Glock sights: Fixed vs. nightsites

A

AllenTC2

New member
What makes the most sense...get the factory nightsites and pay the extra money, or get the fixed sites, then get Aro-Tek or whatever on down the road?

If it's the latter, is swapping sights out on a Glock something a layman can do, or would I want to go to a "Authorized Glock Repairman" or something?

Now a third option, keep the fixed sights, period. I've always been a night sight kinda guy, but money is tight this time. Are night sights absolutely necessary? I lack the experience to judge this argument, so I'm gonna partially rely on yours.
 
Truly necessary?

In regards to your last question, are night sights truly necessary, I'd have to yell a resounding yes.

Caveat: I don't own a Glock. In fact, I just shot one (a 32C) for the first time today. However, I DO have a Kimber Classic, with dead-black (serrated, if that matters) fixed sights, front and rear. On a well-lit target they're kinda tough to see -- I sorta have to make sure it looks like a blurry plateau instead of a blurry hump or a blurry divot ;). For grins once, I tried aiming at something at night, with my eyes adjusted to the dark and only the ambient light from the street lights outside and I can honestly say I was horrified. I'm confident I could hit "center mass" at about 10 feet, but I sure as hell wouldn't try shooting at anything say 25' or further under such conditions. I truly couldn't see the sights at all.

The Glock I shot today, however, had a white dot on the front sight and a white "U" painted around the cut out in the rear, which helped a lot, and would probably not be as scary to use at night (given that there's going to be SOME light, either ambient or flashlight, or else you wouldn't be able to see your target, either). My amateur advice is to try aiming at something under the worst low-light conditions you will reasonably encounter, and see how effective your sights are.

If you're on a tight budget, you might be able to get away with painting the stock sights. I'm considering getting some white, or maybe flourescent yellow/orange nail polish to paint my sights with, since those tritium-insert sights cost so much, and it's never truly dark in my apartment with all those HID and sodium-arc lamps blasting away at the parking lots around my building bleeding in through the blinds.
 
Night sights are a marketing gimick and a waste of money. If you can't see your sights, then you can't see your target. Dots on your sights can't help you ID the threat.

Don't take my word for it; go take a low-light tactics class and make up your own mind. Sure helped me make up mine.
 
I have never attended a low-light class, but I have gone out shooting at night in the middle of the desert with only the and a quarter moon for illumination. My eyes are not exactly the world's most acute, so YMMV, but I know that I could clearly see my targets (red 24oz coca-cola paper cups) but could not see my sights at all. I think that night sights would help.
 
I've heard this before....

....and it still confuses me.

Okay, yes, in pitch black conditions, you can't see your sights, you can't see/ID your target, night sights are a waste. But so far my nocturnal shooting has not occured (nor will it ever, hopefully) in such conditions. There is always some illumination, and the three dots have always helped me line up my sights. I have the added benefit of having different colors on front/rear.

Granted, in a defensive situation I probably won't be lining the sights so precisely due to close range, etc. I figure I'll be doing more "point" shooting than anything else. So again, night sights are a waste.....hmmmmm, I think I'm answering my own question.
 
I like the MMC's. Jury's still out re: night sights, I prefer simple 3 dot sights and good secondary illumination.
 
I think one important point is, night sights can't really hurt! While, for a majority of shooting situations, they may not help, who cares? Suppose you're in a dark shadow, and the perp is in a lighter area? You can see him, but it's dark enough right where you are that you can't see the sights. I've simulated this situation in night practice, and I can tell you that the night sights were a big help! Since the night sights still work like regular sights, for shooting situations where they're not useful, they're not detrimental either.
 
You can get a "Glow in the dark" at Wally world and only cost you a dollar for try it out before you spend your hard earned money then go from there, one thing keep in mind that you have to leave your gun on the sun light or household light or flash light to recharge the sights If you carry it during the day, you don't need to use flashlight to "recharge" the dot but if you kept it in the safe for more than a day, you may have to. I've tried that and then went to the True Dot for my Glock. Bottom line is Yes to the night sights.
 
The notion of "if you can't see your sights, you can't see your target" is stupid and too "black or white".

3AM, pitch black bedroom. My SureFire 6P is blinding the intruder, but I am still in the dark. Off the top of my head, I thought of one situation where my Glock 30's factory night sites come in handy. True, in that situation I may not use the sights at all...but if I did, I would be happy I had the night sites.

Don't tell me otherwise, I've tried this. Surefire is on, but behind the flashlight is still dark. The standard sights on my USP's are not visible in this situation, but my Glock's night sights are.

Also, I keep the downstairs hallway light on. What if I encountered someone who was downstairs (in the light), and I am at the top of the stairs? The light doesn't really make it upstairs. There's another reason that night sights are not a "gimmick".

Hey, even when you're not holding the gun, they make finding it in the dark much easier. Keep it near the bed, muzzle away from you, and you can wake up in the middle of the night and quickly find the three glowing dots. Keep your flashlight right next to the gun, and maybe you have decreased the time it takes you to be prepared for a potential intruder.

I believe they are essential on a defensive gun, in addition to a powerful flashlight that can be manipulated with one hand.
 
IMO night sights are a waste of money. My military training showed me the light.(:D I had to go for the pun.:D) If it's dark, use a light. (Or use an IR device.) If you feel the need to spend the extra money, go ahead.
 
I like the standard white U and dot sights that Glock puts on thier weapons. Thats why I hesitated at first for nightsights but I got a hell of a deal on a set from Glock. (Free). I sent the weapon in for service and night sights to be put on. When they called for the payment I told them that I changed my mind. The Technician told me he would finish the upgrades and send it out. Two weeks later and no Glock. I called back and asked if they shipped it out and the answer was no. Apparently it was on the shelf to have night sights put on. I told him that I couldnt pay for them (tight on cash at the time) and that they were suppose to send it out two weeks ago. He said sorry for the delay and that he would put some night sights on for free to make up for the delay. Ok I say, 3 days later I got the G19 back with Trijicon sights on it. I like it. They are easy to aim day or night. Its worth it to me.

www.glockmeister.com has Mepro nigh...he extra duckets or not. Its worth it to me.
 
"night sights work because when my target is lit (with flashlight or whatever) and I'm in the dark I cant see my sights"

Funny, sounds like perfect lighting conditions to me. You don't need to examine them, just silhouette them against the target.

"night sights don't hurt"

Wrong, they hurt big time if you are trying to be stealthy. When holding your weapon at the ready, tritium lamps will literally light your face in a soft green glow. Very easy to see. I prefer something that can be turned off. Again, go get training and you'll see. I used to be BIG on night sights; no longer.
 
Wrong, they hurt big time if you are trying to be stealthy. When holding your weapon at the ready, tritium lamps will literally light your face in a soft green glow. Very easy to see.
Click to expand...

I am not as big a fan of night sights as I used to be but I must question this statement. If your night sights are that bright you will soon have bigger problems than stealthiness. The radiation will start cooking parts off your body. They are simply not that bright. The only way night sights would help an adversary zero you is if he/she were behind and above you.

A recent class that included low light emphasized the use of momentary-on lithium powered flashlights. When the flashlight came on, whether to the side or behind the pistol, the night sights were useless. That was some hard shooting, manipulating a flashlight and a pistol simutaneously. I highly recommend everyone get some training in this area.
 
For less then $100 bucks...nightsights are definitely worth it...Remember...every little bit helps...I like Meprolights the best...they seem to be a little brighter then the rest & they have an excellent daytime picture...a real nice large outer white ring...

Someone said:
Night sights are a marketing gimick and a waste of money. If you can't see your sights, then you can't see your target.

not true...Your target could be very well lit up but you could still be in the dark...Just my .02 :)
 
I have several Glocks and had a chance to compare. When I sent two in for upgrades, I had the basic Glock night sights put it ($57 ea. installed) and they work very well. Help with sight acquisition and definitely help if I must shoot without my glasses on (emergency). I begrudged the money before but have found that night sights really help in dusk/low light. I am not fond of the three dot configuration (dot-bar seem better for night sights) but any tritium works much better than white paint.
 
AndABeer:

I could READ by the light of the trijicons on both my Glock and CZ. I've had them on my guns for 4 years, no radiation poisoning yet;)

"not true...Your target could be very well lit up but you could still be in the dark"

Read my post above; silhouette is key here.
 
Wrong, they hurt big time if you are trying to be stealthy. When holding your weapon at the ready, tritium lamps will literally light your face in a soft green glow. Very easy to see.
Click to expand...

BALONY! I have night sights on two guns, and we tried an experiment with both. In pitch dark (photo darkroom), we held both in shooting position and tried to see the holder from the business end (yes, the gun was unloaded and the action was open). We couldn't see anything. I then fired up my night vision monocular, and the sights made no difference in the view. Lighting up your face with night sights is a crock, it doesn't happen.
 
johnwill, could you re-state your findings minus the gratuitous insults of the others' comments? I am sure your conclusions would remain equally valid.
 
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