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Nightsights or not on XD?

spiderjohn

Regular Member
Joined
Jun 25, 2011
Messages
113
Location
Fletcher, NC
Well, I'm fixing to buy my first hand gun and have settled on a Springfield XD .45 4" compact.

I've heard that XD's a bear to put night sights on...any truth to that? I'm seeing the model I want (XD9645HCSP06 ) for $494 through Bud's. But then I see XD9648HCSP06 which is $550 but with night sights? I'm thinking if I want nightsights later on...how much will they cost?

Just wondering if it's really worth it all.....Opinions?

Tomorrow is my birthday so I figure this is a pretty good present to myself! :D
 

thebigsd

Founder's Club Member
Joined
Mar 23, 2010
Messages
3,535
Location
Quarryville, PA
You can get good night sights for the XD for between $50-80. If you know how to do the work, it might save you some money to buy them separate. If you don't call around to your local gunsmiths to see how much they charge. Night sights are pretty handy dandy in a low light situation.
 
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Aknazer

Regular Member
Joined
Mar 6, 2011
Messages
1,760
Location
California
When I had my night sights installed the gunsmith charged an extra 10 bucks compared to the normal install price and stated that they couldn't promise they wouldn't mar the finish on the sights. They ended up slightly marring the stock sights when they removed them, but the ones installed were fine. The night sights were the trijicon brand and cost 90-100 on top of the install cost.

So if you can get a gun with night sights already on it I would go for it. The only with doing that is I haven't seen a set of XD or XDm factory night sights that also have the white ring around the glass tube for both the front and rear sights (i've only seen it around the front tube from the factory). I've found that white ring to be helpful when you can't see the glowing dots and that would be most of the time .
 

Badger Johnson

Regular Member
Joined
Jan 12, 2011
Messages
1,213
Location
USA
Some, but not all XD/XDm have the 'too tight sight' problem. I'd post your question on the XD talk website. Very fast response time and you'll get an authoritative answer.

IMO, the plain bright white sights are adequate and quite helpful over black iron sights. With the tritium sights, depending on what you get, improve it another 10-25%, imo.

Very worthwhile. IMO the two most important parts of your HG are the sights and the trigger. I might also add that the configuration of the HG is now known to be very important, with the Springfield XD's grip angle giving a noticeable improvement in accuracy (who'd a thought?).

So I think spending money on sights is a great idea. It won't help in every situation, and unlike a laser, won't run out of batteries (well, not for 12 years anyway), and anything that helps you get the front sight up on target is a boon. Definitely discuss the sight change issues with your gunsmith and good luck.
 

45acpForMe

Newbie
Joined
Nov 21, 2008
Messages
2,805
Location
Yorktown, Virginia, USA
Given the chance I would buy factory installed night sights. When you look at the price of guns with them already installed it isn't marked up at all over what you would pay to get them installed.

Also I love night sights. I have them on most of my guns (the ones I carry most). Depending on your environment a black gun in a dark room is hard to locate (on nightstand etc). Also many encounters happen with low light (at night) so having any advantage helps. I recently did a practical pistol run through and the night sites were definitely noticeable and a help coming on target. Some will say point shooting is better and in a real encounter you won't be using your sights. I can think of no disadvantage other than the cost which is negligible im my opinion.

I had bought a USP and had night sights installed at a local gun shop. They charged $20 and I had to take it back to get adjusted because it was shooting to one side. I would rather the factory get it right the first time.
 

cbpeck

Regular Member
Joined
Feb 14, 2009
Messages
405
Location
Pasco, Washington, USA
I added Trijicon night sights to my stainless XD 40 Sub Compact because I wanted a stainless slide with night sights, and Springfield doesn't offer that combo. I purchased mine through www.opticsplanet.com because they have a good selection and some of the best prices.

As I understand it there are two challenges to swapping XD sights: 1) the factory sights are installed extremely tight & 2) the "hips" on the slide make it difficult to hold the slide securely in some vices. The smith who I paid about $50 to swap my sights had made special shims to accommodate the XD slides in his vice. He had done multiple XDs, so I trusted him with the job, and he didn't disappoint.

Here is another thread where I discussed night sights:

http://forum.opencarry.org/forums/showthread.php?85121-Newbie-Questions-about-Night-Sights-Installation&highlight=cbpeck+night+sights
 

since9

Campaign Veteran
Joined
Jan 14, 2010
Messages
6,964
Location
Colorado Springs, Colorado, USA
Night sights might be nice for rifle work, but for handguns they're a bit superfluous. If you can't hit a man-sized target at 30' via point and shoot (kinesthmatics, only), you might need more practice!
 

Aknazer

Regular Member
Joined
Mar 6, 2011
Messages
1,760
Location
California
Night sights might be nice for rifle work, but for handguns they're a bit superfluous. If you can't hit a man-sized target at 30' via point and shoot (kinesthmatics, only), you might need more practice!

Well you might be able to hit him, but that doesn't mean your shot placement will be good enough to fully stop the threat. And so the night sights could be helpful to help stop a bg after the initial shots. And besides night sights look good and who doesn't want a good looking gun!
 

Don Barnett

Regular Member
Joined
Oct 5, 2008
Messages
451
Location
, ,
Night Sights Help Even in Daylight

I bought a Kimber Pre Carry II and had the shop install the night sights before I left the store; they had them in stock.

I find that, because of the dots, they are easier to aim, even in daylight.

They are worth the investment, IMO.
 

Michigander

Regular Member
Joined
Aug 24, 2007
Messages
4,818
Location
Mulligan's Valley
I have found no one, and I do mean no one, that I have talked to on line or in person, other than special forces veterans who put huge numbers of shots down range before going to battle, who can remember seeing their sights in an up close handgun fight, and up close and in your face is what the vast majority of non cop civilian shootings are all about. During the day, in ideal conditions, your instincts are very likely to take over and cause you to focus on the threat rather than the sights. At night, while you're getting shot at or otherwise attacked, when you can barely make the fast moving assailant, do you really think you're likely to use your sights? Hell no!

Despite the fact that it's all together unlikely, you could argue that at a further distance in a strange type of defensive encounter that they might be useful. For this type of scenario, there is only one brand I would suggest, and that is XS Express. They are the only company I know of which makes night sights which are fast and easy to line up. The only thing faster is going to lasers.
 

DougieD

Newbie
Joined
Jan 15, 2016
Messages
1
Location
Alhambra, Ill.
On the other hand ...

Night sights might be nice for rifle work, but for handguns they're a bit superfluous. If you can't hit a man-sized target at 30' via point and shoot (kinesthmatics, only), you might need more practice!

Every little bit helps, no?
 

solus

Regular Member
Joined
Aug 22, 2013
Messages
9,315
Location
here nc
i am sure 4.5 years lying in a dormant state has made a difference for the OP...

ipse
 

HPmatt

Regular Member
Joined
Aug 18, 2013
Messages
1,467
Location
Dallas
Eyes are much sharper after years of rest...[emoji102]


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

MSG Laigaie

Campaign Veteran
Joined
Jan 10, 2011
Messages
3,239
Location
Philipsburg, Montana
Night sights might be nice for rifle work, but for handguns they're a bit superfluous. If you can't hit a man-sized target at 30' via point and shoot (kinesthmatics, only), you might need more practice!

............. who can remember seeing their sights in an up close handgun fight, and up close and in your face is what the vast majority of non cop civilian shootings are all about. During the day, in ideal conditions, your instincts are very likely to take over and cause you to focus on the threat rather than the sights. ............

If you cannot see the target, the best sights on the market will not help. You always, always fall back to your training when the adrenaline hits. What you do , in training, is what you will do when you "fog over" during a gunfight.

For those who have not been on the "Two way Range", you might consider your "night vision" going right out the bloody window after your first volley.
 

Aknazer

Regular Member
Joined
Mar 6, 2011
Messages
1,760
Location
California
This is a 4 year old necro by a 1 post wonder. Please don't feed the troll for those of you that don't realize it is a thread necro...
 
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