I have a Gen 3 Glock 17 w/standard size night sights, plenty of glow left, but hard to see the front sight w/my 70 year old eyes (even with my RX shooting glasses). I'm considering the XS Big Dots; the gun will be used for LEOSA qualification, range fun and home protection. For those who have spent the money, was it worth it? Pros/cons? What is a good price point?

Thanks all.

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Old Cop
LEO (Ret.)

I have installed several of them for others and they are high quality, but too far from a traditional sight picture for me.

Available for around 80 bucks at Amazon.

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Ret. LE, FA Instr, S&W Armorer

Nice quick front sight acquisition. Good for SD. But not the best for paper punching. I would not put them on a range gun/plinker.

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Reg. Magnum wants/Rossi wallet

I've never read a bad review of them, but some complain that the big dot becomes obstructive once you start shooting past close quarter self-defense distances (which is what the big dot is made for); a standard dot is available if you're going to practice at farther distances.

Saw one of the these on a Glock last weekend. The photo luminescent ring around the tritium dot REALLY stands out.


Ordered one with this rear sight.

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Life Is A Gift. Defend it!

I put a set on my little XDs .45 pistol. It's a close-quarters gun so it's a good match. I am able to get surprisingly good groups at 20' or so.

Also take a look at the Ameriglo Pro i-Dot's. The front sight is quite a bit bigger than most factory 3-dot night sights.

I changed out my Shield (my leosa edc) factory sights to the Ameriglo Pro i-Dot night sights with a LimeGreen ring (orange is available too) around the front sight. They are a 2-dot, "dot the i" style of sights.

The LimeGreen is easy to pick up in the daylight. For years I used the traditional 3-dot night sights on my HK P7M10 but after using the Pro i-Dot's on my Shield as soon as "the urge & fun money" components align I'll be putting them on my FS & Compact M&P's.

My furthest LEOSA qualification distance is 15 yards and they work good.

i bought the Trijicon HD sights that have the large dot and ring . Im really happy i can line up a target fast. I was so happy i bought another set for another pistol. these larger sights helped me i dont see as good as i used too.

I have one on my S&W 329PD, my Hamilton Bowen-modified Ruger Redhawk (500 Linebaugh), Sig P229/357Sig (Ashley Outdoor Express rear sight), and S&W 386NG.
I have the C&S Extreme Duty rear sight on other than the Sig, with the cut-out adjusted for my preferred load, but for self-defense use I don't think that is really necessary.
I'm 70-yrs-old as well and put the Big Dot on the 500 Linebaugh in 2001, the 329PD shortly after. The Sig was actually done a few years before 2001. The S&W 386NG came with the Big Dot installed by S&W, and I had C&S put tritium tubes in the Extreme Duty rear sight and adjust for impact point.

I am very happy with them and really appreciate them in low light.

Back when he first designed the XS Bid Dot sights in his little shop in Ft. Worth I had Ashley Emerson put one on a Glock 19. The second half of the system is the wide, shallow V rear sight. It was very quick to acquire but shortly after that I took an advanced handgun course from Ayoob (I forgot the actual name of the course but it was familiarly called "Shoot 'til You Puke!") Part of the course involved acquiring targets at 50 yards. I can attest that at 50 yards, the XS sight system completely covers the target frame!. Fortunately, my other scores made up for that leg and I passed...barely. I decided that the Big Dot was ideal for short range use so I took the G19 back to Ashley and had him change it over to my G26. I happily carry that G26 every day. Great sight when used where it is applicable.

Bob

They take some getting accustomed to for most shooters. For close-in shooting, the big dot front with express rear "v" is fast. They are not designed for 50 yard paper punching. For older eyes in real world conditions, they are worth a try.

XS did a good and fast job installing the sight for me on a slide when a dovetail needed to be cut.

As others have suggested Trijicon HD's or Ameriglow Pro I-Dot, like those pictured is post #5, will most likely solve your problem.

XS Big Dots are marketed for distances where conventional sight alignment is not needed, and IMHO are vapor ware. As always, YMMV

I've got a big dot on my FS M&P 9 and had the insert pop out a number of times, (3 I think), XS sent me new front sights each time and finally I just gorilla glued it the last time it popped out.

I like um for SD only.

Thanks to everyone for their input. Went to the range today with an old pair of reading glasses I found in a drawer and they solved the problem. I kept everything on a standard paper plate at 20 yards (60 feet) and was able to pick up the front sight quickly close in.

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Old Cop
LEO (Ret.)

I have a set on my G33, which I hope to use only at relatively close range. My eyes have significant flaws from lifelong poor eyesight and the combined effects of age and some (unknown) period of undiagnosed diabetes.

A potentially better answer is a standard size XS tritium dog, with a .156" - .160 opening rear, like the 10-8 U notch. Had those on a duty 1911 and they were just the trick. The XS are harder to use at distance. Not impossible, but harder, and you need to put in the time to learn with them.

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NHI, 10-8.

I added some Trijicon HD to my Glock 30SF. They work for me even without wearing my glasses. The large U notch allows plenty of light/space on both side of the blade with dot. Picking up the blade and dot is quick and keeping it centered in the notch is easy for my old eyes.

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Bill Bates

I put an XS Big Dot on my Shield. At that time I wore glasses for 52 years of my life. Had a little trouble with my progressive lens part which always annoyed me. Glasses were always bothering me & hindered my front sight to target acquisition. Since I had to get neck surgery last December I sprung for Lasik surgery 2 months before the surgery. Perfect vision & able to read small print at a comfortable arm position without readers. I have long arms (37" reach) so now I can have a clear view straight from the rear sight to the target with a noticeable increase in accuracy. I just turned 58 end of March & a lot happier not having worry about my sight acquisition focus thru glasses anymore. I would highly recommend it to anyone. Very life changing.