Night Sights- Window Dressing or Life Savers?

[Mountain]

How do you shoot the hostage without sights?

LOL, you have to take a course at Quantico if you want to be any good at shooting hostages without sights.

 

[enbloc]

I like flashlights too. Just not attached to my handgun. The versatility of having it free of the gun it superior.
The night sights AND a tactical flashlight will give you an edge that your opponent won't be expecting. Who doesn't want an edge?

Because NES is growing daily, new or inexperienced gun owners should become well versed in the Safe Gun Handling Rules.
Firearms Safety -- 10 Rules of Safe Gun Handling • NSSF

Most important in a self defensive shoot is the Forth Rule of Safe Gun Handling.
Be sure of your target and what is beyond it.
You will not be able to put that bullet back no matter how hard you try.

 

[Hustler One]

Im a fan of optics that dont rely on a external power source. Powered electronics can fail, it's as simple as that. Though aimpoint's technology with how they extended a AA out to 8 years is amazing.

 

[enbloc]

Night Sights- Window Dressing or Life Savers?

Mountain, ask yourself this: Have you ever heard of someone opting to reinstall their stock sights after nights have be added?
You may try other brands, or replace them when the tritium lamps die out, but you never go back to stocks...

 

[Qwikdraw45]

In years past, we had to do a "flash sight picture" at weapons qual. Briefly shine the flashlight to ID the target, and then shut it off (so we are not targeted) and use the night sights to fire where the target was. I was a big fan of NS then.

Now, we are required to keep the light on the entire time we are shooting, and shut it off as soon as we stop firing. So, I don't feel the need for NS anymore, in "normal" circumstances. In a SHTF situation, with no civilized law anymore, if I knew a "dark shape" was a threat, I'd just shoot it. NS's would come in handy then, but of course only until they finally get too dim.

Probably the biggest reason I stopped installing them on my guns was cost. Always trading/swapping guns. In years past, the shops (out in AZ) would put them on for free if you bought the sights there. Everyone around here (if they even have the tools to install) wants to add another $50.

 

[MMArtist]

I use blacked out rear, fiber front.. and carry a light.

I can't really think of a reason NOT to get night sights.. but I personally don't think they are necessary.

 

[drgrant]

The only reason I put night sights on any of my guns is because they're better quality than the ones that come on the
gun, particularly WRT glocks.... that and if you need to find the gun when you're half awake and haven't gotten to the flashlight yet, the green dots will help... but I am under no illusion that they're any good much beyond
that. Then again, I don't get too bent about that either, unless the power is out... otherwise at this point I leave enough lights on in my house 24/7 that it is kinda pointless. (LED are so cheap to run it don't even make sense to turn most of them off, lol). I used to be a heavy sleeper but unfortunately, not anymore.... this summer I actually heard a fire burning in my neighbors driveway (his cars were set on fire in the driveway) and it woke me up... although maybe the attack cat did, too.... lol..

Definitely want more WMLs though... after I'm done with this gun buying spree I'm in right now I need to invest in some TLR-1s for a few guns around here. I have a Glock light but that thing is meh and it runs off incandescent bulb... ugh.

-Mike

 

[greencobra]

In low light, like inside my house where there is normally enough light coming in from the street that I can see my way around, there is enough light for me to tell if I am looking at roommate or stranger

good luck trying to defend this in court.

 

[bfm]

good luck trying to defend this in court.

If I ever have to, I am sure that will be the least of my problems. I am on a main street in a city, I can hit the toilet 100% of the time and even make breakfast with out turning on any lights at 5am and I never bothered to put night lights in the hallways.

As for the mechanics of it, half of it is just my eyes getting older, but there is more than enough light to make out who you are looking at, but the back grounds are dark enough that if not illuminated, or at least a gold bead (I do not own any fiber optics to compare) making out the front sight alignment against the rear sight is not possible for me. I do keep a Surefire next to my bed as well, but even with that, I never trust that it will work in that split second I may need it, so anything kept bedside has tritium.

 

[Len-2A Training]

good luck trying to defend this in court.

Good luck defending any defensive shooting. Very expensive and very iffy in a MA marsupial courtroom.

 

[amm5061]

good luck trying to defend this in court.

Another good argument for a WML. Positive target identification. Though honestly if you're lighting someone up, you should be prepared to shoot since you've just given them a target.

 

[greencobra]

I can hit the toilet 100% of the time and even make breakfast with out turning on any lights

is hitting the toilet at twilight admissible in court? quick legal advice here, don't depend on a public defender for this. you're gonna need a cracker jack defense attorney, imho.

 

[amm5061]

is hitting the toilet at twilight admissible in court? quick legal advice here, don't depend on a public defender for this. you're gonna need a cracker jack defense attorney, imho.

Better call Saul!

 

[kalash]

I like flashlights too. Just not attached to my handgun. The versatility of having it free of the gun it superior.

Having shot a lot with a hand-held light and a little bit with a WML, my opinion is that having a solid two-handed grip on the gun is superior. Not only do I have better control of the gun, I also don't end up accidentally pointing the light at an angle away from the target.

 

[Whiskeywon]

Having shot a lot with a hand-held light and a little bit with a WML, my opinion is that having a solid two-handed grip on the gun is superior. Not only do I have better control of the gun, I also don't end up accidentally pointing the light at an angle away from the target.

This. I have tried this as well, and did not like the inferior grip and control of the weapon. If I have to use a flashlight mount then I have one that has the switch in a position my trigger finger can reach (down is on and up is a flash). As far as the night sights though, in low light situations if you ever tried to sight align a handgun or rifle (which is nigh impossible to acquire the front sight post) is far more difficult than it need be if you have access to night sights.

 

[JRT]

I think a WML is far more useful than night sights.

I prefer a 24 round extended mag. If nothing else you have suppressive fire.

 

[Heathen]

Some of you really need to shoot in low light. Yes you can in fact have enough ambient light to identify a target but not see stock or fiber optic sights.

 

[ISOTOX]

My range is open 24/7. I go late and can shut down all the lights....Many if the need of a night shoot ever came up you may have a hard enough time getting to your gun never mind turning on a flash light....Be prepared for the worst and train that way....

 

[Supermoto]

If you practice enough, you shouldn't need sights at any self defense distance. The gun should point exactly where you are looking. Which will be at the threat and not your night sights

 

[Matt_SERE]

If you practice enough, you shouldn't need sights at any self defense distance.

Srsly, Is home defense the same as self defense? Situationally, Iffin you live alone, on acreage - not neighborhood lots, someone silhouetted against a window, inside my house, has been identified.

 

[Supermoto]

Srsly, Is home defense the same as self defense? Situationally, Iffin you live alone, on acreage - not neighborhood lots, someone silhouetted against a window, inside my house, has been identified.

If someone is in your house, then I would consider it self defense. If they are outside, then I would consider it home defense. But I think more important is the distance that you are shooting at will dictate if you need to use sights or not. And only practice will tell you what that distance is.

 

[Matt_SERE]

Thanks for the reply.

And only practice will tell you what that distance is

Thanks for the, reply I agree.

That same window will defeat thermal optics if you are in home defense mode. Different sights for different applications. Not everyone is going to get ambushed while in bed with a BFG on the nightstand. We all talk about the necessity of alarms/cameras and such. You need to have the right tool for the job and then Practice, practice, practice.

Matt

 

[HorizontalHunter]

Srsly, Is home defense the same as self defense? Situationally, Iffin you live alone, on acreage - not neighborhood lots, someone silhouetted against a window, inside my house, has been identified.

This.

It's just me and my wife. If there is someone else in my house at 1:00am they are not there to sell Girl Scout cookies. They are a threat.

Bob

 

[Bob P]

I took a class a year ago that included night shooting. I had standard sights on my G17. I ordered night sights the next day. If you’re ever in a situation where you need to use your gun in the dark or in low light they do indeed make a big difference.