How wide a rear notch for an HD gun?

[BamBam-31]

After installing the Heinie Slant Pro Straight Eight's on my XD45 Tactical, I realized that there just wasn't enough daylight around the front sight. It was actually a very claustrophobic sight picture (I looked like this when shooting the gun). I dremelled and filed away, til now the gap on either side of the front sight is nearly as wide as the front sight itself. Is that too much? Is it all simply personal preference? I've read that for a self defense gun (as opposed to a range/target gun), a narrower gap is preferred. Why?

I found I shot very accurately with the XD and it's wider notch, so I went ahead and filed out the rear notch on my G19's Heinie SPSE's as well (though not as much as on the XD). Now I'm thinking of opening up the notch on my Colt's YoBo rear to boot.

Having more gap feels faster and more accurate to me. I can see the alignment better, I can see the target better, I can find the front sight faster. Anyone else do this?

 

[Chris Rhines]

Oh, yeah. All the time. On all my open-sighted guns, not just the HD ones. I like a minimum 0.150" notch/0.100" post on a typical service-size automatic.

- Chris

 

[Old Fuff]

A wide notch is better, and you won't sacrifice accuracy because your eye will center the front blade in the notch. The white on each side should look like it's equal to one/half the width of the front blade, when the blade is centered. Most rear sight notches are too narrow and should be made wider. On fixed-sight revolvers you can make a windage adjustment by filing the sight on just one side. Use a file with a safe edge on the bottom, and cut to the side. A little goes a long way.