Honest Review: XS Sights R3D 2.0 Gun Sights

Since XS Sights was founded in 1996, it has built a reputation for quality American-made products and genuinely clever solutions. They originally turned heads with their Express (dot-the-i) system of sights. Revolutionary at the time, the large front dot would rest in a narrow V-shaped rear notch. Instead of rear dots, XS Sights used a vertical line at the base of the V. When aligned, the sight picture looked like a lower-case “i.” From humble beginnings, XS Sights has become one of the premier night-sight manufacturers in the world. The XS team describes themselves as “gun nuts who love American manufacturing, things that glow, and new technology.” Part of that culture is recognizing that not every shooter wants the same sight picture. The Express sights are outstanding, but plenty of XS Sights customers asked for something more traditional. That request became the R3D series: three dots with a square-notched rear sight picture.

 

What Makes an XS Sights R3D Sight?

The XS Sights R3D series features three tritium dots—one up front and two at the rear. The front sight uses a high-visibility ring (green or orange) around the front tritium vial. That high-contrast front reference acts like a magnet for your eye. It helps you pick up the front sight quickly, which is the whole point of a defensive setup.

One cool trick: that high-visibility ring is photoluminescent. In plain English, it absorbs ambient light and will glow. Combine that with tritium, and you get a front sight that stays easy to find in more lighting conditions than a standard setup.

The front tritium vial on the R3D is slightly larger than the rear dots. The idea is simple: XS Sights wants you to grab the front sight faster. The R3D sights are machined from steel, and they’re built to take abuse. That matters because the rear sight has a flat-faced front edge designed to let you manipulate the slide by hooking it on a belt, table edge, or other solid surface (use good judgment and safe technique).

People loved the original R3D, but XS Sights didn’t stop there. Instead of calling it “good enough,” they kept refining the design for shooters who wanted just a little bit more.

Enter the XS Sights R3D 2.0

With the XS Sights R3D 2.0, the company kept what made the original great and improved the details that matter over years of carry and range time. The original used a black oxide finish that looked great and cut glare well, but it benefits from occasional maintenance (a light oil) to keep rust away. The R3D 2.0 is far more resistant to corrosion thanks to a nitriding coating.

Nitriding—sometimes called Tenifer, meloniting, nitrocarburizing, and other similar terms—is a chemical hardening process for steel. It’s famously used on many pistol slides and components because it holds up extremely well. In practical terms, nitride-treated parts are highly rust resistant when you use normal care and common sense.

Now, look at the rear sight. The R3D 2.0 includes a couple of key tweaks to the sight picture based on user feedback. Shooters wanted larger rear tritium vials. With the 2.0, the rear dots are now the same size as the front. The next upgrade is serrations on the rear face of the rear sight. These serrations cut glare in direct sunlight and make the sight picture look a little crisper.

R3D 2.0 “Nerding Out”: Why These Installs Are Easier

As a gunsmith, this is where I’m going to nerd out. The XS Sights R3D 2.0 was designed to be user-installable. Yes, that can mean fewer paying installs for a guy like me, but it usually creates a better end-user experience. Small geometry changes make a big difference.

Start with the “lead-in.” A lead-in is an angled cut on the sight that’s slightly undersized compared to the dovetail. That angle helps the sight start into the dovetail more cleanly, so it seats with less drama. If you’ve ever wrestled a tight dovetail, you know how much that matters.

Next is the crush zone cut on the rear sight. Most sights rely on a friction fit in the dovetail. Many companies play it safe by making sights slightly oversized, which means some slide dovetails will take the sight perfectly and others will need fitting. With the 2.0’s crush zone, the sight can compress slightly on a tight dovetail. That helps compensate for manufacturing tolerances without requiring gunsmith-level fitting in many cases.

XS Sights includes a tube of red thread locker. I recommend using it for two reasons. First, it can act like a light lubricant during the install on a tight dovetail. Second, once it cures, it helps lock the sight in place so it doesn’t shift under hard use. Using red thread locker doesn’t make the installation permanent forever, but it does mean you’ll need to apply proper technique if you remove the sights later. My warning: don’t slather it directly onto small set screws. You’ll make removal harder than it needs to be.

XS Sights Sale Note and Final Push

Right now, XS Sights is running a big sale with up to 35% off on select sights. Some of these prices are so low that they’re hard to ignore. If you haven’t upgraded your pistol to high-visibility night sights, what are you waiting for? Quality sights from a company like XS Sights can be a long-term investment in your personal protection and shooting confidence.

For this sale, XS Sights has some of the Gen 1 R3D sights listed for $68.24. Click here to take advantage… I sure did.

—James the “XDMAN” Nicholas, Mr. UnPewFessional Himself!

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