Night sights useless?

[fc2spyguy]

Question, the other day I wanted to see how well the night sights on my H&K work, note this was not an actual firing, just attempting to aim down the sights and get a good sight picture. Well, I realized one thing, if you look directly at them the night blind spot completely removes them from my vision. With both eyes open I could see them, but lining them up was a real bitch. I was in a dark room, and my eyes were as good as they were going to get wrt night time vision. Anyone else ever notice this?

It seems to me that the night sights are pretty useless at this point, I would think either a laser sight or a good flashlight would be absolutely required to hit anything in a dark environment and no contrasting background.

 

[FlyinRock]

Ummmm... it would appear you have a sight picture confused with sight alignment.
For short distance, you should not have any problem with aligning night sights. Pretty simple really. The problem with night shooting is in positively identifying the target before you press the trigger. If you are using ancillary lights like a rail mounted light on your pistol, your eye is going to be drawn to the target instead of the sights. THAT is where the misses are most likely to be incurred or created.
Are you looking for some kind of magic that will cause your hits to be center of mass instead of old fashioned marksmanship?
If so, I can't help you.

 

[A4sForever]

I like night sights on my bedside pistol ... makes it easier to locate it when things go "bump" in the night ...

Other than that ... learn to use a flashlight w/ a handgun.

 

[LazersGoPEWPEW]

I've used surefire lights before and they are literally blinding temporarily.
http://www.surefire.com/X300-LED-WeaponLight

As for night sights....I've shot at night but not with night sights. But I have looked down night sights that lit up pretty nice and never had the issue you speak of. I'm not a fan of lasersights. mainly because I still won't be able to see it very well if it's dark. But a big bright flashlight I can see but he can't. My 2 cents.

Edit:

I like night sights on my bedside pistol ... makes it easier to locate it when things go "bump" in the night ...

Other than that ... learn to use a flashlight w/ a handgun.

For things that go bump in the night...12 gauge bedside. I hear noises I go CHK CHK! Aim at the noise and BOOM. I don't have to take the time I just go bang and it goes thump.

Flashlight not attached to rail.

 

[fc2spyguy]

Ummmm... it would appear you have a sight picture confused with sight alignment.
For short distance, you should not have any problem with aligning night sights. Pretty simple really. The problem with night shooting is in positively identifying the target before you press the trigger. If you are using ancillary lights like a rail mounted light on your pistol, your eye is going to be drawn to the target instead of the sights. THAT is where the misses are most likely to be incurred or created.
Are you looking for some kind of magic that will cause your hits to be center of mass instead of old fashioned marksmanship?
If so, I can't help you.

No, I'm saying that with a single eye open and looking down the sights they disappear due to the central blind spot in the rods of my eyes. I can see them using off-center viewing, however when looking down the sights they're no longer visible. Note: off-center viewing seems like it would be a piss poor way to shoot, pure speculation because I've never actually tried it.

 

[Rocketman]

It seems to me that the night sights are pretty useless at this point, I would think either a laser sight or a good flashlight would be absolutely required to hit anything in a dark environment and no contrasting background.

IMHO while shooting a pistol, anytime you are concentrating on closing one eye and "lining up" your sights you are losing the fight. Especially at night. Hitting what you are shooting at in the dark requires mucho practice. That's difficult for most people to do just because many ranges won't allow it.

You might continue working on keeping both eyes open and just use the front sight post. That’s a good way to get hits, as is just using the darker silhouette of the weapon as a reference against a somewhat lighter target. You can get good hits either way if you work at it enough. In a fight, in the dark, center of mass is plenty good enough.

I have a light on my Glock 21SF and love it. I have the beam fairly narrowly focused so that I can just put the light on a target, squeeze the trigger and get hits. Just don't forget that like tracers, lights and lasers lead both ways. To the target and back to you.

 

[LazersGoPEWPEW]

IMHO while shooting a pistol, anytime you are concentrating on closing one eye and "lining up" your sights you are losing the fight. Especially at night. Hitting what you are shooting at in the dark requires mucho practice. That's difficult for most people to do just because many ranges won't allow it.

You might continue working on keeping both eyes open and just use the front sight post. That’s a good way to get hits, as is just using the darker silhouette of the weapon as a reference against a somewhat lighter target. You can get good hits either way if you work at it enough. In a fight, in the dark, center of mass is plenty good enough.

I have a light on my Glock 21SF and love it. I have the beam fairly narrowly focused so that I can just put the light on a target, squeeze the trigger and get hits. Just don't forget that like tracers, lights and lasers lead both ways. To the target and back to you.

Good stuff. He's right. Unless you're trying to shoot him in the eyes at night sight picture and closing one eye is definitely losing. I'd reason that it's more important to get the bullets on target then it is to have a tight group if you're thinking of self-defense purposes. Point and shoot. The more you think the more time you give the other guy.

 

[A4sForever]

....You might continue working on keeping both eyes open and just use the front sight post...

Roger that; when tactically employing a handgun:

FRONT SIGHT IN A FIGHT !!! FRONT SIGHT IN A FIGHT !!! FRONT SIGHT IN A FIGHT !!!

(repeat 3 times)

 

[Rocketman]

Roger that; when tactically employing a handgun:

FRONT SIGHT IN A FIGHT !!! FRONT SIGHT IN A FIGHT !!! FRONT SIGHT IN A FIGHT !!!

(repeat 3 times)

Yup and I think a nice bright tritium dot on your front sight post can be very helpful as long as you aren't trying to line it up with the dots on the rear sights. In fact I don't like a 3 dot system in any light.

 

[Bevo16]

For things that go bump in the night...12 gauge bedside. I hear noises I go CHK CHK! Aim at the noise and BOOM. I don't have to take the time I just go bang and it goes thump.

This has happened more than once!?!? Time to find a new neighborhood dude

Either that or invest in a dry-wall company.

 

[FLY_USMC]

I have an 229R with an X300 on my bedside table along with Crimson Trace lasergrips. Conversely I have a Remington 870 with a Surefire foregrip in my room...I've taught my wife all she needs to know....if the light is hitting it...the shot will hit it...don't worry about aiming. I actually don't have nightsights on my bedside pistol for the reason that a good light and a laser is all I'm going to need at night.

 

[Slammer2]

...I have the beam fairly narrowly focused so that I can just put the light on a target, squeeze the trigger and get hits...

Ok Zodiac

 

[Rocketman]

Ok Zodiac

I learned from the best.....

 

[A4sForever]

The scariest thing about night sights is when one first opens the gun safe and looks inside to where the pistols reside ... it looks like a bunch of "snakes" looking back at you ....

 

[FlyinRock]

Ha ha haaaaaaaa! That is really funny !!! I recall my resistance to the tritium sights until my old eyes lost the night vision capability. Now I wear one of the watches that can be used as a night light and two of my 1911's have tritium sights. They are great to help me with sight alignment in subdued light.
What many are failing to realize for night shooting, after the first shot the muzzle blast will blind you anyway! Geeezzzz been there and done that a few times.
Happy Holidays
Rocky