Noblex , formerly known as Docter Optics, is well known among shooters and hunters for many years as manufacturers of ultra-compact Doctersight reflex sights. From the very beginning, these were not only mounted on rifles and shotguns, but often on handguns too. The small Doctersights are still produced at Noblex in Eisfeld (Germany) – now under the new brand, of course. The mounting surface of the Noblex sights – their "footprint", so to speak – is today probably the most common version for adapter plates, which are inserted into the milled slide of appropriately prepared pistols. This pattern is also used by other optics manufacturers. Usually the window of a MRDS (Mini Red Dot Sight) measures about 0.99” x 0.78” (25 x 20 mm) height by width. Some are slightly smaller, others a bit larger. The new Glocksight is different: the lens of the tiny optics from Eisfeld is 0,31” x 0.70” (8 x 18 mm), which is considerably smaller, especially in height. The reason for the mini construction is obvious, or actually for its intended use. This is because pistols that are not only used for fun and sports on the shooting range, but are also concealed in the holster for defense, should also be comfortable to carry close to the body. And the maximum overall height of a handgun is more of a problem for many users than its length.
What does the Noblex Glocksight offer?
Noblex avoids the problem of height growth with the new sight first of all with an extra flat lens. The maximum height of the window over the slide is 11 mm. Complete with the small protection housing, the steel frame of the Glocksight towers just 5 mm above the upper edge of the original rear sight, whereby the factory rear sight is already one of the flatter sights of typical pistols.
The housing of the Noblex sight, including battery and adjusting mechanism, corresponds in its contours exactly to the slide of a
GLOCK
with MOS milling.
Two screws hold the small optic directly on the slide. The battery is inserted from above, the sight can remain on the GLOCK for a battery change.
There is no on/off switch or any manual brightness control for the 5-MOA (Minute of Angle) dot of the tiny one from Eisfeld: a sensor sets the brightness.
With regular use, the manufacturer claims
up to 26,000 hours of operational life
. The lion's share must be spent in the dark, because otherwise the sensor reacts to ambient light and switches on the red dot. The surface of the steel housing is nitrocarburized and chemically oxidized to protect it from damage. The sight should be waterproof when mounted on a GLOCK.
A word about matching holsters: about 13 mm behind the chamber of the GLOCK 34 MOS is the front edge of the lens - about 4 cm in front of the standard rear sight. Many holsters designed for GLOCK pistols should not have problems with this. But some pistol holsters still enclose the upper side of the slide in this area, and then there can be problems to holster a pistol upgraded with the Glocksight.
Noblex Glocksight: technical data
| Model: | Noblex Glocksight |
| Price: | 440 euro |
| Dimensions (L x W x H): | 1.77” x 1.02” x 0,67” (45 x 26 x17 mm) |
|
Window
(W x H):
|
0.31” x 0.70” (8 x 18 mm) |
| Weight: | 1.06 oz / 30 g |
| Dot size: | 5 MOA |
| Battery type: | CR2032 |
We present the NOBLEX GLOCKsight in the video:
Practical test: the Noblex Glocksight in action
If you go with the GLOCK (here with the GLOCK 34) into aiming position, you actually see in the lower third of the small lens the rear sight notch and the standard front sight. The rear sight and the front sight help to find the illuminated dot on the reflex sight as quickly as possible and to bring it in line with the target. Whether or not you can aim more accurately with the illuminated dot than with the rear and front sights is an individual matter for each shooter, and of course it also depends on the size and appropriate light intensity of the dot as well as the design and quality of the rear and front sights. Subjectively, the Glocksight by Noblex is especially effective at longer pistol ranges.
With the fastest possible shot strings at very short ranges of 5 m, the reflex visor has no disadvantages, but also hardly any advantages compared to normal Glock sights: you aim fast and roughly over the rear sight and front sight – the red dot inside the small window doesn't help much, but doesn't disturb. At 25 m the factory sights help to center the target and the red dot within the lens. With the Glocksight this might be a bit slower than using the rear sight and front sight, but more comfortable for tired eye muscles or ametropia. Shooting at medium distances quickly, including shooting strings with target transitions, subjectively doesn't work as well with the tiny reflex sight as with the rear sight and front sight or with a normally sized MRDS with a larger field of view.
Our test result of the Glocksight by Noblex
The Glocksight makes a fine impression in workmanship and operation. In addition, it hardly makes a GLOCK bulkier than a large rear sight. And it is smaller than the factory MOS solution. Like the larger MRDSs, the new Noblex visor offers additional options for accurate shots at greater ranges, as well as in unfavourable light conditions or for shooters with impaired vision. Comfort, however, is noticeably lower than with regular MRDSs with correspondingly larger lenses. On the other hand, the Glocksight does not interfere with concealed carry and can be combined with the flat original sights. The decision between the retrofit or a MOS factory solution is therefore primarily based on the intended use.
all4shooters.com has also looked at other Noblex new products .
