Posted: 9/8/2006 5:43:35 PM EDT
Okay, I just got my first 1911 today. It's a Colt Mk. IV Series 70 Gov't Model. Theres a few custom things I dont like about it (I like my 1911's like I like my AR15s...plain  ) including the sights. I was thinking about going with Trijicon night sights. I'm not a cop or any type of "operator" so do you guys think it'd be worth it? Or should I just get some regular sights (I dont like adjustable sights) and paint some glow-in-the-dark dots on them? The main thing I'm thinking about with tritium sights is a SHTF situation. Do they really "light up like a flare" in NVGs? How is the quality on Trijicon's 1911 sights? Here's a pic of the pistol as it is right now.  Thanks, B_D 
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Jeeze, you may as well have asked if you should get a 9mm or .45, or if Kimber was better than Colt  Night sights on a pistol is a much debated topic...basically, it boils down to personal preference. It's been stated, proven, disproven, restated, reproven, redisproven, etc so on so forth that highly visible sights are more useful at night. Look at the latest trend of using Fiber-optic sights for easy pick up...which is great! Problem with them is that they only really work when it's well-lit outside...the exact conditions that make it easy to pick up normal sights, too. Move into the dark, and the fiber hi-viz sights are just like normal sights. Some pundits argue that people will spend more time lining up the night sights in the dark, thus costing time, thus possibly being too slow to stop a bad guy...others argue that it's almost necessary for even just instinct shooting in the dark. Me, personally, I see night sights like I see prayer. It might not help, but it sure as hell can't hurt. Your best bet would be to line up, rent, borrow, etc a bunch of guns with different sight types, and head to a local range..either at night (if possible), or if indoors, if you know and are in good with the folks who run it, have them turn off the lights for you so you can try them all out. See which one works for you as is with no training, and then get some training in low-light and night shooting. Instinct, point, and aimed fire at night is a whole new ball of wax.. I realize that didn't exactily answer your question  But, honestly, it's more a training and personal preference thing. I'd say go with the night sights, but I am not a ninja with years of experience prowling the dark streets of our country.
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Night sights are expensive and only justifiable if you will shoot a lot at night, or spend a lot of time in the dark and might need them like a cop. I do, however, like Novak low profile 3 dot "combat" sights. It looks like you have Novak cuts on your slide already. Jim |
There are definitely no Novak cuts on his slide. This is a Novak cut: 
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IMHO night sights are a great tool and all my handguns wear them BUT they are not a "have to have" item. They do assist with indexing and if you don't train alot at night they may really come in handy in a hurry. If you could only have one item and the choice was a good quality flashlight kept with the gun or night sights I'd go with the light hands down. That said... IF your budget allows it get the sights too... |
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You'll never know how nice night sights are until some dark night when you need to know where you are aiming your pistol. Better to have them and not need them than to need them and not have them. Your life could depend on them. My eyes are not as good as they used to be so I got a set of Novak Wide Notch night sites. They really help with quick, positive, sight alignment. 
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You're right! I don't know what I was thinking. I have them on my SA and got ahead of myself. Jim |
I didn't truly appreciate night sights until I had to stay out of kicking distance and put a deer down with my sidearm. Hitting the head from 10 feet would have been difficult if I couldn't see my sights. |
| Cypher 214. That is a picture of my 1911, I want it back. JK that is my exact modek of SA loaded. The lightweight model is the bomben!! I don't have those exact grips though.Mine are double diamonds with out the insignia. Sorry to hi-jack. Get the night sights , you wont be sorry!! |
| I like meprolights the best. I find them to offer a better sight picture in both light and dark situations than Novaks or Trijicons. In the light they have a nice white ring around the tritium vials which makes them look like an ordinary three dot sight and at night they have very bright dots. Much brighter than Trijicon and Novak. |
| I would really like some night sights that look like regular sights. I want my 1911 to look close as possible to a regular USGI M1911A1. That's one reason I wanna go with the Trijicon's. It looks like the Meprolight sights will look exactly like the sights I have on here right now except with the tritium. Anyone got any pictures of a 1911 with either Trijicon or Meprolight sights? |
A small, high intensity flash light is, in my opinion, an essential tool for everyday carry. At least in this instance, the ARFCOM motto of "get both" really is the best option. |
What I mean by that is having the "skinniest" sight possible. I dont like the sights that slope back or forward over the slide. Thats why I wanna go with the Trijicon. Anymore pics of the Trijicon sights would be great. Thanks |
I think that sells me...I'm gonna go with Trijicon's when I get new sights. Thanks Now I just need to find a gunsmith around me to change them out for me. ETA: Can anyone tell from my pic what sights I have on my Colt? On the left side of the front and rear sight, its marked MMC. |
| They are MMC sights. Miniature Machine Corp. www.mmcsight.com/ |
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You don't need to be a cop or operator to need night sights. If you have any reaosnable expectation that you will use the weapon(s) in defense of your life, night sights are MORE than justifiable. Night sights are cruicial for CCW, nightstand, or vehicle use as all of these modes lead to the likely scenario of self-defense in low light. If you have a 100% dedicated range toy or conversation piece, then keep it bone stock. Otherwise night sights should be considered. |