7 Best M&P Shield Night Sights in 2024

The best night sights are a great addition to any hunting arsenal. There are many types of night sights available, including those mounted on the rifle or handgun itself. You can also get them in different colors and styles so they match your hunting gear perfectly.

For example, there are models with a red dot sight that allows you to see at night without using a flashlight. This type of sight is ideal for hunters who want to spot the game from a distance and shoot accurately at night.

My number one choice is XS Systems Big Dot. XS Systems provides what I believe is the quickest way to obtain a clear-sighted picture in a self-defense scenario, which makes these sights an ideal match for this Military and Police (M&P) oriented Everyday Carry (EDC) pistol. I have used various night sights for my hunting expeditions and find that XS Systems is one of the top models right now.

7 Best Night Sights For M&P Shield

I’ve reviewed three and two-dot sight options, one red dot and one laser sight. Which is best for you will depend on your specific intended use. Three-dot sights are often preferred for target shooting, but two dots give a better field of view (FOV), assisting rapid point shooting.

1. XS Sight Systems Big Dot M&P Sights

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This XS Sight Systems night sight is my overall winner for price, build quality, ease of installation, and all-around usability. The ‘express’ rear sight features an indented rather than notched rear sight, a broad and shallow v shape, illuminated with a white stripe that lines up under the large front dot (bright white with a tritium core) sighted. This low rear sight means the front dot is always visible, which you may find speeds up target acquisition.

Designed as a defensive sight for EDC pistols, these sights are a perfect match for Smith and Wesson’s (S&W’s) M&P Shield. XS System’s Big Dot design concept is rooted in the broad field of view provided by big game rifle open sights, with the same aim of providing both accuracy and a wide FOV to place shots precisely while keeping your whole target in view. While many shooters prefer a three-dot configuration for target shooting, the Big Dot setup can be just as precise once you get used to it.

The rounded front and rear sights reduce the potential for draw snags. The sights are nicely machined from high-quality steel bar stock, with smooth edges and a solid, quality feel.

Pros

• Fast sight picture acquisition
• Quality materials and build
• Large, bright, highly visible front dot

Cons

• No tritium core in the rear sight
• Wide FOV and low back sight may reduce target shooting accuracy

Takeaways

• Machined from solid steel bar stock. Light filing may be needed to fit.
• 10-year warranty
• Easy installation

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2. Trijicon Night Sights for M&P Shield

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This Trijicon night sight pairs white, orange, or yellow rings with self-illuminating tritium lamp (all green, all white, rear yellow, or orange options) center inserts. The tritium inserts, which come with a 12-year warranty, provide high visibility in low light and darkness. The lamps are protected from recoil shock and cleaning solvents by aluminum casings and sapphire end windows.

Trijicon offers these simple but effective sights in 3 flavors – Bright & 

Tough, HD, and HD XR.

The Bright and Tough variant is cushioned with silicon to absorb shock. The tritium lamps are surrounded with white rings front and rear.

The HD rear sights feature matt paint on an angled, serrated surface to reduce reflection and glare and a smooth U-shaped rear sight notch that funnels your sight to the front dot. There are various illumination options for the colored front and rear dots.

Related Article: 21 Best Red Dot Sights for the Money (AR-15s, Pistols & Rifles)

The HD front orange or yellow outlines use photoluminescent paint for enhanced visibility in transitional light, while the front and rear green tritium inserts provide illumination in the darkest conditions. This combination gives the HD model greater flexibility in changeable lighting conditions. The larger front ring provides excellent visibility. 

The alternative HD XR front sight gives you a thinner post. A thinner post allows more space between the front and rear sight sights for a wider FOV, which assists target acquisition and engagement at longer distances and makes it easier to see where the rounds hit. The tritium dots are bright enough to stay visible even after the muzzle flash ruins your night eyes in dark conditions.

The steeply angled front sight rear reduces the chances of drawing snags, while the hooked front edge facilitates one-handed slide drawing in an emergency. The U-shaped rear notch provides a good FOV.

Pros

• Wide range of color and design options
• Sapphire caps enhance tritium brightness and clarity

Cons

• Higher than factory sights, which may cause an issue with some holster types

Takeaways

• Trijicon sights are used by the US military, a good indicator of the toughness and reliability of their products.
• 12-year warranty on tritium inserts
• Wide range of color and other design options

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3. AmeriGlo Tritium I-Dot Shield

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The U-shaped design on this AmeriGlo Tritium night sight increases FOV, assisting shot placement. Green tritium dots are centered in a high-visibility white outline. Some shooters may prefer a three-dot system for greater precision in target shooting, but the potential advantages of a two-dot (straight-eight) system can be leveraged for fast shooting. 

However, if you’ve only ever used three-dot sights, using this system may take a little getting used to. If you’re not used to this kind of single-dot design, you might find yourself obscuring the front dot with the rear u-notch at first. You’ll see what I mean when looking through the notch at the rear. Once used to this, you may find that lining up the two dots speeds up your target acquisition.

Pros

• Low price
• Great FOV
• Fast point shooting

Cons

• Steep learning curve for shooters used to three-dot sights

Takeaways

• Made in the USA
• Lightweight polymer construction
• Wide FOV

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4. HIVIZ MPSN321 Sight Systems, Litewave H3 Sight

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The Hiviz sight system combines tritium with their own ‘LitePipes,’ providing sighting dots that are bright in all light conditions, and they work pretty well. The injection-molded pipes transmit work well in daylight hours, giving you visible dots on the range, and at night, the large tritium inserts provide clear illumination.

The front sight of this pair is probably the hardest here to fit. If you fit these yourself, you may need to apply a few strokes with a light stone before they fit right. Too much or too little filing, though, and you might end up with a problem; note that the metal is a bit soft, and so can be bent or dented. Light taps with a light hammer using a nylon punch or a dedicated sight pusher may be good options for DIY fitting.

On the plus side, Hiviz is known for excellent customer service, so you can be confident of a quick and helpful response if you have any issues.

Related Article: 10 Best Reflex Sights for Pistols, AR-15s, and Shotguns

A downside of these sights is that the long front sight reduces the sight radius. This short radius may hinder precision target shooting on a pistol as short as the Shield. A shorter sight radius makes it more challenging to perceive small movements of the front sight. 

Pros

• Great visibility in all light conditions
• Excellent customer service

Cons

• Front sight fitting can be tricky
• Short sight radius
• The steel used is a bit soft

Takeaways

• Strong visibility day and night
• 12-year warranty on the tritium inserts
• Range of LitePipe color options

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5. Meprolight FT Bullseye Sight Kahr Rear Sight

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The innovative design of Meprolight’s FT Bullseye sight does away with the need for a front sight, giving your M&P Shield a lower profile and eliminating any possibility of snagging the front of the pistol when drawing. 

The Bullseye features a green circle with a floating dot in place of a front sight dot. Center this dot as you would the front dot on a standard two-piece night sight set, and you’re good. It does take a bit of getting used to, but sight acquisition can be speedy once you do. 

A bit of a novelty, maybe, or an idea that needs a bit more development to be truly epic. This sight is a love or hate option, in my opinion. It doesn’t offer the brightest illumination in the dark and may not be the best option if your eyesight isn’t great. 

The real advantage of moving the dot to the back is that shooting with both eyes open becomes marginally easier as the action takes place on one plane. The dot centers without any possibility of being obscured by the rear sight, which may shave nano-seconds between raising the pistol and acquiring a clear sight picture when compared to a three-dot setup. Meprolight calls it a game-changer. Worth a try, but possibly not for everyone.

Pros

• Potential for speedy target acquisition
• No holstering/drawing issues

Cons

• The unique design is not for everyone
• Not as bright as some other sights

Takeaways

• Unique front-sight free design
• Fast target acquisition is possible
• No sight radius issue

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6. LaserMax Centerfire Laser

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The tap-on/off switch on the LaserMax Centerfire Laser sight can be fitted to suit left or right-handed shooters. The battery won’t give you more than a couple of hours of continuous use, but the auto shut-off helps. You’ll need a small Philips screwdriver to remove the battery cover.

This reinforced nylon sight comes with a five-year warranty. Windage and elevation are fully adjustable if a little fiddly. The additional bulk on the trigger guard might be an issue with some holster types.

Note that the laser dot won’t show up on some surfaces, fabrics, or other surfaces that need to have a minimum of reflectivity for the dot to be visible in any lighting conditions. Some users may find it difficult to see the dot in bright sunlight.

Related Article: 10 Best Red Dot Magnifiers

Mounting is a little bit tricky. The sight comes in two pieces, left and right, and it’s necessary to keep these pinched tightly together when fitting the screws to avoid misalignment. Once mounted, the LaserMax widens and marginally reduces room within the trigger guard, which users with thicker fingers might find problematic. 

Tip 1 – it’s a good idea to note the serial number before mounting. Otherwise, you’ll need to take it off again if you need it.

Tip 2 – if you find it shoots to the left or right and windage adjustments aren’t working, try moving the elevation out to loosen the windage adjustment screw.

Tip 3 – There are also some sharp edges left over from the injection molding process, but these can be smoothed down with a fine file.

Pros

• Aids precise shot placement
• Matches Shield design aesthetic
• Very lightweight

Cons

• Some shooters find the trigger guard fitting confining
• Laser dot not visible in all shooting conditions

Takeaways

• Red and green options with the option of a steady or pulsing dot.
• Nicely designed to look like an integral part of the pistol. Compatible with 9mm and .45 (and older .40) models.
• Very lightweight (0.5 oz) but rugged.

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7. TRUGLO TFX Handgun Sight

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The only reason this sight set is at the bottom of the list is the learning curve needed to use them. That long channel on the rear sight takes getting used to. Once you and you get sighted in properly, these will make you a  better shooter.

These sights are both fiber optic and Tritium, so they work well no matter the light conditions. Few sights are this versatile while delivering the same level of accuracy.

The fibers are tucked into the slots so your target will not see them.

The tritium is only visible when behind the gun, so no worries about that being seen.

All of the sights are encased in an alloy steel housing. This is tough stuff. Truglo calls it “virtually indestructible,” and they are not far off. You’d have to intentionally put some hard work into damaging the tritium or the fibers. Neither is going to just fall out or get broken if the gun is dropped.

Related Article: 5 Best Night Sights for Glock Owners

How tough? Try Sonic Cleaning Tough.

Pros

• Super tough
• Works day and night
• Beveled edges will not snag
• No batteries

Cons

• Bulky
• Heavy at 3.88 ounces

Takeaways

• Super tough
• Black only
• Requires training for optimal use
• Medium-high

FAQ‘s

Final Verdict

There are a lot of incredible sights here. Choosing an overall winner was hard, and it may be that one of the other sights meets your particular needs better.

XS System’s Big Dot is my winner for overall ease of use, build quality, price, and design. The standout for me is the speed and ease of target acquisition, assisted by the neat ‘dot the i’ design and the wide FOV provided by the shallow V of the rear sight. The large dot with its tritium core is highly visible in transitional and low light.

Add to that solid, high-quality steel construction and relatively easy mounting, and XS System’s Big Dot is a solid option for self-defense and sports applications.