Best Sights for the Glock 17, 19, 26, 34 and 43 (9mm Sight Reviews)

The Glock 9mm, specifically the 19, is the most owned Glock model in the United States. The Glock 9mm pistol sees service with home defenders, concealed carriers, and even police and military units worldwide. It’s well-made, and the compact/subcompact models are both easy to carry and use. As we do with other common handguns, we’ve reviewed the best Glock sights for both current and potential Glock shooters.

Is the Glock the Perfect Handgun? Glock would say so, but most shooters agree there are a few changes that need to be made. Primarily the sights on most stock Glocks leave room for improvement. They are made of weak polymer, and use an odd U shaped design.  Just like when picking out an optic for your AR-15, when it comes to picking the best Glock sights, it’s hard to differentiate the good from the bad.

Outside of the sights on a Glock, any other customizations (and there are many, including custom backstraps) are just personal preference.  You have a wide variety of different options for sights. This is due to the Glock’s popularity. The aftermarket is massive, and the you have dozens of different options. The three following sights are what we consider to be the best Glock sights for 9mm handguns on the market today.

Our Favorites

Trijicon HD Night Sights For Glock

Our rating

Trijicon HD Night Sights

Top Pick

XS Night Sights for Glock

Our rating

XS Big Dot

Value Pick

TruGLOW Night Sights For Glock

Our rating

TRUGLOW Night Sights

Popular Pick

Now that you’ve seen a break down of our 3 favorites in the comparison chart above, let’s dive just a little bit deeper into the best Glock sights so you can decide which one should accompany your Glock.


Best 9mm Glock Sights: Buyer’s Guide

Let’s be honest, the stock sights included on Glock pistols from the factory aren’t perfect. They are can be unusable in all but the closest of “bad breath” encounters. For starters, they are plastic with painted on epoxy. Not the epitome of durability we look for in the best Glock sights.

Secondly, the geometry of Glock’s sights make it counterintuitive for the human eye to line up accurately. What I mean by this is the U shape rear combined with the solid I shaped front sight can lead to optical confusion were trying to shoot quickly.

Time and experience has proven that 3 dot sights are superior in almost every way to U notch sights in everything but bull’s-eye shooting. However, Glocks are not normally used for bull’s-eye shooting, and if you’re thinking of upgrading your sights for self-defense or concealed carry, you’re going to want to avoid U notch sights.

Glock pistols enjoy some of the most ubiquitous and prolific accessories on the firearms market. There is literally a gun shop and a gunsmith in every town of America. These shops can recommend and install high-quality sights on your Glock pistol. All you have to do is pick them out.


Notes on the Best Glock Sights

While all of the sights in our review get the job done, you should keep these three notes in mind before purchasing any sights for your Glock.

1. Night vs. Day

Night vs Day Conditions For Best Glock Sights
Shooting conditions can impact the type of sight you want to buy.

Night sights refer to any pistol sight that functions in the dark. This is always a good thing, but you need to make sure you get the right kind, because not all night sights are created equal. As a general rule, throw away the night sights that Glock includes from the factory. They are not self-illuminating, which is extremely important.

Any gun used for self-defense or concealed carry needs to have night sights. However, those night sights should be a self-illuminating technology like tritium. Tritium sights are easy to find and are made by almost all major manufacturers. There are even companies making combination fiber-optic tritium sights is that you can see fiber optics in complete darkness.

Just don’t cheap out on these, as the vials that hold in the tritium gas needs to be rugged enough so that they don’t break if you drop your gun.

The reason behind having self-illuminating sights is simple: you may find yourself in a situation with regular glow-in-the-dark sights where it’s too dark to see your sights, but not dark enough to make them glow.

Worse, you could be under a streetlight, your target could be in the shadows, and your sights will not be illuminated. You should be able to see them because you’ve got light, but you won’t be able to make out your sight picture against a dark backdrop. Tritium night sights fix this by always glowing no matter what lighting condition they’re in.


2. How to Choose the Best Glock Sights

Choosing The Best Glock Sights
There are multiple factors to consider when buying the right sight for your glock.

Choosing the right Glock sights involves both reading the reviews and understanding your own personal preference. The number one thing on your mind when purchasing a sight should be its durability and usability.

A note on durability. Simply put, your Glock sights have to be reliable. They need to be made of steel, not plastic, and they need to have a durable aiming reference. Solid inserts are always preferable to paint or epoxy, and the sights need to be available from a major manufacturer that offers a warranty. Don’t trust your life to the “Gun Show Special” you found on sale.

Expect to spend over $150 in most cases. The only two piece of the gun you actually interact with are the sights and the trigger. No other part of the gun requires your input to get a round on target. Take your sights seriously, and you’ll be alright.

There’s no reason to have standard fiber-optic sights anymore. Unless your pistol is purely a bull’s-eye shooting pistol, fiber-optic sights are not anywhere near rugged enough. Most of the models are prone to fiber breakage, and the sights will be virtually useless in short order.

If you have to have a fiber-optic sight, look for products and companies like Hi-Viz, which uses a durable fiber-optic plastic. Make sure you check your front sight often for signs of wear and tear.

Some sights are designed for close-in shooting very quickly; XS big dots are a perfect example. With practice, you can shoot these sights at man-sized targets out to one hundred yards on a standard pistol like a Glock 19. However, they are very much a “love it or hate it” affair.

Other legendary sights, like Meprolight or Trijicon HD’s, are what most people would recommend for a first-time shooter. Their squared off front and rear sights match up well, and their overall style lends itself well to quick and precise shooting. Three dot varieties are almost always best for concealed carry guns.

Make sure if you plan on using a suppressor or a micro-red dot you buy suppressor height sights. They’re taller so you can still use them when your red dot right or suppressor is installed. Also, make sure your holster will work with your new sights. Standard sights you’ll rarely have a problem, suppressor sights you certainly will.

3. Installing the Best Glock Sights


Generally speaking, you want to have a competent gunsmith or armor install your sights. Not only is this process easy to mess up, but pistol sights—including the best Glock sights—are notoriously difficult to sight in. It would be all too easy for you to go out and buy expensive set of tritium night sights, only to break them trying to cite the minute the range.

Here is a general overview of what goes into changing a pair of Glock sights and what you should expect a competent gunsmith to do. This method works without a sight pusher tool, which you most likely won’t have unless you’re a gunsmith, as it’s an expensive and highly specialized tool.

Important note: Don’t apply thread locker or proofing marks before you take the gun to the range and make sure it’s sighted in. You can stake the rear sight after zero is confirmed but it’s not required.

  1. First safety check, field strip, and disassemble the slide.
  2. Secure the disassembled slide in a vise right-side up.
  3. Mark the placement of the rear sight within its sight channel.
  4. Using an appropriately sized nylon punch, drift out the rear sight left to right with light taps.
  5. You shouldn’t be straining to get it out, light taps with a gun-smith’s hammer should remove the rear sight.
  6. Clean the rear sight channel with a degreaser and wait for it to dry.
  7. Take your new rear sight and then drift it into the marks you left before you removed the old sight.
  8. Flip your slide over and secure it in a vise.
  9. Using a 3/16” fixed socket front, unscrew the bolt that holds the front sight to the slide.
  10. Save the bolt, your new sight may or may not come with a new one.
  11. Clean and degrease the hole and nut.
  12. Apply a VERY small dot of thread locker to the nut and screw the new front sight on.
  13. Use a torque wrench to the manufacturer’s specifications.
  14. Alternatively, screw it in until snug and then screw in another ¼ turn. *Don’t over tighten!
  15. Wipe away excess.
  16. Flip your slide secure in the vise.
  17. Look through the rear sight and ensure the front sight is centered in the notch of the rear sight.
  18. Make sure to do this before you allow the thread locker to cure.
  19. Allow at least 24 hours for the thread locker to cure before taking your assembled pistol to the range.

The Best Glock Sights: Our Top 5 Picks

Now that you know what you should be looking for when picking up aftermarket sights for your Glock, let’s take a look at some of the best Glock sights and top manufacturers. We go in depth on our 5 favorites by discussing the different costs & benefits of each model.

We will look at sights that are great for both night & day, as well as sights that should be able to fit your Glock, no matter how tight of a budget you are on.

When in doubt, you should always seek a professional gunsmith to install any aftermarket sights you decide to pick up.

Let’s jump in.


1. TruGlo Bright Sights

Designed to fit a wide variety of different Glock models the TruGlo Bright sights are awesome daylight and low light sights. The TruGlo sights use fiber optic material that is very easy to see throughout the day.

The green fiber optic material catches the eye and allows you to get on target rapidly. In the middle of a gunfight getting your front sight on target is critical, and the faster you do the faster you can shoot. The faster you shoot, the faster you can put a target down and retreat to safety. TruGlo bright sights are designed for rapid and accurate shooting. Outside of a combat situation, these best Glock sights are perfect for competitions like ISPC, 3 Gun, and USPSA.

With time and accuracy being the goal in these competitions these sights are perfect for cutting split times. The sights themselves are very easy to install and anyone with any moderate technical skill can do it at home. The TruGlo Bright Sights use a very bright green fiber optic material in both the front and rear sights. This material naturally shows up well in low and daylight conditions. These sights alternate tasks and work as both day and night sights.

In low to no light situations the sight glows green. This makes them easy to pick up regardless of where, or when you are. The wielder of the weapon only sees the glowing nature of the sights. Anyone on the business end or to the left or right of the weapon cannot see the glowing sights.  For the concealed carrier they make an all-around great set of sights. Their versatility is their key to success. They are also rounded and all corners have been trimmed to reduce snag.

This makes drawing from concealment simple and easy to do. It reduces the risk of the gun being snagged on clothing, which could prevent or delay a draw stroke. Although the sights have a rounded profile they can still be used against a belt to cock a weapon one handed.

The TruGlo sights are made entirely from steel, minus the fiber optics. This makes them stronger and more dependable than stock Glock sights.


2. Ameriglo ProGlo

Product

AMERIGLO i-Dot Series Sight Set for Glock - Fits Gen 1-4...

  • Green Tritium with Orange Outline Front Sight, Green Single Dot...
  • Case Hardened Front and Rear Sights Makes The i-Dot Extremely...
  • Dot-Over-Dot Design Creates A Quick Vertical Sight Alignment
  • Fits Gen 1-4 9mm/.40/.380, Gen5 10mm/.45

Our rating

Details

  • Green Tritium with Orange Outline Front Sight, Green Single Dot...
  • Case Hardened Front and Rear Sights Makes The i-Dot Extremely...
  • Dot-Over-Dot Design Creates A Quick Vertical Sight Alignment
  • Fits Gen 1-4 9mm/.40/.380, Gen5 10mm/.45

The Ameriglo ProGlo utilizes a simple, affordable, and effective sight system. The Ameriglo ProGlo sights are night and day sights that combine tritium and fiber optics for a bright sight picture for any shooting encounter.

To reduce the overall cost of the sights the front sight is the only one that is illuminated. The rear sight is almost entirely blacked out except for a small line of green material in the middle of the rear sight. This is directly below the cut in the rear sight.

In the daylight, the shooter aligns the rear green line with the green fiber optic front sight for quick shooting. For longer range, more precise shooting, the shooter will align the front sight between the rear sights in a traditional manner.

Night shooting is a little different with these best Glock sights due to the single front night sight.

The idea is that as a shooter you focus so much on the front sight the rear sight doesn’t need to glow. Because the rear sight is blacked out in the middle of the night if you can’t see your front sight your sights aren’t aligned anyway.

If you can see your front sight at night on your target you are likely aligned or close enough to hit your target. The entire focus is on the shooting theory of front sight press. Get the weapon up, front sight on the target and pull the trigger.

Any shooting done at night is bound to be done at close range with a pistol, so precision comes second after speed in a defensive situation. When shooting for center mass hitting to the left and right of the front sight isn’t a major concern because you are still hitting center mass.

The Ameriglo ProGlo sights for the Glock 19 are quite versatile for both day and night shooting. In low light situations, you’ll use the center green tritium lamp to shoot. During the day a bright green fiber optic material surrounds the center of the target.

Construction of the sights is impressive. They are made from bar stock steel and use Swiss-made tritium lamps. This makes them quite tough and very rugged, way better built than stock Glock sights.


3. XS Sights Big Dot Sights:

Product

XS 24/7 Big Dot For Glock 9MM/40/357/36

  • Product Type: Sporting Goods
  • Package Dimensions: 18.288 L X 12.192 W X 3.302 H (Centimeters)
  • Package Weight: 0.100 Pounds
  • Country Of Origin: China

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Details

  • Product Type: Sporting Goods
  • Package Dimensions: 18.288 L X 12.192 W X 3.302 H (Centimeters)
  • Package Weight: 0.100 Pounds
  • Country Of Origin: China

The XS Big Dot sights are easily the most impressive set of sights on the market. XS makes sights from just about everybody and the sights they produce are top-notch in terms of quality. They are also very unique and very effective.

The first thing to remember is that the XS Big Dot sights are designed for concealed carry and combat shooting. The XS Big Dots are not your traditional iron sights and are designed solely for close-range combat shooting. The XS Big Dot sights feature a massive front sight and a smaller, more subdued rear sight. The term Big Dot is truly an accurate representation of what the sights really are. The front sight is easily twice the size of normal front sights.

The front sight has a tritium lantern in the very center of the sight. This tritium lamp glow very brightly in low light and is easy to pick up with the naked eye. Around the tritium dot there is a splash of white paint. The white paint is designed to make the front sight bright and crystal clear during the day. The rear sight is also a night sight. In the very center of the rear sight there is a tritium lamp, surrounded by white paint.

This rear tritium lamp is placed up and down, which makes it a tritium line. The idea is that during night shooting you form a lowercase i with the sights. The front sight dots the vertical rear tritium lamp. If the i is dotted the rear sights are then aligned. The XS Big dots are extremely easy to use, and placing the front sight on target is quick and easy to do. This sight is designed to reduce the time used to find the front sight and put it on target.

This large sight makes hitting small targets at longer ranges difficult, but that is not what these best Glock sights are built for. They are designed for close combat with large targets, and for accurately and rapidly putting rounds into that target.


4. Trijicon HD Night Sights

Trijicon is the maker of some of the finest combat iron sights in the world. Trusted by police and military units worldwide the Trijicon HD Night sights are some of the most dependable and reliable sights on the market.

The Trijicon HD night sights are a mixture of both high tech polymer and aluminum. The use of polymer keeps the sights nice and lightweight, as well as affordable. The Trijicon HD sights are designed for both day and night shooting. The front sight features a small Tritium vial inserted in the center of the sight. Around the tritium lamp is a red fiber optic circle. The Tritium lamp is of course designed for night shooting and the fiber optic material is designed for daylight shooting.

The rear sight is all black and has two small tritium lamps in the night sights. These bright tritium lamps are ultra-bright at night and make sight alignment very easy regardless of the situation. The rear sights are also serrated.  This serration reduces glare during brighter days. Lack of serration can cause glare in brighter lit situations. The rear sight is not a square cut but features a U shaped notch. This round profile matches directly to the front sight which increases the user’s ability to see the front sight and target.

The front surface of the rear sight is rounded but is hooked for cocking with one hand. The sight is designed for and strong enough to take the force of being cocked off a table or a belt. This is perfect in case one-handed is wounded or completely occupied.  The Trijicon HD iron sights are the perfect combat sights. For police, military, or self-defense concerned civilians the Tritium sights are perfect. They aren’t designed for competition; they are purely combat based sights.

These best Glock sights are also warranted to glow brightly for 12 years by the manufacturer. Trijicon stands behind their product, and are used by professional gunfighters worldwide for a reason. If you need a solid set of combat sights and budget isn’t an issue Trijicon is the way to go.


5. Glock Factory OEM Night Sights

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No products found.

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The Glock Factory OEM sights are an upgrade of what comes equipped from the factory on your handgun.  The sights are made from metal instead of polymer, which means they can withstand more abuse and are less likely to get knocked out of zero when being carried daily.

They are equipped with Tritium dots that glow green in low light and are set with white dots to maximize daytime visibility. Being made by Glock gives them an obvious advantage when it comes to engineering.

These best Glock sights are extremely easy to install, but you’ll want to make sure you have the Glock front sight install tool in order to make installation easy.  It’s been reported that the OEM metal sights provide a nice improvement in the overall sight picture.

If you are the type of person that prefers to stick with the original manufacturer, and not go outside the realm into customized firearms, these sights will make a great pickup that will improve overall performance for your sidearm.


The Best Glock Sights: Parting Shots

The Glock is an excellent handgun and the 9mm is a fantastic caliber. It’s the choice of the Marine Corps Special Forces, aka Marsoc, and the Navy SEALs. It’s well made, reliable, and lightweight.

It’s generally considered one of the best first handguns for a concealed carrier and a home defender. By simply swapping the sights you can completely customize the look, feel and performance of your handgun.

If customizing your handgun is something that you enjoy doing to make the firearm perform better to your own personal shooting style, any one of these sights should dramatically improve the performance of your sidearm.


This product was presentation was made with AAWP plugin.

By

Levi Frenchak has years of firearms experience between sporting and responsible concealed carry applications. Levi is a member of multiple pro-second amendment organizations including USCCA, NRA, and just as importantly, his local range. Levi is continuing a legacy of support for our rights by working with his family to increase firearms education and awareness as the lead editor of GunBacker.

This product was presentation was made with AAWP plugin.

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