You may never have contemplated the situation

[duke7595]

You may never have contemplated the situation


If it is too dark to see what is in your opponent's
hands, then you really can't identify a threat and you
should not shoot, even if you can see your night sights.

If it is light enough to identify your opponent as a
threat, then is it also light enough to see your sights
so you don't really need night sights.

Most people are unaware that night sights by themselves
are only useful for about 20 minutes during a normal 24
hour period.

It is in that short window of time, when the sun is going
down (or coming up) and there is still enough light to
identify your target as a threat, but not enough light to
clearly see your sights, that night sights really shine
as an important addition to your weapon.

So should you have night sights on your tactical
weapons...?

[cluznar]

That is an individual decision. Before night sights came out people did ok.

[kelcarry]

It is one thing if you are out in the dark of night in the woods or somewhere that is really pitch black and you are not familiar with your environs. I can understand having a tactical light on your firearm or in your hand. If you are in your own home and I speak for myself---I know my house, there are no other people in any other area of my house---just my wife and I in the bedroom. The BG probably and most likely does not know my house. Why in heck should I light his way to my center mass? In my house I am in a locked bedroom with a door stopper under the door. I have called 911, opened my garage door and activated car alarms--cannot hurt for police or anyone to know something is going on. I have my FN57 and I have my 12g shotgun and I have my defensive position. I will not leave the bedroom--the BG can have all the "stuff" in the other rooms--it is replaceable and insured. If I go out to defend this "stuff" I know I am insured but I know I am not replaceable--it is not worth it to me--but that is me and maybe not you. To go out there with a light, IMO, is putting a target on me for the BG--no way.

[Kalamity023]

I have night sights on all my carry guns. I also understand that if I'm going to be out late and it's dark I will carry a tactical flashlight with me. The night sights are for me to get every advantage I can to hit my target. Not so I can blast away in the pitch black just cause I can see my sights.

[S&W645]

You may never have contemplated the situation


If it is too dark to see what is in your opponent's
hands, then you really can't identify a threat and you
should not shoot, even if you can see your night sights.

If it is light enough to identify your opponent as a
threat, then is it also light enough to see your sights
so you don't really need night sights.

Most people are unaware that night sights by themselves
are only useful for about 20 minutes during a normal 24
hour period.

It is in that short window of time, when the sun is going
down (or coming up) and there is still enough light to
identify your target as a threat, but not enough light to
clearly see your sights, that night sights really shine
as an important addition to your weapon.

So should you have night sights on your tactical
weapons...?

If someone has broken into our house, I do not need to see what they have in their hands. All I need to see is the sights as there are night lights in areas that will backlight the criminal. So yes, the night sights are advantageous.

[DRNurse1]

+1. Tritium sights do not rely on light to be visible in the dark. And Kelcarry is right about carrying a tac light as well as a firearm. So "BE PREPARED for any old thing," and do not forget to practice in likely situations/ environments.

I have night sights on all my carry guns. I also understand that if I'm going to be out late and it's dark I will carry a tactical flashlight with me. The night sights are for me to get every advantage I can to hit my target. Not so I can blast away in the pitch black just cause I can see my sights.

[JCliff]

Being able to easily pick up your front sight in a lowered illumination scenario is a distinct advantage. It doesn't have to be really dark for that advantage to manifest itself, and, as Kalamity023 mentions above, night sights are not for blasting away in the pitch black. I would recommend night sights for any pistol used primarily for self defense purposes.
.
Flashlights & tactical mounted lights are a very different thing. Police & military use them, but their mission requirements are substantially different. As a private citizen, it's very, very unlikely you're going to need to clear rooms/buildings. That said, a good quality flashlight could still be extremely useful. I strongly recommend quality training to learn how to use such a flashlight (especially a gun-mounted light) in a self-defense scenario properly. Not knowing how, and not training, could easily get you shot, as kelcarry points out above. Using a light requires flashing, moving, and shooting in (obviously) low light. If you haven't tried it, it's not easy, and takes a fair amount of practice to do proficiently.

[BigSlick]

That is an individual decision. Before night sights came out people did ok.

The same could be said for flinklocks and muskets too. Night sights tilt the odds in your favor and in this day and age I want every advantage I can get. When I completed my low light clinic I was the only one with night sights and they made a huge difference.

[MonRiver]

If you are using a tactical, or pistol mounted flashlight, the light will not be shining on your sights.

The flashlight is to illuminate the target, night sights are to guide your bullet through the dark!

[Jahshoewah3619]

My P220 has them. I didnt see what all the hype was about and wasnt looking for them but it came that way. I agree they are only good for less than an hour a day under natural lighting conditions but i imagine there is alot of artificially lit areas where they would help like parking lots at night as just one example. It certainly doesnt hurt to have them on there just in case.