Glock Dovetailed Front Sight

[titsonritz]

I've always considered the post and screw attachment of Glock front sight to be a little on the weak side compared to a dovetail found on most other pistols. I'm getting ready to send off a couple Glock slides to get optic cut and I thinking why not have them cut for a front dovetail at the same time? Has any one done this? Which would best readily available standard height and suppressor height front sight to use? Who would you use to cut the slide for both? Any suggestions or thought?

[Corse]

At first thought, I would say the M&P sights would be a good bet. I think this is a major weak point for Glock, so much so that some trainers say they see more sight “failures” than MRDS.

[Texaspoff]

Seems like a lot of work for a little return, especially since it looks like you setting your pistol up as a dedicated optic gun. I personally have never seen an aftermarket front failure that wasn't related to a faulty part, or just outright abuse. I have beat up some Glock sights pretty good during classes and training, so much so I had to replace the sight because the sight body was gauged and scratched up, but I have never broken one off.

Now if your talking about the factory plastic crap, that's another story, and I can't count the number of times I have seen those self eject from a slide.

To do one correctly, you will need to measure the overall height of a factory glock front sight, and find a dovetail version that matches it. Dovetail sights are also not always the strongest either, depending on the manufacturer. I have seen quite a few dovetail sights broken (Trijicons and Ameriglos) during installation, with and without the correct tools, by smiths that didn't know how to do them correctly.

At least with Glock current setup, with a front sight tool and rear glock sight tool, you can pretty much do anything you want. With the front dovetailed, unless you are experienced in installing them, you will have to visit a smith to have the front sight switched for difference in height if so desired, or if it is damaged, or fails, IE tritum.

I have been installing dovetail sights for over 35 years, and I still prefer Glocks front sight design to dovetails.

I think you may be looking to solve a problem that doesn't really exist.


TXPO

[LowSpeed_HighDrag]

I chatted with both Jedi and Jon Dufrene briefly this morning about the fact that they have seen more front sight failures than they ever optic failures in their classes. I think Dawson would provide the different heights needed, maybe in a Sig dovetail pattern?

[ST911]

I think you may be looking to solve a problem that doesn't really exist. TXPO

That post is also my experience. The issue with the screw-on is mostly one of proper installation, once properly installed they will go the distance.

[YVK]

I chatted with both Jedi and Jon Dufrene briefly this morning about the fact that they have seen more front sight failures than they ever optic failures in their classes.

Bet 5 bucks that the sights they see fail are snag-prone tall front suppressor sights.

[17K]

Glock front sights fail a lot because a little bolt is a lot more prone to be fiddled with by people who don’t know what they’re doing than a pinned dovetailed front.

If you really degrease the slide, the sight, the bolt, all the threads, and use Red Locktite on the base of the sight, and actually get the Locktite on the threads inside the sight, it ain’t coming off.

[markm]

The sight screw does NOT inspire confidence, but I've never had any fail.

I remember hearing what an ass ache machining into the surface hardness of Glock slides was... going back to the point of "a lot of work for little gain"

[yoni]

If your getting the slide milled for an optic cut, then don't worry about it.

Your chance of a quality dot going out at the same time of the front sight going flying off the gun is lower than your chance of winning the grand price of both the Powerball and Mega in the same week