XS Sights XTI2 offset express style sights

[ASH556]

With all the MRDS's on the market, the idea of offset irons seems to be falling off in favor of offset or piggybacked dots; the latter further driven by NVG larpers. I don't have NVG's and doubt I ever will, but I have put a lot of time and money into training with a carbine and can run one ok.

About a month ago I swapped my NX8 into a taller 1.93 Nightforce Ultramount from the 1.54 Reptilia AUS I had it in with a piggybacked RMR. With the taller mount I found that I was much better able to get in and stay in the NX8 such that I am confident in its abilities at 1X as a true RDS replacement. While I like the piggybacked RMR, with an even taller mount, I felt like it would be too high. I really just wanted some form of backup sight should something go south with the Nightforce. Now, given a situation wherein which a Nightforce Scope and Nightforce mount fail, stuff's probably already pretty bad. But, as some say, it's not the odds, it's the stakes. Given that, I began to explore backup irons again. Living in the south, humidity and external scope fogging can be a real thing, which gives another nod to offset backup irons.

I had the idea a few years back that some offset express style sights would be ideal. Most other offset/backup AR15 sights are designed like traditional AR aperature style sights, which I've honestly never liked much. They also tend to include too much complexity of adjustment for what's not intended to be a primary sighting system. I came across the XS offset sights back then, got a pair, and found them WAY too low to line up, so I returned them. Apparently others found the same issue and it seems XS re-designed the sights to be slightly taller and at a different angle. I found a used pair of the tritium variant on arfcom for much less than new, so I picked them up.

I got to shoot them today for the first time and while there might be some things I'd tweak, overall they do exactly what I want:

1. Small/Low profile and out of the way until they're needed.
2. Ready when needed (ie, not flip up)
3. Simple to align
4. Hit where they need to
5. High visibility (the white dot takes care of this in daylight and the tritium dot on the front and bar on the rear in low light).

If you like the idea of the design and didn't like the previous version, give these a shot. They work much better.

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[DDTSGM]

Thanks for the useful info. Do you have the tritium rear on those? Can't tell for sure from your text or picture.

[ASH556]

Thanks for the useful info. Do you have the tritium rear on those? Can't tell for sure from your text or picture.

Yes, both front and rear have tritium.

[msstate56]

I have thought about these for a long time for my LPVO carbines. Just never got around to it.

[Chuck Whitlock]

I've long thought that the express sight picture would be better for this use case than an A2 rear.

[Maple Syrup Actual]

I've long thought that the express sight picture would be better for this use case than an A2 rear.

I have said this forever and I'm stoked to see these. I use offset Surefires or something and I've always thought the complexity of the A2 rear was silly for the application. If I think I need red dot performance, I'm running the LPVO on 1x; I'm only using these for somehow-duty-quality-primary-is-down or possibly oh-shit-something-is-suddenly-really-really-close-and-I'm-on-max-magnification situations.

I don't think I benefit from a highly adjustable rear aperture sight in either of those cases and would much prefer something really basic and rugged. These look like what I've been wanting for years. I almost went for the magpuls but found I used the offsets so rarely that I figured I'd wait and see if something like this finally emerged.

It has, at last!

Well, I think I have one more really tight year, and then I'll have a few bucks again. Right around the time my kid is eligible to start playing ice hockey.

Oh well, whoever gets these, send me pictures and I'll photoshop my face over yours or something.

[Tannhauser]

I've long thought that the express sight picture would be better for this use case than an A2 rear.

Same here. I have "express style" sights on a few hunting rifles and an 870 shotgun with rifle sight barrel. For the purpose I use these guns, I'm happy to give up the longer range precision of aperture sights for the ability to obtain a fast sight picture on closer targets.

These sights look like a great option as offset AR sights.

[awp_101]

Well, I think I have one more really tight year, and then I'll have a few bucks again. Right around the time my kid is eligible to start playing ice hockey.

[Tannhauser]

@ASH556

I have a oriole of questions, if you’d be so kind;

1. I was looking on XS website, and see there’s a standard dot and big dot version. Which version Fo you have?

2. From experience, I know with a dot & V express it won’t be as precise as an aperture & post. How far can you reasonably score A Zone hits with this setup?

[ASH556]

@ASH556

I have a oriole of questions, if you’d be so kind;

1. I was looking on XS website, and see there’s a standard dot and big dot version. Which version Fo you have?

2. From experience, I know with a dot & V express it won’t be as precise as an aperture & post. How far can you reasonably score A Zone hits with this setup?

1. Big Dot. Don’t know that I’d choose that, but I found them used and discounted so… Tritium was the main thing I wanted.

2. Only had an opportunity to go to 25yds so far. This is 5rds bulk 55gr standing unsupported at 25yds. Works for me. I’d feel pretty good about A/C hits to 50 unsupported and A hits at 50 with some care and support.