What night/tritium sights good for AR15?

[rcmodel]

folded down with the tritium hidden from a charging light source. If you needed it in the dark due to optic failure, you may deploy the backup only to find it just as dark as a standard post.

Tritium isn't charged from a light source.

It is a radioactive element with a half-life of 12 years.
The emitted electrons from the radioactive decay of small amounts of tritium cause phosphors to glow so as to make self-powered lighting devices called betalights, which are now used in firearm night sights

In other words, it will glow in total darkness for at least 12 years, and only be half as bright as it was when brand new.

rc

 

[68wj]

Tritium isn't charged from a light source.

It is a radioactive element with a half-life of 12 years.
The emitted electrons from the radioactive decay of small amounts of tritium cause phosphors to glow so as to make self-powered lighting devices called betalights, which are now used in firearm night sights

In other words, it will glow in total darkness for at least 12 years, and only be half as bright as it was when brand new.

rc

Glow, yes, but glows brighter if exposed to light within the past 12 or so hours. Even Abrams tank crews will shine a flashlight into their tritium muzzle reference sensor if given the opportunity as the sun goes down for greater visibility. I wish I still had mine to know how dim would still be worthwhile, but that front post was pretty small anyway.

 

[rcmodel]

Well, if shining a light on an Abrams barrel sensor is doing anything, it is exciting the phosphors, not the Tritium.

Sounds like they need new barrel sensors, as the ones they are using must be getting old and into or past the half life.

Or else they were never bright enough to start with.

rc

 

[DefiantDad]

Interesting. Good call on that, it does look like it will probably be exciting the phosphors if anything. Which makes me wonder if all phosphors (designed to be excited by radioactivity from tritium) will be similarly excited by flashlight wavelengths (LED or incandescent, depending). Only one way to find out tonight!

 

[kBob]

The phosphor element can be excited by out side light. For instance the old angle head GI Flashlight lens holder fits the bezel ring of he GI compas we used. These were all marked with a trefoil and contained H3, but as noted the tritium does lose its strength and eventually become useless itself. Since the flashlight "fit" the bezel we could "charge" the compass lights for a bit by using the flashlight without violating light restrictions.

-kBob