Night Sights

[WardenRoss]

Night Shooting

I may be speaking out-of-turn here, but many years ago I attended a night shooting class at a major police academy. Back when revolvers were standard issue.

We were taught, in a complete darkness scenario, to shoot from the close-ready position (two-handed grip, just BELOW the visual plane and close to the torso) and aim for the assailant's knees. At fifteen-yards, you will actually hit the target in the central mass area (chest).

In every practical range test I completed, I put the rounds into the target's chest area even though I thought I was pointing the pistol toward the imaginary knees. We practiced at night (complete darkness) with a spot light shining on the B-21 target. They would then douse the lights and we had to draw the pistol and fire at the target (at fifteen-yards).

We were taught never to use the pistol's sights as the muzzle blast would ruin our night-vision. We were also taught to do a double-action double-tap, then pause to reevaluate the situation and to conserve our rounds.

Side note: We were never allowed to fire single-action. Period. This was considered a bad and unsafe procedure. I'm sure that philosophy was intended to develop good muscle-memory skills for future high-stress situations.

Last word: EVERYONE that considers a pistol for self-defense should practice shooting in darkness. You have to experience it for yourself to realize how difficult it is. Also, how intense the muzzle-blast/forcing-cone flame can be.

 

[nawilson]

To each their own... personally I like night sights. I find them helpful even in light conditions that are low but not pitch black (think twilight). If you sit outside in the evening, you can watch as it gets too dark to see the sights. They are also helpful if you walk inside during a bright day.

 

[scottydude003]

You can see an intruder clearly in light far to low to see ordinary sights. Black sights are hard to see against a black target even in a well-lighted range with centered (combat) sighting. Meprolights have a white ring around the tritium cell, making them visible at all light levels.

i agree 100%

 

[JT]

I am afraid I have to side with Alx here... but it could just be me!

....I still think Bob Munden's comments on 'instinctive shooting' are important. At 2-3yd, the typical 'BG in the bedroom' distance, that should suffice. I have tried it, on an otherwise empty secondary range, at 2-7 yd with my 625MG in .45 Colt (250gr GDJHP's), 642 (158gr LHPSWC +P's), and a 296 (200gr GDJHP), listed in decreasing accuracy order. Up to 5 yd, I could hit, in decreasing accuracy and 'from the hip', inside the abdomen/torso of a BG target - sometimes barely, especially with the latter two. I feel that is faster than acquiring a sight. 'Situational awareness' is important - know where the 'good guys' are. In my case, if my wife is alongside me, anyone else rummaging in the dark likely isn't there to witness to me...

Stainz

Re: Stainz and WardenRoss. Nothing takes the place of instinctive shooting in low light or the dark. Delta team members at Bragg do not use night sights, but practice enough in all conditions to be deadly accurate even without using the sights. Tritium sights could also possibly be used to mark your position at varying angles.

 

[WardenRoss]

Nothing against night-sights...

I have nothing against night sights and can see why folks feel they need them. To each his own.

I was just trying to emphasize, from my LEO experiences, that one really needs to be more concerned with practicing shooting in darkness, than just spending money on night sights.

Shooting in complete darkness is a whole new game.

Many years ago, we were instructed that the following probabilities may come into effect in an emergency confrontation using firearms (I'm old and worn out, so this is from memory):

1. It will be at night.

2. The assailant will be approximately seven yards from you, or closer.

3. They will be a right-handed male.

4. They will be unrecognizable (impossible to later identify, positively). So, keep you attention focused on their hands.

5. Do not extend your weapon for traditional aiming, keep it close to avoid the assailant from charging you and grabbing your weapon. Referred to as "reactionary distance."

6. Give loud verbal commands. You voice should give the appearance of you being confident and in-control.

7. Never count your rounds. If you shoot, at first chance, dump and reload immediately (remember these were the revolver days).

8. The incident will last only three seconds. Therefore, be aware of how fast your decision making process must be honed.




I'm sure that some of that training is now considered obsolete. But it's worth noting.

I had a chance to use it one night as I was confronted on a dimly lit porch as a burglar nearly ran into me. I had to quick-draw and hold him at gunpoint with only a three-feet distance between us. He had a crow bar but dropped it when he saw my .357 model 66.

All that repetitive training paid off, I was in automatic mode and never blinked an eye. It's funny though, and I hate to admit it, my verbal command was "FRONT SIGHT, SQUEEEEZE!" That was what my first training officer used to yell as we cadets were learning to shoot at the academy!

It worked well in this case. Even that "crack-head" knew what I was about to do.