Who Uses Plastic Sights?

Does anyone cc their handgun with factory plastic sights?
Click to expand...

I did, back when I had a Kel Tec PF9.

Not a big deal, and not something I concern myself with one way or the other. The way I see it, what matters about sights is what you see when you look through them when aiming. Plastic sights can have the right sight picture, same as metal.
 
Yep, my wife's G23 has them, the two-dot rear; and single-dot front plastic Glock variety. We took the 4-day Defensive Handgun Course out at Front Sight several years ago and found the dot system easy to acquire, at least in hard sunlight out there in NV. And they were plenty strong for that limited range application, but one of my to-do projects is to replace them with steel, tritium night sights.

For night-time, CC use, I'd prefer true, tritium steel night sights, as even white painted dots are invisible in really dark environs. If you'd ever had to use a handgun in true darkness, you know what I mean; you rely on instinctive pointing, without those glowing dots to guide you. In our case it was a pack of feral dogs that were gutting a neighbor's miniature horses. Without the night sights, we were helpless to intervene beyond 4-5 yds at most...far too close for a defensive encounter with two or 4-legged predators.

Equipping defensive handguns with true night sights is not a subject that comes up often in discussion, but they're essential in my opinion. While cross wrist grips with flashlight and pistol may look just fine in the moves, it's not something that we civilians get to practice in live fire exercises...and without that training, I'd venture to say, it'd be nearly impossible to accomplish in a night time defensive encounter.

HTH's Rod
 
While cross wrist grips with flashlight and pistol may look just fine in the moves, it's not something that we civilians get to practice in live fire exercises...and without that training, I'd venture to say, it'd be nearly impossible to accomplish in a night time defensive encounter.
Click to expand...

I'd disagree, pretty strongly even. Night sights give you a point of aim, but they don't let you know what it is you're aiming at. In my experience by the time the glow of the tritium really starts to make a difference I can't see much in front of me (though admittedly my astigmatism throws a wrench in that from the start). In low light they don't provide much added benefit at all, imo, as the tritium glow isn't that visible. That's why I've gone to fiber optic fronts on my pistols. For day shooting they're great, for low light (dusk/dawn) they pick up a lot of light (more than the tritium will cast by far) and by the time they're no longer useful because of a lack of light I can't see what I'd be aiming at anyway.

When it comes to handheld lights there are a number of grips you can use if you don't like one in particular. http://www.thedailysheeple.com/why-you-should-carry-and-know-how-to-use-a-tactical-flashlight_072013. Personally I prefer the cigar hold/Rogers method but each has a purpose (one caution with the Harries method is don't cross your lower arm with your muzzle!). Handheld lights give you the option of searching with a light in one hand while keeping the pistol at a ready position, so you're not muzzling a family member or neighbor.

If fumbling with a light is a concern then you can always use a weapon mounted light. The biggest downside to a weapon mounted light is that you have to point the pistol along with the light, but you can always use the spill of the beam (especially with the output from weapon mounted lights these days) to illuminate quite a bit. Weapon mounted lights also give you a spare hand if you need it to help fight off an attacker or help a family member (i.e. carry or lead a child). You also have easier use of your support hand when shooting. There's also no reason you can't leave the weapon mounted light on the pistol and carry a handheld light, so you have the advantages of both worlds.

I find people tend to talk about using lights as if it's very difficult, but haven't really tried it. The great thing about using a light and a pistol is you can practice even in the daylight in terms of manipulating the light and the pistol together while shooting, and at night you can practice it with a cleared pistol in your own house and learn how the light casts. I know that most of us don't have access to night shooting, but you can break the task up into parts so you can practice the whole. I think if you can figure out how to do an emergency reload you can figure out how to use a light. I'm not saying you'll be a master of it, but you'll have the basics down to at least identify a threat (I've seen most people become proficient in an hour or so).

Of course, you can always go whole ham and have both night sights and a light. You need sights anyway even with the light (unless we're talking reflexive shooting) so make them night sights and then have a light. People seem to have a tendency of falling into camps of one or the other, without realizing there's no reason you can't do both.

Of the things I carry I think my light is by far my most valuable. I use it daily just around the house and from a liability standpoint whether I'm LEO or civilian I'm not pressing off a round without being able to identify what I'm aiming at. Lights are invaluable imo.
 
Last edited:
Plastic front sights can get worn down with enough draws from the holster, like for dry firing practicing and going to matches that require it.
But even then it can take a long time for that to happen.
For most folks, don't sweat it.
 
I'd disagree, pretty strongly even. Night sights give you a point of aim, but they don't let you know what it is you're aiming at.
Click to expand...
That's often repeated but it's not very meaningful.

No type of sight lets you know what your aiming at.
They only show you where you're aiming.

There are lots of low light scenarios where you can make out the target but still cant see the sights well enough.

Even when using a handheld light it's possible to illuminate the target and still not have a good sight picture without night sights.
 
That's often repeated but it's not very meaningful.
Click to expand...

When you're trying to get across the importance of target identification I think it is.

No type of sight lets you know what your aiming at.
They only show you where you're aiming.
Click to expand...

I'm pretty aware of that.

There are lots of low light scenarios where you can make out the target but still cant see the sights well enough.
Click to expand...

In my experience for low light situations fiber optic sights can still "glow" equally as well or better than the small vials in night sights. By the time the tritium glow really becomes advantageous I find target identification pretty darn hard because of the lack of ambient light. But as I mentioned my astigmatism really affects my night vision.

Even when using a handheld light it's possible to illuminate the target and still not have a good sight picture without night sights.
Click to expand...

Depending on the type of hold you're using and the amount of illumination cast by the light, that's very true. When using a weapon mounted light even with night sights I can't see the vials anymore because the illumination from the light washes back. At the same time it perfectly silhouettes the sights and gives a nice sight picture. With a handheld light the effect can be similar but not as defined (thought the type of hold really plays a role here).

If you read the whole post you'll notice I don't say night sights are dumb or a bad idea. In fact I have no problem with night sights. What I did was emphasize the importance of a light. If you want to use night sights and a light I even mention that being perfectly reasonable as far as I'm concerned. The post really has to be taken as a whole.
 
Last edited:
I figured plastic sights were fine, until one day I found myself on a road trip with a Glock 19 whose plastic rear sight had popped off. No rear sight for the rest of the trip.

Plastic is flexible. Flexible means that it can pop out of a dovetail with a minor impact, as happened to me when I was pulling the pistol from it's stashed location, fairly deep in the car.

I started replacing my plastic sights with steel, from then on.
 
If my pistol is not in my safe, having maintenance done on it, or at/going to the range (when it is in a protective case) it is in a kydex holster for many reasons. If I need to remove it from myself in the car, the holster with pistol in it is secured.

Nothing wrong with replacing poly sights with metal sights of course as they are more durable if one is concerned about such.
 
Last edited:
If I'm not wrong the little G2 I carry has plastic sights...they still point where they're supposed so I don't see a problem. It's my M-F daylight gun so I don't need night sights.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top