Tritium Sights….Necessary on your EDC or not?

[Jeff White]

Tritium sights were a necessary accessory on a defensive pistol back in the 80s. I had them on all of my duty pistols.

I don’t look at them as necessary any longer. Private citizens and peace officers don’t really have cause to shoot a target they can’t identify. If you are illuminating the target so you can identify it, you can see your sights and the tritium glow is washed out.

One advantage they do give is that many people shoot better in daylight with them. My department’s scores went up when we got tritium sights.

So, are they worth the $100 or so they cost or would the money be better spent on a good light?

 

[Old Dog]

I've gone back and forth on this over the years. I've done a considerable amount of training for night and low-light shooting, and so developed somewhat of a fondness for bright night-sights, because they do work for me if I'm not using a WML or hand-held light -- I think night-sights are best for low light situations where you have some ambient light, don't really need a flashlight, but it's dim enough that you wouldn't be able to pick up your sights really well without that nice tritium glow...

Also, for those of us that live without children or addition people in our household, isn't it comforting when you wake in the middle of the night for that bathroom call, to see those three glowing dots on your pistol sitting on your nightstand on top of your Holy Bible and the latest copies of American Rifleman and Field and Stream? One time, some years ago (prior to moving to my new more rural location), that nice glow helped me quickly find my pistol when suddenly awakened at night by loud crashing in the alley between my house and the neighbor's. Yeah, it was a pretty militant raccoon, but I was ready.

I'm kind of of the belief that private citizens don't really need WMLs -- unless they've acquired some good training in their use. Otherwise, too much potential for inadvertent Rule 2 violations (it's simply too instinctive to point the light, hence the muzzle as well, directly in the direction one is trying to illuminate). And frankly, I'm getting kinda down on WMLs for patrol officers as well -- not everything you are illuminating, or need to illuminate, is a target. I've seen a lot of bad muzzle discipline and don't think every building clearing requires one to unholster one's pistol to use its light.

As far as choosing between the added expense of night sights on one's new pistol or a quality SureFire, Streamlight, Fenix or O-Light -- even the non-gun person should have a top-quality flashlight to keep on their person at all times. Plus, many companies now (SIG and Kimber to name a couple) offer really nice night-sights on most of their pistol lines, at really no extra cost.

With regard to night-sights, to me, just another thing I'd rather have and maybe never need, than not have and then just once, really need. So my answer to the original question is, yeah, night sights are worth it for me. (And for those that may not agree, I have no problem with opposing views on this subject)

 

[Dibbs]

If I had to choose between better sights and a good light, (I don't) I would always choose the light. I used my pocket flashlight 8X today. I haven't used my gun (in a defensive capacity) since I got my CCW PTC.
OTOH, IMO, tritium sights are an excellent upgrade.

 

[CDW4ME]

There would definitely be lighting situations where I could not easily see regular sights yet be able to see target.
My carry pistols don't have a light, just night sights.
Enhanced front sight and subdued rear (Trijicon HD) is best for me; if wearing my glasses front sight is fuzzed, but I can still shoot effectively.

 

[FL-NC]

The stock sights that come on most Glocks are trash, so they need to be replaced. Might as well use tritium. If you keep your HD pistol on your night stand, they can help you find it in the dark. They can also help you in POOR light. In the end, I don't see how they can HURT you, whether it is dark or not. Better to have and not need.

 

[lemaymiami]

On the job (all those years ago), I really valued having night sights on my issued Sig Sauer, 40cal.... I only had them my last six or seven years though - all my previous duty (and off-duty) weapons had ordinary sights... If I were buying a new sidearm, night sights would be a feature I'd appreciate - if buying used I'd take whatever the weapon came with (this from a guy that does not carry a sidearm at all these days - and haven't since I retired out from police work...).

The real value of night sights isn't in the dead of night total darkness situation - it's in the everyday low light situation since you don't get to choose when you'll end up in an armed confrontation (except by avoidance - lots to be said in favor of avoiding any gunplay if at all possible....). You'll never see me advocating using a light attached to a pistol since it simply turns you into a target -and the guy you're looking at may not be your immediate threat - that may come from a dark corner you haven't even scoped out yet....

Being able to see the sights on your sidearm in any light condition is well worth it... Hitting your target when you can't clearly see your sights is not very possible - unless you're much closer than I'd ever want to be...

 

[Tirod]

I have them on two pistols. The first is a circa 1995 S&W 4566, and they are dead. I put white model car paint over the dots. The second is a new P365, and in five years they will be about 50% as that is the half life of tritium. And I will put white paint over it.

The $100 cost of tritium sights is closer to $135 now, and there is no savings having your old ones reconditioned. You save a few bucks buying all new again. And in five years they dim down to 50%. As said, for CCW, identifying your target is far more important and that means having light to project onto them. There are pros and cons about that, however, having a sight picture but not knowing who they are isn't a positive. $100 will go pretty far to meet that need, a weapon mounted or hand held LED does that job. They weren't so much just ten years ago, the tech has changed making the accessory better.

 

[trackskippy]

I have them on any handgun I can get them on, and I prefer the three dot versions.

I also have them on a couple of rifles and shotguns.

I also have a couple of both types of guns with lights mounted too. I also carry a pocket flashlight too, so I always have that option, and the light gets used all the time anyway.

I always looked at this as a package deal, like a map, compass, and GPS are best used together, then individually.

As was mentioned, the night sights are more of a 24 hour set of sights, and it doesn't need to be "dark" for them to be a benefit. Daytime against dark targets, darker rooms or shadows, etc, where you lose your sight picture are just one advantage. The more you use them, the more you see the advantages.

I like the three dots because they give both horizontal and vertical alignment, and its just as easy to shoot with the dots, as it is a traditional sight picture.

 

[bratch]

I don’t find them a requirement any more but have them on several pistols because the sights I want happen to be tritium. Like @CDW4ME I really like the HD style sights and am enthused that the factory P365 sights are this style.

I run fiber fronts and black rears on several pistols as well especially longer 5” guns. I can’t get a thinner front in fiber than tritium which I prefer.

 

[Madcap_Magician]

As others have said, it's not for the pitch-black that you need them, it's for the low-light situation where you can identify your target but the crisp lines of your iron sights are hard to pick up. Additionally, the bright colored ring around many modern tritium front sights is helpful for daytime aiming as well.

 

[Zerodefect]

You don't need to waste money on Tritium night sights. But you should always spend what it takes to get quality sights. I have one pistol with a single front night sight. It has it's niche. All of my others have a FO or plain black front. All my rear sights are plain black.

Use what works for you, and know when NOT to use sights.

 

[trackskippy]

I agree, you should know how to use the sights, as well as be able to shoot without them, and anything that helps you or your brain see them, with or without, is a plus.

And that is tritium. Youre brain still sees them in any light, even if youre not looking at them.

 

[huntsman]

I have tritium sights on a Shield40 and I like them, no desire to change out the sights on other handguns as white dot are similar enough.

So if a gun had them I’d buy but tritium isn’t something I seek out or am willing to pay more for.

 

[RetiredUSNChief]

Never had any tritium sights.

However, my sights on my Colt 1991A1 are painted yellow (rear) and orange (front).

For a little feedback on my experience painting my sights, I bought some florescent paint at a gun shop years ago; tiny little vials for I-don't-recall-how-much-but-it-was-too-much.

It took quite a few layers of that paint to build it up to something usefully visible.

I don't know if I still have it, but even if I do I won't use it again. I'm just underwhelmed by it for the price I paid.

I'm getting ready to repaint my sights again and this time I'm going to use nail polish. Same color scheme.

 

[luzyfuerza]

I like iron sights that are as bright as possible, both daytime and in low light. Tritium, plus a light pipe of some kind (like a TFX) works in both these situations.

Even better would be a sight that is bright both day AND all night! Does such a beast exist?

Well, those who use pistol-mounted red dots seem to do well with them. I am a late adopter, but maybe I'll get one someday and tritium, with all its limitations, can be relegated to the dustbin of my pistol shooting history.

 

[Good Ol' Boy]

I have tritium night sights on my two Glocks I use for SD, but not because they glow. Stock Glock sights suck bigly.

I am literally NEVER out after dark and in my 1100sf home I have enough ambient night light to not need them (I won't even get into point shooting).

I put them on because the stock sights are garbage for me.

 

[herrwalther]

I have never had tritium sights on any handgun I have owned. Never really appealed to me. If it is dark enough that I am looking to line up 3 glowing green dots, then seeing my sights and not the bad guy won't do me any good. Yes I can see my sights, because they glow. But I can't see the bad guy. I have focused my low light training around white lights (mounted or hand) while using fiber optic or high contrast sights. Just my opinion on what works for me. I get the same question from my students that I teach and I generally always answer the same: use what tools best work, for you. If tritium works for you, I'll help you find the right sights.

 

[T_Walker]

I really like them. My "woods" pistol came with a tritium sight and I carry it often in the evenings where mountain lions, coyotes, and bears roam. Training with them at dusk really highlights their usefulness. If I were to upgrade my other pistols' sights, I would definitely consider tritium sights.

 

[trackskippy]

It doesnt have to be "pitch black" dark to take advantage of the night sights. They give you a reference in all lighting conditions when you cant get your normal sight picture.

Right now its pretty dark in my house, and if I aim at something dark, be it a corner, chair, person in darker clothing, etc, the dots stand right out. I cant differentiate the front sight from what Im aiming at, and I cant get a traditional sight picture. The room is bright enough that I can easily identify what Im looking at too.

 

[twarr1]

When I bought my Ruger Security 9 a couple years ago I went with the Pro model with tritium sights. Never regretted that decision!

 

[1942bull]

I switched the sights on my Ruger Security 9 compact from white to yellow. It makes them easier (for me) to pick up in any light. In dim light to dark I use a handheld flashlight with arms crossed. I am not impressed enough with night sights to spend money in them. Glowing sights are nit going to illuminate the target. One I have a light beam on the target it us easy to get sighted with my set up.

View attachment 1016529

 

[TRX]

Private citizens and peace officers don’t really have cause to shoot a target they can’t identify. If you are illuminating the target so you can identify it, you can see your sights and the tritium glow is washed out.

In an irregularly-lit area, it's quite possible that your target might be visible in the light, and you're standing in shadow with *one* sight bracketing the target and no idea where the other is. I have that problem in late-evening shooting now; my eyes aren't what they were half a century ago.

Further, I've had the misfortune to be in a couple of situations where everyone in sight was a valid target, as far as I was concerned. Both times I had and took the option of leaving the area rapidly, and had the very best kind of gunfight. (that is, "one that did not happen.") I can't count on always being so lucky in the future.

 

[Elkins45]

I have both tritium sights and a laser on my carry gun. If my glasses get knocked off in some sort of altercation which then escalates into a need to shoot I want every advantage I can give myself.

If you wear corrective lenses you should try some low-light shooting practice without them. It’s quite eye-opening (pun intended.)

 

[Buzznrose]

I used to replace all my Glock sights with tritiums. But now, my carry guns almost all have a red dot sight. I recently bought a Ruger LCP Max which will be a pocket gun, but otherwise, any guns I buy from now on with the plan to make it a carry gun will be "optics ready".

Also, to the OP's question...for me, a light makes up very well for lack of night sights...way better visual for me...so a light is preferred over night sights.

 

[jag1954]

I have them on my Hellcat and love 'em.