Night site presentation in pitch dark?
- Thread starter Wheel-er
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You typically see three little dots. They're also visible in low light, which is more likely then pitch black. The down side is they lose their brilliance after about 12 years and need to be replaced. It's an excellent feature on a defensive firearm.
Forsmithers
Member
Night Sights
Wheel-er, for an extra $100 or so people who carry a handgun for personal protection are well advised to upgrade to a set of night sights. Some are cheaper than others but most high quality pistols these days are available with an upgrade or can be fitted with night sights.
I've been carrying them on service pistols since 1993 and will never go back. Most varieties have a three dot set up in green that glows brightly to the rear. The secret is the Tritium gas inside gas vials inserted into the sights. Over time they will begun to dim but I have gotten anywhere from 12-15 years out of most of mine. Of course it is often pointed out that bad guys can see night sights as well but that would only work if they are standing beside or behind you.
There are other varieties that have a horizontal bar on the rear sight and a dot for the front sight and some companies even have different colors available. My wife's customized Smith 3914 has a set of IWI (PT Night Sights) with a green front and yellow rear dots. The purpose for the different colors is two-fold. First of all, there is no way that you will accidentally misalign your sights when you know the order is yellow, green, yellow and even easier than that, green tritium sights are the brightest with red, orange and yellow being more subdued. My wife's pistol draws your eyes to the front sight because it is BRIGHTER.
After getting off from work at night I usually walk into the master bathroom and dim the lights (a dimmer switch in the bathroom is a treat for anyone that has never thought of such a thing) and it always cracks me up that you can even see the two glowing green eyes on the rear sight as the pistol rides in its holster.
I have found that while qualifying at night, shooting accuracy is better because your eyes are more focused on the sights and the target is blurry. During the day time there is a lot more to see and take in and often times under stress or time constraints it is difficult to remember the basics; front sight in focus while rear sight and target are blurry, correct sight alignment and placement on the target and a nice steady increase of pressure on the trigger until it goes bang (no snapping or jerking of the trigger).
It is often difficult to get a good feel for night sights until you try one in a dimly lit room or a dark (bath)room. Most gun shops will probably frown on your request to take a pistol to a bathroom but if you explain what your intentions are they might oblige you.
My bet will be that after you check out a set of night sights you'll never want to go back to having a defensive pistol without them. Heck, people have been known to install them even on wheel guns. Of course those are a lot more complicated than swapping out front and rear sights and require professional installation.
I hope this info was helpful.
Wheel-er, for an extra $100 or so people who carry a handgun for personal protection are well advised to upgrade to a set of night sights. Some are cheaper than others but most high quality pistols these days are available with an upgrade or can be fitted with night sights.
I've been carrying them on service pistols since 1993 and will never go back. Most varieties have a three dot set up in green that glows brightly to the rear. The secret is the Tritium gas inside gas vials inserted into the sights. Over time they will begun to dim but I have gotten anywhere from 12-15 years out of most of mine. Of course it is often pointed out that bad guys can see night sights as well but that would only work if they are standing beside or behind you.
There are other varieties that have a horizontal bar on the rear sight and a dot for the front sight and some companies even have different colors available. My wife's customized Smith 3914 has a set of IWI (PT Night Sights) with a green front and yellow rear dots. The purpose for the different colors is two-fold. First of all, there is no way that you will accidentally misalign your sights when you know the order is yellow, green, yellow and even easier than that, green tritium sights are the brightest with red, orange and yellow being more subdued. My wife's pistol draws your eyes to the front sight because it is BRIGHTER.
After getting off from work at night I usually walk into the master bathroom and dim the lights (a dimmer switch in the bathroom is a treat for anyone that has never thought of such a thing) and it always cracks me up that you can even see the two glowing green eyes on the rear sight as the pistol rides in its holster.
I have found that while qualifying at night, shooting accuracy is better because your eyes are more focused on the sights and the target is blurry. During the day time there is a lot more to see and take in and often times under stress or time constraints it is difficult to remember the basics; front sight in focus while rear sight and target are blurry, correct sight alignment and placement on the target and a nice steady increase of pressure on the trigger until it goes bang (no snapping or jerking of the trigger).
It is often difficult to get a good feel for night sights until you try one in a dimly lit room or a dark (bath)room. Most gun shops will probably frown on your request to take a pistol to a bathroom but if you explain what your intentions are they might oblige you.
My bet will be that after you check out a set of night sights you'll never want to go back to having a defensive pistol without them. Heck, people have been known to install them even on wheel guns. Of course those are a lot more complicated than swapping out front and rear sights and require professional installation.
I hope this info was helpful.
Typical nite sites use tritium a radioactive gas sealed in a tube that has a constant glow. I have had the best luck with Trijicon brand, I don't really like the 3 dot type as they appear slower to me. Three dots are all I have right now but I want to try the Night Guard type big dot.
Thank you to the Gentleman from N.C. - I've been considering the night sights for some time, now I'm more convinced than ever. I have the FO front sight on my M627, however it does not show up in total darkness. If I can find the ones I need, I'm ready to make the move.
AZretired
Member
Totally Dark? You can see your new tritium sites but can you see your target?
RychenCop
Member
my m&p .40 with trijicons.
Spotteddog
Member
RychenCop's illustration is an accurate representation of what you'll see Wheel-er. Different colors are helpful for differentiating front from rears sights. The level of illumination appears MUCH higher, once your eyes are acclimated to darkness. The level of brightness on a fresh set of Tritium's, is at about the level of a wrist watch dial that's had it's phosphorus dial exposed to sunlight. Personally, I'll never be without them on a house or carry gun ever again. YMMV?
bwsmith2850
Member
We had a local department reject them for just that reason.
The things people think of... You understand that it's just not an issue. I find I can't see them from more than 15' in near total darkness with the gun horizontal. I've never seen them glowing in another officer's holster even in pitch black. I think the bad guy might notice the flamethrower of a flashlight I use to look for him long before he could see those little green dots.
I've used them since 1999. Not only will I not go back, I put them on every handgun I carry that will take them without major smithing. They make it much easier to pick up the sights in low light and make the popular 3 dot sight in the daytime. I have (oops, Smith forum. That's a dirty word.) shall we say, Austrian? on my primary off duty, Trijicon on the duty and just installed Trijicon on another officer's OD. Trijicons were on my last duty pistol too. They hold up well but we do occasionally have to replace them. For my money, the cost of replacing sights every decade or two is pretty cheap insurance.
Yes they do, for the same reason. They are even faster to get on target day or night and fit revolvers (Lasergrips) without a rail or major gunsmithing. I am looking at one that fits in place of the rear sight (the rear sight notch is still there, the battery and laser are on each side of it) on that european model but have been prohibited from so much as thinking about putting it on their gun. But on mine? It'll be there before the end of the year.
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bwsmith2850
Member
Wheel-er I just saw these in another thread here. Can your 64 have the red ramp front sight put in? Meprolight has an option that looks promising. They have them for 'Smith & Weston' (really) but I think they'll fit.
It's in 'red ramps s. now what?' There are good pix of an installed set too.
I may have a project ahead for my old war horses. I knew looking at this site was trouble.....
It's in 'red ramps s. now what?' There are good pix of an installed set too.
I may have a project ahead for my old war horses. I knew looking at this site was trouble.....
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I've got the best of both worlds on one of my BUG's, a G26, a Lazeraim grip and night sights front and rear. If something should go wrong with the Lazeraim (batteries run down, switch breaks...) I've still got the night sights that can be used full daylight to total darkness. I've got night sights on most of my HCP pistols, 3953, 4053, 6904, 1911A1, 1066 and a Colt Double Eagle Com Comm. When the lights start to go out you can have them re-lamped (currently) for about $60.00. Average life is about 12-13 years.
Another way of looking at it is if you get enough guns with night sights in the safe there is no reason for a lighting system or goldenrod dehumidifier.
Class III
Another way of looking at it is if you get enough guns with night sights in the safe there is no reason for a lighting system or goldenrod dehumidifier. Class III
When our agency transitioned to Glock Model 22's with tritium sights, we were surprised at how scores were better for nearly everybody when firing at night than in the daylight.
When you can barely see the target, you are forced to use the sights (which should be done regardless for any distance past a couple of arm lengths).
I installed one of the XS Sight Systems 24/7 Big Dot sights on my Glock 27 and find that the large front sight is faster to pick up in daylight for my older eyes.
XS Sight Systems - Handgun Sights - 24/7 Express
When you can barely see the target, you are forced to use the sights (which should be done regardless for any distance past a couple of arm lengths).
I installed one of the XS Sight Systems 24/7 Big Dot sights on my Glock 27 and find that the large front sight is faster to pick up in daylight for my older eyes.
XS Sight Systems - Handgun Sights - 24/7 Express
bwsmith2850
Member
LaserLyte RL-1 Currently available for Glock, more brands promised. There is a mention of them in the Mar/Apr American Handgunner Winning Edge.
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