This sight is unique from the others in that it is the only option that is not illuminated.  However, the benefits put it on our list.  The ATS is a front and rear sight.  The front is a simple sight with five colors of glowing paint available.  However, the rear has a pyramid design below the target picture that quickly directs your eye to the front sight.  It also comes in five different colors.

The comment most often made about this sight is that it helps older eyes that have a hard time focusing.  Those that normally require reading glasses noted that they were no longer needed.  These sights allow for a quick two eye target acquisition in normal and low light conditions to a degree.  They also allow for precision shooting at longer distances. The sights are easy to install, but were the second highest price of the models we reviewed.

Pros: Good for older eyes, allows for precision shooting, easy to install

Cons: Not illuminated, basic front sight, cost

>>Check Price and More Reviews

Conclusion

We found that the Big Dot sight was the best value for the primary expected use of the sight.  More so than any others, it allowed for quick target acquisition in absolutely any lighting.  It was reasonable in price, falling in the middle of the range for our group.  The sights also allowed for easy installation.

These sights require an adjustment period as we found them annoying at the range.  The front sight is so large that it does not allow for tight groups at further distances.  However, for rapid fire shooting at closer distances they were the best option.  The bottom line is that the simplicity of the sight picture make these the easiest to use in high-stress situations.

Hopefully, this guide will help you find the right sights for your needs.  I should warn that it is not uncommon to receive the wrong model when ordering any sights online, so be prepared to call customer service unless you buy in a store or direct from the manufacturer. This is not a statement on any particular seller or manufacturer.  If you enjoyed our article, please comment below and repost on social media.

More popular guides: Gun Cleaning Kits / Cheap ,308 Rifles

The post Best Glock Sights: Reviews and Guide appeared first on A Straight Arrow.