Night Sights Needed?

[Glenn R. McMannly]

I own a railed 1911 with Surefire light mounted. The factory sights are Novak style 3 dots and they’re very good and quite accurate, yet big and visible enough for rapid shooting. I like them a lot.

However it seems tritium nights sights are considered by some to be critical on any defensive handgun.

Do you agree with this? For a serious usage such as CCW or home defense, do you consider night sights necessary? Should I put them on my gun or save the money for practice ammo?

Thank you

PS: I am planning on using this pistol as my nightstand gun.
Glenn

 

[Rustyt1953]

There are no night sights or optics on my HD gun or carry piece.

I am considering a light.

 

[1sailor]

I personally have never seen any real practical reason for having night sights. Especially if you're shining a flashlight at them anyway. The best reason I ever heard for having them came from a woman who said that whenever she heard a noise at night it was comforting to glance over on her nightstand and see those 3 little green lights.

 

[mckenney99]

None of my issued duty weapons ever had night sights and I got by without them. However, I would really have liked to have had them a couple of times. With the prices on the various night sights having come down over the years and the durability has improved, I would like to take every advantage available to me. Are they required, no. More important to me, does the pistol "fit" my hands and does the weapon point naturally for me, to the point that I can hit a relatively close target without actually visually aiming. Good quality practice is probably more important but I still like having night sights on my pistol if they are available.

 

[NewLiberty]

I'd suggest try doing some shooting in a low light environment with and without them, and decide if they provide any value or not.

Most of the carry pistols I have owned have been upgraded with night sights.

 

[Bald1]

Never had them till I got my P365. Are they necessary NO. Are they nice to have YES!!!!

 

[Brian Parrish]

Nightstand gun.

I have them on my 45 and on my 9mm. I like them and they really work. I saw on a forum recently a complaint that the night sights would only work when darkness shrouded any target anyway. I don't think that person ever tried to use them. I use front sight flash picture with every handgun. The night sights therefore are essential. I am used to a thumb actuated light button so I am looking around in very low light.

I would also add that I completely concur with Massad Ayoob who condemns searching with a weapon mounted light. "This violates gun safety rule number 3: Never point your gun at anything you don't intend to destroy!"

 

[diyj98]

I have several guns with night sights, but I'd never pay extra for them or have them installed on a gun that didn't originally come with them. I've found that when it's dark enough that I really need them, I can't see the target. The one time when I had to make a quick shot at night, I don't remember actually even using the sights.

 

[WardenRoss]

I agree wholeheartedly with Brian (above) concerning watching the Massad video on weapon mounted lights.

Also, I wish everyone could take a night firing course. If you've never practiced in low light, or no light, you aren't very prepared for a gunfight.

I highly recommend the night sights. Their advantage, in the right circumstances, could be a life saver. The department I worked for made them mandatory.


,

 

[jbull380]

If you’ve got a light on the rail, you’re set. If it’s dark enough for you to see the tritium it’s probably too dark to identify a target. You should be able to use the sights you have with the light. Try it.

 

[AJ]

If you are close enough to use a handgun there is no reason to use night sights. No need for a flashlight or laser or other such nonsense, all they do is let your opponent get a fix on your position. If in your own home, you should know the "lay of the land" better than an intruder......

 

[Echo40]

They're nice to have, but obviously not required...

Folks may argue otherwise, but like most other modern aftermarket peripherals available these days, in spite of how helpful or convenient they may be, the lack of them never stopped anybody from successfully defending themselves, and anyone who would claim otherwise is just making excuses for their own personal shortcomings.

Ultimately, you are in charge of defending yourself, ergo any failures to do so adequately, are distinctively your own. Furthermore, failure to acknowledge personal shortcomings results in permanent failure to overcome said shortcomings.

Be vigilant, be prepared, and above all else, be responsible.

 

[SnidelyWhiplash]

Night sights are great…but not all are created equal. But as with all enhancements…they’re simply tools to help give you an advantage. You still have use and practice the basics of shooting, tactics and preparation. Without that…such enhancements are of little value and can give you a false sense of security.

 

[fmflorida]

Required no but definitely my preference.

Anything that gets carried gets the same Trijicon HDXR night sights with the big orange front dot.

Simply to keep everything the same.

I totally agree that generally speaking if it's so dark you can't see the sights....you likely can't see the target however the sights also give you an idea where the gun is in the dark.

Further, while yes you may have a flashlight....sometimes things go south and I'll take every advantage I can on the gun just in case.

 

[2wheels]

IMO, night sights are another valuable tool in the self defense toolbox. I have Tru-glo TFX Pro’s on both my carry/home defense guns. I don’t use WML’s, but I do have strobe/flashlight on my nightstand. Using a flashlight to light up a perp, still leaves you a bit blind for an accurate sight picture if you don’t have night sights. Think if a perp was near a family member, you sure as hell don’t want to take a shot and miss.

Personally, I think night sights are important for home defense; as are many other home defense practices. The TFX Pro’s also work well in daylight. You can’t fix much with one wrench, you need a tool box.

OP, don’t worry about saving money for practice ammo - drill and dry fire!

 

[Frailer]

I thought tritium night sights were a necessity until I used them during the nighttime portion of a Ken Hackathorn class.

They are—for me—very slow to acquire for the first shot, and useless thereafter. I arrived at the conclusion that if there is enough light to ID what I’m shooting at there is enough light to see the outline of my sights, or at the very minimum the outline of my handgun.

All my guns whose sights are replaceable now have a fiber front and a plain black rear. Others’ mileage (and preferences) may vary.

 

[Shibadog]

I have them on my 45 and on my 9mm. I like them and they really work. I saw on a forum recently a complaint that the night sights would only work when darkness shrouded any target anyway. I don't think that person ever tried to use them. I use front sight flash picture with every handgun. The night sights therefore are essential. I am used to a thumb actuated light button so I am looking around in very low light.

I would also add that I completely concur with Massad Ayoob who condemns searching with a weapon mounted light. "This violates gun safety rule number 3: Never point your gun at anything you don't intend to destroy!"

Not to mention giving the goblin an aiming point. My light will be in the weak hand away from my body.

 

[WR Moore]

For the private citizen, as noted above, a full set of night sights is neat, but not really necessary. Having said that, a tritium front sight is a wonderful thing to have. It's really, really handy in those up close and personal moments you hope to avoid. At least if you're in a stable shooting position.

I normally abhor nomenclature nazis. However, as a late Supreme Court justice mentioned in a majority opinion: words have meaning. It was made emphatically clear to us in instructor training that absent a medical certification, you do not have either a "weak" or "strong" hand. You have a gun hand and a support hand. If you shift the gun from one hand/side to the other, the labels go with the gun.

 

[chief38]

Until I bought my P365 I never had night-sights either. I would probably never had set out to buy a set but since the gun came with them, what the heck. Limited advantage if anything.

 

[gp52555]

My EDC has no sights.

 

[AJ]

My EDC has no sights.

In close quarters there are really no need for them.Even at 15 yards you only really need just a front sight.

 

[bushmaster1313]

My EDC has an under barrel flashlight and laser. I also replaced the flat top slide with a slide that has front and rear tritium iron sights.

I expect that in a very low light scenario I would employ the laser and if enough light I would use the irons

 

[rockquarry]

I've yet to find any handgun with factory sights that didn't work well. I think anyone who has taken the time to practice extensively with their handgun as it comes form the box will become skilled to the point they see little use in after market sights, night sights, tritium sights, etc. as well as other gadgetry including attached flashlights.

Many shooters who haven't experienced it would be amazed at how well almost all quality handguns work just as they were designed.

 

[BigMuddy]

My EDC has an under barrel flashlight and laser. I also replaced the flat top slide with a slide that has front and rear tritium iron sights.

I expect that in a very low light scenario I would employ the laser and if enough light I would use the irons

I have a knife just like that one. Belonged to my father in law.

Dan

 

[Grayfox]

I'm not a fan. If its too dark to see your sights, its probably too dark to identify the target. You're point shooting at best. Shooting at shadows at worst.
I own two handguns that came with night sights. One is completely dead and the other is about half dead but, has a light mounted on it. I have no plans to replace either.

 

[MetalMan]

I normally EDC’d any of several 36’s or 60’s that I own but, once I got my hands on this 640-1 Pro, I am finding it increasingly difficult to go back to the older gutter-and-blade system.

 

[Old cop]

I was in more than one OIS in my 30 yrs but only had time for a carefully aimed shot once, and that was to save a hostage inside a motel lobby at double arm’s length distance w/my issued Model 15 four inch. My take away is there’s no time to do anything but to respond to the threat, normally a split second.

 

[Inusuit]

I solve most of this debate by not leaving the house after dark. That said, I have night sights on all my pistols, all with an orange ring on the front. I don't have any mounted lights. I do carry a easily accessible hand held light and recognize it may not be the best option.