Top of front sight and front tritium dot don't both align with rear counterparts.

[treeprof]

I have this problem on a couple of pistols, where you can either line up the 3 dots or the top of the front sight with top of rear sight, but not both at the same time. It seems to be the worst in my Glocks, and POI is definitely registered with the 3 dots - aligning the sight tops results in high shots. As a habit I prefer to focus on the top of the front sight unless I need the tritiums in really low light, but in light conditions should I:

1) learn to use the dots?

2) use the top of the front sight and aim low?

3) form a little "U" with the front sight by setting it slightly below the tops of rear sights on either side of the notch?

4) Try and find a new front sight where both the sight top and the tritium dot are properly registered with one another

5) Other???


I actually get pretty good results with option 3, maybe because I'm getting some subconscious feedback from peripheral viewing of the 3 tritium dots. Option 4 would be ideal, but my experience from my pistols and others I've looked at is that this situation is not that uncommon, and I could spend a fortune looking for the right front sight.
Any suggestions would be appreciated.

 

[John Lawson]

Here's what I'd do: Get rid of the rear sight with the tritium dots. You only need a dot on the front blade to align your sights. If it is too dark to do it this way, it is too dark to identify your target; don't shoot.
If you get the proper height rear sight, it will automatically fix your problems without costing a lot of money.

 

[Gino]

Is it the gun, or is it you? Glocks have the reputation of having many shooter induced problems. My first recommendation is to have a known good Glock shooter try your guns and see if it really is the gun causing the problem.

Once you do this, then you'll know whether you need new sights or some coaching. No offense, but today's guns usually come very well sighted in from the factory. When someone has the same shooting problem with different guns, first check the software, then check the hardware.

 

[Blue Duck357]

Don't think you can lay this one on the "It's the Shooter".

Got to the a gunstore and look at some Glocks. If you line up the tip of the the front sight perfectly in the notch of the rear sight the dot is usually about 1/5 covered. If you try to shoot with the dot centered your sights are now aligned too high.

Why? I don't have a clue. Anyone have any info on why Glock would do this? Maybe some shooters like the bootom part off thier dot covered. I just look at the tip of the front sight like all my other guns, ignore the dots. After I got used to the trigger I found mine hit correctly with that picture anyway

 

[Legionnaire]

Prof, not an uncommon problem. I've discussed same with several firearms instructors. All said, "Align the top of the front and rear sights." Traditional sight picture. If lighting is such that you need the night sights to find the sights, one of two things should apply: 1) it's too dark to be sure of your target, so you shouldn't be shooting anyway, or 2) you're close enough that absolute precision doesn't matter, and lining up the three dots will be "close enough."

 

[C.R.Sam]

Legionnaire makes a good point.

From what I have observed, most of the "high visibility" sights will give vertical shift in point of aim with changing light conditions. Horizontal seems unaffected. In close up defensive situations it matters little. In a target situation even the abomnible S&W red ramp front sights just plain suck because the red ramp does not extend all the way to the top of the sight..

Doesn't take low light vs good light to make the difference. Just a slight difference due to changing cloud cover at high noon will do.

Sam

 

[jimmy]

I've seen a lot of pistol sights where the top of the sights do not line up the same as the dots. Some makers tend to do this, others do not. This difference in alignment never made sense to me, and, come to think of it, I've been curious about it for years. My dealer has never had a clue when I've asked him about it. This TFL thread is the first time I've ever seen it addressed.

 

[Bruce Foreman]

About the 3 dots and tops of sights not lining up...

If you wear eyeglasses, some distortion caused by your prescription may be causing or exaggerating this. I am quite myopic and the strength of my eyeglass correction exaggerates an apparent size diffrence between the front sight and rear sights due to the diffrence in distance of each from my eye.

Original 3 dot sights on Novak Lo profile sights on S&W 3rd generation autos have very small dots so I generally had no problems. Glock original sights with the dot on front only and the "box" on the rear sight also no problem.

But when I had MeproLights put on the S&W's I suddenly was shooting low. With Mep's on Glocks I had a tendency to shoot low until I noticed the fact that I could either align the tops of the sights or align the dots...But not both.

For me aligning the tops put POI back to POA, when using the dots I found that aligning the tops of the dots instead of the centers did the same thing. With my eyeglass prescription there is always a diffrence in size between the front dot (It is noticeably smaller) and the two rear dots with MeproLights (The dots are larger than on older Trijicons).

Hope this helps.

"I Glock...Therefore I am..."

Bruce Foreman

 

[treeprof]

All - Thanks for the input. Maintaining traditional sight pic unless nite sights are needed seems the logical course.

Bruce - I have definitely noticed that my glasses play some role, both in overall focus and glare in indoor light that sometimes makes "ghost" images. Dot size diffs are also exagerated. My optometrist and optician are both shooters, so I may need to get with them.

Sam - Yes, sublte changes in ligth seem to make a big difference. I think it may be a combination of glare/distortion from my glasses and that the Glock sights are bigger and have as larger white border relative to my Sigs, with which I do not have this problem.

Gino - I would never rule myself out as the most likely cause of a shooting problem! However, the pistols in question are 2 Glocks and my CZ 85 Combat; the others are fine. The front dot on the CZ is really, really mis-placed, but it's painted on and not a true night sight so I just blacked it out. Hate to do that on the tritiums, tho.

 

[WalterGAII]

I just whipped out my trusty G30, equipped with Trijicons. If I properly line up the top of the front sight with the top of the rear, the three dots are miraculously also lined up. I've also found the same to be true with both my fixed and adjustable Meprolights.

I'd bet that the "problem" is a non-problem.

 

[treeprof]

Bet not. As they say, YMMV.