Trijicon vs. Novak

[VTHokiesDuckHunter]

Looking for some coaching here on replacing the stock sights on my 4014. (fixed 3 dot Novak style). And maybe down the road on my 5906.

Any major preferences on Novak vs. Trijicon? I've shot guns with both and liked them both very much.

My son has Trijicon's on his Walther PPS which are excellent.

Being a native/former West Virginian, and often going through Parkersburg, it would be easy to stop by Novak's which I would also enjoy regardless of the need for sights. Plus if I do send or take it to Novak I'll probably have him do a trigger job at the same time, as I hear they are outstanding.

So I'm leaning toward the Novak's. Any reason to choose Trijicon's instead?

And as an interim solution, how do Bright Sights and SiteGlo paints work compared to actual tritium tubes? Any pros and con's or strong opinions?

 

[RufusG]

I think when I looked recently Novak's are more expensive. Also Trijicon will relamp theirs pretty economically when they go dim, but I believe Novaks uses Trijicon tubes so maybe you can get those relamped as well.

 

[Big Mike]

Trijicon tritium lamps are in Novak sights. I would look at the Trijicon site to see the different sight options (black/no dot, bead, fiber optic). If you want to keep the night sights, you can send your slide to Trijicon and they will replace the vials for @ $50(?)- my recommendation.

 

[Palmetto Sharpshooter]

Novak > SA35 BNTNS - Trijicon, Inc.

Trijicon > SA14 BNTNS - Trijicon, Inc.

Not much difference except the style and price.

 

[VTHokiesDuckHunter]

Thanks Palmetto.

I think I'm leaning towards taking it to Novak's shop (the entire gun) for a trigger job and night sights. Plus if they have the gun, they do a range test on the sights and set them to correct POA.

If you just send them the slide, you're supposed to also submit a target so they can see that it's shooting POA, and they make the night sights consistent as close as the can to the old sights.

I may have not originally posted this clearly- my current sights are not night sights. They are the standard Novak style 3 dot sights with white, non-luminescent paint on them. So I can't just get them re-tubed.

Have any of you tried the SiteGlo paint? I thought that might be a good temporary solution until I get a chance to drive to Parkersburg again.

 

[Denver Dick]

Be careful with the 4014. They only made 550 of them.

 

[VTHokiesDuckHunter]

Denver:

thanks for the reminder! Quite frankly, it has become my favorite 3rd gen pistol - and I have a copy of that letter you attached above, that I saved from another thread, that either you or another member posted.

This (rarity and the fact that I just like this gun so much) is another reason I plan on taking it to Novak's personally, and picking it up, rather than mailing the pistol or slide in. At least Novak uses FedEx - I wouldn't trust the USPS with it.

I found my 4014 on GB by the way. LNIB with papers and 2 factory mags for $350. It looks like it may have had 2 boxes through it, if that. I was a pretty happy camper when I got it, and am keeping my eyes open for another 4014, and also would not hesitate to buy a NIB/LNIB 3904 with rounded trigger guard if I find the right deal on one.

 

[Swabby]

Great deal on the 4014. It's a really nice looking handgun. If it's your carry gun, and you are going to use it as such, you may as well put night sights on it. I have Trijicons on my 5904 and 4506. Great sights. Easy to pick up, quickly, day or night. I have always liked the stock Novaks and am sure they make a quality night sight as well. If you are having other work performed there, you may as well have them do the sights too. Quite honestly, swapping out the sights on a 3rd Gen auto can be a pain in the butt. Most of them are in the tapered dovetail very tight, making the old sight hard to remove, and the new sight hard to install without sufficient force. If they even test fire the gun and adjust the sights for you, that's the way to go.

 

[VTHokiesDuckHunter]

Novak sight services

Thanks for all the great replies and coaching.

Check out the chart on the bottom of this page on Novak's website which describes their services- it's a pretty good explanation of the benefits of shippin the slide vs. the entire gun, etc.

Genuine Novak Sights

I agree with you Swabby, it's probably well worth it to have Novak install the sights with the entire gun present, and then ensure they are sighted in to POA. Plus they have all the right tools and experience to carefully take out the old sights (which I of course will keep in the safe) and properly install the new night sights in the dovetails.