Williams Firesights

[warpath9809]

Does anyone use the Williams Firesights ? Are the any good ? Are they hard to install ? Are Tritiums better ?

[Ol'coot]

I have had William fire sights on a couple of gun and they are very bright and easy to see when there is sufficient light available but they do not compare to tritium night sights in low light or dark situations.

[CJB]

not for a defensive pistol.
okay for target gun in bright light.

[downtownv]

Got'em! love'em!
Green rears/ red front sight
Great people there and very fast delivery!

[RRP]

The XDM I bought last summer came with a fiber optic front sight. It was the first time I owned a pistol with one. I was amazed at how quickly my aging eyes could pick-up the sight. I am able to reacquire the target more quickly and improve the speed of subsequent shots. It was love at first sight (sorry).

I put a fiber optic sight on my PM9, hoping to improve sight acquisition with my carry gun. I considered Williams, but went with another brand because the fiber was encapsulated in a clear resin overmold, rendering it more durable. I thought this was an important attribute for a gun my life may depend on.

Despite the horror stories I read, about the difficulty of replacing Kahr sights, I had no problem removing the stock sight. Getting the new sight to fit the dovetail keyway required some modification of the sight; more than I expected. But after careful and tedious trial-and-error fitting, I was able to press the new sight onto the slide of the PM9.

The sight performed incredibly well at the range. I was so elated, I was ready to order fiber optic sights for all my guns. But the honeymoon didn't last long.

The first hint of trouble came when I returned from the range and cleaned the gun. The brake cleaner I used to flush the striker channel clouded the clear overmold surrounding the fiber optic. I was careful not to spray the sight. But, while wiping the excess solvent off the slide so it wouldn't flow towards the sight, I touched the fiber with the damp towel and the damage was instant. Damn!

I was able to burnish the overmold, and restore its transparency. Proud of my recovery from stupidity, I again considered buying fiber optic sights for all my pistols.

That plan ended abruptly that same evening, during dry-fire drills around the house. The sight which was brilliant (sorry, again) outdoors, was a total flop in low light situations. When standing near a light source, all was well. But as I moved away from the light, I struggled to see the front bead (red). A standard white dot is easier to see.

If the gun was only used at the range, I would keep the fiber optic sight. I learned that on a SD weapon, which I may need in low light situations, fiber optic sights don't perform any better than standard sights. In my experience, they are a detriment.

Next stop, night sights.