Nightsight = failed for HD

[Black Majik]

They just look cool because they glow in the dark - I prefer the hi-viz fiber optic myself, but "tritium" sounds so cool, almost nuclear...

How do fiber optic sights work in the dark?

They don't.

Think of them like a prism, where you need a little bit of light to really make them shine/glow. In a very dark situation, they won't be any better than plastic stock sights.

Precisely. It was more tongue in cheek as the person I responded to mentioned he preferred fiber optics sights over night sights... except FO sights don't work in the dark.

[cindynles]

How do fiber optic sights work in the dark?

They just look cool because they glow in the dark - I prefer the hi-viz fiber optic myself, but "tritium" sounds so cool, almost nuclear...

TruGlo TFO....... Tritium Fiber Optic.......




With a light of course.......

[goldengate]

TruGlo TFO....... Tritium Fiber Optic.......




With a light of course.......

That's really nice. Too bad, Truglo doesn't make one for Walther. That settled it. Going to get a mounted flashlight this weekend.

[jrr]

Heh... well, yeah a "night sight" isnt gonna make you into batman with the ability to see in the dark. They aren't for no light situations, thats what weapon lights are for. They are Extremely useful for "low light" situations though.

I had to shoot a raccoon in the backyard with a 22 pistol with standard sights. Even at point blank it was extremely difficult to pick up the sights to make a humane kill. And it wasnt even a pitch black room, just low streetlight. Night sights would have made that an easy shot, because you can pick up those three dots under any lighting condition. Thats all they do.

Target identification is absolutely key, use a weapon light for HD.. But even with a light mounted you will have a hell of a time picking up black on black sights in the dark. So even with a light carried or mounted, you should have luminous sights installed on a HD gun that might see low light conditions. My .02c anyways.

eta: reading up a few posts... there is a concern that the glowing sights draw your eyes in the dark, so you focus on the sights not the target. IMHO once you have identified the target as something that needs to be shot, your eyes should be focused on the sights anyways. Always focus on the front sight, so I don't see that as much of a concern.