Night Sights

[doc66]

Why are night sights so expensive? I went to a gun shop and found a couple with high price tags. Whats the deal?

Also, can these be changed out by someone like me- I only know how to field strip my guns for cleaning.

Thanks in advance...


Oh, looking to put some night sights on my SW Sigma .40ve

[crackerman]

Night sights are expensive because they can be.

Most of the cost if from the radioactive tritium that makes the sights glow. It is expensive to make, handle, and get permits for the manufacturers.

As far as the install, your best bet is to find a shop that will include the install with buying the sights. You can install them yourself but usually need a sight pusher to do it easy and right. Unless you have a bunch of guns to do its not cost effective to by you own.

[FuzzyBrows]

^^^ agreed. if you think night sights are expensive, which i personally think its not too bad considering you can use that sight during the day or low/no light and can be a better improvement to stock sights, optics and scopes can cost more than the platform its attached too.

[G60]

It's because you went to a gun shop. You can get a good set online for about $120

[Greg F.]

I've bought several pairs of night sights over the years and I've found the best prices at : www.opticsplanet.com They've usually been under $100 for the models I've bought and include free shipping. Also, I've tried both Meprolight and Trijicon and find that the Mepro's are brighter and tougher than the Trijicons.

[IPSICK]

Just change out the front sight to tritium. Keeps the cost down somewhat. In low-light situation, the engagement distance is short enough that all you need to see is the front sight.

[oni.dori]

What about non-tritium/radioactive night sights, like the ones that use the "fiber optic" stuff (I think it's really some kind of clear polymer, but that is what they seem to market them as)? They aren't as expensive, seem relatively easy to install, and don't have a "shelf life/lifespan" like the radioactive ones do. The ONLY disadvantages that I really see to them, is that they can be a little bit bulkier than normal/tritium sights, and you can't really use them in TRULY no-light situations; but then again, why would you reasonably be shooting at anything in a situation that you can't SEE in the first place?

[spddrcr]

Just change out the front sight to tritium. Keeps the cost down somewhat. In low-light situation, the engagement distance is short enough that all you need to see is the front sight.

I take it you have never shot anything in the dark at close range? I shot an IPSC style night match and the majority of the target were 7 to 20 feet away and hard as hell to get a solid hit on them. More people then not had a hard time hitting their targets with a full set of night sights, those of us with just a front night sight were almost useless out there.

as far as the fiber optic front sight goes it is not made for the dark or low light conditions. generally they are marketed towards sports shooters who shoot during the daytime as the less light they get the worse off you are, the current ones on my cz match gun are useless if there is little to no sun.

[j1133s]

Why are night sights so expensive? I went to a gun shop and found a couple with high price tags. Whats the deal?

Also, can these be changed out by someone like me- I only know how to field strip my guns for cleaning.

Thanks in advance...


Oh, looking to put some night sights on my SW Sigma .40ve

They are expensive beause they glow in the dark.

Yes, changing sights can be a DIY task, but you should buy something appropriate fromhere:

http://www.midwayusa.com/browse/BrowseProducts.aspx?tabid=8&categoryid=10577&categorystring=649***10398***

If you want to go cheap, you can just use 3 lighted matches. Some people just use 2 matches and save 33%.

[IPSICK]

I take it you have never shot anything in the dark at close range? I shot an IPSC style night match and the majority of the target were 7 to 20 feet away and hard as hell to get a solid hit on them. More people then not had a hard time hitting their targets with a full set of night sights, those of us with just a front night sight were almost useless out there.

as far as the fiber optic front sight goes it is not made for the dark or low light conditions. generally they are marketed towards sports shooters who shoot during the daytime as the less light they get the worse off you are, the current ones on my cz match gun are useless if there is little to no sun.

No but I've shot USPSA matches with just using the front sight at those distances. Proper grip and alignment acquired through practice will help you get those hits with just the front sight. Heck, there's a guy at the Norco club I believe who doesn't use any sights (iron or optics) and he's a USPSA GM. I'm not advocating this type of point shooting, but if you can't get effective hits with just your front sights, proper alignment, grip, and trigger press at those distances then you've got more to work on and worry about than just tritium sights.

[Nessal]

I've bought several pairs of night sights over the years and I've found the best prices at : www.opticsplanet.com They've usually been under $100 for the models I've bought and include free shipping. Also, I've tried both Meprolight and Trijicon and find that the Mepro's are brighter and tougher than the Trijicons.

YES! Get the meprolights!

[doc66]

Thanks for all the responses. Thinking of going with an attached tac/flashlight.

[pingpong]

The ONLY disadvantages that I really see to them, is that they can be a little bit bulkier than normal/tritium sights, and you can't really use them in TRULY no-light situations; but then again, why would you reasonably be shooting at anything in a situation that you can't SEE in the first place?

Maybe the fiberoptic sights I've seen have been crappy, but if there's not enough light for me to see the white dots on normal sights, there's definitely not enough light for me to see the fiberoptic dots.

[coyotebait]

I bought Trijicon night sights for my Glock at my local gun shop a few years back, it cost me about $120. Worth every penny. My new Glock came with there factory night sights, cost additional $50. Look and work just like the Trijicon so far. Maybe someone here has an installation tool in your are and can help you out with the install......and mounting a light is all fine and dandy, but I'd still get the night sites, still need to see your sights. They become a bit harder to see in the dark after that first muzzle flash.

[stitchnicklas]

i bought my truglo's for my glock 19 for $109 installed,...........love them