I'm curious where the urban legend came from that shooting a pistol in the dark will destroy your night vision.

I went to a 2-stage low light/no light pistol match last night and I didn't see any muzzle flashes that would interfere with one's night vision. No one complained the least bit about not being able to see the targets due to muzzle flash.

On the no light stage we used flashlights or dedicated weapons lights. I'd estimate that they ranged from about 60 lumens to 600 lumens and were all brighter than any muzzle flash. The reflected light off of the white no-shoot targets was far brighter than any muzzle flash, too.

Personally I was shooting Remington 115 grain ball ammo out of a G17 without any trouble at all.

I've got my Kevlar underwear on, so flame away. (Those flames will probably be brighter than any muzzle flash, too.)

Bill

Ah, a lot of current powders have a flash suppressant included. Back in the day that wasn't true. Having said that, I can't recall after the decades if that really did have all that much effect on night vision. I do, vividly recall how illuminating both .357 and .44 magnums were at night. Pun was intended.

I think you just made that urban legend up yourself

It totally depends on the circumstances. It also depends on your definition of “night vision”. If you use any type of artificial illumination like the flashlights or weapons lights you mentioned, you actually disable your eyes’ night vision ability. I don’t think anyone has argued that muzzle flashes are brighter than Surefire lights

But fire a snub-nose .357 in real darkness using only the remnants of ambient light like starlight (which of course nobody should in normal circumstances), and you will definitely have an effect of the flash on your retina for some seconds that makes you see even less than before.

True about snub-nose revolvers, especially a .357, with the muzzle flash and cylinder gap flash, it's a double source of light.

On another thread somewhere on the S&W forum there was a discussion about higher powered flashlights/weapons lights and your night vision disappearing when used in a dark room. The consensus was don't worry about muzzle flash, worry about the 600 lumen Surefire.

I used a Surefire flashlight at the match that puts out 300 lumens with a fresh battery. Afterwards I was outside lighting up the landscape with it. At 300 lumens it had plenty of horsepower to light up the hillsides.

Bill

I can't explain it, but there really is something to "ocular" and "auditory" occlusion.

When it's game time, I simply do not notice light or sound.

I may afterwards, but not when I'm dialed in and on target.

Is that like "free, with separate charge"?