Does this sound crazy?

O

O4L

New member
I'm an old miser on a budget so...

...instead of buying night sights and a sight pusher for my Shield, I'm thinking of drilling out my factory sights and installing tritium vials in them.

I have found the vials and glue online for under $30 so I don't see why not.

Am I missing something?
 
I have found the vials and glue online for under $30 so I don't see why not.
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Where are you getting the vials from?

Tritium has a half life of approximately 12 years. I wouldn't be surprised if "budget" tritium vials (imported from overseas) have fewer millicuries of tritium than commercial night sights. The lifespan of your sights could be shorter than you expect.
 
Its illegal to possess tritium (betalight) vials unless they are already installed in something.
Daft, I know, but still the law. You need the same permit as the one needed to operate a nuclear power plant.:eek:
 
Do what you want I have considered this my self. I don't think a federal swat team will be kicking in your door 5 min after the mail arrives. :rolleyes:
I sure they have better things to do . Like harassing a old lady with a walker Who didn't make it before the no walk hand popped up. :D

You could also drill out and use the fiber optic rods.
 
Hmmm...doesn't read that way to me.
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I've thought the same in past but the NRC regulations are a bit strange to understand.

Consumer products containing tritium are legal for citizens to possess. Basically, 10 CFR 30.19 allows you possession of a tritium containing consumer product. You can buy night sights, an exit sign (some are illuminated by tritium), a key chain, etc. without a problem or a expensive license.

Obviously, companies that manufacture tritium containing products require a license per the NRC.

Bare glass vials are not a finished consumer product and require a license for possession.

If you assemble a product using the raw tritium vials you are now breaking NRC regulations.

Except for persons who manufacture, process, produce, or initially transfer for sale or distribution self-luminous products containing tritium, krypton-85, or promethium-147, ... any person is exempt from the requirements for a license.
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By drilling out sights and epoxying in tritium vials, you are manufacturing a product containing tritium. This is not allowed by the NRC.

The confusion I believe comes from the fact that people don't realize that tritium is an isotope of hydrogen. Inside that vial is nothing more than a radioactive form of hydrogen gas. The glass vial it comes in doesn't qualify as a consumer product, since tritium obviously needs some sort of storage container.

On one sight where you can buy these vials at the very bottom in fine print it states, "It is the buyer's responsibility to possess a valid license for the import and handling of tritium illuminated products."
 
But the way I read your quote, the proposed action should be perfectly legal.

Maybe he's manufacturing a product...maybe he's not. To me, that's debatable.

But he's definitely not manufacturing that product for sale or distribution. It's just for personal use. So that means he's exempt from the requirements for a license.

Am I reading it wrong?
 
But he's definitely not manufacturing that product for sale or distribution. It's just for personal use. So that means he's exempt from the requirements for a license.
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Manufacturing even without the intent for resale is prohibited. I believe the mention of "or" suggests that. :confused:

It looks like Vanya here agrees with my interpretation:

https://thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=548773

EDIT: I guess I should clarify. Before talking about the language used by the NRC. The NRC does indicate that consumers without a license may only buy finished consumer products that include tritium. The vials are not finished products. So regardless of the whole manufacturing debate. You need a license for the vials.
 
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Just go on Amazon and purchase the I am assuming tritium pant and drill out your current sites and drip the paint in the holes. I may still have a vial floating around here in my gun stuff.
 
Just go on Amazon and purchase the I am assuming tritium pant and drill out your current sites and drip the paint in the holes. I may still have a vial floating around here in my gun stuff.
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Just for clarification, I believe you are talking about phosphorescent paint. This is not radioactive tritium/radioluminescence. This paint requires light to charge it up and it will stop glowing after a few hours.
 
jmhyer said:
But the way I read your quote, the proposed action should be perfectly legal.

Maybe he's manufacturing a product...maybe he's not. To me, that's debatable.

But he's definitely not manufacturing that product for sale or distribution. It's just for personal use. So that means he's exempt from the requirements for a license.

Am I reading it wrong?
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This is what I was thinking.
 
This is what I was thinking.
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The general consensus on the Internet is that is not permitted. Now is the NRC going to visit you? Probably not. I think they have better things to do. You have to realize that tritium is restricted because of its use in hydrogen bombs. The amount in that vial is infinitesimally small. The NRC is probably worried about large amounts. The same goes with the Americium in smoke detectors.

I did the math once, it would take 190 billion smoke detectors to reach critical mass. I don't think there are that many in the world. :D

Or you could just play it safe like the rest of us and buy Trijicons for a little over hundred bucks.
 
So $200 plus by the time I get a decent sight pusher or $30 DIY...
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I just bought a sight pusher, but I intend to use it multiple times.

Have you checked your local gun stores? Find a reputable one, sometimes they'll install the sights for free if you buy them there.
 
Its actually odder than you think.:p

First off "Radiation" doesn't "glow in the dark". H3 emits beta particles, which are invisible to the naked eye. Those fast moving energetic particles strike a coating of custom-tailored phosphors in the glass vial. Those phosphors convert the energy of the beta particles into visible light, much the same as a CRT tube pixel "glows" when struck by the electron beam from the TV tube.

No "Nucular radiation" escapes (unless the vial is broken) the energy of the beta particle is reduced to visible light, the same as any other light. If the vial is broken the minute amount of H3 disperses almost instantly in the air following Dalton's Law of Partial Pressure & is dispersed instantly.

H3 (Tritium) is a naturally occurring isotope of Hydrogen, as is Duterium (H2). Because its a natural "chemical" its present in small quantities in many places, most notably DiHydrogen Monoxide (tap water).

As our bodies are mostly water they contain minute amounts of Tritium. We ingest it constantly & expel it the same way as any other water we ingest so our bodies are actually containing more "Nucular" radioactive tritium than these vials on a day to day basis.

Are we a "product"? or are we all in violation of the NRC's rules?:D
 
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If you can't see your sights, then you can't see your target and shouldn't be shooting. Putting something on a gun that you KNOW will wear out in less than 10 years is silly, IMO. Down with tritium (and batteries). :)

Put an RMR-DI on it instead.
 
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