Night Sights

Night sights on all your carry/defensive pistols?

  • Yes

    Votes: 33 57.9%

  • No

    Votes: 16 28.1%

  • Maybe

    Votes: 8 14.0%
  • Total voters
    57
When I got my Glock 43 I installed the Ameriglo cap sights. Honestly I was disappointed with them. I bought them the same day I bought the gun and put them on that evening. Mostly because everyone says that’s what you should do. At night the tritium was so small it didn’t do much. Maybe I had to high expectations. My G48 that I now carry just has the stock polymer sights, I much prefer that sight picture. I now carry a handheld flashlight and I noticed the flood of the light drowns out the sights regardless if it’s night sights or not. For me personally I think the “night sights” are not necessary. For the price I just got a flashlight and some more ammo and go train. That’s what works the best for me.
 
AUhiker said:
When I got my Glock 43 I installed the Ameriglo cap sights. Honestly I was disappointed with them. I bought them the same day I bought the gun and put them on that evening. Mostly because everyone says that’s what you should do. At night the tritium was so small it didn’t do much. Maybe I had to high expectations. My G48 that I now carry just has the stock polymer sights, I much prefer that sight picture. I now carry a handheld flashlight and I noticed the flood of the light drowns out the sights regardless if it’s night sights or not. For me personally I think the “night sights” are not necessary. For the price I just got a flashlight and some more ammo and go train. That’s what works the best for me.
Click to expand...

I can't see all night sights well either. I've had the regular tritium and I've had the tritium surrounded by a small white ring. They are almost worthless to my 59 year old eyes.

However, I can see XS Big Dot night sights rather well. So much so that I've ordered a new set to go on my Ruger LCP Max. https://xssights.com/products/dxt2-big-dot-night-sights-ruger.html

My CZ with an XS DXT2 set below on the left, with the factory issue small night sight on the LCP Max on the right. The CZ sights are what is shown in my previous post in this thread.
XS-bigdot-1.jpg
 
chicharrones said:
I can't see all night sights well either. I've had the regular tritium and I've had the tritium surrounded by a small white ring. They are almost worthless to my 59 year old eyes.

However, I can see XS Big Dot night sights rather well. So much so that I've ordered a new set to go on my Ruger LCP Max. https://xssights.com/products/dxt2-big-dot-night-sights-ruger.html

My CZ with an XS DXT2 set below on the left, with the factory issue small night sight on the LCP Max on the right. The CZ sights are what is shown in my previous post in this thread.
View attachment 1196258
Click to expand...
I’ve heard good things about the xs big dot sights. I’ve never held or shot a pistol with those installed, but from pics online it sure seems easy to pickup fast.
 
I forgot to mention my second experience with night sights, which is that I got a XS tritium front sight replacement for my M92 AK in 2016. They make both a larger Big Dot type front for the AK as well as a white post with tritium on top version that's a little closer to the width and shape of a standard AK front sight post, the latter being my choice. I have to say, even when new the XS tritium was way dimmer than the Trijicons had been. Now 8 years later it's noticeably dimmer still and within five years I imagine they will be totally dead.
 
I have front and rear night sights on 2 Glocks and I have a Tritium front sight on one of my revolvers.

My favorite Glock, my G45 has Tru Glo TFX sights with fiber optics and Tritium. Here is a photo compilation I put together on these sights. I am of the opinion that night sights, for my use, are a waste of money. I do like fiber optic sights. I think a fiber optic and a rail or flashlight makes more sense to me.
1708821445897.jpeg

I have a Glock 43 with factory night sights. I don’t like them and will probably install a Hi-Viz fiber optic front sight and a factory Glock rear sight. I like having contrast between the front and rear sight like this:
1708821633858.jpeg
 
RevolvingGarbage said:
I forgot to mention my second experience with night sights, which is that I got a XS tritium front sight replacement for my M92 AK in 2016. They make both a larger Big Dot type front for the AK as well as a white post with tritium on top version that's a little closer to the width and shape of a standard AK front sight post, the latter being my choice. I have to say, even when new the XS tritium was way dimmer than the Trijicons had been. Now 8 years later it's noticeably dimmer still and within five years I imagine they will be totally dead.
Click to expand...

I've had some "new" night sights in the past that had clearly been sitting on a shelf too long before I got them.
 
Pat Riot said:
I have front and rear night sights on 2 Glocks and I have a Tritium front sight on one of my revolvers.

My favorite Glock, my G45 has Tru Glo TFX sights with fiber optics and Tritium. Here is a photo compilation I put together on these sights. I am of the opinion that night sights, for my use, are a waste of money. I do like fiber optic sights. I think a fiber optic and a rail or flashlight makes more sense to me.
I have a Glock 43 with factory night sights. I don’t like them and will probably install a Hi-Viz fiber optic front sight and a factory Glock rear sight. I like having contrast between the front and rear sight like this:
View attachment 1196287
Click to expand...
I’ve heavily been considering putting an orange fiber optic sight on the front and leaving my factory glock sight in the rear. I’ve never seen a pic of it actually done. I may have to give it a try I like your setup!
 
AUhiker said:
I’ve heavily been considering putting an orange fiber optic sight on the front and leaving my factory glock sight in the rear. I’ve never seen a pic of it actually done. I may have to give it a try I like your setup!
Click to expand...

I have a similar set up on my G36 with a red HiViz front. I did stain the rear white U with a Sharpie to turn down the brightness of white a bit, though.

index.php
 
chicharrones said:
I have a similar set up on my G36 with a red HiViz front. I did stain the rear white U with a Sharpie to turn down the brightness of white a bit, though.

index.php
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I like the orange front fiber optic! Is that a hi viz front sight? I’m tryin to find one that’s the same hight as the factory front sight post.
 
frogfurr said:
Just be sure and have a good flashlight for BU. When it's pitch black the only thing you are going to see is a dot. Never shoot where you can't see.
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I never go anywhere without a flashlight it’s a must have in my book. I’ve noticed in today’s world the led light is very abundant. Almost every parking lot seems to be very well lit. Very bright light and cheap to operate, I think more businesses is starting to install them. Whole let better than the old orange lights from back in the day.

Im starting to think fiber optic might be the way to go. Very visible in daytime and at night I’m gonna use a light so any sights will be drowned out.
 
AUhiker said:
I’ve heavily been considering putting an orange fiber optic sight on the front and leaving my factory glock sight in the rear. I’ve never seen a pic of it actually done. I may have to give it a try I like your setup!
Click to expand...
Thank you. I would recommend that whatever sight you try put some fingernail polish or even Loctite blue on the threads of the screw to keep the sight where it belongs.
This happened to me a while back.
IMG_7126.jpeg
 
If you want a true night sight buy a FLIR. That way both the sights and target are visible in the dark. Hog hunters don't hunt hogs at night with just a tritium front sight.
 
chicharrones said:
I can't see all night sights well either. I've had the regular tritium and I've had the tritium surrounded by a small white ring. They are almost worthless to my 59 year old eyes.
Click to expand...
I have three Sig Sauer M17 / M18 pistols with the Tritium "night sights." These were all so dim, from the time they were new, that they were no help at all. (Maybe the fact that I'm 79 years old has something to do with this.) But the plain luminous dots on my Berettas and Tauruses are helpful. So the problem can't totally be with my eyes.
 
JTQ said:
I over looked the video and that you were pushing a viewpoint. I thought it was a simple do you or don't you.

While folks can do whatever they want with their own guns, I usually give a little push back on the "you need night sights" requirement. I don't know what the LE folks may need, but this from Tom Givens in this article may make you question the need for night sights. I know I post this often, but perhaps some have not seen it before and it may be worth their while.

civiliandefender.com

Low light, red sights, and Tom Givens’ Glock 35

If you’re a regular reader of my musings here, you already know that I am a Tom Givens believer. There is a simple reason for this…Tom’s materia…
civiliandefender.com civiliandefender.com

and this Rangemaster article by Tom Givens

Click to expand...
I simply have to disagree with that viewpoint. You may not need the night sights but having them and not needing them is better than needing them and not having them.
 
chicharrones said:
That guy left out photos of non-night sights aiming at dark targets. Why didn't he line up the sights with that dark TV and post a photo of that?

Probably because those sights (with no light behind them) on a dark target would make the sights disappear.
5.jpg


Whereas night sights or a red dot in the same situation could help out greatly.

index.php


From this photo comparison.
Click to expand...
I didn't think of that but it is a great point. I should have added it.
 
Siglites as back ups for my dots on pistols used in the night. Mepro's on my Glocks...
 
AgentPickle said:
I simply have to disagree with that viewpoint. You may not need the night sights but having them and not needing them is better than needing them and not having them.
Click to expand...
That's fine.

I was just sharing the viewpoint of a professional trainer that has extensively studied the civilian defensive use of firearms.

Folks can review both viewpoints and decide which makes more sense for their use.
 
AUhiker said:
I like the orange front fiber optic! Is that a hi viz front sight? I’m tryin to find one that’s the same hight as the factory front sight post.
Click to expand...

It is this one, but in red. https://www.hivizsights.com/product/gl2009/

Green fiber optics tend to look more like a faded yellow to my eye, so I don’t use them as they are hard for me to see. Yet tritium does look truly green to me.

And if my photo earlier in the thread of a red fiber optic looks orange to you, well that just shows how all our eyes may see things a little differently.
 
Last edited:
chicharrones said:
It is this one, but in red. https://www.hivizsights.com/product/gl2009/

Green fiber optics tend to look more like a faded yellow to my eye, so I don’t use them as they are hard for me to see. Yet tritium does look truly green to me.

And if my photo earlier in the thread of a red fiber optic looks orange to you, well that just shows how all our eyes may see things a little differently.
Click to expand...
I have the same issue with green. The funny thing is, a few years ago red blobbed out on me so green was preferable. Between then and now my eyes changed and lens technology for combatting astigmatism has gotten better.

That sight in your link does not allow for light pipe changes but it would never lose its light pipe, which I did have happen to a FO sight a few years back.

For interchangeable HiViz front sights on Glocks the GL2011 is for Glocks with taller sights like the Glock 34 and for MOS Glocks like the 48 MOS.

For standard and shorter barreled Glocks the HiViz GL2014 is the proper height.

These sights comes with a red, green and solid white light pipes. The red looks orange to me on a smartphone screen but it appears more red in reality.
 
I have had the Trijicons and Meprolight night sights and they did help at night in terms of finding my sights. I also keep a flashlight near my nightstand pistol and it does "wash out" the glow of the sights. I am waiting for a set to come back in stock for my P320.
 
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