I shoot an HK p30 and HK PV9. As I've gotten older I find that my eyes are naturally slower to accommodate with changing ambient light. What do you 60+ year old guys find most useful for night sights? I'm less than impressed with the standard HK offering - considering the meprolight sights. An recs?
Sidearms & Scatterguns Night sights
- Thread starter prairiefire
- Start date
Something to consider is that tritium vialed NS are only truly useful in very low light. In such circumstances the best set up would include either a white light on the gun or in the shooters hand. With the addition of the white light the NS is superfluous.
Depending on the size of the white ring around the vial the NS can be very difficult to use when the shooter is standing in a transitional light area (less ambient light behind and nearest them) and taking aim into a well lit area. Similarly a NS can be difficult to pick up at night under high pressure sodiums (street / parking lot lights).
Things that promote rapid sight acquisition:
Wider front post with vials of a greater diameter / large white ring outlining the vial
Wider rear notch to allow more light around the front post - speed at the expense of accuracy at a distance (a bridging of the gap would be an Enos cut which is a trapezoid cut into the rear notch - narrow at the top and tapers to very wide at the bottom)
A better answer is to switch to either a gold / brass bead of sufficient diameter and a wider notch, or a fiber optic tube in the front post and a wider notch. The gold / brass bead / FO are much faster across a wider range of lighting conditions than a NS. Again, low light / no light should really be prosecuted with a white light.
Depending on the size of the white ring around the vial the NS can be very difficult to use when the shooter is standing in a transitional light area (less ambient light behind and nearest them) and taking aim into a well lit area. Similarly a NS can be difficult to pick up at night under high pressure sodiums (street / parking lot lights).
Things that promote rapid sight acquisition:
Wider front post with vials of a greater diameter / large white ring outlining the vial
Wider rear notch to allow more light around the front post - speed at the expense of accuracy at a distance (a bridging of the gap would be an Enos cut which is a trapezoid cut into the rear notch - narrow at the top and tapers to very wide at the bottom)
A better answer is to switch to either a gold / brass bead of sufficient diameter and a wider notch, or a fiber optic tube in the front post and a wider notch. The gold / brass bead / FO are much faster across a wider range of lighting conditions than a NS. Again, low light / no light should really be prosecuted with a white light.
I have trijicon HDs on my hk45T.
I like the orange, and because it is a cover-hold, it's like using a red dot. I just wish the rear sights tritium insert were a different color than the front.
I like the orange, and because it is a cover-hold, it's like using a red dot. I just wish the rear sights tritium insert were a different color than the front.
Big fan of Strai-8's.
Very good profile for day shooting. Much better than most other NS.
At night, they are stupid quick and easy to line up.
I run them on EVERY gun that I own, that they make them for. Glocks, 1911's, HK's, CZ's and I am thinking of having my 92FS milled to accept them.
For old fucks and the blind, the XS big dot's are popular. Better than nothing and good enough for solid hits at handgun range.
Very good profile for day shooting. Much better than most other NS.
At night, they are stupid quick and easy to line up.
I run them on EVERY gun that I own, that they make them for. Glocks, 1911's, HK's, CZ's and I am thinking of having my 92FS milled to accept them.
For old fucks and the blind, the XS big dot's are popular. Better than nothing and good enough for solid hits at handgun range.
I posted something similar a few years back, when I got the newly released HK45. For what the gun costs, you'd think they could put something on that didn't need a flashlight charge before it was usable in low light.
My HKs run Heinie straight 8s, yellow back, green front, and I am a fan.
For bad eyes and less precise placement (though still on the mark inside 25 yards or so) look at the XS big dot sights. I have them on other guns and they are quick on target, but less precise on round placement than a smaller aiming point up front.
Another option is a laser; however, if you go to laser, train, train, train. Once sight alignment and sight picture are truly ingrained, laser is a whole other game. But, rapid on target and easier on the eyes. And not entirely comforting for the target-ee.
My HKs run Heinie straight 8s, yellow back, green front, and I am a fan.
For bad eyes and less precise placement (though still on the mark inside 25 yards or so) look at the XS big dot sights. I have them on other guns and they are quick on target, but less precise on round placement than a smaller aiming point up front.
Another option is a laser; however, if you go to laser, train, train, train. Once sight alignment and sight picture are truly ingrained, laser is a whole other game. But, rapid on target and easier on the eyes. And not entirely comforting for the target-ee.
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Tritium is $30K+ PER Gram.......and that is just for the gas.
It also has CRAZY reglulatory and complaince requirements, driving the cost of handling, storage, shipping and manufacturing WAY up.
It's a KEY componet in boosted thermonuclear bombs and is created durring a nuclear reaction (plutonium IIFC). Becuase of it's short half life, it has to be refilled in all bombs on a regular basis, driving up demand and cost.
So next time you buy some tritium sights, think about that.
It also has CRAZY reglulatory and complaince requirements, driving the cost of handling, storage, shipping and manufacturing WAY up.
It's a KEY componet in boosted thermonuclear bombs and is created durring a nuclear reaction (plutonium IIFC). Becuase of it's short half life, it has to be refilled in all bombs on a regular basis, driving up demand and cost.
So next time you buy some tritium sights, think about that.
Prairiefire: I guess I'm one of the "old fucks" cobracutter is so lovingly referring to. Check out the Trijicon HDs (I like the orange). I've been using these and Truglo TFO sights and they really help with the old eyes.
Tritium vials
Seems this guy has been selling vials of Tritinum for quite a while and I might get some for down the road 1/2 life = 12.3 years? Wondering why I am even worrying about the lights going out ?
Seems this guy has been selling vials of Tritinum for quite a while and I might get some for down the road 1/2 life = 12.3 years? Wondering why I am even worrying about the lights going out ?
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