NIght sights

boyscout · December 27, 2002, 07:11 PM

I have trijicon night sights on my glock. Ater a few years they get to dim to see. Is this normal? I'm going to get new sights and I think I'll go to something different. Any good suggestions?

Nosferatu · December 27, 2002, 07:22 PM

Trijicon green and yellow lamps have a half-life of 12 years. This means after 12 years they will be half as bright as when they were new. If you have had your sights for about this long, then yes, it's normal. If not, then you might have a warranty claim with Trijicon.

I believe, but am not certain, that the orange lamps have a half-life of 10 years.

Trijicon also supplies a lot of aftermarket night sight manufacturers with their tubes.

blades67 · December 27, 2002, 08:38 PM

You can try Mepro Lights through Kimber.

Texas Bob · December 27, 2002, 08:59 PM

E-mail trijicon and tell them about your sites. If they are "in" warrenty they'll replace the lamps no charge. If the warrenty is up you can still send them your slide and for a modest fee($12-15) per lamp they will reinstall new lamps and send it back to you. Usually cheaper than buying new sites.

Mr. Hankey · December 29, 2002, 07:48 PM

From what I understand, none of the night sight manufacturers actually build the tritium vials themselves.

They are purchased from industrial supplier.
And that there are only a handfull of companies that actually manufacture them.

tomkatz · December 29, 2002, 11:28 PM

a friend who is a dealer told me the projected life can be misleading due to the fact that some sights can lay around for a while before they are sold, and some time goes by between the time the vials are activated and then actually made into specific sights...tom

Kahr carrier · December 30, 2002, 07:15 AM

Trijicon usually have the year the night sight is made painted on the sight.

10-Ring · December 30, 2002, 12:45 PM

I just installed my 5th set of Trijicon sights. On the other 4 guns, the ages are 8-11 years old and still going strong.

Orion · December 30, 2002, 12:55 PM

You can always try and get some sort of relief from the manufacturer but I'm guessing that age has been the major factor in the dimness of those sights.

NEon · December 30, 2002, 03:59 PM

Was into the night sight thing, now just like the front post lit. Still have a couple of snake eyes though.

SouthpawShootr · December 31, 2002, 11:45 PM

Seems to me Trij NS usually have dates stamped and usually highlighted in white on the sights indicating when they were manufactured. If you see that it is less than 12 years since the date of manufacture (check their website to make sure, then call them and arrange for a warranty adjustment).

happy old sailor · January 1, 2003, 04:04 PM

try cleaning them with a Q tip and Windex or alcohol. mine collect gunkand get dim. Trijicons on my G19 are 98's and look much birghter when clean. still very useable.

Keith · January 1, 2003, 04:21 PM

Try the fiber-optic sights. They are about 1/5th the price and much brighter - unless you're in absolute darkness. But then, you couldn't what you were shooting at anyway.

Keith

Poohgyrr · January 1, 2003, 04:47 PM

TriJicons have worked best for me. The yellow don't last nearly as well as the green. Another thing to watch for the the manufacture date, some retailers may sell sights a few years old.

I personally don't care for Meprolights or PT's, but am willing to change my mind if they improve.

Glockorama · January 1, 2003, 09:43 PM

Whatever you do don't get PT night nights, they are very dim new and only get dimmer.

happy old sailor · January 2, 2003, 11:23 AM

good point keith. as i have no plans to be in total darkness without some kind of light, will leave the trijicons on the glocks.

however, have seriously considered fiber optics for daylight shooting, targets, plinking stuff. my aged eyes need some help. i am now using red dots, but, they are enormous and holsters for carry are more of a bag. ok for hunting, but

if you know of a source for fiber optics that swap out on handguns, please pass it on. all i can find are for long guns.

Keith · January 3, 2003, 03:45 PM

Happy Old Sailor.

Sorry for the delay in responding!

You can get a number of fiberoptic handgun sights through Brownells. The thing to be carefull of is that they tend to list the height to the top of the post, rather than to the center of the dot which is actually your new aiming point.

As far as I'm concerned, these are every bit as good as the red dot sights, but without all the weight and electronics - and expense!

We were talking about these up in the "Front Sight" thread in this same forum.

happy old sailor · January 4, 2003, 12:36 AM

ty Keith, and will abide by your caution on sight heights.

December 27, 2002, 07:11 PM	#1
boyscout Member Join Date: December 25, 2002 Location: Indiana Posts: 17	NIght sights I have trijicon night sights on my glock. Ater a few years they get to dim to see. Is this normal? I'm going to get new sights and I think I'll go to something different. Any good suggestions?

December 27, 2002, 07:22 PM	#2
Nosferatu Member Join Date: December 25, 2002 Location: Flagstaff, AZ Posts: 74	Trijicon green and yellow lamps have a half-life of 12 years. This means after 12 years they will be half as bright as when they were new. If you have had your sights for about this long, then yes, it's normal. If not, then you might have a warranty claim with Trijicon. I believe, but am not certain, that the orange lamps have a half-life of 10 years. Trijicon also supplies a lot of aftermarket night sight manufacturers with their tubes. __________________ NF FiveseveN/5.7x28mm Forum

December 27, 2002, 08:38 PM	#3
blades67 Member Join Date: December 25, 2002 Location: Mesa, Arizona, USA Posts: 1,771	You can try Mepro Lights through Kimber. __________________ Guns cause crime like spoons cause Rosie O'Donnell to be fat! I hunt, therefore I am. TFL #1212, THR #536, 1911forum #4208

December 27, 2002, 08:59 PM	#4
Texas Bob Member Join Date: December 26, 2002 Location: Anywhere USA, look behind you! Posts: 202	E-mail trijicon and tell them about your sites. If they are "in" warrenty they'll replace the lamps no charge. If the warrenty is up you can still send them your slide and for a modest fee($12-15) per lamp they will reinstall new lamps and send it back to you. Usually cheaper than buying new sites. __________________ "A gentleman will seldom, if ever, need a pistol. However, if he does, he needs it very badly!" Sir Winston Churchill

December 30, 2002, 07:15 AM	#7
Kahr carrier Member Join Date: December 30, 2002 Location: WESTSIDE Posts: 2,061	Trijicon usually have the year the night sight is made painted on the sight. __________________ 1911s Rule.-WATCH AND PRAY OR DUCK AND COVER !

December 29, 2002, 07:48 PM	#5
Mr. Hankey Member Join Date: December 25, 2002 Location: The Kommonwealth Posts: 59	From what I understand, none of the night sight manufacturers actually build the tritium vials themselves. They are purchased from industrial supplier. And that there are only a handfull of companies that actually manufacture them.

December 29, 2002, 11:28 PM	#6
tomkatz Member Join Date: December 26, 2002 Location: auburn washington Posts: 825	a friend who is a dealer told me the projected life can be misleading due to the fact that some sights can lay around for a while before they are sold, and some time goes by between the time the vials are activated and then actually made into specific sights...tom

December 30, 2002, 12:45 PM	#8
10-Ring Member Join Date: December 24, 2002 Location: California Posts: 12,039	I just installed my 5th set of Trijicon sights. On the other 4 guns, the ages are 8-11 years old and still going strong. __________________ "We will not waver; we will not tire; we will not falter; and we will not fail. Peace and freedom will prevail." President George W. Bush, October 7, 2001

December 30, 2002, 12:55 PM	#9
Orion Member Join Date: December 25, 2002 Location: Columbus, Ohio Posts: 110	You can always try and get some sort of relief from the manufacturer but I'm guessing that age has been the major factor in the dimness of those sights. __________________ It was like this when I got here, TFL Handle Gonzo_308

December 30, 2002, 03:59 PM	#10
NEon Member Join Date: December 29, 2002 Posts: 74	Was into the night sight thing, now just like the front post lit. Still have a couple of snake eyes though. __________________ May you be in Heaven 30 seconds before the Devil knows you're dead.

December 31, 2002, 11:45 PM	#11
SouthpawShootr Member Join Date: December 29, 2002 Location: Chesapeake, VA Posts: 2,621	Seems to me Trij NS usually have dates stamped and usually highlighted in white on the sights indicating when they were manufactured. If you see that it is less than 12 years since the date of manufacture (check their website to make sure, then call them and arrange for a warranty adjustment).

January 1, 2003, 04:04 PM	#12
happy old sailor Member Join Date: December 29, 2002 Location: WestArk Posts: 581	try cleaning them with a Q tip and Windex or alcohol. mine collect gunkand get dim. Trijicons on my G19 are 98's and look much birghter when clean. still very useable. __________________ hos TFLer

January 1, 2003, 04:21 PM	#13
Keith Member Join Date: December 26, 2002 Location: Kodiak, Alaska Posts: 1,785	Try the fiber-optic sights. They are about 1/5th the price and much brighter - unless you're in absolute darkness. But then, you couldn't what you were shooting at anyway. Keith

January 1, 2003, 04:47 PM	#14
Poohgyrr Member Join Date: December 27, 2002 Location: Northern CA: blue skies, green grass, live oak trees, trout fishing. Posts: 832	TriJicons have worked best for me. The yellow don't last nearly as well as the green. Another thing to watch for the the manufacture date, some retailers may sell sights a few years old. I personally don't care for Meprolights or PT's, but am willing to change my mind if they improve. __________________ "Life brings sorrows and joys alike. It is what a man does with them - not what they do to him - that is the test of his mettle." T. Roosevelt

January 1, 2003, 09:43 PM	#15
Glockorama Member Join Date: December 25, 2002 Location: Washington Posts: 248	Whatever you do don't get PT night nights, they are very dim new and only get dimmer. __________________ 10mm-Fast, heavy, powerful--when only the best will do.

January 2, 2003, 11:23 AM	#16
happy old sailor Member Join Date: December 29, 2002 Location: WestArk Posts: 581	good point keith. as i have no plans to be in total darkness without some kind of light, will leave the trijicons on the glocks. however, have seriously considered fiber optics for daylight shooting, targets, plinking stuff. my aged eyes need some help. i am now using red dots, but, they are enormous and holsters for carry are more of a bag. ok for hunting, but if you know of a source for fiber optics that swap out on handguns, please pass it on. all i can find are for long guns. __________________ hos TFLer

January 3, 2003, 03:45 PM	#17
Keith Member Join Date: December 26, 2002 Location: Kodiak, Alaska Posts: 1,785	Happy Old Sailor. Sorry for the delay in responding! You can get a number of fiberoptic handgun sights through Brownells. The thing to be carefull of is that they tend to list the height to the top of the post, rather than to the center of the dot which is actually your new aiming point. As far as I'm concerned, these are every bit as good as the red dot sights, but without all the weight and electronics - and expense! We were talking about these up in the "Front Sight" thread in this same forum.

January 4, 2003, 12:36 AM	#18
happy old sailor Member Join Date: December 29, 2002 Location: WestArk Posts: 581	ty Keith, and will abide by your caution on sight heights. __________________ hos TFLer

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