Night sights. What's the use?

[harmonic]

My bedstand gun has an illumimated front sight. But if I should ever need it, (heaven forbid), if the lighting is so low as to need the night sight, then the lighting is going to be too poor to identify my target.

So what's the night sight for? Simply to locate the gun in the dark?

 

[SoCalShooter]

Just meant to make it easier to see the sights in low light. But you should be taking a good HIGH lumen flashlight along with you.

 

[Sheldon]

It's to help see the sights. They aren't meant to illuminate the target. If you can't identify the target you shouldn't be shooting at it no matter how clear your sights are.

 

[Phil DeGraves]

If you have enough ambient light to determine a threat, but not enough to properly line up your sights (and you forgot your flashlight).

 

[HGUNHNTR]

I dunno, why on earth would you want to see your sights?

 

[DoubleTapDrew]

Try aiming at something with standard sights at night. Even if you illuminate the target with a flashlight, seeing your sights may not be possible. And if you hold the light so it hits your sights too, it's going to be right in front of you, which may or may not be a bullet magnet.

 

[AK103K]

Just meant to make it easier to see the sights in low light.

Yup, doesnt need to be total darkness, or even dark outside. If your indoors, or under a canopy in the woods, etc, you can still see easily your sights on a dark or back lit target.

They are much more useful than not having them, in any light.

But you should be taking a good HIGH lumen flashlight along with you.

Absolutely, these work best together as a package.

 

[10-Ring]

I learned that my night sights are so I can find my pistol & my light in the dark

 

[Seafarer12]

Mine died on my Glock they are getting replaced with white dot sights.

 

[The Lone Haranguer]

... if the lighting is so low as to need the night sight, then the lighting is going to be too poor to identify my target.

This is true, in total, pitch black darkness. But in very low light (still enough to enable you to ID a target), the sight is easier to see than a non-night sight. Try it and see. (Be sure to observe all safety rules.)

 

[luzyfuerza]

I suggest that you see for yourself. If you have a handgun with night sights and one without, go to a range at dusk and compare the two. You'll be able to distinguish the illuminated sights much better, and your shooting will be much more accurate.

I have night sights on my carry gun, and I also carry a high-output small flashlight. The two in combination give you a palpable advantage over a shooter who only has one or the other, or neither.

 

[bwavec]

The stock sights on my gun were solid black. Looking towards any type of dark background they were very difficult to see. The night sights are easier to see day or night.

 

[FEG]

This is true, in total, pitch black darkness. But in very low light (still enough to enable you to ID a target), the sight is easier to see than a non-night sight. Try it and see. (Be sure to observe all safety rules.)

Great post, as were the others. My CCW is a snub with virtually no sights. In other words, I have no "field experience," but common sense tells me this.

Most people are trained to focus on the front sight. I'm assuming that being able to see the front sight helps in this regard.

 

[sniper350]

Ever take a sobriety test ? Close your eyes and bring your strong hand up to your face and touch your nose. Ever wonder how you can do that ?? Put your finger on a specific spot without ever seeing ANYTHING. It’s not exactly “hand –eye coordination” because you are not relying on your eyes. What if I told you that you can tap into that “ spatial awareness” power to shoot a handgun ……….point to a specific spot without ever seeing your gun or hand.

This method has been given many names, but “Point-shooting” is generally the best known. It can allow you to shoot from your belt buckle [ without looking at your weapon ] and hitting a target that is only 12 “ in diameter and 12 feet away. This is done with no misses performing a 6 round burst in 2 seconds. No misses, because you will not pass my close combat course if you register a single miss anywhere at any time during the test of 120 rounds.

Only takes 15 weeks to learn this skill ………. And guess what, you will not have a need for sights on your weapon day or night for CLOSE IN defense work. This method allows you to start firing as soon as your weapon leaves your CCW holster……..no need to waste precious seconds bringing your weapon up to eye level and looking to align pretty green dots in the darkness.

Most will tell you that this skill can’t be learned without years of practice and tens of thousands of rounds down range ……. But close your eyes and bring your hand up and touch your nose ……. You see you already have the skill …….you just need someone to show you how to convert that ability to defensive handgun training. Learn point-shooting and don’t worry about green glowing dots and whether you can line them up correctly while being attacked. What about those times when the attacker is more than 12 feet away …….. you’ll need sights then , don’t you ? I submit if the attacker is much further away, you should be looking to escape ……rather than getting into a long range gun battle where distances have made point-shooting ineffective.

Just my personal take on night sights.

JF.

 

[FEG]

The stock sights on my gun were solid black. Looking towards any type of dark background they were very difficult to see. The night sights are easier to see day or night.

You reminded me of the parallel to revolvers. Adjustable sights on revolvers aren't really necessary most of the time, but they are always easier to acquire than the notch style.

 

[machinisttx]

I've shot a lot of stuff at night and haven't found much real use for night sights.

At the distances you're likely to use a handgun, "point shooting" is a far better option. You don't need a 2" group to stop a man, you simply need a good hit. On the average size human, that's roughly an 16" by 16" area. It's easy to make hits on a target that size at 3-7 yards.

Try this--

Put some black electrical tape over your sights. Draw from your holster and as soon as your arm is fully extended, start firing. If you're familiar with your handgun, you should have good hits the first time you try it. Shooting from the hip takes a bit more practice, but it's still entirely doable.

 

[loop]

I just ordered a set of the Truglo fiber optic/tritium sights for a .45 that is due for a rebuild/refinish.

I don't think very highly of the tritium night sights, but I really like the fiber optic sights. They really jump out at you and improve your shooting.

But, for a few bucks more I can have both. Um, why not.

However, I've never felt under-equipped with the Surefire in my mag pouch and the .45 in my right hand.

The absolute best reason I know for tritium sights is so you can find your gun in the dark, not so you can aim it at a BG.

re: point shooting, I practice this on a regular basis. I choose a target, look away and draw on the target. A well-fitted firearms will be aimed very close to where you are pointing.

In addition, I've been shooting IDPA for more than a decade. I never aim until the target gets beyond seven yards. You will be hard pressed to find a target in your house that is beyond seven yards.

 

[Double Naught Spy]

I find that night sights make sight alignment much quicker in low light and are especially useful for sight alignment on dark objects in low light that would otherwise cause my dark sights to visually disappear into the target.

I've shot a lot of stuff at night and haven't found much real use for night sights.

At the distances you're likely to use a handgun, "point shooting" is a far better option. You don't need a 2" group to stop a man, you simply need a good hit. On the average size human, that's roughly an 16" by 16" area. It's easy to make hits on a target that size at 3-7 yards.

This isn't an argument against night sights, but against sights use in general.

 

[tipoc]

Any sight that allows you to see your front sight more rapidly in low or no light conditions is useful.

For close to 100 years shooters have worked to develop aids to rapidly acquiring the front sight in low light conditions. Police officers in particular. Folks have tried many things. The red ramp (or other colored) insert on S&W revolvers, painting the front sight with lumenescent paint, ivory or brass beads, LEDS were tried in the 70s, etc. The problem was solved with tritium inserts and fiber optic sights. They continue to get better.

None of this by the way detracts from the usefulness of "point shooting" though some advocates of "point shooting" are under the mistaken impression that it does. Some advocates of point shooting seem to argue against the use of sights period. This is a mistake.

Point shootings been around for a long time, well over a century. It's what Bat Masterson used in very close range encounters when you had no need or time to draw a closer bead. It is an adjunct to aimed fire but it don't or can't replace it.

Every decade or so some enterprising firearms instructors "rediscover" the "lost art" of point shooting and promote it some in a similar manner to those ads in some gun mags from the martial artists who will teach you to kill a fella 32 different ways in 3 seconds in only 10 weeks. Point shooting survives these abuses but it doesn't really need them.

tipoc

 

[Ltlabner]

I dunno, why on earth would you want to see your sights?

I know. Crazy talk isn't it?

 

[ArmedBear]

f you have enough ambient light to determine a threat, but not enough to properly line up your sights (and you forgot your flashlight).

If I can keep 'em in the black on a small target at 15-25 yards at a very poorly-lit indoor range, with black sights, I find it difficult to imagine a scenario where I could identify a target but couldn't line up my sights. And yes, people do sometimes shoot roommates, friends or family when they can't see what they're shooting at. I sure don't want to do that.

Furthermore, in a close-range defensive scenario, the ability to acquire a man-sized target and hit center mass quickly is worth a lot more than a small group. Point-and-shoot skills trump careful sighting, just like they do when you're quail hunting.

Like other accessories, night sights can be nice. However, I don't see them as a must-have, either. I'll take a gun that points well in my hand, over any and all that stuff.

 

[Phil DeGraves]

Only takes 15 weeks to learn this skill

Yeah...real simple...

If I can keep 'em in the black on a small target at 15-25 yards at a very poorly-lit indoor range, with black sights, I find it difficult to imagine a scenario where I could identify a target but couldn't line up my sights.

If the bad guy is wearing dark clothes you will not see the sights but you will see the bad guy.

You don't need a 2" group to stop a man, you simply need a good hit. On the average size human, that's roughly an 16" by 16" area. It's easy to make hits on a target that size at 3-7 yards.

Nonsense. You need a good hit yes, but a good hit is hardly 16x16 especially under stress. More like 4x4; head, or between the shoulders beneath the neck. If I'm betting my life, I'm not going to chance it on some "point-shooting" where it'll be "close enough". You better be sure I'm going to be using my sights to get the best hit I can get. And I can get it just as fast and more accurate by bringing it up to eye level.

Point shooting can work for some people. But it is a learned skill and if I'm going to spend time practicing, I'll spend the 15 weeks on learning fundamentals I can use ALL the time, not just when the target is only within so many yards.

 

[ArmedBear]

If the bad guy is wearing dark clothes you will not see the sights but you will see the bad guy.

The target is flat black. That was my point.

I'm not going to chance it on some "point-shooting" where it'll be "close enough".

The ability to point and shoot has nothing whatsoever to do with "close enough." "Point" is the most commonly misunderstood word in shooting, IMO.

I'll spend the 15 weeks on learning fundamentals I can use ALL the time, not just when the target is only within so many yards.

15 WEEKS? I think one can learn both how to hit a small target with slow, careful aiming, as well as how to acquire a target quickly at 5-7 yards, in 15 weeks.

Slow acquisition and slow fire with careful aiming that you'd use on a 25-yard target won't help much when a guy is 10 feet from you and closing in, with a knife or gun.

There are two different sets of skills here, and you can't use one to replace the other.

All of that said, I can think of a scenario where night sights would be indispensible: you are hiding in a dark corner, waiting for your target to approach, and your target will be in the middle of a well-lit "kill zone." This would be useful for SpecOps types, and perhaps for a civilian defending against an intruder, but only with a home laid out in a certain way. Mine isn't.

 

[machinisttx]

This isn't an argument against night sights, but against sights use in general.

You're wrong there. We have two ponds about 100 yards from my house. When I was a kid dad and I would walk out with flashlights and .22's to kill snakes and maybe get a few bullfrogs for a frog leg dinner. The use of a flashlight provided enough light to see both the sights and the target. If you couldn't see one, you couldn't see the other and there was no point in shooting. Note-this isn't the total of my experience shooting at night.

The only use I've found for night sights is finding a gun in the dark.

 

[Phil DeGraves]

I'm not talking about slow fire. I use the sights very quickly for all distances. It's called "set time". Set time increases as distance increases, but you can pick up the sights quickly and get good accurate hits very quickly if you train that way. I am not saying point shooting doesn't work. I am saying that sighted shooting works faster and more accurately for me. And night sights work better than no night sights for me as well.