Red Vs Green Fiber Optic Sights?

[DonNikmare]

I overheard this at the local CTD store today...

"Yeah, the red ones are better. Red is the only color that does not cause your eyes to dialate, you know."

I had always thought that I would get a green fiber optic insert as I think of green as a collor that would help my eyes relax more, see more clearly, and therefore, allow me to aim better.

Any truth to that statement? Is one collor better than the other and why in your opinion?

And a related question...how long do these fiber optic inserts last? I keep getting these "It depends..." answers but are we talking weeks, months or...?

Nik

 

[P95Carry]

Fortunately not suffering color blindness - I like both. I particularly like pair of green rear and red front - makes an awesome sight pic for these old eyes!

As for dilation -- hmmm ..... well red is longer wavelength but - can't quite see a major connection!!

 

[rayra]

sounds like someone was conflating the 'red light at night' eye behaviour with a piece of red fiber - sounds like nonsense to me.
As for 'how long do they last' - I'd say indefinitely / until you smash them on something. There's nothing to wear out, it's just a piece of transparent plastic.
I've used an white-rear orange-front painted dot mix on my pistol sights for some time, the different colors certainly help with achieving a quick sight picture.

 

[Tman]

I have both red/thin and light green/thick site on a couple of my pistols. My personal preference is the light green/thicker combo but everybody has their own favorites. So far I have not had to change them, but just wipe them off since they get dirty sitting near the muzzle. I can't remember who makes them, but someone makes a fiberoptic/tritium combo (trijicon???).

 

[HSMITH]

I like red better personally. Green to my eyes can be extremely bright when bright and sunny, it can give a 'halo' around the dot that obscures what I am shooting at. I've not had the same trouble with red. Conversely, when nearly dark the green works a little better than the red.

 

[Gunsnrovers]

I have a green fibre optic front sight on my 2" M15. In bright light it may be too bright. The halo effect mentioned above sounds like what I have seen.

However, in lower light or when used with my flash light, the green shows up very well.

 

[sm]

Green.

Even before my "Chuck Yeager" eyes went south and other problems I did better with green. Low light, Bright sun, shadows...my eyes pick it up better. Front sight only. Especially now, I do not do well with the rear sight being a color.

Red; with my eye problems, I get a bad halo effect, add the sun, low light, and forget about seeing it when the light comes and goes ( shadows).

I don't have 'scripted shooting glasses, no need to invest until my eyes get settled or I have surgery. Even using someone else's glasses, or the stick on magnifiers makes no difference for me.

" What sight ? "

 

[rick_reno]

Green is easier to pick up with the eye, especially in dim light.

 

[brickeyee]

"Green is easier to pick up with the eye, especially in dim light."

The human eye is more sensative to green light then any other color.

 

[TarpleyG]

They do "wear out" to some degree in that after a while, oil and dirt accumulate on the length of FO and make it less brilliant. I can get about 1000 rounds out of the one on my IDPA gun before I have to change it.

Greg

 

[JohnKSa]

Your eye is a good deal more sensitive to green than red.