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I like optics on my Glocks. They make it easier to see with my old eyes and are great for low light. That said, I also like great iron sights on my Glocks because I’m not going to outfit everyone one of my Austrian wonderguns with a red dot. Iron sights will always have a few advantages over optics including more holster options, no batteries to worry about, minimal chance of a malfunction, and they don’t get occluded by dirt or debris. There’s also the cost factor. Even the best Glock sights costs less than most quality red dots. While the factory Glock, polymer “placeholder” sights work fine, are there better options available? Did Han Solo shoot first? Hell yes.
- Best Overall: Ameriglo Spartan (GL-5115 tested)
- Best “Express” Sights: XS DXT2 Big Dot Night Sights
- Best Day/Night Sights: HiViz Litewave H3 Tritium/Litepipe
- Best Budget: TruGlo Fiber-Optic
- Best Suppressor Height: Trijicon Suppressor/Optic Height Sights (GL201-C-600651)
How I Chose the Best Glock Sights
My sight recommendations are based on personal experience, installing and testing sights on a G19 MOS, G47, and G48, as well as input from industry colleagues including Glock factory personnel. My testing included the following:
- Testing overall visibility
- Checking for snagging on holsters or other gear
- Shooting the dot torture drill and MGM Spinner
Undoubtedly, it’s a buyer’s market for aftermarket Glock sights. Mostly it’s going to boil down to personal preference and focus on daytime, low light, or night shooting. That said, here are my choices for the best Glock sights.
Best Glock Sights: Reviews & Recommendations
Best Overall: Ameriglo Spartan (GL-5115 tested)
Key Features
- Tritium front and rear dots
- Contrasting front and rear dot colors
- Steel construction
Pros
- Good visibility day or night
- Easy sight orientation
- Durable construction
Cons
- Larger rear dots would be nice
Ameriglo Spartan Sights have rugged steel construction, contrasting front and rear dot colors, and the addition of tritium in the front and the rear add up to durable, easy-to-see sights in all conditions. There’s more good news: They’re not too expensive, coming in at $120. I installed a set of these sights on my Glock 48, and for me, it was a noticeable difference over stock irons while attacking the MGM Spinner. No, I didn’t turn it every time. Ok, I didn’t turn it most of the time, but getting on target was quicker and more precise. They also served me well for knocking out the dot torture drill. In darkness, they are easy to find, orient, and aim. Spartan Sight Sets can be had with white or orange front dot outlines, and white or black dot outlines for the rear sight. These sights are affordable, easy to see day or night, and are durable. That’s why these are my pick for best overall Glock sights.
Read Next: Best Glocks
Best “Express” Sights: XS DXT2 Big Dot Night Sights
Key Features
- Large front dot with outline and tritium
- Shallow V notch rear sight with tritium line
- Steel construction
Pros
- Extremely easy to acquire the front sight
- Tritium front and rear for low light or night use
- Durable steel construction
Cons
- Precise aiming is difficult with the large dot
Let’s just call it like it is—these Glock sights wouldn’t be first choice for precision pistol work. The front sight dot is large, really large. The rear sight is just a shallow “V” with a vertical tritium bar in the middle to orient the dot on top of the bar like an “i”. But at powder-burn distances, these sights are tough to beat. They are exceptionally quick to find, orient, and aim on a minute-of-bad-guy target. Having used these in a few 3-gun competitions, they did in fact prove great for the targets that were up close and personal but were a bit of a struggle with some of the targets at extended ranges. They also showed their precision aiming limitations during the dot torture drill. But in all fairness, I’m not anticipating the need to defend myself against 2-inch dots at 3 yards. In low light or darkness, the large tritium dot and “i” beam are quite easy to find and get on target, and that’s no small matter.
Best Day/Night Sights: HiViz Litewave H3 Tritium/Litepipe
Key Features
- Fiber optic sights that are powered by a tritium insert when light isn’t available
- Made from steel
- Different color options are available for both the front and rear sights
Pros
- Bright fiber optic performance during the day
- Tritium lights up the fiber optic at night for excellent visibility
- Durable steel construction protects the fiber optic and tritium
Cons
- The long front sight decreases the sight radius by about half an inch
If you like fiber optics sights during the day, but also want some 24/7 glow-in-the-dark radioactive isotope awesomeness, then the HiViz Litewave H3 is gonna be your thing. This Glock sight set features a patented design that uses a fiber optic that looks great in the daytime but is “powered” by a tritium insert for low light or nighttime. So, you’re still seeing the fiber optic, it’s just glowing from the light of the tritium capsule when there’s no ambient light to pass long. These are machined from steel with ample protection for the fiber optic. These looked just like you’d expect for a fiber optic sight during the day, and are visible in low light or darkness, which is where fiber-optic sights tend to be difficult to see well. Different color outlines for the front dots, and different color rear dots are available.
Best Budget: TruGlo Fiber-Optic
Key Features
- Fiber-optic aiming points
- Three dot design
- Concealed fiber cannot be seen by target
Pros
- Good daytime visibility
- Budget friendly
Cons
- Fiber optics not visible without ambient light
Fiber optic sights are popular on handguns, for good reason: They work. A cylindrical piece of this amazing, light-transmitting polymer, embedded in a sight, takes ambient light along its surface and transmits it out the end. That’s not a good description of the actual physics, but the “dot” end of fiber optic sights appears to glow brightly in bright to moderate light, with no batteries or atomic wizardry, which makes for a dandy aiming point. It’s simple and cost effective. Priced with an MSRP of only $67 TruGlo Fiber Optic sights provide different colored front and rear dots for rapid orientation and a reasonably bright aiming point at a budget-friendly price.
Best Suppressor Height: Trijicon Suppressor/Optic Height Sights GL201-C-600651
Key Features
- Sights are high enough to co-witness with optics or see over a suppressor
- Tritium front and rear for low light/night
- Rugged steel and sealed lamp construction
- Available in different color outlines
Pros
- Allow use of sights with a suppressor and/or an optic
- Tritium for 24/7 visibility
- Durable construction
Cons
- Large dot option for the front sight would be nice
Shooting suppressed is civilized, and it’s fun. Staring at the back of your can for a sight picture isn’t fun. If you’re gonna shoot suppressed, you’ll likely need suppressor height sights to see what you’re aiming at. If you’re using an optic, having backup sights co-witnessed in the lower third of the window isn’t a bad idea either. Known for tritium night sights, Trijicon uses the same technology to produce sights that can be seen over a suppressor and/or co-witness with an optic.
These basically look just like their other models but are taller. It’s that simple. I installed these on a Glock 19MOS with a Holosun SCS MOS, they co-witnessed perfectly with the dot. The co-witness setup did help orient the pistol presentation to get the dot on target quicker. Maybe it was because I was looking through the rear sight to pick up the front sight and the dot. The Trijicon Glock sights are built to be durable. Each tritium vial, or lamp, is capped with a sapphire lens. This distributes the light and protects the vial. Each of these tritium vials is contained in an aluminum cylinder and mounted with a silicone pad to absorb shock and recoil. These sights are tall enough to get a good sight picture over a Silencer Central Banish 45, but not for something like a Leupold Delta Point Pro when mounted with the Glock MOS plates.
Read Next: Best Pistol Red Dots
How To Choose the Best Glock Sights
Day or Night Use
If you mostly shoot your Glock at the range or in competitions, then you can save yourself the expense of the night sights and just go with a good fiber optic setup. If the pistol is primarily for EDC, you’ll want to have a tritium setup that proactively illuminates the sights. You count on enough ambient light from the environment or even a weapon light to make your sights visible. Then it boils down to personal preference as to what is easiest for you to visually acquire and get on target.
Installing Glock Sights
Tools Needed
Fortunately, Glock sights are easy to install. You will need a Glock front sight tool. It’s basically a very thin-walled 3/16-inch socket, and you may have one that is thin enough to work. You could also make one by grinding down a socket, but it’s worth having a front-sight tool in your kit for future use. With the tool, you simply remove the little bolt that is under the front sight and lift off the front sight. Reverse to install the new one.
The rear sight can easily drift out, and the new sight drifts back in with a nylon or Delrin punch. Don’t use a steel punch or even a brass one if you can avoid it. They’ll work, but you might scratch the slide. Obviously try to reinstall the new rear sight in the same spot as the old one. Shoot the pistol and make any windage adjustments as necessary. Remember, move the rear sight the same direction you want to move your point of impact.
FAQs
The FBI uses Ameriglo Agent night sights on their Glock pistols.
The two most common colors are green or red, and it’s common to have a combination of these colors, with one of the colors for the dots in the rear sight, the other for the color of the front sight. Go with green for the front sight if it’s an option.
If you’re setting up a Glock that will be used in the daytime only, like a competition handgun, or a range-only gun, then go with a set of fiber optic sights. They’re less expensive and brighter in daylight. If it’s a pistol for self-defense, then definitely go with night sights if it’s in your budget.
The tritium in night sights will last approximately 12 years from the time they are manufactured. After 12 years they will still have a faint glow, but should be replaced.
Final Thoughts on the Best Glock Sights
Yes, the factory Glock sights work fine. But there are better options available at almost any price point. If you’re only shooting during daylight hours, get something bright, easy to see and line up like fiber optics. If it’s a pistol you’re carrying for defense, then definitely consider getting some sort of night sight setup with tritium. Regardless of which of the best Glock sights you go with, try to practice in all lighting conditions, even if it’s just dry firing. Everything looks different in low light or darkness. Get familiar with your sight picture before you need to use them.
- Best Overall: Ameriglo Spartan (GL-5115 tested)
- Best “Express” Sights: XS DXT2 Big Dot Night Sights
- Best Day/Night Sights: HiViz Litewave H3 Tritium/Litepipe
- Best Budget: TruGlo Fiber-Optic
- Best Suppressor Height: Trijicon Suppressor/Optic Height Sights – GL201-C-600651