Why only 1 Tritium Sight on S&W Night Guard?

[m4shooter]

Forgive me if this is a silly question, as I know nothing about night sights, but what is the point of only having 1 tritium night sight (on the front post) on the S&W Night Guard series?

I would think that the illuminated front post would help you in some low light situations, but wouldn't you want the rear sights to be illuminated too for true low/zero light aiming?

My point is, what is the point of having the front post illuminated if you can't see the rear sights?

Thanks for any input.

 

[rcmodel]

The front sight is all that you need to see at self-defense ranges.

If you put it on the target, you will hit it.

You can't shoot in zero light conditions anyway, because you can't see to I.D. the target as a threat.

I might add that some very experianced users prefer no glowing dots on the rear sight.

It is very easy to confuse one for the dot on the front sight.
And if you do, you will miss the target badly.
Or get shot yourself while trying to sort out which dots are which.

rc

 

[Hungry Seagull]

I like!

Front dot = target, anything else = dead.

 

[Gordon]

I feel rear tritium dots are a distraction, allthough a a rear bar has some merit.

 

[The Lone Haranguer]

In agreement with rc. Rear dots on a gun with such a short sight radius are bordering superfluous. This being a fixed sight gun with a notch/channel integral to the frame, it would also add considerably to the cost of the gun to inset rear sight ampoules into the frame.

 

[W Turner]

I prefer a set up like that on all my carry weapons. It helps to draw my eyes to the front sight (where they should be).

A few years back some gunwriter did an article where he had talked to an opthal-...opto-......eye doctor(who was also a shooter) about different eye-related issues and shooting. He specifically asked the Dr. what the optimal set up would be for a defensive handgun. The Dr.'s respsonse was a highly visible front sight and more subdued rear. IIRC the doctor specifically mentioned that a 3 dot setup was not the best from a pure physiological standpoint.

W

 

[The Lone Haranguer]

Ophthalmologist.
(Be thankful you don't need an ear, nose and throat specialist. That would be an otorhinolaryngologist.)

I believe the writer may have been Sheriff Jim Wilson.

 

[rcmodel]

it would also add considerably to the cost of the gun to inset rear sight ampoules into the frame.

Not to mention having to send the frame back every 12 years or so to have new Tritium installed when it dies.

rc