All posts in gun sights

Meprolight Nights Sights standard issue?

Back in the day it use to be that night sights were for your bedside gun or the gun you kept in the closet for home invasions.   Now, many police departments including my home town Police Department are issued their Glock 21’s with Meprolight Night Sights.  They are probable better described as high definition sights because they work very well during the day time.  It’s not all about how bad your eyes are, it’s all about how fast you can pick up the sights when aiming a handgun and how fast you get a sight picture.    I’ve found Glock factory sights and Sig Factory sights work well for me when I have light out, but in low light, these sights are outstanding.

The Glock 42 and Glock 43 have become extremely popular off duty firearms and it’s an easy transition from a Glock 21 or a Glock 27 to just a smaller version.   Meprolight Night Sights are available for all of the Glock Pistols as well as the extremely popular  Smith & Wesson Shield.    There are also very common on 1911 Variants and the majority of the Sig Sauer P Series handguns.  There is a lot of debate and comparison between Trijicon and Meprolight as far as the clarity and definition of the sights, but it’s the same as the Glock vs Sig comparisons.

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Magpul MBUS Flip up sights, know your gun and research what to buy

Magpul MBUS Flip Up Sights                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             There are plenty of other options out there to choose from for flip up front and rear sights for your AR15, but probable 95% of our flip up sight sales are all the Magpul ones.  I think many gun manufacturers know that after spending money on a firearm, then choosing and optic, not many people feel the need to spend $200 on a front and rear sight combo which makes the Magpul MBUS sights such a staple in this industry.  For under a $90 you can get a set from Magpul and I rarely hear of anyone complain about them.  With the many variations of AR15 designs out there, there are some pitfalls that people run into when picking out rear and front sight though.

When you are choosing a rear sight, you need to be aware that if you are intending on putting on an optic like a magnifier, you have to make sure it’s going to clear, many times people end up having to get another lower profile rear sight, I know I had that issue.  For front sights, if you have a gas block, make sure you get the Magpul MBUS flip up sights like the Pro sight or you’ll find out real fast that you won’t be able to zero your rifle properly and if you didn’t figure that out soon enough, you’ll end up melting your front sight off if you heat up your gun on a firing range.   Know your carbine and what all the variables are and don’t just think you need any front and rear sight.  We never like to run out of these in our Showroom because they always move so fast.

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Optics can inhibit performance, that’s why Trijicon RMR sight’s clarity sells it

Trijicon RMR sightsTrijicon RM08GWe’re in the midst of some major technological advancements and you  can clearly see that with all of the flashlights that are coming out, output, run time, durability have all improved, but we’re also seeing major in the world of rifle optics.  We see illuminated optics on crossbows, solar powered red dots, everything is becoming quick detach and everyone is now getting into the red dot market.  That’s all fine and dandy for certain types of shooting, but if you want precision, you need clarity.

Everyone has their preferences in what they want, and what fits your level of shooting abilities is your decision, but many optics can inhibit your ability to be precise, especially for longer range shooting.  If your red dot is too big, or powered too high it can block your ability to see your target.  Trijicon RMR sights come in two configurations, the fiber optics/tritium or the adjustable LED.  There is something to be said for optics with variable power for low light or sunny days, but everytime I play around with all of these red dots out there and then pick up a Trijicon RM08G and see the level of precision and clarity of the triangle or the clarity  of the Trijicon RMO1 red dot, I see what’s still missing in the competition, I see a dot, not a bunch of fuzz.

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Rifle Sight, Carbine Sight, Shotgun sight upgrade?

Rifle SightsShopping online can often be overwhelming when it comes to parts and accessories because we all know how difficult it can be to reach some companies technical support via phone or email.    We often get complaints from customers that tried to call a manufacturer and couldn’t get a hold of someone.  Usually it is followed up by words like “I can’t tell from the picture” or “it doesn’t say in the description if it has”, and people are left in the dark.   A few months ago I had someone walk in with Troy Carbine sights and he had the incorrect front and rear sights because he didn’t buy them as a set.  He found out the hard way during carbine qualifications.   The best way to know you are buying the correct item is to deal directly with the manufacturer, sometimes gunsmiths are good sources of information but I have often found out that many of them have a niche they are good at and aren’t good at everything.

It’s fun to accessorize, it’s a guy thing, but plain black on black front and rear sights only work  in certain lighting and it can pay in competition sports or defensive situations to have an illuminated front sight.  Some of the Hiviz sights work well for rifle sights,  level action sights, shotguns sights and even revolvers like the Ruger LCR.  Everyone has a preference with sight picture and just like choosing eyewear and sunglasses, it’s whatever fits your comfort and visibility level.   Different apertures make a big difference and being able to hit a target which is the reason so many AR15 rear sights have atleast 2 flip sight options, long distance and short distance sight picture.  Ask a friend that is using a sight and look around the next time you’re at the range and see what is being used and ask questions.  You might find out your shooting proficiency will improve with a better sight setup.

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Lots of options to consider for upgrading sights, Trijicon Night Sights

Trijicon Night SightsThe first thing you need to do when learning to hit your target is paying attention to your front sight.   It’s funny how, after time, its very easy to adapt to different scopes, iron sights ect quickly when you’ve had some range time.   Someone with experience just moves their head around until they find the sight picture while an inexperienced person might have trouble even finding a reticle.  Eye relief can vary from optic to optic and there are big differences between something like the Trijicon TA11H-G and the Ta31F-G.   There are plenty of reasons to move away from just having black on black front and rear sights but you don’t have to put something that also announces a bright neon color on your firearm.   I’ll never forget the time I was changing a target at 500yds, during a cease fire, and could see the glimmer of various objective lenses and neon strands across the tables.    There are reasons people wrap rags around their scopes to limit the fiber optic exposure and there are reasons for kill flashes on objective lenses.

Even though handguns aren’t usually decked out with too many optics,  I’ve seen some very hi-visibility sights that are too visible on the other side of the barrel.   For the same reasons flashlights can be a target indicator, so can your sighting system on a rifle or a handgun.   I have several of the older Trijicon Night Sights on various pistols and once they get to about 10yrs, I have to replace them.   I lean heavily toward the Trijicon High Definition Night Sights since they have very good application in low light as well as extreme clarity in day light.   They are available for Glock Firearm, Sig Handguns and Springfield XD.   Definitely consider looking them over because they are one of our hottest selling replacement sights.

 

 

 

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Firearms Accessories are like opening a tool box, Crimson Trace Laser Grips……..

Crimson Trace Laser GripsOne of the best analogies I’ve ever heard when discussing a Mini 14 vs AR15 debate over on the The Firing Line.com was a debate about how crappy the Mini 14 was and how it didn’t hold up.   I remember a talking to someone that referenced that the difference between various rifles was the difference between a 9 iron, a wedge and a putter.  The Golf analogy has stuck with me and have often used it in Training, even when people talk about different ammunition from M193 to M855 and the M262.    Each one of those has a different velocity and terminal ballistics.    When the discussion is about Trijicon ACOGS, Eotechs and Aimpoints, the same analogy applies.   The AR15 is probable the most versatile firearm in existence and adding different optics and accessories to it can give you a short range advantage or a long range advantage and often, not both.

A good operator is going to know the limits of his firearm and push the envelope if even need be and the usefulness of Crimson Trace Laser grips isn’t going to be different than any of the previously mentioned topics.  One thing that I have recently proven to myself is that green lasers have an advantage over red laser grips at longer ranges.  One reality about firearm engagements is that “hits” are what count and being under stress is something that many never push themselves to train for.   Lasers are good for I.D. Targets and if you’ve ever been in low light situations the ability to point, still defend yourself and know where your muzzle is actually at, Crimson Trace Laser Grips might give you an advantage in your home or in your line of work.

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Tested gear in a breakable world

slingsTroy flash suppressorsTroy Charging HandlesI’ve already got enough experience in this industry to see reticles spin inside a scope tube, folding foregrips crack, firearms explode, magazines blow out and basic operator induced malfunctions.   I think it’s kind of funny that so many of the firearm training DVDs that I have watched about handguns and rifles seem redundant, but the truth of the matter is that Administrative Loading and Unloading can’t be taught enough.   I’ve out shot ARTroy Rail PanelsTroy Gas BlocksTroy Pistol GripsTroy ForegripTroy Trigger GuardTroy QD Sling attachmentTroy Stock attachment15s with Mini 14 because I know the ballistic capabilities and 5.56 bullet twist rate and the pros and cons of each caliber and firearm.   Firearms especially rifles are more like Golf Clubs.   You can’t use a putter to drive a ball accurate, a wedge isn’t good on the green and a wood isn’t good for putting.

Many firearms that people own don’t have a lot of rounds through them, probable because most gun owners are hunters that only bring their guns out a few times a year and might only check their zero and others are in the “plinking” category.  There are several really good brand names that we saw at Shot Show this year but Troy firearm accessories from pistol grips to slings, iron front sights and rear sights, gas block sights to their rail systems, are in high visibility.   There are a ton of grip accessories and plastic accessories at gun shows but name brands mean something.   Troy gun accessories and Magpul Industries have a large customer base for a reason.

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Fast shots while hunting

rifle sightsLots of things have changed pertaining to firearm accessories, back in the stay, putting  a side saddle on your shotgun or putting a rifle stock shell holder was considering “accessorizing” but now some shotguns have been modified and altered that it sometimes difficult for me to tell if it’s a Remington 870 or a Mossberg 590.   I have been eyeballing some of the hiviz rifle and shotgun sights for awhile now because even though I feel proficient with my Marlin 35 Remington,   there have been times in the morning where my rifle sights (iron sights) were difficult to see.  I’ve avoided putting optics on my level actions because I wanted to get the most out of the firearm with out adding weight or having a gunsmith properly mount it.

Several customers in recent months have had negative things to say about some of the red dot optics that are on the market and they claim that all they see is fuzz and “flaring” when they look through them, the truth of the matter is this is a common problem with red dot optics and why larger dots, although can obscure things at distance, give better clarity of focal points.   Many of the Hiviz rifle sights will give you the illuminated targeting for a fraction of the cost of an optic and I’ve heard great things about people putting them on shotguns and level actions.   You can get a bead or a magnetic front sight from Meprolite for a Remington 870, AR15, lever actions and even AK.

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Co-witness, flip up front, and rear sights

Magpul sightsIn this business there is always going to be a considerable amount of research to do unless you are buying based on experience.   It’s always a good idea to ask people that are using the equipment or call a manufacturer to get suggestions.   We sell a lot of sighting systems from Red dots, crosshair, donut and chevrons.   There are different ways to use lines and dots to gather information about range estimations and about different lighting situations.   Iron sights have been around a long time and there are, even with iron sights, different sight pictures for different reasons.  About 20yrs ago I started seeing more and more optics on AR15s and seeing “glass” on military weapons was just starting to become common.

After about a decade of optics being used, I started to see more and more people putting backup iron sights on their ARs and the optics started trending to zero magnification.    All those heavy barreled AR15s with ACOGS were nice, but that platform had it’s disadvantages at close ranges.   Magpul has been around for a little over a decade and the Magpul sights are being sold “with” a great many AR15 manufacturers.  Its seems their product line, and ingenuity, has been widely accepted.   Using red dots or Eotech sights gives you speed but anything with electronics built into it can fail, and having a flip up rear sight  isn’t going to add much weight or get in the way of your optic usage.   Front sights seem to be somewhat of annoyance to some people when using optics which is why, depending on you AR15 configuration, you can get one “without” the traditional front post sight.  Personally, I am not bothered by this and would rather have a fixed front sight rather than have to flip up two sights if an electronic optic goes down.

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Choosing Iron Sights and the often made mistakes

Troy SightsIron sights are one of  those rare accessories where we hear about problems with durability.   It seems that it is pretty hard to mess up iron sights at the factory, most of the mistakes made with iron sights are when people that are mounting them on gas blocks.   We are always being asked general questions on holsters, accessories and optics but from a liability standpoint, we have to ask our customers a lot of questions so we don’t sell them the wrong thing.   If they walk in looking for iron sights for their AR15 but don’t volunteer any information about what gun they are putting them on, whether they are trying co-witness the sights with an optic or if they have a magnifier,  we don’t know for sure they are buying the correct item.

We highly recommend people think about what they might be doing with there customer built or accessorizing down the road even if they aren’t going to do it immediately.   I have several sets of Troy Sights that I have sitting in my tool room that had to be pulled off of my LWRC M6A2 after I found out that my Eotech Magnifier would not perfectly clear the rear Troy sight when it was locked into place.   I need to spend another $100 for a lower profile sight just to get better alignment with my setup.   If you mount the less expensive Magpul Sights on a gas block  you are going to get a point of impact that is off as well as possible melt the sight.   Avoid having a $35-$100 mistake and make sure you are buying the sights you are going to get the most out and not have to all out replace because they don’t cut it.   Magpul Flip up sights will work for most people with a front and rear sight combo usually being under $90 and the next step are probable the Troy Iron Sights.

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