How to Sell Pistol Sight Upgrades
Consumers have a lot of options. So, too, do retailers.
By Michael D. Faw
According to a report released by the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF), at least 5.4 million people purchased a firearm for the first time in 2021. Nearly 30 percent of all firearms purchased last year went to new gun owners. Many of those new firearms owners purchased a handgun for self-defense. Similar numbers of new gun buyers were seen in 2020, and handguns also made up a large percentage of those buys.
Now that the new handgun owners have had time to become familiar with the firearm they bought and begin to enjoy the many benefits of gun ownership, some are now returning to gun shops to make upgrades, including new sights.
Are you properly serving these customers?
You should.
Some new handgun owners have discovered difficulty in patterning tight groups on their target or are struggling to see the rear and front sights at the same time when shooting. Your inventory of handgun sights could offer the upgrades—from fiber optics and tritium replacement sights to red-dot sights and lasers—that will help these customers overcome those sighting issues.
The first step is to ascertain the primary purpose of the handgun. Is the owner interested in self-defense or will the gun be used for casual plinking or competition? The second step is knowing the full details of the handgun, be it revolver or semi-auto, on which your customer wishes to install new sights. If they don’t have the gun with them, ask them for the make, model, and the year it was made. You can’t really help them select the right sight without this information. If they are fuzzy on the details, pull up the manufacturer’s product information website page where you can verify a model’s features and year of production. This is important, as manufacturers often change grips, frame sizes, slide dimensions, and other parts of a handgun line from year to year, and those changes will determine what new sights you can—or cannot—install on the handgun the customer wishes to upgrade.
For example, Springfield Armory’s Hellcat Compact pistol permits the owner to change front and rear sights or add a red-dot sight into a slot-cut feature atop the slide. Springfield Armory also recently released upgrade slides for some of the company’s other pistol models, and those new slides have optics-ready slots cut into the slide’s top. Some pistols, such as Ruger’s Security-9, have built-in rails under the muzzle and ahead of the trigger guard that will permit customers—or you and your employees—to install various lights and some laser sights. Some Kimber pistols are also equipped with rails. Unfortunately, many compact pocket pistols with polymer slides have molded sights that cannot be replaced. This is an opportunity to offer your customer a trade-in deal or a chance to buy a new firearm that better meets their needs.
The third step is to discuss the various sight options. There are three basic types: reflex (red dot) sights, fiber-optic and tritium sights, and lasers.
Reflex sights, also known as dot sights or red dots, use a dot reticle that the user places on the target to take the shot. Reflex sights have no magnification but offer unlimited eye relief. They are easy to use and are a good choice for older shooters who have problems aligning iron sights.
Reflex sights also are compact, lightweight, and have a small footprint. Dot reticles come in a variety of sizes and colors. Though often referred to as red dots (the original models featured red dots only), newer versions can also be had with green and blue dots. Bushnell, Sightmark, Leapers UTG, Burris, and Leupold are good choices. So is EOTECH. (Technically, the EOTECH version is an LED, rather than a reflex, sight, but it serves the same purpose.)
Fiber-optic and tritium sights are available in various styles and colors (red and green are most common), and customers only need to place the glowing front sight between the two dots—or atop the single post—normally seen on the rear sight. This permits quick alignment of the three dots (sights) for shooting. A fiber-optic sight seems to glow as you aim because the fibers contained in the tube gather available light, making the sight more visible in low-light conditions. You should stock a wide variety of styles from manufacturers like Tru-Glo, Trijicon, and Hi-Viz.
Tritium sights generally provide two rear white dots and one larger front white dot on the back of the front sight post. Those dots of radioactive tritium glow in total darkness and appear standard white during daylight conditions. Many standard LE and military pistols use these sights to aid with sight alignment. XS Sights is a good source. So are Trijicon, Night Vision, TruGlo, and Ameriglo. Fiber optic and tritium sights are a more affordable option than lasers and most models do not change the profile of the handgun.
Laser sights are available in three basic models: replacement grips with a built-in laser sight, laser sights that mount onto the trigger guard, and a laser sight that attaches to a rail on the firearm. In most cases, laser sight manufacturers recommend that the accessory rail be at least one-inch long to ensure a secure fit.
Replacement-grip lasers for revolvers and pistols fit a wide range of guns from smaller pocket pistols to the iconic full-size 1911. In most cases, the replacement grips require the use of a screwdriver or Torx driver to remove the old grips from the frame. You then install the new grips and re-insert the screws. This remove-and-install process generally takes about 10 to 15 minutes.
For the compact laser sight units—these are generally the size of a box of matches—determine if the pistol has an accessory rail and if the laser sight attached to the rail is easy to reach with a finger and activate. The standard rails found on most pistols are Weaver and Picatinny rails. There are also laser and light combination products that can be installed on nearly any firearm with an accessory rail. An advantage to the buyer is that these laser sight-and-light combo units can often be easily removed from one firearm with accessory rails and installed on another firearm with rails.
If the pistol can use a laser sight that attaches to the trigger guard, you may want to do the installation in house. These are often two-piece units that first require installation of the battery, then snapping the halves over the trigger guard. You then install several small screws to secure the laser sight in place. You may need a very small screwdriver to install the screws.
Another question: should the customer buy a green or red laser sight? Red laser sights are normally more affordable and use less battery power than green laser sights. They are also generally more available in a wider range of models to fit a larger number of pistols. Green laser sights are often more visible in brighter light, but they tend to be more expensive and use battery power quicker. At this point, it is entirely appropriate to ask if the customer is color blind, in which case the purchase of this product is problematic.
Battery type is also important. Many sights run on easy-to-find, standard lithium and wafer-style batteries. Some laser sights, however, require special from-the-manufacturer-only batteries that can be expensive and difficult to obtain.
Several laser sight manufacturers, such as Streamlight, Viridian, and Crimson Trace, offer laser sight-and-light combination units. If the customer is often alone late at night in dark parking garages or will be closing a business after hours, this option is well worth consideration. If the customer shows interest here, remind them that the overall size of the firearm and its shape will change, and it may not no longer easily fit into a holster, pocket, handbag, vehicle glovebox, or a nightstand.
Last Details
Once you—or your employees—have the precise handgun model information in hand, the hunt for new sights can begin. Now is the time to look at options you sell (or can order quickly) and to determine a ballpark price the customer is willing to spend. You must also determine if you can install the sights under consideration or will have to refer the customer to a gunsmith.
Be sure to let the customer know that installing new front, rear, or rail- or slide-mounted sights could change the profile of the gun, which could require the purchase of a new holster. If the customer plans to carry the handgun concealed, determine if any new sight being considered for installation could snag on clothing or otherwise make drawing more difficult.
This is also the best point in a sales discussion to show your customer some sight options. When possible, have the fiber-optic sights, laser sights, or red dots installed on a firearm (or a blue gun) and let the customer see the sights with their eyes and feel the gun in their hands.
Sight activation is also an important consideration. Does the sight have an auto-activation feature? If not, explain in detail how the sight can be turned on. In the case of some lasers, there are tabs and activation pads that naturally fall under a finger when the firearm is gripped normally. That ease of operation and activation also becomes more important during times of stress.
Make sure to tell the customer that new sights must be properly zeroed and that practice is required to become a proficient shot. Obviously, no mention of practice would be complete without asking whether they need ammunition, and, if you have access to a range, would they like to reserve a lane and time. Above all, make sure that you and your staff welcome these new shooters with open arms. They’ll pay you back in the long run for your courtesy and interest in meeting their needs and wants.