January 09, 2024
By Barb Melloni
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When it comes to firearms, achieving accuracy and maintaining visibility, especially in low-light conditions, is of utmost importance. The evolution of sighting systems has given rise to quite the array of options with tritium night sights and fiber optic sights emerging amongst the top choices. Read on as we do a deep dive into how each type works, what makes each unique, the pros and cons of both varieties and more, arming you with the information you need in order to make an educated decision on which is best for your needs.
Tritium Night Sights While Tritium sights are something that a fair amount of the shooting community is aware of, there’s a surprising number of folks that don’t know what tritium is or what makes it a popular choice for a defensive night sight. Tritium itself is a radioactive isotope of hydrogen with a half-life of approximately 12 years. During its lifespan, the tritium will emit high-energy electrons as it decays. When this tritium is combined with the phosphor coatings within the tubes in which it is contained, the magic of phosphorescence can be observed through the emittance of a visible light, requiring no additional power in the form of batteries, chargers, etc.
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The choice of phosphor material determines the color of the emitted light. Different phosphors have unique energy states, and the wavelength of the emitted light is directly related to the energy difference between these states. For example, certain phosphors emit yellow or orange light when excited by beta particles. Phosphors achieve color tuning through the manipulation of their chemical composition and structure. Variations in the formulation of phosphor materials can produce different colors, allowing manufacturers to offer a range of color options for tritium-based sights, with yellow, green, red and orange being amongst the most common. The science behind different colors of tritium illumination involves the use of various phosphor coatings that determine the color of the visible light emitted when tritium undergoes beta decay. The choice of color is often based on considerations of human eye sensitivity, personal preferences, and the desired level of brightness in different lighting conditions. Additionally, the longevity of tritium-based illumination is influenced by the half-life of tritium and the efficiency of the phosphor in converting beta particles into visible light.
Pros
In the realm of low-light visibility, tritium night sights stand out as exceptional performers . Their consistent and glowing sight picture in low-light conditions makes them particularly advantageous for self-defense scenarios or any nighttime shooting activities. Unlike other sights that rely on external power sources, tritium night sights don’t require any back up power source or battery replacement. This independence from external power makes them a reliable option for prolonged use, ensuring your firearm remains ready when you need it most. Tritium, with its relatively long half-life of about 12 years, imparts a lengthy lifespan to these sights. While they may gradually lose some brightness over time, the decay is slow, and the sights maintain functionality for years before replacement becomes necessary.
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Cons
Fiber Optic Sights Fiber optic sights , in contrast, rely on external light sources to provide a visible aiming point. They incorporate a small tube or rod made of optical fibers that collect and channel ambient light towards the shooter's eye, creating a bright and contrasted sight picture. Particularly popular among handgun enthusiasts and tactical shooters, this type of sight offers a superior alternative to traditional irons in dimly lit scenarios, ensuring quicker target acquisition and improved accuracy. The incorporation of fiber optics enables these sights to automatically adjust to varying light conditions, making them a reliable choice for both day and night shooting scenarios.
Pros
Cons fiber optic sights lies in their dependence on ambient light. In low-light or nighttime conditions, these sights may become less effective, requiring external light sources for proper illumination. Additionally, the delicate nature of the materials from which they are constructed makes fiber optic sights more prone to damage compared to some alternatives. Shopping for gun accessories can be overwhelming, especially when it comes to different sighting systems. Here we take a look at four popular options, each offering something slightly different to give you an idea on what is available.
TruGlo Fiber Optic Handgun Sights Available for a wide array of models, these fiber optic sights from TruGlo provide the user with bright points of reference when drawing on their intended target. Although available with both front and rear sights in the same colorway, our pictured example depicts a green rear sight coupled with a red front should you be looking for a contrasting set. While some may prefer both front and rear blend seamlessly together, others find the contrasting colors aids in speed of sight alignment when time is of essence, either in competition or defensive situations. Specially designed not to snag on clothing during draw, these sights will fit standard sized holsters for your firearm. MSRP $66.99
XS Sights Standard Dot Shotgun Bead Catering to those who rely on shotguns as their home defense gun of choice, XS Sights offers their tritium powered Standard Dot Shotgun Bead as a replacement to the stock bead that comes on shotguns such as the Benelli M4 and Beretta 1301. Installation is simple, with the bright tritium dot significantly cutting down the time it takes to get your sights on target. With no back up power sources required, this aftermarket modification is a defensive no-brainer when it comes to the safety of both you and your loved ones. Prefer a larger dot size? XS has you covered with their Big Dot variants for this platform and several others. MSRP $66.00
Night Fision Fiber Optic Sights
A feature seen on many handguns of those involved in defensive training are a front sight of some sort paired with a blacked-out rear sight. These fiber optic handgun sights from Night Fision take that concept and run with it, offering a set of handgun sights with a run of the mill blacked-out rear with a bright, attention-grabbing orange fiber optic front sight. If you’ve ever found the brightness of a fiber optic or tritium rear sight to be distracting and are doing the bulk of your training in the defensive realm, you may wish to consider this option. Many other options available should your setup require special considerations, such as sights that accommodate optics or suppressors. MSRP $99.00+
Meprolight MicroRDS It’s hard to go to the gun range nowadays and not see someone shooting a handgun without a red dot affixed to the slide. Whether it be aging eyes or general preference, one must always take into consideration a backup plan should their primary optic bite the dust. Meprolight met this need with ease when they launched the MicroRDS . Providing the end user with the best of both worlds, this package comes complete with a MicroRDS red dot that attached via a quick-detach adaptor to a set of tritium back-up sights. The features abound with this set up, and if you’re unsure of whether you want to commit to a red dot or irons, why not choose both? MSRP $399.99
Ultimately, the ideal sighting system depends on the shooter's specific needs and use cases. Whether navigating dimly lit environments or basking in the daylight at the shooting range, understanding the characteristics, pros, and cons of tritium night sights and fiber optic sights empowers firearm enthusiasts to make an informed decision. This ensures optimal accuracy and visibility in any shooting scenario, enhancing the overall shooting experience and maintaining a competitive edge.
If you have any thoughts or comments on this article, we’d love to hear them. Email us at FirearmsNews@Outdoorsg.com .
