I can see the dots on the sights easily in the dark.
How visible are they after the first shot when the muzzle blast ruins my night vision?

Jim

That's a good question.

I imagine the answer is.. buy a flashlight, or pray the 1st round is the only one you need.  I keep my XD45 w/ M6 around for after hours encounters.

I will be buying a light for the rail.
I have never had tritium sights before and just started wondering about their use.

Jim

Quoted: How visible are they after the first shot when the muzzle blast ruins my night vision?

Not very. The trick to night shooting is one (or both) of two things: use an extremely low flash powder and/or close one's shooting eye the millisecond before one pulls the trigger.

The only real way to ascertain a low powder flash brand is to shoot the ammo at night.

Some instructors tell shooters to close their non-dominate eye when shooting in order to maintain a small semblance of night vision. Perhaps the best thing for each shooter to do is to experiment on what works best for them.

My .o2

It has been a long, long time since I shot in the dark, but I remember my night vision going to hell in a hurry. I just didn't know if the tritium sights help that at all.
I guess getting the first shot on target is enough of a benefit. After that I can use a light.

Jim

I've tried this experiment at night with one of my Glocks.

The result (for me) was: make that first shot count. After that, any quick follow-up shots using just the night sights are pretty iffy. With concentration, I could force myself to see them, but if my life were on the line, there's no way I'd have the time or focus to wait for them to come back into view. I'd be shootin' blind after the first shot. A double tap with that first sight picture is about as good as I could ask for.

I've fired a night qualifier every year for the past 20 years, and haven't had problems seeing my "night sites" after the first round.

First, every time I've shot at night, there was some sort of ambient light.  If it was pitch black, you wouldn't know where to shoot.  Second, most self defense type ammo has some sort of flash suppressant in with the powder.  And finally, I don't own a carry gun without night sites.  If they only give a slight advantage in a low light gun fight, that slight edge could be the difference between survival and burial.

Quoted: I've fired a night qualifier every year for the past 20 years, and haven't had problems seeing my "night sites" after the first round. First, every time I've shot at night, there was some sort of ambient light.  If it was pitch black, you wouldn't know where to shoot.  Second, most self defense type ammo has some sort of flash suppressant in with the powder.  And finally, I don't own a carry gun without night sites.  If they only give a slight advantage in a low light gun fight, that slight edge could be the difference between survival and burial.

Agree.  Although the "night sights"  should be re-nomenclatured as "low-light sights".  Like I highlighted above,  total darkness renders your night sights' purpose moot as you can't see who or what you're shooting anyway.  You see your sights - but where are you aiming?  Attaching a light (if you have a railed pistol) drowns out your tritiums.  It is for this reason that on my MC Operator,  I replaced the rear (stock) tritiums with the plain black 10-8 sights and left the front stock.