Pistol Sights Under Various Lighting Conditions
BY PGF
1 year, 8 months ago
As a follow-up to Night Sights: The Key to Fighting the Night from last week, we thought to post this brief discussion about several sights in varying light conditions. Though, in this article, the camera doesn’t capture well the pitch-dark aspect, the pictures are still helpful upon close examination.
Having a handful of different sight setups on a few of my Glocks, I figured it’d be handy to compare them side-by-side in various lighting conditions in a consistent manner. While I had my own feelings going into it, I found it interesting how similar the tritium and fiber options were with blacked out rears. Granted that was just when the tritium front sight came with a day-glo orange ring around it for extra highlighting, but I had expected the narrow fiber sight to have a clear advantage in all situations other than completely dark (which may be difficult to come up with a justifiable circumstance for).
H/T g/@ShootyMcBeardface
On April 24, 2023 at 8:22 pm, bob sykes said:
Do pistol sights serve any purpose? The practical range in almost all engagements is likely to be 10 to 20 feet.
On April 24, 2023 at 9:43 pm, PGF said:
One reason I like night sights is gun orientation on the nightstand quickly identifiable when awakened suddenly.
And, if you practice like your life depends upon it, you’ll find your sights without even trying. Places where it matters are gatherings of people. Nobody wants to hit a victim when trying to save them from an assailant. People who don’t practice don’t use sights. People who practice can be most effective in public spaces or gatherings.
On April 25, 2023 at 6:58 am, Latigo Morgan said:
There’s something to be said for what they now call, “point shooting”, or as I’ve always called it, “instinctual shooting” where you just know your bullet is going to hit the target without aiming down the barrel.
It takes a lot of practice, and faith in your own skills, but it is something that a serious shooter should learn to be confident with. It becomes especially valuable in a low light or no light situation. It is a real and perishable skill to develop, but few if any trainers will even acknowledge that it is something that can be attained.
For me, it was in my late teens, after having shot a Ruger Super Blackhawk since I was 14 yrs. old. I pointed out a can on a log about 10 yards away and drew and shot from the hip, hitting it. My friends were astonished and asked me to do it again. So, I did. Then, fast forward several years when I started carrying a 1911 – I practiced with it until I could do the same.
It just takes practice to build confidence. You’ll be ridiculed by “experts” that it is irresponsible and “unprofessional” (I’m not a professional) to not use your sights, but when you are mere feet from your attacker, trying to pull up for a proper firing stance using sights is what your muscle memory will have you attempt. If you can draw and fire from the hip, how much more likely are you to survive a rush?
On April 25, 2023 at 7:44 am, Joe Blow said:
Its not about reporting the news (facts and details), nor contructing a logicalrgument. It is exactly what you said: a word salad, meant to illicit an emotional response, not a ligical train of thought.
It is propaganda, creating, massaging, and reinforcing a narrative. Stop expecting it to be news, or ‘writing’ worth your time. It is propaganda to push the current narrative. By giving it airtime you are supporting their cause.
On April 25, 2023 at 8:28 am, PGF said:
@Latigo Morgan, Yeah, when I was young I could just hit the target. Nobody even taught me how to shoot. Now? I need practice. Lol.