Recharging Tritium Based Sights

[SharpsDressedMan]

I have owned a Trijicon Reflex for about 8-9 years. The tritium illumination is starting to be noticeably dimmer. It has been advertised that tritium based sights can have the tritium capsules replaced when they get old. Now I like the Reflex. For any of it's shortcomings, it is accurate, consistent, fast, and is ALWAYS "on", without worrying about batteries. I have had red dots and lasers go dead in exteme cold. The Reflex is always good to go. The BAD NEWS: per Trijicon, the replacement service for the tritium is $168 per unit. I guess since I just bought a second, used unit, and both MIGHT need updated, I may be spending the bucks to get my two sights back to the top. The tritium is supposed to illuminate for 10-12 years. I had hoped to put the sights on emergency backup rifles (AK47, AK74) that would be stored and grabbed as needed, or back up to other weapons. A no battery, ready-to-go rifle with fast optics seemed like a good plan. I think Trijicon could do it for less money, so this will affect my future consideration of Trijicon sights for that reason. Has anyone else had a tritium replacement yet? What were your thought and experiences?

 

[trickyasafox]

wow i'm not sure what is necessary to do the reflex lamp replacement, but for handgun sights they get it done for under 60 bucks to replace all 3 lamps with standard green.

 

[SharpsDressedMan]

Yeah, I'd always heard about the reasonable price when doing pistol "lamps", but this might turn me away from the Reflex, especially since the technology is changing, and things like the Aimpoint last so long on a battery now. I'll do it once, but both of these Reflexes are pretty dim now....making theym daylight only until I get them refitted. Still, If they lasted 8-10 years, and will go another 8-10, that's only $17-$20 a year for illumination. Plus, I bought one sight from unclaimed freight warehouse for $150. They didn't know what they had!

 

[Sgt_R]

The tritium is supposed to illuminate for 10-12 years.

"Being an unstable isotope with a half-life of about 12.36 years, tritium loses half its brightness in that period." Wikipedia

R

 

[oneounceload]

I think Trijicon could do it for less money, so this will affect my future consideration of Trijicon sights for that reason

Why should they? Because YOU want it? They're in business, they have the reputation for top-quality products; if you want to settle for something less that is also cheaper please do so, but there's no need to bash the company for making a profit on a quality product

 

[SharpsDressedMan]

I think mine lost more than that. But we might wonder how long it was deteriorating before they put it in a glass vial to make the sight...............

 

[HowardCohodas]

I think mine lost more than that. But we might wonder how long it was deteriorating before they put it in a glass vial to make the sight...............

The clock started when the tritium left the reactor.

 

[Sgt_R]

It doesn't matter how long it sat before you got it. The day you purchased it, it was brightness x. Approx. 12.36 years later, it will be brightness 1/2x. It may appear dimmer than that to your subjective eye, but radioacive decay is a fairly exact science.

R

 

[badblk95gt]

I think anything you pay $300 for should be able to be repaired for significantly less than that purchase price.

You buy a wrench from Snap-On, they replace it or fix it for free.

I don't think that something akin to replacing a battery on a $300 item should be such a shock to expect to happen, and I certainly don't think it should be any more than 25% of initial cost. I agree with the earlier post; If their response is $300 or purchase another unit, the unit purchased will NOT be from Trijicon.

Bible verses on their stuff and and yet an un-Christianly way of treating customers.