Trijicon HD XR Review: Worth It?

Night sights are an advanced version of basic iron sights that allow you to easily sight targets in the dark. They have their own, very specific advantages.

But when the market is crowded with a thousand options for the tool you’re going to buy. It’s better to go with the proven option.

Which in the case of night iron sights will be the Trijicon HD XR. 

Trijicon HD XR Specs and Features

• Illumination: Tritium-phosphor paint

• Type of Sight Posts: U-notch rear sight. Thin blade front
  
  
• Post Image:

• Front Post Dimensions
  
  
  • Blade Width: 0.12" / 3.0 mm
    
    
  • Blade Height: 0.22" / 5.8 mm
    
    
  • Overall Height: 0.28" / 7.1 mm
    
    
• Rear Notch Dimensions
  
  
  • Notch Width: 0.17" / 4.3 mm
    
    
  • Blade Height: 0.23" / 5.8 mm
    
    
  • Overall Height: 0.32" / 8.1 mm

Pros

Let’s look at the bright side of these HD sights first. These pros will elaborate on what differs these sights from other options and some very good reasons for you to choose them:

Multiple Color Options

The Trijicon HD XR is available in a variety of color combinations which helps suit individual preferences. The rear sight offers green color dots with a black outline. Whereas the front sight comes in four combinations. Green with yellow outline, green with orange outline, full orange, and full yellow colors. 

Tritium’s Life and Trijicon’s Warranty

These sights feature tritium-phosphor-filled lamps as their source of illumination. Tritium is a self-illuminating element that has a half-life of 12 years. This means that your sights are good for at least 12 years to come. Additionally, Trijicon covers the tritium lamps with a 12-year warranty and the entire sight setup with a limited lifetime warranty. 

Wide Field of View

The front sight has been thinned down to 0.122 inches, which is less than the previous versions. This arrangement offers a better field of view and helps the shooter easily identify the target. Especially at longer distances. 

Instant and Even Light

The lamps have been capped with Sapphire jewels which helps distribute light evenly for easy identification. This also acts as an additional layer of protection and prevents any damage to the lamp housing. Since the tritium-phosphor paint has been enclosed in vials, the risk of paint chipping away is also eliminated. 

Tough Shockproof and Hooked Design

The entire housing of these sights is weapon-grade metal. This means that these sights will withstand harsh treatment. To mitigate the effects of such use, the aluminum cylinders containing the tritium lamps have been further encapsulated in silicone rubber cushioning. 

Additionally, the rear sight features a hooked design that helps with one-handed slide manipulation. 

Cons

After all the good that the sight has to offer, let’s take a look at some downsides of the sights and how they can impact usability. Frankly speaking, the cons for these sights are extremely hard to find. Since this is a highly praised, reliable, and high-quality option. 

Tad Pricey

Not many people will prefer mounting $100 plus night sights on their handguns. The HD XR offers impeccable quality and great performance, but it has a significant price to it. If you’re on a low budget or these sights are costing half as much as your handgun. You may have to lean towards cheaper options.

Not Adjustable

Some people will ask for an adjustable rear or front sight when spending that kind of money. Not that adjustable iron sights on a handgun are a necessity. But we felt getting windage and/or elevation adjustments wouldn’t have hurt much considering the investment.

Dedicated Installation

These are not the kind of sights you can mount or dismount using a simple screwdriver. These sights have to be seated properly on the handgun using a dedicated sight mounting tool. Or you may risk damaging it. 

Best Uses of Trijicon HD XR

The most obvious and common use of night sights concerns low light applications. Now, low light doesn’t necessarily mean using your weapon in the evening or night. Such situations can also occur when shooting indoors. 

Handguns are mostly carried as self-defense weapons and sidearms. Since handguns are used for close to short ranges accuracy is important rather than precision. Given the nature of a specific application. 

The Trijicon HD XR sights feature tritium-based lamps. Which is a self-illuminating element. You can mount these sights on your home defense handgun to tackle late-night burglaries. The dots are very visible and will give you an edge over the hostels. Especially when you have less ammo to waste. 

The bright front sight is very easy and quick to pick up. Plus the wide field of view helps with better acquisition. Both these factors make these sights great for combat as well as competition. 

Considering the brightness and quick pick-up for these sights, people with weak eyesight should also give them a try. Additionally, the rear sight is hooked and serrated allowing for single-handed racking. 

Overall, the Trijicon HD XR can be picked up for almost any application involving a handgun. And when you want to keep your weapon light and compact. Without adding optical sights. 

What Do I Need to Know About Mounting Trijicon HD XR?

Two things that are the most important to remember when mounting these sights. First, always use a proper sight installation/removal tool. Second, don’t fiddle with it and take the help of a gunsmith if you are not aware of the procedure.

One important thing to remember is that the screw holding the OEM sight on your handgun (particularly Glock guns) will not fit the Trijicon HD XR sights. So do not mix these two up while installing

The rear sight is slightly hooked and serrated on the forward surface. Which has been done deliberately to aid with single-handed slide racking and also eliminate glare. The sights are very durable and will stay in position firmly, no matter how extreme the stress. 

The height has been kept somewhat in the middle so the HD XR is neither too low nor a high suppressor sight. The level of comfort will depend upon the personal tastes of every individual shooter. 

Trijicon HD vs Trijicon HD XR: Comparison Overview 

The Trijicon HD XR is a slightly improved version of the HD night sights. Or maybe ‘improved’ is a bit of a strong word for this comparison. 

The HD and HD XR are pretty much the same basic design elements. Same height, same illumination elements, serrations, hooked rear, and a large big yellow or orange dot on the front sight. 

The only difference you’ll find between these two sights is the width of the front sight blade. The front blade on the HD sights was thick enough to fill up the entire space in the ‘U-shaped’ notch of the rear sight. 

Whereas the HD XR features a thinner front blade which allows for a better field of view and helps the shooter with long-distance shots. With better accuracy and placement. 

The price difference is also menial, with the XR version costing about $10 more. These sights mostly suit Glock pistols and are not compatible with the Glock MOS pistol platform. 

As far as applications are concerned. The Trijicon HD sights offer fast target acquisition and can be used for close-quarter engagements. The HD XR sights on the other hand offer longer range and are suited for target shooting or tactical applications. 

Conclusion 

The Trijicon HD XR sights are fairly popular among pro handgun users who use them for EDC, home defense, or duty use. These sights are very durable and work great day or night. The thin front blade offers better accuracy on longer shots.