tritium sights necessary on home defense gun?

[atek3]

I posted my home defense setup a while back, basically 4" XD40 w/ insight M6 stoked with Ranger SXT. standard fixed sights. Most likely a DGU would be at night. My gun is in my hand, I illuminate the target with the insight, my sights are silhoutted against their body. Considering the longest hallway in my house is about 3 m, this is well within the range when a pure front sight focus maybe too slow. So what is the point FOR ME of having trijicons, which are marginally easier to pick up at night.

thanks,
atek3

PS the question is prompted because I'd like replace the front sight with a orange fiber sight.

 

[Jeff White]

Trijicon nights sights are but another tool to aid you in fighting in the dark. It sounds like you have things covered with your M6 light. If that is the only scenario you anticipate useing the weapon in, then you've got things covered.

Software, not hardware is the key. Have you trained to employ your weapon this way? People who make lists of must haves for their weapons often don't really think out their intended use. It sounds to me like you have.

Jeff

 

[atek3]

Software, not hardware is the key. Have you trained to employ your weapon this way? People who make lists of must haves for their weapons often don't really think out their intended use. It sounds to me like you have.

My main consideration are the alterations I'm making to the gun for IDPA/IPSC, I don't want any that will compromise it's role as primarily a "Practical" gun.

atek3

 

[psyopspec]

My IDPA/nightstand gun has tritium sites. Not familiar with IPSC, but the gun would still be both practical and tactical (and I swear to God I use that term half heartedly) with tritiums installed.

Other than that, there's the simple combination of money, availability, and personal preference. If you, for whatever reason, want to go with NS and the other two are of no consequence, by all means go for it.

 

[LawDog]

Necessary? No.

Preferable? For me, yes. For you, that's up to you.

The M6 is an excellent night-fighting tool, one of the best.

However (and this is just my opinion), batteries die, bulbs burn out, and anything electronic can break. Mr. Murphy being the rat bastard that he is, any or all of the above will probably be discovered at the worst possible time.

Might be nice to have a night-fighting back-up to your M6.

As always, it's just my $0.02 worth.

LawDog

 

[Jim March]

I'm with Lawdog: file them under "desirable".

There's also some very good sight designs done in Tritium that are worth thinking about - the Ashley 24/7 system with a vertical bar rear in an express "V" and front tritium dot in a white enamel ball (large or small, your choice).

Heinie pointed out the advantages of lining one thing on top of another for a sight picture with his "straight eight" (dot over dot); I think the Ashley "dot the i" setup is probably even better.

And with enamel outlines, the Ashley setup works as well in full day as it does in dim light.

----------------

One place where tritium sights excel is in home defense "ambush" situations, where you're in pitch black, looking into a dimly lit area with multiple bogeys entering this area. You can make target ID without a flashlight in such circumstances.

It ain't at all sporting but then again, this ain't cricket.

 

[Sweatnbullets]

One advantage that Trijicons had over my stock Glock sights were that the Trijicons were metal, not plastic. This is important for one handed reloads and clearances. The plastic Glock sights break all of the time racking off of the belt. I'd find out if your XD40 sights are metal.

As Jim mentioned, night sights excel in very specific circumstances. I waining light where you can ID the threat, but you can not see your sights.

Let's face it using you flashlight is a target indicator for the BG. You sould only use it if you have to. If you can ID the threat without your flashlight, do so. That is where the nightsights excel.

As a side note, it is also nice to see the sights glowing in a pitch black room while the gun is on the night stand. You know right where it is and can grab it with out any searching or fumbling.

 

[Jim March]

As Jim mentioned, night sights excel in very specific circumstances

...and let's remember that when we're talking about home defense, it's possible to either set up that circumstance or know where in the house it's likely to occur.

Well-aimed lead suddenly exploding from a dark hole is a VERY nasty thing to deal with.

 

[saltydog452]

night sights.

What Mr. March said...and be aware that:

1. flashlights, like tracers, work both ways.

2. after firing the first couple of rounds in a near dark room, its kinda doubtful that you'll be able to see any type of sight unless your target is backlighted.

3. night sights like the AO will help you get that first or second round into the target more accurately.

Night sights are on our bedroom gun and my P9. They're easier for me to see without my glasses.

I like them, they can't hurt and just might save butt, so, why not?

salty.

 

[tommytrauma]

Sounds like you've done a good job of analyzing the most likely scenerio. Is this the weapon you'd use if other, less likely situations occur though? A friend recently ended up using his 'night stand gun, a 2" Smith Chiefs Special, the only firearm he had, to face down looters in FL. He's since told me that he's geting a more versatile weapon.

I took a handgunning class last year in which we did some night shooting. After the class, I bought bith tritium sights and a weapon light.

Guess you can include me in the 'preferred' group.

 

[foghornl]

I have the "glows-in-the-dark" [tritium, or whatever it is]sights on my Springy 1911-A1, and I feel that those sights WILL give me an advantage in a low-light situation.

 

[WEPS]

i think they are a must. who knows when you go to use your surefire and your batteries need replacing.

 

[SapperLeader]

I think the light is an absolute neccessity, and the tritium sights can be a great help. To me target ID is always, and the trititum sights come into play in low light scenarios where you can see the bad guy, but you cant see the sights. I only have tritiums on one out of three of my carry guns, and hoepfully will get a set on a second carry gun. Im also considering one of the xs front tritium sights for my hd shotgun. Its currently painted orange which lights up nicely with the surefire light, but I wouldnt mind tritium on it too.

 

[sendec]

I have yet to come up with a non-military scenario wherein night-sights are anything more than superfluous. If it is so dark that you cannot make out your sights you will not be able to ID your target, making firing inappropriate. And yes, I have used them and actually have a set on one of my primary carries.

If the work for you, good, but I think a white light sourse is far, far more useful. Or use the night-sight money for more practice ammo.

 

[obiwan1]

I like night sights, but they're not absolutely necessary IF:

Your weapon fits you ergonomically (a lengthy discussion that I'm not in the mood to expound on), and you have practiced enough to KNOW where the rounds will go when you fire, even without using any sights.
Night sights are a tool that could make you more efficient, but only when the basics are mastered

 

[mons meg]

If it is so dark that you cannot make out your sights you will not be able to ID your target, making firing inappropriate.

But I have ears, as well...if all I could see was a couple of dim shapes in my living room, and one whispered to the other "Don't worry, I took care of the dog, heh heh" I have definite IFF signals telling me these are no longer bogeys, but bandits...

..just a thought.

 

[Sweatnbullets]

If it is so dark that you cannot make out your sights you will not be able to ID your target, making firing inappropriate.

If it is pitch dark and I am alone in my house and I see a muzzle flash and hear the bullet impact on the wall right behind me, I'm pretty sure the ID has been made and the sights still can not be seen.

Just another thought.

 

[SapperLeader]

I can forsee many non-military low light scenarios where I can see my target clearly, but cannot clearly see my sights. DUsk or Dawn, low lit parking garage, or some busted lights in a building, are scenarios where I could people but not my sights. I dont think tritium is absolute, but they dont hurt, and a light is still a absolute neccessary even if you have tritium night sights.

 

[Island Beretta]

My friends,

As some will see from some of my posts, I don't think they are necessary.. and at the prices that they are being sold for, that makes it double unnecessary.. Your money is better spent on a flashlight or rail-mounted light.

Remember body aligns..eyes verify. Believe me at CQB distances the eyes will forget about any sights and be focusing on the target. At distances beyond CQB, at nights, no way NS will help, as you are more challenged to identify your target and NS only allows sight alignment verification, not sight picture verification- don't even risk it.

Get a copy of Nightmaster (Magill video) with Hackathorn and Wilson as they run through night shooting-it is an excellent video. They are pro-night sights but urge that it be used in conjunction with a flashlight. Believe me when you see the flash from some of those rounds if you don't have that body index, NS ain't gonna help. They also show a hostage scenario, very important esp. if you are talking about home defense and your family is with you..

I am making this long because I see the posts on NS all the time. Do not be lulled into a false sense of security. NS are very limited in their use.

My G19 carries new (after the martial artist 'attack' ) HiViz fiber optics (green/orange) and at night a Glock light is slipped on.

 

[saltydog452]

Night sights and old school thinking.

Maybe I'm ;old school' or just maybe just plain old. I dunno, but my eyes certainly aren't as young as they once were. Sights that I can see help me put the rounds on target. I can use night sights w/o my glasses.

If I stand a reasonable chance of hitting my target, I need to be able to index my revolver, pistol, shotgun, or whatever on the threat.

However you practice at the range, it just ain't the same in your bedroom at midnight-dark-thirty.

Hopefully, no one will ever need a bedroon gun, much less the ability to point the thing in the appropriate direction, but if you do, being able to align the weapon on the target would seem to be kinda important.

The suggestion that you save the money that you might spend on night sights, and spend that money on ammunition for practice is a good one. Providing you practice in your bedroom, waking from a sound sleep, trying to find whatever it is that you plan to protect your self with, and then dealing with the threat. All this is taking place while your potential advissary is about 4-5 yards away from you. Maybe some folks can practice that, I can't.

I say again, sights that are visible in low light situtations can't hurt, and just might save your butt, so, why not?

I like 'em. Hope I never have to find out just how valuable they might be. 'Till then, its an option that I will continue to have available.

salty.

 

[halvey]

Not needed IMO.

 

[nomadboi]

That's what airsoft is for! (the practice at 3am in your bedroom with a taclight)

 

[Lupine]

Hey, Atek!

Night sights are on our bedroom gun and my P9. They're easier for me to see without my glasses.

Same here, right down to the gun model. Plus, to be honest, they make my gun easier to locate in the darkness if I need to grab it.

From what I've been told, illuminating your space could put you at a sight disadvantage--the BG could see you, and if the rooms beyond yours are dark, you won't be able to see him unless he's backlit. Plus, depeding upon your state of wakefulness, the bright light might be a bit blinding for the first crucial moments.

I've got tritium sights, but if you have a dedicated home defense gun, a flashlight isn't a bad idea--you can always leave it off if it suits you. I know nothing about these new orange fiber thingies. Woo hoo, new gadget...