DIY Night Sights

[BlackBearME]

OK, so here's my thought. I want night sights on my gun. However, my gun has fixed sights (Taurus 605), so the standard AO/TruGlo system won't work. This means custom work, and I'm not incredibly fond of sending off my gun (it's my only carry piece at the moment) for an indefinite amount of time to someplace like Tooltech (http://www.tooltechgunsight.com/).

Here's the thing. What I understand is that if I sent my gun to Tooltech or similar, basically they would drill/mill a hole/channel and secure a Tritium vial in there. I was thinking that (as far as I can see) there's no reason I can't do this. My Father-in-Law is a machinist, and if he doesn't feel confident I know a gunsmith in the area who would probably do the work. Have them drill/mill out the areas I need, and buy Tritium vials and glue them in(probably silicone, for ease of replacement) So, I have two questions:

1) Does anyone know of anyone who's done this sort of thing before?
2) Does anyone foresee any problems with this? It would be a 1.5mmx3-5mm hole going in the front sight blade and into each side of the rear sight channel (unless someone can suggest a better arrangement)

[CWL]

Go ahead, let us know how it turns out. It shouldn't be any more difficult than you described.

I don't know if silicone would work though, seems like it would release the glass vial under force of recoils -but I don't have any science to back that up. I just know that all my tritiums appear to be fixed with clear expoxy.

[BlackBearME]

Yeah, well, I was doing a little research on it, and epoxy was my first choice. But then as someone brought up, replacing it down the road would probably be easier with silicone as opposed to an epoxy (because if I keep it that long, I'm going to eventually have to replace the tritium.) Hrmmm....we'll have to see.

[rcmodel]

Other then acquiring the required Federal License from the NRC to handle the radioactive Tritium vials, it should be easy! :uhoh:

BTW: Use Epoxy. That's how the big boys do it.
You heat them up until the epoxy softens to remove them.

http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j219/rcmodel/KTOG/1224.gif
rcmodel

[BigBlock]

Other then acquiring the required Federal License from the NRC to handle the radioactive Tritium vials, it should be easy!

They're easily bought on the internet, no problem. There is no danger what so ever in working with them, the amount of radiation they contain hardly even counts as "radioactive".

[biggiesmalls]

go ahead. if you mess up its only a taurus :neener:

[sig226]

See if you can find a good gunsmith who can mill off the front sight and cut a dovetail. Your gunsmith should be able to determine what size dovetail he sill cut and what height sight he can use. It looks like there's enough steel there to do it.

[denfoote]

They're easily bought on the internet, no problem. There is no danger what so ever in working with them, the amount of radiation they contain hardly even counts as "radioactive".

Could you provide the link to this??

I can't seem to find it on the NRC web site!!

[chipperi]

They do make a glow in the dark paint for sight pins on bows, maybe that would work out. It is easy to apply.

[Robert Hairless]

Never had any luck with that glow in the dark paint sold for use on gun sights. It takes a lot of exposure to light but produces a relatively rapid fade in the dark.

I was the last man in a line of friends who tried it. First guy bought a kit years ago, got upset with it and passed it to a friend. He got upset with it and passed it to another. And so it went, I later learned, going through some large number of people until they stuck me with it. I applied it, got upset with it, and called the guy who gave it to me. He laughed, explained the joke, and told me it was my turn to stick someone else. I haven't found anyone who would take the kit, so it sits on my shelf, waiting.

Maybe there's different paint for bows? Or maybe the demands are different? I'd be interested to know.

[RyanM]

Personally, I'd say it would be easier to find out the dovetail dimensions for the models that the sights you want are available for, then have your dad-in-law or local gunsmith cut those dovetails for you. Then buy the sights, and install 'em.

That's what I plan to do eventually, with my Kahr MK40. Have the dovetails milled out to whatever brand is larger than Kahr's dovetails, then buy TruGlo TFOs.

[kirkcdl]

Tag in case someone comes up with a source for the tritium vials,I need a couple for a P226...:cool:

[proud2deviate]

Source. (http://cgi.ebay.com/Tritium-Vial-Put-Night-Sights-On-Your-Gun-Any-Gun_W0QQitemZ250199885978QQihZ015QQcategoryZ36258QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem)


Wow. Big source. (http://cgi.ebay.com/TRITIUM-TUBES-H3-cells-light-knife-knives-gun-blade_W0QQitemZ320200665400QQihZ011QQcategoryZ40970QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem)

[thepenismightier]

I know, I know...holy vintage thread, Batman. But why start a new one on the exact same topic?

The ebay links for Tritium inserts given above are long dead, but here's a current source that I found: http://www.cpfmarketplace.com/mp/showthread.php?t=170374, along with a DIY writeup from a fellow who used them on his Kel-Tec: http://heezy.com/nightsights.html

What I want to know is, BlackBear...were you successful in your DIY attempts? Has anybody else attempted to make their own tritium night sights?

Finally, does anybody see any reason why this shouldn't work on a 1911? My front sight is a soldered-in ramped variety that I'm pretty sure has the length to accomodate the vial...rear sight's another matter.

Ideas? Experiences?

[Vern Humphrey]

I've used typewriter correction fluid for years with considerable success.

Try this -- do some low-light drills with the gun as is, then put a dab of correction fluid on the front sight and go through the same drills. You'll notice a big improvement.

[highorder]

There is no danger what so ever in working with them, the amount of radiation they contain hardly even counts as "radioactive".

To answer an old question:

Tritium is a low energy beta emitter – about 18 KeV (kilo-electron volts). That isn't enough energy to penetrate the dead layer of skin cells on the outside of the skin (although tritiated water vapor, like any water vapor, can be absorbed through the skin). Therefore tritium is an internal hazard only.

Don't eat trit tubes.

Unless you are an uber DIY person, you are far better off having commercial nite-sites installed by a gunsmith or the factory.

I like Trijicon.

[thepenismightier]

I kinda like the DIY approach in general, but I also have the cheapskate problem. I've been told that the front sight on my gun is quite difficult to remove and replace with a dovetail type, which translates to Cha-Ching if I have a 'smith do it. And I'm too broke for that.

[thepenismightier]

If I do try the vials, I'll be sure not to chew them. Thanks for the tip! ;)

[highorder]

If you arent a machinist, or have a best friend that is a machinist, you should find a gunsmith.

Trijicon makes stake-on and dovetail 1911 sights.

http://www.trijicon.com/user/parts/products1.cfm?PartID=26&back_row=2&categoryID=7

[thepenismightier]

Those Trijicons are nice, but it's $100 for the sights, then I'd be looking at another $150-$250 for the install...at least from the 'smiths I've seen. Does anybody know a place that'll do it cheaper?

The Tritium vials are $11 each. With a drill press and some very careful measuring, I'll bet I can sink a hole in my front sight to slip a vial in. I'm open to ideas on the rear sight, though.

Surely somebody's tried this...

[rcmodel]

Rear sight dots are over-rated.

Easy to confuse them with the front dot in high-stress situations.
If you do, you miss badly!

At SD range, just put the front dot on a BG and squeeze, and you will hit him every time.
You shouldn't be looking at the rear sight anyway.

However, if you do want front & back:
Wilson Combat will install Night-Eyes for $175 including the sights.

http://www.wilsoncombat.com/a_sights_ne.asp

http://www.wilsoncombat.com/2009ORDERFORM.pdf

rc

[ScareyH22A]

There's a simple solution. Buy another gun so you won't be without while your 605 is sent out.

[thepenismightier]

Hey, $175 actually ain't half bad. I might still try the DIY method, but if I mess up I could just send it to Wilson. Thanks for that tip.

Good point about even bothering with the rear sights for close range. If I can make the front work, I just might leave it at that.

[Lucky]

There's laws on the thickness of metal surrounding the tube. That's why night sights are thick. Also you need the tiny perfect crystal to cap off the hole you drill.

I saw a page where a guy installs a trijicon front sight on a 1911a1, looks like a $50 job. When the sights are 'staked' they just use a little tool to pound the soft front sight metal down around the edges, on the inside of your slide, it's what holds them in. You dremel this little lip off carefully, then the gunsmith can't charge you for the most time-consuming part of the job.

[thepenismightier]

Let me know if you come across that website again, sounds useful.

I've got a Norinco 1911, and another forum member told me recently that they're particularly hard to remove the front sight from. That's really all I know about it, but I'll look inside my slide when I get home.

Are you sure about the metal surrounding the tube, though? Seems people are sticking these vials in just about anything. The ones in that Kel-Tec job I linked to above are even mostly exposed.

[Lucky]

Here it is:
http://www.realguns.com/archives/165.htm
http://www.realguns.com/images/cutoutoldsight.jpg
http://www.realguns.com/images/stkgtllchstip.jpg
http://www.realguns.com/images/toolsetupvw.gif
http://www.realguns.com/images/finishedtenoninid.jpg

[thepenismightier]

Awesome...thanks much!

[Hostile Amish]

Epoxy, not silicone ;)

[Dex Sinister]

Also you need the tiny perfect crystal to cap off the hole you drill.

Yeah, I'd think that that would be the problem. I have ancient tritium sights on my Kahr that are all but dead - but they clearly have nice little lenses on the end.

I'm tempted to get a couple and play though - I couldn't possibly make them less useful than they are now.

I do note that the seller says he "has NOTHING for weapons sights" - though he was replying to a question about a illuminated scope at the time.

Dex }:>=-