Useful, IMHO!
Not being an LEO, I don't have a huge amount of experience with night/dim light shooting, but do have a couple of points to offer.
1. It can be frightfully easy to miss a target in dim/dark shooting when you just can't see the sights. Example: Many years ago, I decided to carry Glaser Safety Slugs in a .38 snubbie. These suckers were $3.00+ each, so as a poor college student, I didn't want to waste any. However, I did want to see what one would do to a water-filled target. As I only had 1 "extra" to fire, I wanted to do it in dim light, in order to see what the flash would be like, and if it would cause problems with my night-vision. I had an empty 4-lb Winchester ball powder canister (remember them?) with a white label, full of water, and set it on the range at about 7 yards, about chest-high.
I waited until it was "dusk dark" but not actually DARK, similar to an urban setting with streetlights at night. Now, this was not a small target (cylindrical, think maybe basketball sized, with the top/bottom 1/4's removed), and was white. I could see it plainly, but I could not see the sights to save my life. I carefully aimed and fired... and missed the whole thing!! I could not believe it! I'm a former Bullseye Pistol competitor and hitting a postage stamp at that distance would be a breeze in good daylight. That was a quick education!
2. I later found that, when using standard sights (not night sights) and a bright flashlight, depending on how you hold the light, the beam can back-light the sights and give a beautiful, crisp sight picture you'd love to have on a daylight bullseye range. Done properly, it can lead to some astonishingly accurate shooting.
3. I believe the night sights have excellent utility (from my little use of them), especially if you don't have a flashlight. Given certain ambient light conditions, it IS possible to identify your target positively in dim light but still not be able to see standard sights, which could IMHO lead to a miss as mentioned above... and I wasn't even under stress! In such a case, the night sights can allow accurate shooting even without use of a flashlight. Once again, the target must be positively identified, but this can very well be possible in ambient light that still does not permit seeing standard sights. "Point" or "index" shooting can be functional, but I prefer the certain accuracy of night sights.
4. They make it easier to find your pistol on your night-stand in the dark!
I will be very interested to hear the input of others such as LEO's who have more experience shooting with night sights in low light.
Hope this is helpful,
John
