[revel8]

saw these in this month's handgunner magazine. since my front sight seems to have "bent" somehow and has gotten a bit crooked and loose, i'm going to try these out. it says if after 60 days you don't like them they'll take them back, and they're only 60 bucks or so. I'll let you guys know how they are.

http://www.speedsights.com

 

[RayB]

saw these in this month's handgunner magazine. since my front sight seems to have "bent" somehow and has gotten a bit crooked and loose, i'm going to try these out. it says if after 60 days you don't like them they'll take them back, and they're only 60 bucks or so. I'll let you guys know how they are.

http://www.speedsights.com

Please do! :thumbsup:

--Ray

 

[revel8]

ordered. hopefully i'll them in time for the weekend. i'll keep you updated ray.

 

[gary newport]

I put a set on my G17 last week and shot a little with it over the weekend -- not enough to form a definitive opinion. However, I do have some initial impressions to share.

First, alignment (for elevation) seems a bit unnatural since it requires putting the bases of the the three triangles in a line, rather than the top edges of conventional sights.

Second, alignment for windage (centering the front sight) is a bit iffy -- it is easy to have the front off-center to the right or left.

These sights might be useful for fast shooting at very close range but I require more than that. I'll take them to the range again, but I suspect that they won't be staying on my G17 for long. Too bad, really.

 

[revel8]

well, thats good they have the good return policy. I hope they honor it if you or i don't end up liking them.

 

[free1486]

Hello, I'm the inventor of the Speed Sights. I believe I know what's behind Gary's issue with the sights and wanted to offer a tip that might be helpful.
Speed Sights were designed to work in a whole different way than traditional sights. It may be that your well trained eyes are still "looking for" the pattern they are familiar with so it feels "unnatural" when you first try them out.
The Point to Point system that Speed Sights are based on eliminate the need to align this surface with that surface or to guess when the two gaps between notch and post may be lined up.
Another way to say it is don't be concerned about lining up the bases, just lock your focus on the tip of the front sight, your peripheral vision will lock in the pattern as soon as the points touch.
Sure, the bases need to be aligned, but that comes naturally by keeping focused on the front point and letting your peripheral vision get an automatic "pattern lock" on the triangles. Don't use the line up of the bases as the primary tool for checking alignment.
Just "Touch the points...pull the trigger", try to resist the impulse to look at the bases or lines.
Now, most folks experience Speed Sights as feeling natural and easier to use; the quotes on our "user experiences" link on the speedsights.com website are from real people.
We just got an email last week from a guy who has been using Speed Sights every weekend for the past year shooting IDPA and told us, "...these are by far the best sights I've ever shot with..."
But occasionally we hear from experienced users that their eyes are still "looking for" the familiar pattern of their previous sites, just like they have been trained so well to do.
Thanks for checking out the sights, I appreciate any comments as it helps to be able better explain the system to other folks thinking of trying it out.
Good luck on the range!
Don

 

[revel8]

thanks Don. I placed an order two days ago. I haven't been shooting that long so I think i'll do well with them. perhaps the other guy is an experienced shooter used to traditional sights. i'll let you guys know either way.

 

[mercury0_0]

Very interesting sight system. Right now I have Tru-glo TFO's on my G20C. If they made the Speed Sights with Tritium and Fiber optics like the Tru-glo's then I would definitely make the purchase. I'm looking forward to more reviews from GT members. revel8, I'm hoping to see a nice review with pics.

 

[gary newport]

Hello, I'm the inventor of the Speed Sights. I believe I know what's behind Gary's issue with the sights and wanted to offer a tip that might be helpful.
Speed Sights were designed to work in a whole different way than traditional sights. It may be that your well trained eyes are still "looking for" the pattern they are familiar with so it feels "unnatural" when you first try them out.
The Point to Point system that Speed Sights are based on eliminate the need to align this surface with that surface or to guess when the two gaps between notch and post may be lined up.
Another way to say it is don't be concerned about lining up the bases, just lock your focus on the tip of the front sight, your peripheral vision will lock in the pattern as soon as the points touch.
Sure, the bases need to be aligned, but that comes naturally by keeping focused on the front point and letting your peripheral vision get an automatic "pattern lock" on the triangles. Don't use the line up of the bases as the primary tool for checking alignment.
Just "Touch the points...pull the trigger", try to resist the impulse to look at the bases or lines.
Now, most folks experience Speed Sights as feeling natural and easier to use; the quotes on our "user experiences" link on the speedsights.com website are from real people.
We just got an email last week from a guy who has been using Speed Sights every weekend for the past year shooting IDPA and told us, "...these are by far the best sights I've ever shot with..."
But occasionally we hear from experienced users that their eyes are still "looking for" the familiar pattern of their previous sites, just like they have been trained so well to do.
Thanks for checking out the sights, I appreciate any comments as it helps to be able better explain the system to other folks thinking of trying it out.
Good luck on the range!
Don

Thanks for weighing in. I will give your sights some more trigger time, while trying to keep your suggestions in mind. I mentioned in my post that my shooting experience with these sights was brief (part of one night, shooting steel, rather than paper). After making sure they shoot to POA on paper, I'll shoot some steel and/or cardboard at speed with them.

 

[ljnowell]

Thanks for weighing in. I will give your sights some more trigger time, while trying to keep your suggestions in mind. I mentioned in my post that my shooting experience with these sights was brief (part of one night, shooting steel, rather than paper). After making sure they shoot to POA on paper, I'll shoot some steel and/or cardboard at speed with them.

Any update on this? Just kinda curious.

 

[revel8]

yes, I've shot about 200 rounds with them. very pleased. i think the single strongest thing about them is simply being able to choose your front and rear colors. everyone's eyes are different, I seem to like the white rear and green front. target acquisition is very quick. they aren't "bullseye" sights, but then again, I'm not shooting a long-slide 1911 tack driver either.

I'd say, get them ! a 100% improvement over the stock sights for sure! pics up soon. they do a great job with the instructions and shipping was very quick (2 days) via priority mail. if you have factory polymer sights, they are very easy to change over with just basic tools and a vise.

 

[free1486]

Gary, Revel8, thanks for your comments, glad my explanation of how the Speed Sights work was helpful.
Revel8, could you possibly describe for us the technique your eyes naturally went to when shooting the Speed Sights? Did you find yourself focusing just on the tip of triangle, the whole pattern...or? If someone asked you, "How do you use these sights?" What would you say to them?
For instance, when I shoot them, I find my eyes zooming in on the front triangle and get this feeling I am physically pushing the point into the target. After awhile they almost seem like they are shooting themselves; after a mag I just have this memory of this big bright triangle hammering into the target.
I'd really appreciate hearing any descriptions of people's experiences as it would help in describing to shooters how they work or perhaps to improve them for Generation 3.
Thanks!
Don

 

[free1486]

Regarding being able to pick you colors on the Speed Sights; we found the high contrast between front and rear really did make a difference. One novice shooter during an early concept test shot was shooting about a 6" group at 7 yards with the Speed Sights set to all white front and rear. Then we switched to a colored front sight and immediately on the next mag his group tightened to about 2-3" and then he started to shoot into a 1 inch hole just before he ran dry.
We call this the "VizioNomics" of the system. Like ergonomics, but for the eyes. Our eyes are designed to seek out repeating patterns and high contrast in colors and brightness. The sharper and brighter these patterns and contrasts are, the easier (and faster) it is for the eye to sort them out.
Traditional style competition sights like the Heinie or Warren try to achieve this with extra flat black posts and thinner front sight so there is more light to contrast to the black. But this is dependent on there being light there to do it and there is no Point to Point pattern lock to tell you exactly when they are aligned...you have to guess. And why use black as part of the sight picture? The eyes are attracted to brightness, that's why we provide the bright, pointed Triangles to draw in the vision like a magnet.

 

[revel8]

yea the triangles are alot easier to get a quicker sight picture.
all my shooting tends to be draws from the holster defensive shooting, so i dont really focus on the sights, I aquire the target and then bring the sights up to my line of vision. the shapes make it much easier to "know" you are on target.

Don, I would really like to see some night time inserts that current users could buy in the future. these sights are not visible in a dark room. great job on the sight design!

 

[gary newport]

Any update on this? Just kinda curious.

Sadly, not yet. Perhaps I'll be able to do something with them this weekend.

It is obvious that these sights will be quick to acquire. They will have to satisfy two additional criteria to remain on my gun. First, they will have to shoot to POA at 25 yards. Second, they need to allow for decent groups at that distance.

 

[Defensor Pacis]

I am seriously considering the XS Big Dot Sight Sytem, but came across this post and I am interested to see what further reports are made.

Thanks for your comments.

DP

 

[rat5545]

I got a set of these sights the first time they were listed on Ebay. Installation was easy found a little two sided tape on the end of a unsharpened pencil made the front sight wedge real easy to install. They are easy to place on target, once you get use to these it's hard to use anything else. I now have three sets of these sights. Great combat sights, they are fast on target and that front sight really comes back into play fast on follow up shots.

 

[gary newport]

I got a set of these sights the first time they were listed on Ebay. Installation was easy found a little two sided tape on the end of a unsharpened pencil made the front sight wedge real easy to install. They are easy to place on target, once you get use to these it's hard to use anything else. I now have three sets of these sights. Great combat sights, they are fast on target and that front sight really comes back into play fast on follow up shots.

How about accuracy and POI at 25 yards? Has anyone checked this out with these sights?

 

[free1486]

Thanks to everyone for your comments and questions. Here's some more info that might be useful.
As far as POI at 25 yards, the Speed Sights are sighted in closer to the factory Glock, using a center hold, at combat shooting ranges. Using the same center hold they may shoot high for you at 25 yards.
What we have found is that because of the highly precise pointed front sight, it's much easier to exactly adjust your point of aim up or down the few thousandths of an inch it takes to adjust POI inches down range. That's the fast solution to most POI issues.
We've found it of course varies somewhat with ammo, the individual shooter's grip and eye and any after market barrels or other equipment.
Most of our competition customers say they really like them and have no complaints, one guy said they shoot too low, another said they shoot too high.
The important thing to remember is to keep focused on the front sight and let your peripheral vision tell you when the Point to Point pattern locks in.
If your eyes are really used to another sight picture, you might start with a more slow, deliberate course of fire until it your eyes recognize the new pattern, then let loose gradually to higher speeds.

Don
Advanced Design

 

[free1486]

The pointed front sight and Point to Point pattern lock gives the Speed Sights alot of inherent accuracy. Groups should be tighter at any range.
At really close ranges and CQB speed, the eyes can lock in the whole bright, interlocking pattern over the target as you bring it into your line of vision.
At longer distances or where greater precision is required a more deliberate focus on the tip of the front sight works.
Old style notch and posts can't offer this, as the front sight may be much wider than your intended point of impact and you have to guess.

We are working on some really revolutionary Tritium materials as well as the new generation of light activated materials like FN and Ameriglo are using. Too soon to call yet, though, we'll certainly let everyone know.

Don
Advanced Design