Upgrade: New XS Big Dot NS for my P40

[chrish]

Wynn, that's perfect, thanks! I wasn't getting it, but now I do. The front/back of the actual tritium enclosure that overhand on the front/back of the slide. Cool. Just wasn't picturing it from the original post/comment.

-Chris

[wyntrout]

From other installation videos, the sides of the base are carefully reduced until there was a fit halfway into the dovetails. These instructions only said to remove from the bottom of the base. It probably would be better to do both and watch the clearance on the parts overhanging the slide. I probably made a significant change to the impact point using these sights. I'll have to wait and see, but it's for defensive ranges and shouldn't matter much. I just need to find out where to aim. The Big Dots are so much easier and quicker to "pickup" when you present the pistol.

Wynn

[eklipto101]

Sir, you are talented, install sights, cooking using "TWO" microwaves, pleasing the wife and taking graphic picture without misspelling AND doing a great job on all count!!!! DAMG, you are good.

[Barth]

I love Big Dot NS and have them on most all of my handguns.
Strangely, I really like my MK40 Elite factory NS though?
And I really like the factory Bulgarian AK74U iron sights too...

Oh well,
There are some things that just can't be explained.

[wyntrout]

My McFadden Ultimate Magazine Loader(he says clip) just came in! I need to get ready and go to the range new NS and my new Ruger MK3 22/45 Lite pistol to test!

Dinner is leftovers, so no "cooking" to start early!

Wynn

[wyntrout]

My first test at the range with the Big Dots was disappointing and the second trip I just shot a box of range ammo with about the same results... still shooting about 3 to 4 inches lower than with the factory sights.

My LASERLyte .40 Training Cartridge came in yesterday from Midway... best deal at just under $80 and fast, cheap shipping. I tried it out in the P40 and can hit pretty well around the house. I can get about 10 yards distance in the house and hit what I'm aiming at. I still need to try the LASER boresighter and see how that compares, but maybe I just need more practice.

I got the 9mm LASERLyte Cartridge a few weeks ago and decided to go ahead and get one for the .40's, especially since my troubles with the Big Dots. Plus, maybe I can get Wifey to practice with the Big Dots, too. I'm still trying to get her to practice with the various night sights to see what to put on her Glock 19.

I don't know if I'll break down and get the .45 Cartridge, though!

Until I get some confidence with the P40 again, I've been carrying my P9 with the ported barrel and the last few days my PM45.

Wynn

[wyntrout]

Well, I finally swapped out the XS Low Vee rear NS for a regular 2-dot Trijicon one and it looks like it will work. I did well with the LaserLyte cartridge, but need actual firing at the range.

I finally got a chance to do this today. My van is in the shop to get the transmission replaced and couldn't pack the van to leave tomorrow!

Anyhow, as usual, I had to use a lot of elbow grease... a tiny triangular file, fine sandpaper, and stones to trim down the Trijicon base to fit my P40. It seemed to be too large and I hadn't done any touchups of the scrapes on the sight, yet.

It took a LOT of repeated filing and stoning and sanding, but I finally got the sight in using my cheapie SightPusher.


Before I found the original XS packaging with the correct Allen wrench, I managed to break off the tip of a cheap Chinese bit in one of the set screw sockets, but the sight is okay. Maybe up for sale later... just the rear.

I'll post some pictures. I will touch up the bare metal from some scrapes here and there!

First the three rear sights... from the front, the XS Low Vee, original Kahr Dot & Post, and then the 2-Dot Trijicon replacement.

I measured the thickness of the bases from front to back and from the base to the bottom of the notches, too, in inches.

The Big Dot FS fills the notch and when the tops are even, part of the bottom of the Big Dot is obscured, but I don't see a problem so far. I was able to quick point with the LaserLyte Cartridge and satisfied with those results. Now I need to test this setup at the range!

I'm hoping that my P40 goes back to the top of my EDC choices... day AND night!

Wynn

[wyntrout]

I had the "leftover" Trijicon front sight(2012), so I put it on my P9 to replace the 2004 vintage one on it... brighter. That took a LOT of elbow grease, filing, sanding, stoning, and cussing, too!

I now have two pistols to test and those two are out of my EDC choices until I get to the range, but all of MY pistols have night sights now. Wifey's Gen 4 Glock 19 is still stock, sight-wise, until we figure out what she needs. I can't get her to the range, though, to see what she might need!

Wynn

[gb6491]

Outstanding write up Wynn. I look forward to reading the range report!
regards,
Greg

[wyntrout]

Thanks, Greg. I measured the thickness of the base and knew that I would need to reduce that, but I had to take a bit off the sides, too, until I could get that halfway in condition where I could use the pusher.

I've installed at least four sets of sights now, Glock and Kahr, and I've only had one sight not need a lot of fitting... the rear sight of the XS Big Dot set, and it had two set screws. I managed to break a cheap Chinese bit off in one set screw hole, but found the packaging and used the supplied Allen wrench to loosen the other. Then I just pushed it out with the pusher.

The sights for the Kahrs were the most trouble to fit or remove. I should have bought a better sight pusher and gotten something to hold the slides securely. My dinner table make-do with what's on hand has worked so far, but it's a wonder I haven't really made a mess of some installations. I wouldn't advise just anyone attempting sight installation!

Wynn

[wyntrout]

Got to the range a few days ago after installing the new sights on two pistols. The P9 was fine and needs no change. The P40 is centered but I could use more practice with this sight combination. If I try to shoot POA, it shoots low, so I'll have to settle on something other than the tops of the sights... maybe lining up the 3 dots... or even most of the front post higher, especially when pointing. I could have used a good rest to see where the POI corresponded with POI. I was all over the place and not really steady enough on this trip.

I do like the 3-dots, though... looks much better than that low vee with the lower, still, Tritium bar.

The BIG Dot front sight REALLY fills the rear notch and then some, so I'll have to work out something for that. The last photo above is misleading as the point of view of the camera was much closer to the rear sight and focused to show the front sight. When the gun is held at arms length, the dot looks much larger.

I haven't really reviewed the video and gotten any stills but I'll look at the pictures and try to post a few.

Wynn

[wyntrout]

I started out shooting low with the P40... nothing new there with the Big Dots, but things were a little better with the three large circles and I kept most shots in or on the edge of the circles.

Some people are pretty careless and really shoot up the facilities!

Wynn

[JimC]

Nice job and great explanation on your sight install.
I had a set of XS big dot NS on my G27 for awhile. I found that the big FS made me sloppy and my accuracy was suffering a bit.
I took them off and replaced them with a set of Trijicon NS...all is good now.

[wyntrout]

I was sloppier than usual at the range, but preliminary testing at home with the Laserlyte cartridge was promising... more instinctive and decent hits.

I really like the Trijicon HD NS and was trying to replicate those. I've thought of enlarging the rear sight notch a bit, but don't want to ruin the Tritium sights. It's definitely not a precision sight setup, but I'm trying to get the P40 setup for my main EDC. With my aging eyes, I want a more prominent FS.

Wynn

[JimC]

The very first set of XS big dot sights that I tried were on a mid sized Kahr .45 that a guy at my gun club asked me to test fire for him.
He said to use a lollipop sight pic using them. I tried but shot high no matter where I put that FS!
When I put them on my G27, thinking that they would help my aging eyes, I had the same problem...I shot high.
I realized that even on the qual target (B-21E) here in FL, I wasn't shooting as well as I had in the past with normal NS on the G27 so off with the XS sights and on with the Trijicon NS.

G27 w/XS sights on left...Kahr PM9 with factory Trijicon sights on right.