When I look at new handguns, I always see the price as between $75-130 higher because of stock sights. Almost always the ubiquitous 3 dot garbage most manufacturers put on handguns. Would it be too expensive for a manufacturer to offer them with decent sights? Or a choice of sights? If they came without sights I’m guessing it would cut about $5 from the cost. It has to be the number one thing consumers do to a new gun. The last handgun I bought won me over because of the sights that came from the factory.

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Almost always the ubiquitous 3 dot garbage most manufacturers put on handguns.

Why are 3-dot sights "garbage"? The only garbage sight in my view is the Glock plastic.

I am fine with good steel 3 dot sights. I do prefer night sights and really like HD type sights but good ole’ 3 dots work fine for me.

My only must change in most cases are Glock plastic sights.

“Garbage” is my frustration coming out. They are horrible for me. Still, wouldn’t you think a choice or two would an obvious win?

They offer contrast sights and night sights, and that should be enough. They can't be offering a million various sights to satisfy a million different customer preferences. That's what aftermarket customization is for.

I sure like my XS R3D three dot sights. Big bright green photo-luminescent sight with tritium also and smaller darker rear tritium sights in the rear. I use the 1.0 version but they also have the 2.0 version for a few more clams.
Work great for my clapped out old eyes. Eye strain is now at a minimum.

Anything but 3 dots for me. Blacked out rear, I dot, straight 8, even Glock outline look fine (not plastic though).

IMHO, If the gun costs more than $500, then night sights should be standard.

Ha! Went handgun shopping today and had more interest in 3 dot sights than the black U sight. Also prefer night sights over the standard white paint. The eyes are not what they used to be…

Also dislike 3-dots. Give me old school post-in-notch.

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Originally posted by 400m:
Anything but 3 dots for me. Blacked out rear, I dot, straight 8, even Glock outline look fine (not plastic though).

I guess it is because I started on them but I don’t mind three dot much. Normally I have three dot night sights and apply a black sharpie to the rears. When done right, they just look black during the day and when it’s dark they rear night sights glow, but not as brightly as the front. I’m not sure that I even see the dots as I focus on the top of the front blade (or at least did before the lenses in my eyes got stiff enough that shifting focus is a challenge. These days it is red dot all the way.

Can we imagine the logistical nightmare it would be for vendors to deal with not only the innumerable different models of handguns on the market today, but also the same models with multiple different sights for each one? The handguns I would have any interest in owning these days all have sights that are readily changeable to different types—something that is the exact opposite of what was true of virtually all handguns back in the “good old days.”

Actually, a lot of cheap guns are coming with decent sights these days. The Ruger RXM for example has a nice serrated blacked out rear and high contrast front suppressor-height sights. On a $400 gun.

Sig's 3-dot aren't bad, and I really like the X-Rays.

Personally, I'm not really looking at the dots anyway...my focus is on the posts. Having some kind of contrast on the front to aid in quick acquisition is nice, but not completely necessary. Like Q said, the only sights I really think are truly garbage are Glock's factory "dovetail protectors". Plastic is just dumb, and I hate the sight picture, too. GI style 1911 sights aren't the best, either, but they're usable in good light.

All personal preference. I hate 3 dot sights. Say that after having used them quite a bit. When I started shooting things like USPSA/3 gun, they started to give me problems I never noticed with slower range shooting. Experimenting blacking the rears, I found I was faster over all and more accurate.
Now days I won't buy a gun I can't put a fiber optic front sight one, because that's the only way I can see them. Put the green glowing blur in the middle of the black blur.

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Personally, I'm not really looking at the dots anyway...my focus is on the posts.

I do that as well, but it's not always possible. If the gun is combat-sighted (there's that notorious phrase again), you have no choice but to drive the dot.

I have my own preferences too. I bought a tool from MGW for changing them out. Now I can have what I want whenever I want. I offset the cost by charging a little money to let others use it over the years.

I have SIGs with both. I can shoot the three-dot, but have to think about it. For this reason I prefer the Von Stavenhagen sights. I don't have to think about it at all. When I present, the picture I'm expecting is there.

I generally put Trijicon HD's or Night Fision sights on everything, this is an expense I account for when buying a gun. Kinda like setting aside money for new mufflers when buying a Harley...

I just had Springfield send me a front sight so I could install it on my Ruger 1911. I like the fiber front sight on their 1911 Ronin that I have and wanted both to be the same. $25 + ten minutes fitting it to the Ruger slide.

These days, iron sights are secondary for me. I want guns with installed RDS that work with the iron sights.