2 Dot vs 3 Dot Sights

bevans555

bevans555

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I want to purchase some night sights for my Shield and have it narrowed down to Ameriglo sw-245(Pro I-dot) or sw-251(3 dot). Im not sure which to try. These will be for my carry weapon. I've read that 2 dots are faster to put on target and 3 dots are generally more accurate. Which do you have? Do you prefer 2 dot or 3 dot sights?
 

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I prefer 3 dots. I'm more accurate with 3 dots. If my objective was to shoot as quickly as possible, then I just focus only on the front sight anyways. It's all about personal preference more than anything. See if you can go to a gun shop and practice aiming with two pistols that use each style.
 
It's an impossible question to answer. It really is personal preference. Neither has been proven to be better than the other.

It's just like boxers or briefs. Some like one and some the other. That's just how it is.
 
Thanks.

I have a Sig P239 that uses a 2 dot style sight, but its hard to tell about accuracy when comparing that hammer fired gun to a 3 dot striker fired. I guess I just wanna see what the majority uses and prefers.


Rastoff- It's possible to answer.. Im not asking which is better and I know that I have to decide... Just asking what do you prefer. Thanks.
 
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Most of my guns have a dot on dot. I find 3 dot sights to be too busy and the dot on dot system is definitely faster for me. My current preferred site system is a Warren Tactical single tritium dot rear and in Ameriglo I-dot front in fluorescent green with tritium vile. But I recently picked up a set of CAP sights from Ameriglo for an old G19 and really like them. It's a fluorescent green line on the rear site and a fluorescent green square front with tritium center. Will probably pick up a set for my Shield.
 
OK, well then let's clear up some misinformation first then. Three dots or two or one has nothing to do with accuracy. The accuracy of a particular set of sights has to do with the width of the rear notch compared with the width of the front sight. A set that leaves very little light on either side of the front sight, when centered in the rear notch, will be more accurate. A set that has more light on either side of the front site, when centered, will be easier/quicker to obtain a sight picture.

Also, the dots are not used to line up the sights, just acquire them. The proper sight alignment is with the top of the front sight aligned with the top of the rear. Since the dots are the same actual size, the front appears smaller when sighting down the gun. This makes it difficult to use them to align the sights.

So, for my own use, I prefer the three dot set up with a slightly wider rear notch. I'm a defensive shooter so, I find it easier to acquire the sights by seeing the dots in a line in my peripheral vision. Hard focus on the front sight and my shots hit the spot I'm aiming for.

Having said that, my preference is not set in stone. If I bought a gun with a two dot setup, I don't think I'd be hot to change it out.
 
I much prefer the 3 dot, but honestly, I think that's because nearly every one I've shot has had 3 dots, and when I do shoot a 2 dot, it just looks odd to me. Kinda like driving a British car with the controls on the "wrong" side.
 
I had a S&W model 915 that came with one dot sights, only the front sight had a white dot and it was FAST to pick up and accurate during qualifications.
 
Just to mix it up a little, I use 3 dot, only thing I have. Love it. Tried a guys kimber with a laser and found it really odd to look over the sights at the laser. SO I guess it's what your used to? I like 3 dot, but both my guns are 3 dot. I don't want to have to think about what I'm looking for if I need to sight something in quickly.
 
The whole point of night sights is to acquire your sights on the target in no/low light situation. You shouldn't line up the dots for day time shooting. As said before, that's what the notches are for.

If you want quick daytime acquisition of your sights, I recommend practice. I've only used 3 dot night sights and I don't like any other sights because I've not trained with them so they're weird for me.

I hear people like fiber optic night sights. I've seen a few and they're quite bright.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
I have the above pictured I dot Pros on three of my carry GLOCKs and love them.

I find it very fast to find the big orange front sight and put it on target during daylight.

Additionally, the night time dot on dot is much faster for me to align. One dot on top of the other. With three dot sights in darkness, you could confuse the front dot with one of the rear dots and have the gun cocked to one side.

On my guns with the I dot Pros, the front sight tritium dot looks slightly brighter, but not by much.

So in short, for me I choose 2 dots.

Edmo
 
Edmo said:
I have the above pictured I dot Pros on three of my carry GLOCKs and love them.

I find it very fast to find the big orange front sight and put it on target during daylight.

Additionally, the night time dot on dot is much faster for me to align. One dot on top of the other. With three dot sights in darkness, you could confuse the front dot with one of the rear dots and have the gun cocked to one side.

On my guns with the I dot Pros, the front sight tritium dot looks slightly brighter, but not by much.

So in short, for me I choose 2 dots.

Edmo
Click to expand...

Thanks, I'm leaning towards the I-dot pros. Does the rear dot have a white outline around the tritium?
 
bevans555 said:
Thanks, I'm leaning towards the I-dot pros. Does the rear dot have a white outline around the tritium?
Click to expand...

Yes it does...

I haven't seen the Shield version of the I dot Pro, but wonder if there is a tritium dot on the rear sight. I believe the XS Big Dot sight for the Shield only has a tritium dot on the front.

Edmo

IdotPro_zps843d78b9.png
 
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