JJP161 Posted July 24, 2015 Share Posted July 24, 2015 So I am planning on putting a set of Novak Sights on my G17. I have tried a lot of different sights and I like the Novak the best. I am going with a plain black rear and a green fiber optic front. Anyways I was considering sending my slide or my gun to Novak for the installation, it's fairly expensive but they guarantee POA/POI. I was curious if anyone has done it and if you thought it was worth it? At any rate I will probably at least send my slide to them. $130 - The sights are $80 plus $15 for shipping- then I pay $35 for local installation $135 - Send slide to Novak - $80 + $35 install + $20 shipping (they estimate POA/POI, no guarantee) $175-$195 - Send gun to Novak - $80 + $35 + $60-$80 return shipping - guarantee POA/POI. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Southpaw Posted July 24, 2015 Share Posted July 24, 2015 Why not just install them yourself? It's not difficult to do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JJP161 Posted July 24, 2015 Author Share Posted July 24, 2015 Why not just install them yourself? It's not difficult to do. I agree I have installed a couple of sets but the main advantage to have them install is they will make a custom front sight height to ensure POA/POI. Sent from the BatPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
9x45 Posted July 24, 2015 Share Posted July 24, 2015 You'll get a far better sight from Dawson Precision/Heine/Taran Tactial. I haven't seen anyone run Novaks in years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Southpaw Posted July 24, 2015 Share Posted July 24, 2015 Do the stock sights shoot to POA? If so you'll likely be fine just going with whatever sights they recommend. You'd be spending an extra $80 to have them install the sights when you could do it yourself and at worst need to order a new front sight for $40. I also agree with 9x45, I never see anyone shooting Novaks anymore. One of the many things I love about Dawson is if their sights don't shoot to POA they'll give you a new front sight for free! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jadeslade Posted July 24, 2015 Share Posted July 24, 2015 Novak does really good work. They do a lot of sights. Just not many competition shooters. Send your gun in, you won;t be disappointed. Novaks are great sights. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
9x45 Posted July 24, 2015 Share Posted July 24, 2015 I didn't mean that Novak is a righteous deal, it is, used to run 1911's with Novaks back in the day, but never seen them for competition. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bowenbuilt Posted July 24, 2015 Share Posted July 24, 2015 (edited) I agree that Novak makes an excellent sight. I have many pistols with their sights and no complaints at all. One of the reasons they are not seen very much on Glocks is because their front FO sight is too long to use on the more popular G34/35 series of pistols. The sight hangs over the cutout on top of the slide and while it still works is a major turn off for most people. I really like the .135 rear notch on the Novak and paired with a Dawson .115 W front FO of the proper height makes a great set of sights for any Glock and does not hang over the cutout for the 34/35 series. They are priced competitively and offer a great sight picture with the plain black rear and an FO front. I don't know why we don't see more of them. I just ordered one of their plan black rear sights to replace the Sigveny with a .150 notch on my Taylor Freelance sight tracker G22. The .150 notch is just too wide on those distant targets. I have sent a few guns in to Novak and had excellent results on guns that needed the rear of the slide cut for these to fit, most recently a Browning Hi-Power, but for a Glock it's just too easy to do it yourself. Edited July 24, 2015 by bowenbuilt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigtimelarry Posted July 25, 2015 Share Posted July 25, 2015 I would get Dawsons so if it doesn't hit POA they will give you another front sight no charge. Buy a MGW Sight Tool and it will take you 10 minutes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sustratiotes Posted July 25, 2015 Share Posted July 25, 2015 +1 on Dawson sights. They sent me another front sight to match my favorite load without any hassle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JJP161 Posted July 25, 2015 Author Share Posted July 25, 2015 Novak does really good work. They do a lot of sights. Just not many competition shooters. Send your gun in, you won;t be disappointed. Novaks are great sights. Thank you very much for the insight. I really appreciate it. With that said everyone made some great points and I should have given some more info upfront. This particular weapon would be used mostly for range drills and practice, may use it in a few GSSF competitions. I have tried the Heine sights and honestly I did not like them and ended up selling them. I really did not like the wide notch and really narrow front post. I also have a number of guns with factory installed Novak's and I really like them a lot and tend to shoot them the best. I also much prefer their notch to front sight ratio which I realize I could custom order the Dawson in but I am just leery of trying another sight which I'm not sure I will like when I know I will like the Novak. If I were to try another it would definitely be the Dawson but at this point I would really like to go with something I know I will like. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nwhpfan Posted July 25, 2015 Share Posted July 25, 2015 It's not hard to put on sights. You can do it yourself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JJP161 Posted July 25, 2015 Author Share Posted July 25, 2015 It's not hard to put on sights. You can do it yourself. I agree and I have installed a number of sights on my various weapons over the years the only reason I wanted them to install is because they guarantee POA/POI. Sent from the BatPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GlockCanMan Posted July 26, 2015 Share Posted July 26, 2015 If you are worried about POA/POI...do you shoot only one load/type of ammo? If you switch from 115 to 147gr ammo you will indeed move your POI. Glock sights are one of the easiest to replace. Dawson Precision is probably one of the best out there, and as many others have said, they do guarantee them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JJP161 Posted July 26, 2015 Author Share Posted July 26, 2015 Wow you guys are really beating me up on the Dawson's so perhaps I will give them a try. The biggest reason I was going with the Novak's is I have them on about 7 different guns and I really like them. I have tried the Heine's in the past and really did not like them. One of the things I really like about the Novak's is the wider notch and wider front sight. I prefer a very small bars of light on either side of the front sight. So with that said I will probably go with the Charger and perhaps even the all black even though I was initially thinking the fiber optic. So when Dawson says POA/POI what hold are they referring to from the attached picture? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nwhpfan Posted July 26, 2015 Share Posted July 26, 2015 Really...Dawson will work for you with what you want... So say you slap your sights on and you shoot a rested group from 20 yards.... And it is 3" higher than where you want the impact to be (based on the hold you prefer), simply let Dawson know the impact is 3" high at 20 yards and they'll send you the correct height to get it there no questions asked.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Southpaw Posted July 26, 2015 Share Posted July 26, 2015 If you like the Novaks then just get those, who cares which sights we prefer . If you want to spend the extra money to send your gun in and have them zero it then go for it. If your G17 shoots to POA with the stock sights then I really think you'll be fine just getting whatever height sights they normally recommend. If you do decide to go with the Dawsons I'd recommend the Competition rear, it's available in 5 different notch widths and their front sights are available in 3 different widths so you can tailor the sights to just how you like them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
9x45 Posted July 26, 2015 Share Posted July 26, 2015 You want sight picture number 2. The top flat of both front and rear sights are parallel and centered on the target (point of aim) which should be the same as point of impact. In this picture, ignore the Tritium dots. Ideally for competition, you want zero at 40 yards. POA/POI will change for different bullet weights in the same gun, the heavier bullets impacting higher for the same sight picture. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JJP161 Posted July 26, 2015 Author Share Posted July 26, 2015 You want sight picture number 2. The top flat of both front and rear sights are parallel and centered on the target (point of aim) which should be the same as point of impact. In this picture, ignore the Tritium dots. Ideally for competition, you want zero at 40 yards. POA/POI will change for different bullet weights in the same gun, the heavier bullets impacting higher for the same sight picture. Excellent that is what I was going for and that is my preferred sight picture and what I am used to. I ask though because it seems like more and more I run into people trying to go for sight picture 3. Which of course is what you want with the XS big dots but not your regular sights. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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