The Walther PDP has quickly become a pistol of choice for all manner of applications: defense, recreation, and competition. Like many stock handguns though, it can leave much to be desired in the way of iron sights and even the adaptation of optics. So, in this TFB Review, we are going to take a look at the XS Sights Walther PDP Tritium Sight Set and RMR Optic Plate Bundle to see how much of an upgrade it actually is for a factory Walther PDP. Let’s dive in!
XS Sights @ TFB:
Specs - XS Sights Walther PDP Tritium Sight Set & RMR Optic Plate
First off, let’s assess what we are dealing with here. XS Sights is an authentically American-made and machined company located out of Fort Worth, Texas. The XS Sights Walther PDP Tritium Sight Set and RMR Optic Plate Bundle that we are taking a gander at here retails for $125.98.
- Front Sight Height: 0.244"
- Rear Sight Height: 0.345"
- Surface Finish: Black Nitrite Sight
- Sight Picture: Notch & Post Sight
- Height: Optic Height
- Illumination: Tritium Front & Non-Tritium Rear
- Model: Walther PDP
- Footprint: RMR
“Our ready-made Optic Plate and Sight combo offers a one-stop shop mounting solution, while increasing window visibility and providing a simple backup sight picture. XS OR Sights for Walther PDP pistols are low-profile BUIS that do not obstruct your field of view. XS OR sights eliminate the need for height calculations, giving you the perfect co-witness out of the box. Designed for strength and reliability, the XS Walther PDP Plates are available for RMR footprint optics, providing a secure and seamless mounting solution.”
What’s in the Box?
One of the most common and recurring questions I receive reviewing firearms and their related products is, “what’s in the box?” Meaning, what do you all get with your purchase? This is important because what you do and do not get will dictate what type of accessories you need to additionally buy, depending on what you want your end-product to look like. All this being said, this is everything that you will receive:
- Blue Threadlocker
- Red Threadlocker
- Front Sight
- Optic Plate
- Rear Sight
- Screws
- Torx Bit
Why Bundle your Irons and Optic?
A logical question on this journey we’ve begun is, why bother to bundle your iron sights and an optic plate in the first place? For me, it’s ensuring a proper match between the two and a consistent fitment. Too many times have I ordered X,Y,Z iron sights to pair with A,B,C optic plates, and the coupled sight picture is junk. Iron sights too low in your optic’s window… too high… completely obstructed… the irons inhibit your ability to press buttons on your chosen optic… You get the point.
The XS Sights Walther PDP Tritium Sight Set and RMR Optic Plate Bundle is a precision-machined optic plate that should provide years of service when installed correctly (we’ll see whether or not I fudge this up in a bit).
Install - XS Sights Minimalist OR (Optic Ready) Tritium Sight Set
To kick things off, I looked to install the iron sights first, knowing I would be throwing the slide into a sight press tool eventually (it’s good to get that out of the way).
Before I run to my toolshed and grab a hacksaw, hammer, and duct tape, we need to get this out of the way:
***Before installing/adjusting sights, verify your firearm is unloaded***
Alright, we made the lawyers happy. Let’s go!!!
First, remove the slide from the frame per the owner’s manual instructions. Then, remove the existing front sight with a Glock Install Tool. The front sight will be anchored by a hex screw. Next, degrease the slide and the sight contact surfaces so it is as dry as possible. Also, test fit the front sight to ensure fitment before we get too far along.
Next, apply Red Threadlocker to the bottom of the sight and to the screw threads. Then, place the front sight into its appropriate pocket, flip the slide upside down, and tighten down the hex screw.
Only tighten the screw to fingertip tight - no ugga dugga. Overtightening will shear off the screw head.
Finally, check your sight alignment, and we are done with the front sight.
Now, onto the rear sight. We want to remove the factory rear sight to start, and that can be accomplished many ways - hammer and punch, sight press tool, a nearby steel post - and I opted for the more intelligent option (which is unlike me) of a sight press tool.
Then, we are going to do a small amount of fitting the rear sight to the dovetail slot it is going into.
- Push sight into the dovetail as far as it will go with finger pressure
- The sight should slide 1/4th to 1/3rd of the way in
- If it does not, file as needed until the sight presses in 1/3rd of the way into the dovetail
- Run the bottom of the sights on a level file two times
- Turn the sight 180° and run them down another two times
- Test fit the sights and repeat filing steps if necessary
Then, we’re going to take our handy-dandy sight press tool and finish driving home our rear sight. Make sure that the rear sight is actually centered on the slide.
Finally, apply threadlocker to all sides of the rear sight, and allow the threadlocker to sit for 15+ minutes. Then, we want to lightly wipe off any excess threadlocker with a Q-Tip, rag, or whatever you have to mop that up. Any aggressive or over-the-top cleaning can pull the threadlocker from the joint.
To cap this off, we want the threadlocker and sights to cure for 24 hours before shooting the firearm. This will ensure that everything properly dries out and it is set. After that 24-hour period, you can also wipe the sights down with a protective oil in a light coating to prevent potential rust issues.
If my Northern, hillbilly vernacular is too much to stomach, XS Sights shows how to install their Glock patterned iron sights in this demonstration video:
Install - Walther PDP Optic Plate for RMR Footprint
Now, we are going to move on to the optic plate installation. You will want to carefully remove the factory cover plate screws. Then, you can remove the XS Optic Plate and screws from their packaging.
Next, you can test-fit the optic plate on the pistol. Tighten the screws to be only finger tight. Then, you can go ahead and test-fit the optic on the plate as well. Again, tighten the screws to be only finger tight. If everything jives and works well together, then we are going to want to remove everything. Next, we can degrease all of the components/areas below with rubbing alcohol, acetone, or some kind of gun scrubber you might have handy:
- Plate mounting surface on the slide
- Screw holes in the slide
- Bottom of XS Optic Plate
- Screw holes in the XS Optic Plate
- Mounting screws
With our working area verified for fitment and checked for suitable mounting surfaces (now free of debris or gunk), we will want to restart installing all of those aforementioned pieces. You can apply Blue Threadlocker to all of the spots listed below:
- (1) One drop between each screw hole and the breech face on the slide
- (2) Two drops between each screw hole and the rear sight on the slide
- (3) Three drops on the ridge in the center of the slide
- (1) One drop on each screw
Next, we can set the plate onto the cutout of the slide. Start both screws at least ¾ of the way down prior to fully torquing them down before final specification. Tighten the screws one at a time to a final torque spec of roughly 6 to 8 Inch-Pounds. If you don’t have a torque wrench, insert the long arm of the supplied torx wrench into the screw and tighten to finger tight only.
Then, we can set our chosen Trijicon RMR optic on the XS Sights Optic Plate, ensuring that lug recesses on the optic fit over lugs on the plate.
Next, we can start both screws at least ¾ of the way (like we did previously) before fully torquing them down for a final inspection. Tighten the Trijicon RMR optic to the plate screws with a final torque spec of 6 to 8 Inch-Pounds. Once again, if you do not have a torque wrench, insert the long arm of the supplied torx wrench into the screw and tighten to finger tight only.
XS Sights recommends that we allow all of the Loctite that we utilized in various places throughout this process to cure for 12 - 24 hours before shooting. Also, to potentially use a paint pen or nail polish to “witness mark” the screws to allow for a quick visual check that the screws have not backed out under recoil.
If you are more of a visual (video) learner than a reader, you can always catch XS Sights’ install video shown below:
Performance
While our install process seemed quite lengthy, all-in-all it took me about 15 minutes to accomplish in real-time. So, don’t be deterred by the length of our explanation. We simply want to be thorough with you. Now, with the XS Sights Minimalist OR (Optic Ready) Tritium Sight Set installed and paired with their RMR optic plate, I could see my new sight picture.
Compared to the original white dot plastic sights, I like this XS Sights setup a lot. The front sight is prominent and eye-catching; it sits low enough in the glass where it doesn’t obstruct your red dot (it also doesn’t co-witness), and these are simply much better quality (metal versus plastic).
For shooting at the range, this is a nice sight presentation when you want to have both irons and a red dot available to you. For a modern shooter like many of us, you have the advantages of a red dot (and the Trijicon RMR is still the gold standard for quality and reliability), yet you have backup night sight irons in case anything squirrelly happens to your red dot.
Final Thoughts
So, what are my final thoughts on the XS Sights Walther PDP Tritium Sight Set and RMR Optic Plate Bundle?... If you happen to be rockin’ with a Walther PDP, this is a great upgrade for your firearm. To get night sights and an optic plate for only ~$125 is actually a great deal. Many aftermarket companies might sell each of those components for $125 by themselves, not both. So, if you want to make a tweak to your Walther PDP, this is a nice value proposition that XS Sights is offering in an all-in-one, bundled package.
In closing, I want to thank XS Sights for allowing The Firearm Blog and myself the opportunity to try out their new Walther PDP Tritium Sight Set and RMR Optic Plate Bundle. That is greatly appreciated. Also, we would like to know what all of you guys and gals think? Do you believe that the XS Sights Walther PDP Tritium Sight Set and RMR Optic Plate Bundle is something worth spending your money on? Would you potentially deploy it to shoot a league or competition? Use it for home defense? As always, let us know all of your thoughts about XS Sights and their Walther PDP Tritium Sight Set and RMR Optic Plate Bundle in the Comments below! We always appreciate your feedback and engagement.
