Night Sights

[Good Ol' Boy]

I'm well aware that "nights sights" are all the rage and common place nowadays, but I wonder if anyone has had any issue with them.

Today at the range I noticed a shooter that asked the RSO for a flashlight. The RSO retrieved one for him and watched as he pointed it towards his pistol. He asked what the problem was and the shooter said "I'm trying to charge my sights".

So I'm just wondering if anyone else who has night sites has run into this issue. Personally I can pick up the white dots on my irons even in low light so I don't really have a need for such additions. If it's pitch black IMHO it doesn't matter if you can see your sights if you can't identify the threat.

But for those of you with "night sites" is this really an issue? Are the sights like some glow in the dark thing you have to frequently expose to light for it to work?

 

[ClickClickD'oh]

Some companies sell "night sights" that are indeed the kind that need to be "charged" by exposing them to light in the same way that the glow in the dark stickers do. Real, tritium based sights, do not need to be charged by flashlight. They are mildly radioactive.

 

[drband]

No. The shooter was trying to charge PAINTED sights. Google Glow-on sight paint.
Night sights are tritium vials that glow without other input.

 

[Warp]

That shooter had pretend night sights, I would say.

Real, actual, useful, proper night sights are tritium. There is no charging. They simply glow exactly the same all the time no matter what.


Well, they have a half life, after about a decade you will be able to tell they are not as bright when compared to newly manufactured sights.

 

[Old Guy]

I use TruGlo, the original ones, the latest (and more expensive!) models are more resistant to falling off! But sending them back to the factory, less than 12 years old, they replace the inserts for $12.50. You pay to mail in, they pay to mail back.

Three bright green dots (the color I prefer) show up in bright sunlight, or in poor light also. The preferred way to aim, is to look at the sights, as in Bullseye competition, combat sports (IDPA) or gun fighting, you look at the target, and look through the sights. The way I see it anyhow.

The following is from an article from Suarez, yesterday, I am borrowing it.

The rest of the action is trigger. Again the purveyors of adequacy promote overly heavy, difficult to operate triggers citing liability-fearing writers in the gun press, or some case that they heard of from someone else where a trigger was the cause of a man going to the gallows. Much of it urban myth.

The rest of the action is trigger. Again the purveyors of adequacy promote overly heavy, difficult to operate triggers citing liability-fearing writers in the gun press, or some case that they heard of from someone else where a trigger was the cause of a man going to the gallows. Much of it urban myth.

A good trigger will allow you to exercise your marksmanship skill without doing anything to degrade the alignment on target that you created. Not necessarily "light", but certainly not heavy. New York triggers and Chicago Triggers such as offered by Glocks are an abomination and designed for those whose weapons are far more a danger in the locker room than on the street against criminals. I will say that if you run into a trainer that is advocating these as a good thing, you should leave that class as that man does have anything of value to share with you.

A good trigger can be single stage or two stage, but it must be smooth as glass on the take up. Every bit of grit will move your muzzle off target. When it breaks it must break clean and not be so heavy that it jars your pistol off target as you press. And the reset after the shot must be clear and easy to feel.

Well said I thought.

 

[Tirod]

The problem with tritium powered night sights is that they do have an expiration date. I have an incoming 4566TSW with Novak night sights and it's quite possible they are well aged, which means getting new inserts.

While the daylight charged paint sights will run down during the night and do require a 15 minute exposure for long term use, they don't seem to have a ten year life which necessitates replacement. It does go to knowing your sights, too - if that is what you are using, then having them on a concealed carry gun means they won't be charged up when you need them. Some day we will get LED lights on sights which do the same as Aimpoint - stay on for five years. Until then I'd say if you are using glow-on type paint on sights you should carry your own EDC light, too. And it also goes for tactical use - if it's going to be dark, that light should be either part of your gear or on the weapon.

I have a P938 with night sights and it is nice to see them in the dark. The reality is that when you are out and about in the evening you are just as likely to be in a poorly illuminated area - not pitch black - and you can see enough to get sights on target. Identification may already have occurred thru sound or by action. We have other senses to use, too. Wrong place wrong time can be enough if you are the only authorized person traversing a controlled area.

Night sights do have benefits but are somewhat expensive for the return of always being on. Glow on sights can be a practical alternative for some - it's the same paint used for certain makes of Dive watches and that stuff stays bright enough for hours. My wife complains about it enough I leave my watch in the living room, and there are models which dwarf it in output - using tritium. I consider those to be fashion watches, tho, as in ten years the expense of relamping them will be more than the utility value of an old used watch.

Same for night sights - do I want to mail off my slide to get them serviced and what price? It will only last ten years, albeit I will be in my 70s I see tritium as a short term solution. It's a matter of perspective.

 

[Ryanxia]

What others have already said.

I like night sights, and after they "expire" or dim 10-15 years later you can either replace them, leave them or put a dab of paint or whiteout on them if you don't want to spend money. No reason not to have them unless it's just a range gun (which I have plenty and don't bother upgrading the sights on).

 

[Shaq]

IMO, a small, powerful light is more useful than night sights. As stated, night sights don't identify the target.

 

[Warp]

IMO, a small, powerful light is more useful than night sights. As stated, night sights don't identify the target.

Being able to see the sights is a completely different thing than being able to light up a target in the dark.

Having a flashlight in your pocket (hand) in no way whatsoever means you can't have night sights on your pistol.

In my experience, and the experience of others, it is very very easy to have lighting conditions in which you can identify your target but not see non-illuminated pistol sights.

 

[I6turbo]

I have/have had various types. For me, "night sights" = laser. Once I got a green laser (CT, in my case) I realized that the glowing dot sights were like something from the stone age when it comes to sighting quickly and accurately in low light conditions. No offense to anyone who likes them, but just my experience and findings.

Another advantage of the green laser, which is relatively bright, is that it gives enough light to allow you to see what the target is doing. You can watch the "target" with both eyes open while sighting with pinpoint accuracy. By watching the target instead of concentrating on lining up the night sight dots, you can be MUCH better able to make what could be the single most important decision you'll make in life from that point forward: Do you have to shoot?

 

[stchman]

I think the need for night sights is overblown. I can see having night sights on a HD/SD gun, but for all your other guns, no.

The phosphorous sights are virtually useless.

 

[guyfromohio]

My frustration with the luminescent (glow-in-the-dark/non-tritium) is that the front dims in the holster all day. When you need them to glow most at night,mtheyve gone dark from being in the holster. Now you have lighted rears and no front post to line up.

Tritiums for me.

 

[RX-79G]

Chemical illumination doesn't last forever, either. Go onto any wristwatch forum and read about old Superluminova hands fading after a decade or two.

Good tritium night sights can be updated with new tritium vials. Night sights really don't have any downsides and quite a few advantages over a light or laser if you're trying not to make a target out of yourself.

 

[Speedo66]

I use TruGlo, the original ones, the latest (and more expensive!) models are more resistant to falling off! But sending them back to the factory, less than 12 years old, they replace the inserts for $12.50. You pay to mail in, they pay to mail back.

Anybody know if Meprolight has a program to replace the tritium inserts on their Tru Dot sights after they age?

 

[RA40]

This was a factor in my recent choice as well, Trijicon will refresh their sights. I'd seen discussion that Meprolight does not have a refurbish-rebuild option on their sights. I just called them but the representative could not answer the question. The technician that handles that was not in the office so she would have to have him call back.

The Trijicon HD has a front insert that will glow when charged.

 

[Warp]

I have/have had various types. For me, "night sights" = laser. Once I got a green laser (CT, in my case) I realized that the glowing dot sights were like something from the stone age when it comes to sighting quickly and accurately in low light conditions. No offense to anyone who likes them, but just my experience and findings.

Another advantage of the green laser, which is relatively bright, is that it gives enough light to allow you to see what the target is doing. You can watch the "target" with both eyes open while sighting with pinpoint accuracy. By watching the target instead of concentrating on lining up the night sight dots, you can be MUCH better able to make what could be the single most important decision you'll make in life from that point forward: Do you have to shoot?

Lasers:
-Are less reliable
-Require batteries that can die
-Require sighting completely differently, IE, target focus instead of front sight focus
-Generally require a modified holster to fit them

 

[jmr40]

I have "real" night sights on guns that are over 10 years old and still perfectly usable. Not as bright as when new, but they should be usable for a few more years. They cost $60 and if I get 15 years out of them I consider $4/year a wise investment.

Real night sights don't need to be "recharged" with a flashlight. Some of the paint on stuff does and it is a waste of money IMHO. But it is not uncommon for guys who own real night sights to think so. Some guy on this forum a few years back was asking for advice about to install a light inside his gun safe in order to keep his sights charged. Who knows for sure what this guy had.

Most of my go-to handguns have night sights installed and I still prefer to have them just in case. I'm using an attached light on the guns I keep for HD or at night if camping to be able to identify targets. I still like having night sights for carry in dim light where a mounted light is not an option.

 

[bassdogs]

I think the need for night sights is overblown. I can see having night sights on a HD/SD gun, but for all your other guns, no.

The phosphorous sights are virtually useless.

My Glock 40 cal is a police handmedown and has the true nightsites. The gun is probably approaching 20 years old as I have had it for 10 years after it was retired from active duty. The sights are still bright and easily identifiable but I think the real limitation of all night sights is what happens after the first / 2nd shot. the muzzle flash will temporarily kill your night vision and my experience is that follow up shots are questionable.

 

[jdavis123]

I have pistols with night sights and pistols with lasers. Neither is useful for identifying a target in total darkness. They are designed for use in low light conditions or in conjunction with a flashlight or other light source. I recently had to replace a dim set of factory nights that were almost 15 years old on one of my Glocks which were usable but barely. I chose Tru-Glo TFO sights which give me the best of both worlds with the tritium for night and fiber optic for daylight. I love this dual setup and will replace the sights on other pistols with TFOs when the time comes.

 

[lemaymiami]

My last six years in law enforcement, my issue sidearm was a 40cal Sig with Trijiicon night sights. They were first rate and never an issue. If I were to get back into carrying again they'd be a standard to meet...

 

[george burns]

Those were not Night sight sights. They were photo luminescent paint, which is useless. I have had NS on all of my front sights since they came out. You must have them on any carry gun that you use in low or no light. If you can't see the front sight, it's lost time = dead.

 

[Elkins45]

I have night sights on my carry gun and on my bedside gun as well. I see no downside and there is a possible benefit. Both guns have lasers as well.

I will take every advantage I can get.

 

[judgedelta]

Nightsights make it really easy to find the Glock 20 on the bedside table, which has a really good flashlight attached to it.

 

[bullseye308]

My Glock 17 has Tru-Glo TFO on it and I love it. I can see the sights any time of the day in any weather, under any conditions. It also has a TLR-1 on it so I know where to put those sights. Best possible combination for me.

That is my carry piece, bedside gun, car gun, everything. I'm getting some TFO's for a few other guns as well.

 

[Old Guy]

Bullseye308.

The new TruGlo were supposed to be the new, and improved version, they talked about them for years, then they come out, not new and improved, same price!

But a extra cost, new model, and you can still buy the OLD version, same price?

I find the TruGlo, either model, is perfect day, or night, when I shot IDPA every first Sunday of the month, they were put to the test, in real life scenarios, moving, different shooting position, worked fine.

This is not the same as a real gun fight, but sure beats an indoor AC range.
With bright light. And no drawing from holster!

And stay practical, same sport shooting pistol, as carry gun. Same holster, factory ammo. Not the expensive 147g Ranger T, but shoots to same point of aim. Glock 19 4th gen, extended slide release, Glock factory part, butt plug (improves mag change) just over 4lb trigger. Still has the deep black finish, no marks of any nature.

Some one mentioned after two shots, you can not see, due to muzzle flash? My Win Ranger T? no debilitating muzzle flash, when viewed from my end!

My lifetime belief, when your hand drops to that pistol, everything is the same no changes!