Viability of night sights

**Skaaphaas** · 07-10-2018, 18:43

What is the true value of night sights?

I love how my sights glow when it’s proper dark out. But I noticed that usually in these circumstances, I wouldn’t be able to ID a threat, nevermind pick a spot to aim at.

If my WML is on the tritiums on my sights become useless and I use the usual sight outline for sight picture.

The only circumstance I can think of is where I might be in a dark area and the threat not. The chances of this seem very slim.

I wonder if it is really worth the expense?

**Antlion** · 07-10-2018, 18:56

I have been through the same thought process. With my trijicon HDs , there were very few areas I could think off where a threat could have been ID'd and the tritium still visible, due to the effect you describe. In hindsight I should have spent the money on a decent light back then. My next carry gun will probably have fibres.

**BigT** · 07-10-2018, 19:11

I’ve tried carrying fibres.

Realistically there are plenty real world light situations where you don’t need a light for PID but can’t see fibres or plain black sights.

My lounge at night is exactly those light conditions.

Look around the average parking lot at night. Enough ambient light to know who you’re shooting without a light. Not enough to see non illuminated sights.

It’s a relatively limited window. But it’s some of the most likely scenarios you will need your carry gun

Ideal solution though is #dotlife. But barring that I’m still recommend night sights with a big bright painted front sight like on HD’s etc.

**Skaaphaas** · 07-10-2018, 19:17

I’ll make sure to look around more, thanks.

**pdh** · 07-10-2018, 19:18

Originally Posted by BigT

Look around the average parking lot at night. Enough ambient light to know who you’re shooting without a light. Not enough to see non illuminated sights.

It’s a relatively limited window. But it’s some of the most likely scenarios you will need your carry gun

This sums it up for me. I however don’t feel underprepared with a gun with a WML and fibre sights

**Daniel55** · 07-10-2018, 19:26

Had night sights, currently run Warren fibers. I Don’t feel deprived, a course or two with fundikhono and MDW changed my perspective .

**BigT** · 07-10-2018, 20:08

Originally Posted by pdh

This sums it up for me. I however don’t feel underprepared with a gun with a WML and fibre sights

I wouldn’t either.

But while I carry a WML more than most. I still only carry it the minority of the time.

**Pirate** · 07-10-2018, 20:58

I put a "proper" fibre front / black rear (Proctor Y) on my game gun at the end of last year. While I still prefer having the tritiums on my edc gun, I was very pleasantly surprised by how well the Proctor pics up light in very subdued conditions. I have always questioned the practise of fibres on a carry gun, but if they work as well as these then I can see the logic, and it's a damn sight better (no pun intended) than standard 3-dots.

**Katlagter** · 07-10-2018, 21:23

I have a Tritium front sight on my Glock 26. O the night shoots I've done I saw the illuminated dot for the first shot, the muzzle flash blinded me and thereafter I could not discern it at all. So for me with my vision and eyes, it is a strictly first shot advantage. I have not done a night shoot with a WML and fiber-optics, but the same may apply. I tried closing my eyes on firing the shot, but battled with that.

**Yellowfever** · 08-10-2018, 09:20

When we did our last night shoot I thought the sites were less effective (scenario is dark, but there is little ambient light from the range house). Ok so a shoot like that is not the best place to fiddle with a FA to check all the scenarios and determine is it me (night vision), the sights or something else. I have since realised I upgrade from 100 lm to 400 lm WML I find them less effective. They still give a reassuring glow at night when I put the G19 in it's spot for the night. I will try and test them at a private range when I do get an opportunity.