Hex sight?

[Sun_Tzu]

I just got the new issue of handguns and they are show casing a hexagonal rear sight for pistols. They offer some for Glocks ($129). The author of the article said it was a very effective CQB sight. Anyone else ever heard of these, or had experience with it?

Thanks

[Bear Rider]

I just got the new issue of handguns and they are show casing a hexagonal rear sight for pistols. They offer some for Glocks ($129). The author of the article said it was a very effective CQB sight. Anyone else ever heard of these, or had experience with it?

Thanks

At $130 per set, they are unlikely to generate enough word of mouth advertising to make them a success. I'm certainly not going to spend that much on an untested system.

[imaguy3]

I'm not buying a set, however here's their webpage... http://www.goshen-hexsite.com/index2.htm if you scroll down they have a computer simulation of the difference b/t standard sights and their sight.... I don't see a significant difference myself...

[ecmills]

Run away.

Faster.

[Oak]

Well, I dunno.
I buddy of mine has a set on his G23 and he says he likes them a lot. If you'd seen him trying to squint through the bottom of his bifocals in order to see his stock sights, you'd fall over laughing. Or at least I did:rofl:.
Yeah, they look kind of strange. But I guess so do the XS Bigdots I've got on my G19.
I think they're worth some thought, at least.

Oak

[WildIrishClancy]

As a brand new Glock owner and new member of Glock talk,
I also read the article and then went to the web site and after studying on what they are saying ordered a set.
They are nothing like ghost rings somehow my eyes just settle on the correct site picture you really should try a set. Now it could be my eyes are older than some of the rest of you but they are the best pistol sites i have ever used.
granted most of my experiance has been with S&W revolvers over several decades. Got a model 19 in the late 60's while in the USAF in Germany.
also had a model 29 while in Alaska in the mid 70's liked those sites a lot BUT they do not compare to the hex. try 'em You just might like 'em.:supergrin:

WildIrishClancy

[WildIrishClancy]

Hey Sun _ Tzu
You mentioned reading the article in G&A Handguns well Tim Sheehan, the designer mentioned in the article gave me a call and asked my opiion of the sites. Now I just bought them and here is the product designer calling and asking my input. WOW could have floored me with a feather.
now seems like he was really interested and the statements in the article prove out to me just holding the pistol and glancing at the site my hand just seems to line them up correctly.
As a matter of fact after aligning them a few times it is quite difficult to get a bad site picture they sort self align. As I mentioned in previous post I like them and think they are well worth the price.

WildIrishClancy
Watauga , Texas

[meandme]

i just bought a set also. I am just getting back into shooting after a long hiatus so i am still looking for my "ultimate set up" for carry and competition (HA!)
when i decide to try something new, i like to be able to give it serious consideration before i decide to keep it or move on.

it is a little too early on to say these are the sights for me but here is my experience so far:

i shot about 500 rounds of federal efmj 124 +P (i use this as my practice round, got a great deal on these)

when i focus on the front sight, there is no big advantage to these vs. the standard glock sites, but they were accurate.
when used as intended, focusing on the target and just "paying attention" to the sights they surprised me with the ease of use.

it is a little difficult to explain how you "notice" the sights but you do not focus on them.
at the end of the session, i put 45 rounds rapid fire (two reloads) into black of two 25 yard pistol targets at 10 yards while looking only at the targets. Then just for kicks, i shot 15 rounds rapidly into a 50 yard silhouette target rapid fire and it rang out every time.

the guy at the range next to me started laughing at how effortless it seemed.

granted, i was getting tight groups at about 10 yards from a draw when i indexed the standard glock sights and did my part.

i don't think i was shooting more accurately or anything "magically" happened, but i was surprised at how easy it was to keep my focus on the target and have the sights line up each time without my indexing the front sight. saying i just "notice" them is the best description.

edit:

so now I have put 1700+ rounds through these and shot them at a local match. And I shot the standard sights on the 17 again in another match.

I also did a comparison session where I used a glock 22 and 27 with standard sights and the 17 with the hex sights during a prolonged range session. Not really fair since it is easier for me to shoot faster strings with 9mm when everything is stock.
I did not have a timer either.

the hex sights are much like the xs big dots to me in their quickness to pick up quickly. I think it is easier to get a consistent point of aim with the hex sights than with the big dots. (my experience with the big dots is limited to their use on a kahr mk9)

they are a little easier to access quickly for combat accuracy than the standard glock sights because I am not looking at the sights but at the target. and so they might be quicker when "tshtf", depending on your reactions to the situation.

when i shot a local cub match, it felt quicker to acquire the hexsites on the short range targets when running the course, but i found it a little more harder to aim the longer shots with the hex sights if i wanted target accuracy. I was not as confident in calling the longer shots at 25 yards (but it is not like I am all that great at calling my shots with standard sights yet). You might think of it as an incredibly wide rear notch, easier to see, but takes more time to get very accurate shots because of the care it takes to align the extra space and points for target accuracy.

I compared standard sights to the hex on the 50 yard silhouette again. here i was only concerned with enough accuracy to ring the steel, and it was a little easier and quicker to align the hexsite. there was very little effort to know that i was on target with the hexsite, it was more intuitive. with the standard glock sights I needed to an extra moment to consciously align the sights.

As combat sights these are really worth a look.

I have ordered a set of sevigny carry sights with the tritium front to try on another of my glocks. the sevigny will be legal for idpa where these are not. i'll excited to compare these to each other.

[jbfla]

I just installed a HexSite on my G19. Thus far I have put about 250 rounds down range with these sights on the gun. This has been combined with a lot more dry firing. I find it does take some adjustment to learn to shoot this new way. For one thing these sights require a focus on the target, not on the front sight. This is contrary to all of the shooting I have been done previously. Next they require me to shoot with both eyes open. This is very positive in my judgment.

It is taking my brain a little while to learn this new method of shooting. However, I now have a much better view of the target and can see my hits and misses very clearly now as well. Now if I miss it is due to something beside sight alignment. When this happens I stop shooting and go back to dry firing to reestablish my fundamentals. I understand that most shooters require some time to acquire the skills needed to use these sights.

Now for the really good news. For me I found them superior to my TruGlo fiber tritium sights when shooting at 20 and 25 yards. At that range I was using the Hexsite as target sights. The second thing I have noticed is I am developing an ability to shoot with standard sights with both eyes open. That must mean that my brain is beginning to accept this view.

Who might benefit the most from these sights. I think older shooters who have bifocals or need reading glasses would find these sights superior to standard sights. Also I am left eye dominant and shoot right handed. I believe any one with cross eye dominance would find the sights very helpful.

As I make progress with these sights I will provide updates.

[k594]

a guy i shoot with from time to time has a pair on his g19 i allways thought they seemed a bit odd but he is allways dead on so something must be working for him.
i may give these a try , they are made about 20 min from my home in sedona so if they will let me drop my gun off for install i will try a set out
ill let u all know

[thorn137]

Focus the HexSite® sight aperture on a rock or bush on the tan hillside.... If there is not sufficient light to contrast the target from the sights, then there is not sufficient light to contrast, say... an armed aggressor from a school child. That would be a NO-SHOOT!

Let me just say - If you're ever walking outside with your Glock, and if there's ever an armed aggressor holding my child, 100 yrds away halfway up a hillside... please consider this a "no shoot" no matter what sights you're using.

thorn

[k594]

yes definetly a no shoot.

i spoke with tim the owner via email he offered to do a free install if i stopped by so i will head over there in a week or so when the moneys available

Focus the HexSite® sight aperture on a rock or bush on the tan hillside.... If there is not sufficient light to contrast the target from the sights, then there is not sufficient light to contrast, say... an armed aggressor from a school child. That would be a NO-SHOOT!

Let me just say - If you're ever walking outside with your Glock, and if there's ever an armed aggressor holding my child, 100 yrds away halfway up a hillside... please consider this a "no shoot" no matter what sights you're using.

thorn

[gator378]

Focus the HexSite® sight aperture on a rock or bush on the tan hillside.... If there is not sufficient light to contrast the target from the sights, then there is not sufficient light to contrast, say... an armed aggressor from a school child. That would be a NO-SHOOT!

Let me just say - If you're ever walking outside with your Glock, and if there's ever an armed aggressor holding my child, 100 yrds away halfway up a hillside... please consider this a "no shoot" no matter what sights you're using.

thorn

I do believe this is what accurate Tactical rifles were designed for.

[jbfla]

I have HexSites installed on my Glocks That probably should tell you that I am sold on these sights. If you go to the range and punch holes in paper under conditions where there is no stress the HexSite probably will not do much for you. Conventional sights like the ones on your gun right now were developed for target shooting and they do that job very well so continue to use them and keep shooting. You should do well if you practice enough.

It is under conditions of extreme stress that the HexSite will prove its worth and separate itself from conventional sights. When your body is in a condition of extreme stress a number of physiological changes take place. Almost all of them will impact your shooting in potentially negative ways. A few of these changes are as follows:
1. Massive dump of adrenaline into the system
2. Heart rate and breathing rate increases
3. Gross motor skills are enhanced
4. Fine motor skills are degraded or disappear
5. Tunnel vision is enabled to better focus on the threat
6. Peripheral vision is degraded or eliminated
7. Near vision capabilities degrade or disappear
8. Binocular vision wins out over monocular vision
9. Blood pressure goes up
10. Ability to process information oriented to the threat increases

To overcome the impact of this stress several things are required from a pistol sight. First it must support a target focus, not a front sight focus. Two reasons for this. First that is where the threat is so your body is geared to gather as much information as possible about that threat. Second, due to loss of near vision trying to focus on the front sight no longer works anyway. Another key point is your survival instinct will win out over your training unless your training has been designed to harness your survival instinct so it works for you not against you. Because binocular vision is a survival tool you need to have sight that supports shooting with both eyes open. You also want a sight that blocks as little of the threat as possible. A sight useful under stress conditions also must not hinder eye accommodation or increase ocular refractive difficulties. It also must work in varying light conditions including very low light.

As I said earlier on, if your reason for shooting is you enjoy punching holes in paper or other types of targets that is fine. Keep it up and good shooting. On the other hand if you are shooting to prepare for the unlikely circumstance when you might have to use your gun to protect yourself or your loved ones then you are going to find yourself in a high stress situation. For this reason I believe you need the best tool you can acquire that will help you come out on top. You should choose the best firearm that will help you do just that. Most of the people on this forum believe a Glock is that choice. One major factor in how well you can employ your chosen tool is the sights you choose to have on your firearm. The good news is the Hex Site is available for a Glock and it is easy to self install if you are remotely handy.

[WildIrishClancy]

^^^^^^ What he said +1

I am not much for punching paper but try to train for the worst case possible. All I can add is try them you may like them and a bonus they may save your life.

Joe Clancy:supergrin::wow:

[HitDroad]

Hi all, I am new here.
To buy the Hex sight, the only way is contacting the company on phone or e-mail? are there a friendly way thru internet ?
Thanks (very nice web site u have here)

[Oak]

According to their website, it looks like phone or e-mail contact is the limit of purchasing options. Although that doesn't really strike me a much of a limit, the more I think about it.

Oak

[k594]

he is very responsive via email, and phone.

[beerswimmer]

Seems like from their ideas, to me(idiot!), a "diamond" would work better than a hex. Think of a square with one corner on the slide and the top corner pointing up... you would have a "top point" to center the froint sight with, plus both "side points" to use too. Seem right to you?

The whole sight thing seems silly to me. Just give me a bright front sight any day(or night)!

[jbirds1210]

Run away.

Faster.


I agree......run!

[Atax]

I recently bought a set of the Hexsites for my Glock 24C. Without a doubt, these are the best sights for a combat handgun. What gives me the right to say such a thing? Well, I served my country as a medic in the army, ranger qualified, and unit level EOD. I got to practice with my pistol a lot, mainly on pop-up targets.
The day I received my sights I had them installed by the owner of the local gun store. By the time I got home it was roughly <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" /><st1:time Hour="20" Minute="30">8:30 pm</st1:time> I walked to my little range I have behind my house and set up some targets. Under normal circumstances the long shadows would make the target (standard NRA 25m pistol target) almost imposable to determine. I did standard draw and fire, five round drills (week hand unsupported, strong hand unsupported, strong hand supported, ect.) all groups were roughly the size of a silver dollar. Now the true test was when I did a quick draw from inside my waste band, drew my surefire with my week hand, supported, identified, and fired. This took roughly a second, my target was a ¼ inch sapling, that I blew in half at 30yards. As for a moving target, just this weekend while I was on my balcony I saw a rabbit in my garden. I did not have the time to go back inside to get my 22 rifle so I use my Glock 24 loaded with my favorite hand load (155gr Hornady XTP HP being pushed by 7.5gr Unique powder). I shot the rabbit at 50+ yards with a perfect head shot. The little beast had partial cover behind the potato plants and was creeping slowly. THESE SIGHTS WORK!!!!
<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p>
Alex
<o:p></o:p>

[jbirds1210]

Based on these claims, you should definitely keep using those sights:cool:They seem to work for you.

I hope some day I can take a 1/4" shot at 30 yards.

Jason

I recently bought a set of the Hexsites for my Glock 24C. Without a doubt, these are the best sights for a combat handgun. What gives me the right to say such a thing? Well, I served my country as a medic in the army, ranger qualified, and unit level EOD. I got to practice with my pistol a lot, mainly on pop-up targets.
The day I received my sights I had them installed by the owner of the local gun store. By the time I got home it was roughly <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" /><st1:time Hour="20" Minute="30">8:30 pm</st1:time> I walked to my little range I have behind my house and set up some targets. Under normal circumstances the long shadows would make the target (standard NRA 25m pistol target) almost imposable to determine. I did standard draw and fire, five round drills (week hand unsupported, strong hand unsupported, strong hand supported, ect.) all groups were roughly the size of a silver dollar. Now the true test was when I did a quick draw from inside my waste band, drew my surefire with my week hand, supported, identified, and fired. This took roughly a second, my target was a ¼ inch sapling, that I blew in half at 30yards. As for a moving target, just this weekend while I was on my balcony I saw a rabbit in my garden. I did not have the time to go back inside to get my 22 rifle so I use my Glock 24 loaded with my favorite hand load (155gr Hornady XTP HP being pushed by 7.5gr Unique powder). I shot the rabbit at 50+ yards with a perfect head shot. The little beast had partial cover behind the potato plants and was creeping slowly. THESE SIGHTS WORK!!!!
<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p>
Alex
<o:p></o:p>

[jbfla]

I now have HexSites on an Airsoft Glock semi-automatic gas pistol. So I now have experience with the HexSite on different guns They deliver everything that is claimed for them. They are a superb tactical sight that also can deliver target shots if the need arises. However, their strength is their ability to support shooting with both eyes open while intently focusing on the target/threat. They do require the shooter to retrain their brain to accept the images being transmitted when both eyes are open and there is an intensive focus on the target. For experienced shooters this brain retraining takes longer than it does for beginning shooters. The key is lots of dry firing around the house by bringing the pistol up and dry firing it and then moving rapidly on to the next target. Initially the shooter will tend to look at the HexSite to confirm that the front sight really is centered in the rear Hex. It does not take long to gain the confidence that the eye really does center up in the sight with no conscious effort. Once that happens you will be on your way. If you have eye accommodation problems (near sighted or far sighted) or cross dominance issues (I shoot right with a dominant left eye) these will go away with the HexSite. Sight alignment and sight picture will no longer play a role in your shooting fundamentals as the HexSite takes care of that part of the shooting equation. All of the other fundamentals remain and can still cause misses just as they always have so you will have still have to have good fundamentals.

My wife shoots her G19 with a HexSite installed. Her transition to the HexSite was quicker than mine as she always kept both eyes open anyway and never paid much attention to her front sight. Consequently her shooting was often erratic. It is much improved now and gets better each time she shoots. She now has consistency from shot to shot. What she is working on now is reducing her times between shots. That is coming along as well.

Both of us have concealed carry permits and the main reason we shoot is to be prepared for what we hope is an unlikely event -- the need to defend ourselves or our family. In our opinion the HexSite is the only sight system that will work in an extreme stress situation where we expect to have both eyes open, to experience a loss of our near vision, and to have an extreme focus on the threat facing us. Our blood pressure will skyrocket as will our heart rate. Our fine motor skills that we worked on will abandon us to be replaced by enhanced gross motor skills. This is exactly the situation where the HexSite will still be there for us.

[Atax]

Practice, Brother Mason, I burn through 6 mags a day right after lunch (90 rnds) everyday for the past 7 years. While I was in the army I competed on the Ft Campbell Pistol Team. I had a lot more time then to shoot, and I didn't have to pay for the bullets. So I usually burned through 500 rounds a day 5 days a week and then had competition on Saturday, unless we were traveling to a competition. Then I might miss one of my days of shooting. I was also the Training NCOIC for my unit for BRM & BPM (Basic Rifle Marksmanship and Basic Pistol Marksmanship). Once I found my way to the reserves I was conned into being my unit’s Training NCOIC & Range Master. I’m no Ed Stock or Jeff Cooper, or any of the other well deserved champions out there, but I do know how to put a bullet where I need it to be, and if I do miss, it’s not by much. A toy I found that helped with point target and moving target practice is this clay pidgin pinwheel that my wife found. It stakes into the ground and looks like a 4 foot Ferris wheel for clay pidgins. Get back about 25 to 30 yards and have at it. The first 3 shots are pretty simple but once it gets to spinning good luck. I usually spray paint every other one blue and then try to pop all of one color first, without killing any of the friendly colors. That is why I love the Hexsites so much. The design of them is so much easier to engage a moving target and then shift to the next without loosing your front sight or your battlefield awareness. Some people think of them as just another gimmick on the concept of the Ghost Ring site. That is like comparing a Zulu Spear to a Remington 700VSF. In concept the spear and the rifle can kill what you are hunting; just one is going to do the job a much better. With the Hexsites the corners of the rear sight give you a means of reference to the distance of zero for the front sight. This is almost a subconscious action that adjusts as soon as the sight is brought into the aria of focus. In my personal opinion these are the best sights for a carry weapon, and I am planning on replacing all the sites on all of my firearms with the Hexsites. I don’t receive anything for my endorsement of these sights, bit I do feel obligated to let others that carry a weapon day to day know of something that may save there life, or keep them from missing and wounding or killing someone’s kid or wife, because they may be mine. Also if you carry a gun, carry a good weapon light, last night a neighbor across from the church shot his teenaged grandson while he was sneaking back in the house at 3am. Kids going to be ok, but he had two.32 Special in his right bicep and left thy.<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p>
<o:p></o:p>
Alex

[susan28]

i just took the leap and love them, for all the reasons given here by jbfla and others, just posted a fresh review here for anyone interested: http://glocktalk.com/forums/showthread.php?t=896845

[gator378]

^^^^^^ What he said +1

I am not much for punching paper but try to train for the worst case possible. All I can add is try them you may like them and a bonus they may save your life.

Joe Clancy:supergrin::wow:

Agree. Just don't get caught at the Benchrest club I shoot at or you will be removed for awhile. I had a couple of hints dropped my way to slow up a little. Some people just do not like serious but safe practice.