Heinie Sights are always high for me. What about you?

[ASH556]

After having an Ameriglo rear drift to the edge of the dovetail on my G45 MOS during a Gabe class last September, I switched my Glocks to Heinie's MOS Ledge sights to make use of their dual set-screw rear sights. While Heinie says, "All Heinie sights are designed to “cover the target”. POA/POI" I find this to be otherwise. Here is a 25yd group with my MOS Glocks using the MOS Ledge Heinie sights; note the 6:00 on the black hold:

G45:


G19 (with a shank):


So now a couple weeks ago I got a nice classic P226 from a member here and it has Heinie Straight 8's on it. How do those hit with a 6:00 hold on the black? And guess what, 124 + P GDHP hits about another 2" higher!

P226:




I find this to be VERY aggrevating! I just want the damn sights to hit where they're supposed to. It's less of an issue on the MOS guns because they're backup sights and the RMR's are easily tuned to hit exactly where I want them to, but the P226 is another story.

Even more aggrevating is that not only are the Heinies not POA = POI, they're not even 6:00. They're freaking worse than that! 6:00 hold still yields high hits. I emailed Heinie about the MOS sights when I got them and their response was nothing helpful. Makes me want to just go Dawson with their Perfect Impact Guarantee for everything!

[Up1911Fan]

That's one of the reasons I prefer Dawson's. I can swap to a different height front to get the zero I want, and the rears have a set screw.

[Rock185]

FWIW, I've routinely had factory, Novak and Heinie fixed sights shoot high or low. I have many times changed the front, and/or drifted the rear, to get POA/POI where I want it.

Thing is, when a manufacturer, factory or aftermarket, decides on sight dimensions, etc., they do not know what ammo you'll be using at what distance, your trigger press, style of shooting, eye sight, sight picture, etc., etc. In short, the sights are "ballpark".

I've dealt with Dawson, they can fix you up.

[1911Nut]

I have had similar experiences with sights from different manufacturers on different pistols.

I've even seen issues with different POI with the same sights on identical pistols. IIRC, in every case the issue was with a higher POI than desired.

Happens with Dawson sights, too, but with their perfect impact guarantee, they have a solution that doesn't cost you.

I've resigned myself to expect that every time I get a new (to me) gun or new sights, I expect to go through a period of trial and error until I find the correct front/rear that works for that specific gun.

In the infrequent instances in which that has NOT occurred, I have been pleasantly surprised.

[ASH556]

I appreciate the feedback gents. I was beginning to think it was just me, but it seems that if one is a serious pistol practicioner then it is simply part of the process. How has it not been improved before now? It must simply be that most do not require it. Who cares where the sights hit if you never shoot it beyond 7 yds or worse, at all.

[DDTSGM]

OP - I have one set of Heinie Straight 8's on a Hi-Power. I noticed that when you set the front dot on the base of the rear sight notch - as you would when making the '8' in dim light - the front sight blade was below the shoulders of the rear sight. Probably not explained clearly, but this would cause you to shoot lower than if you were using the front sight blade rather than the dots. In other words, if using a traditional sight picture this would cause you to shoot high.

Is this perhaps what was going on?

FWIW, my Heinies were too dim to use effectively from the get go, but I have no idea how old they were as they were installed when I sent the slide off to be milled.

[Eyesquared]

This kind of thing is one reason I prefer adjustable rear sights whenever available. Some of my pistols exhibit pretty significant POI shift just by changing the projectile weight. The Dawson Glock adjustables are pretty good.

[GJM]

20 years ago, I told Richard that he needed a taller front sight on his 1911 sights, as mine hit high with his sights, and he said my eyes were messed up!

[gunslinger2401]

OP, I registered to the site just to say I've had the same exact experience with Heinie's MOS specific sights. I tried them for the same reasons you did. They shoot very high and are frankly unusable. I emailed them and their reply was not helpful. They don't accept returns on sights that have been installed and do not offer taller front sights. Very frustrating given their relatively high price. I've since installed Overwatch Precision's MOS "Have Blue" sights. Similar concept to the Heinie MOS sights but with POA=POI.

[ASH556]

OP, I registered to the site just to say I've had the same exact experience with Heinie's MOS specific sights. I tried them for the same reasons you did. They shoot very high and are frankly unusable. I emailed them and their reply was not helpful. They don't accept returns on sights that have been installed and do not offer taller front sights. Very frustrating given their relatively high price. I've since installed Overwatch Precision's MOS "Have Blue" sights. Similar concept to the Heinie MOS sights but with POA=POI.

Thanks for the input, I’ll check those out!