View Full Version : Night Sights...yes/no?
I have contemplated getting a set of Trijicon night sights for my AR, my only reservation is wondering if they would hamper longer distance shooting (2-400m) at the range due to the wider front post. Any input?
Jay Cunningham
07-19-08, 03:39
I am not a big fan of night sights on carbines, but if you are not using an optical sight then I guess they are ok.
Robb Jensen
07-19-08, 06:42
If you must only get the front sight.
If you must only get the front sight.
Who makes agood front night sight?
I have a Trijicon front sight on my Colt 9mm, but that's because there's no real optimal way to mount a red dot.
something else to consider, if you are going to use a red dot, is that the tritium sight can be very distracting when viewed through a 1x optic.
This would be going on an A2 setup. I am mainly concerned about how it would affect me plinking at the range on 2-400 yard plates.
Does anyone know the diameter of the Meprolight front-post?
Okay, I have shot at night and now realise. With NTCH, the rear aperature will take care of itself, no need for blinding my night vision there, but I do need a tritium FSP.
Who makes the thinnest one, and how thin is it? The Meprolite LOOKS thin to me, but I don't know. Any spec's/knowledge would be appreciated!
The diameter of the Meprolight FSP at the tip (it is tapered) is .078". Only .008 larger than mil-spec. Tom of Topgunsupply was nice enough to take the measurements for me. I will purchase this item from them :)
I've had a Trijicon front night sight on my 16" AR for about 7 years. The post is wider, but not to the detriment of accuracy, out to 300 yards or so (The farthest I've shot with it). For several years I was irons only so it was my primary sighting system.
After a while a normal front sight post seems "thin". I think it serves the same purpose as night sights on your handgun, which most of us find mandatory. One of the driving forces behind me buying one, was my time in the Army with a stock M-16 that I could not accurately fire at night, because I couldn't see the sights.
I run an Eo-Tech sight that absolutely co-witnesses with my sights, and I don't find the night sight distracting at all.
Just remember when your red dot or scope goes down at night, you need to be able to accurately engage bad guys, and you won't always be able to use your light.
DO you aim night sights the same as the mil-post, or do you sight them in where the dot covers the target like on a handgun? I always figured you still aimed the same way as the post doesn't look rediculously long as though the dot must cover the target, just wanted to double-check though.
just make sure to get a night sight post that has the tritium insert at the very top tip of the post. Otherwise, the tritium is generaly about mid post which will get you shooting high when lights go out. i have no idea why they make them this way, it must have something to do with 'entry' use. Either way there are some good ones out there but look out for this. I learned the hard way...
WS6
I sight the night sight in, just like a regular sight, with the top of the post centered in the rear aperture.
WS6
I sight the night sight in, just like a regular sight, with the top of the post centered in the rear aperture.
well yeah, that is what you have to do. That is why I say do not get that kind. Otherwise when you are shooting a target at 100yds+ it will be completely covered up by the post and you will find yourself guessing on the height as the trijicon dot will have about 1/8" obstruction on top of it from blank sight post portion. To cure this dilema I went with the KNS cross hair sight post and now I can shoot amazingly precise compared to a regular post.
I highly recomend running a front buis with KNS and using a HWS for your night sight...
KNS POST: http://www.dsarms.com/images/KNSARHD.jpg
Good Night Sight Post: http://www.midwayusa.com/mediasvr.dll/image?saleitemid=354879
Another Great Night Sight Post: http://www.midwayusa.com/mediasvr.dll/image?saleitemid=383815
Another Good 1: http://www.midwayusa.com/mediasvr.dll/image?saleitemid=948125
Bad Night Sight Posts: http://www.midwayusa.com/mediasvr.dll/image?saleitemid=161116
Meprolight makes the other bad 1: http://www.midwayusa.com/mediasvr.dll/image?saleitemid=227768
Here is a shot of my KNS installed on a GGG quickflip: http://i136.photobucket.com/albums/q198/RallySoob/0718081751.jpg
Rally
I was answering WS6's question. I think he was asking if maybe there was an alternate way to sight in with a front night sight, like maybe use the top of the illuminated portion?
WS6
Try not to overthink it too much. I think the answer here is to maybe buy one and try it out. If you don't like it, sell or return. You won't be able to try them all, but life has to be frustrating sometimes! :)
The sight is not for shooting in absolute or close to it dark. It's for situations where your small black sight is hard to see, but a 6ft tall bad guy is not. I would recommend staying away from the fiber optic sights, as I personally find they don't really work when it gets too dark, but when you can still see and identify a bad guy.
Good luck
Tritium sights are night sights, fiber optic sights are low light sights waiting to break and IMO are worthless in total darkness.
I have a couple of guns with the Trijicon front sight, one is an A2 upper so no optics on it and I have and can shoot in the dark well enough for it's intended purpose. I do have to aim low if I'm seeeing only the dot but it's better than not being able to see the sight post at all.
The other gun is a flat top that wears an Aimpoint or a 1.5-5 Leupold in LaRue mounts. I do notice the glow in my scope but it does not bother me, I like them well enough.
precision long irons and entry HWS
http://i136.photobucket.com/albums/q198/RallySoob/0723081822a.jpg
I can shoot around 2MOA at 100m with a regular post. I bought the Meprolight as it is only .008" larger at the tip than the military spec post.
At work I've used the trijicon FSP, a dot not a bar like in the illustration, both with and without the Trijicon rear sights. Ran these with EOTech and [carry-handle mounted] ACOGs. Never had a problem being distracted by the glow or with shooting out to 300 yds. with the irons. My personal M4s both have Trijicon FSPs, nothing on the rears. Like the man said, you won't always be able to use the light...
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