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AR15.COM
6/15/2011 10:46:37 PM EDT
My current go-to pistol has 3 dot tritium with a green front and yellow rear.  To me this seems ideal, because I can clearly distinguish the front sight from the rear sight.  

All factory setups I know of are 3 dot tritium with green front and green rear.  Why is that?  Is there a general consensus that 3 dot green is the best overall night sight setup for most people?

Also, what night sight setup do you prefer and why?
6/15/2011 11:56:09 PM EDT
[#1]
No such thing as "best" when it comes to sights.



As to the color, green tritium is the brightest and longest lasting. That's why it's used.
6/16/2011 1:54:45 AM EDT
[#2]
Quoted:
No such thing as "best" when it comes to sights.

As to the color, green tritium is the brightest and longest lasting. That's why it's used.


I've heard many people say that green lasts longer, but I don't understand why it would.. The color of tritium is determined by the phosphor coating on the inside of the vial, not by the tritium itself, so I would think that they would all last an equal amount of time assuming equal amounts of tritium in the vial. But it does seem to be the consensus that green lasts longer.

Green will appear brightest due to the eye's sensitivity to that wavelength of light.
6/16/2011 9:57:02 AM EDT
[#3]
Quoted:
No such thing as "best" when it comes to sights.

As to the color, green tritium is the brightest and longest lasting. That's why it's used.


I guess "best" was the wrong word.

I just don't understand how anyone can think that 3 green dots is a good sight picture at night.  

Way too easy to get the front sight confused with a rear dot, yet it seems to be the standard.
6/16/2011 10:21:57 AM EDT
[#4]
I usually just put a green tritium front sight on my handguns.  When I bring my gun up my sights are basically lined up, and the front sight is what I'm primarily focused on.  YMMV



*EDIT* Ameriglo sells a front sight only for around $30.  The tritium inserts are made by Trijicon.

6/16/2011 10:34:04 AM EDT
[#5]
I like green/green Trijicons on my handguns.



They are really bright, and their sights seem to be the best made(finish, fitting, etc)
6/16/2011 8:45:23 PM EDT
[#6]
I like my ameriglo hackathorns. orange outlined tritium out front, plain black rear.
6/16/2011 9:14:42 PM EDT
[#7]
I really like a 2 dot setup like Heinie sights. Those are probably the best because the rear sight isn't "busy" and you can't confuse the two dots even if they're the same color.
6/17/2011 3:29:31 AM EDT
[#8]
I agree op.  I just installed the yellow/green combination on one of my pistols and now I will only have that or another color combination.

I disagree with the colors lasting the same amount of time as the glass vials are clear and it is different colors of the tritium that give the color.  Trijicon only warranties the Orange for five years, yellow and green are warrantied for ten or twelve years.

Posted Via AR15.Com Mobile
6/17/2011 6:16:22 AM EDT
[#9]
Heinie Straight 8 sights offer a faster / simpler sight picture IMHO than 3 dot setups
6/17/2011 7:44:31 AM EDT
[#10]
I'll weigh in on this since I went through multiple sights to find what works for me. I tried no tritium, ie standard sights and found that you absolutely need them at night to make accurate shots so don't listen to anyone that tells you otherwise, I doubt they shot at night before. I tried green front, yellow rear, and found that I didn't like it. For some reason the 2 seperate colors caused my eyes to focus back and forth between them. I then tried just a tritium front sight with plain black rear and found that in total darkness i had no rear sight reference and made me feel unconfident and my accuracy reflected that. I decided to go the traditional route and put some 3 dot, green front, green rear, Truglos on and it has been great. I have not shot them at night yet (waiting for next invite) but find that in darkness I find the front sight easily and have not suffered from the which is the front sight syndrome. If you are accustomed to shooting and have a stable stance and grip you almost always index the front sight right in the middle and it gives you a great 3 dot sight picture. Just my experience.