improve night time visibility

stitchclimber · 04-23-2008, 01:08 AM

Since getting my first AR I've been playing with it a lot, doing pie sweeps around the house, and sighting out my back window. I realized that the iron sights were absolutely impossible to see out of during dusk/dark. Given the AR's platform is there anyway to remedy this without the use of night vision?

I have night sights on one of my handguns, but I've never messed with them on a rifle. I've seen some advertised in Cheaper than dirt for the AR, but I'm leery to buy them without hearing a review.

GlockMeister · 04-23-2008, 01:12 AM

Just get the front one in tritium on an/the AR. Here, it's $39.99 and it's a Trijicon brand. I bought one and it came/comes with 2 different sizes of detents and the sight adjustment tool.
AR-15 Front Night Sight New

By the way, bookmark the homepage. Great sight in my book.

Mooseman684 · 04-23-2008, 01:29 AM

Strap a TAC light like a Scorpion on the bottom of the barrel...
Rich

GlockMeister · 04-23-2008, 01:36 AM

Yea, do that. Then they'll have a perfect spot to aim at. lol

stitchclimber · 04-23-2008, 01:46 AM

I could that for extreme CQC, but I'd like something that can maintain a sense of stealth to it.

GlockMeister · 04-23-2008, 01:54 AM

Did you check the link out I gave you?

Or here try this place out.
XS Sight Systems - Tactical Sights

And if I got one from this place, I'd get the Big Dot tritium. But the first link i gave you in my first post, works fine. Trust me...

Mooseman684 · 04-23-2008, 02:12 AM

Better just buy a Night vision scope if you think they are gonna be armed and you want to be stealthy. If they are dark, Tritium sights wont help Either.
I have tried Lots of stuff...NV works in the dark... even an Invisible holographic sight doesn't work if you can't see them...
Rich

at4rxj · 04-23-2008, 07:23 AM

Something else to think about is your night vision without the light after using it...

Any white light will cause your eyes to readjust and you'll have a harder time seeing once you turn it off. A red light will not.

Your eyes have two different types of collectors... rods and cones. I believe it's the rods that collect light, and the cones collect colors. The rods are less affected by red light than any other color. They do not detect the red as "light" like they will with other colors. This means that if you use a red light and turn it off, you'll still be able to see much much better than if you used a white/green/blue light and turned it off.

There is a drawback, however, and that's the amount of light. For going across a room, you wouldn't have an issue. Going down a hallway, however, the red light will seem to fade much more quickly than a white light.

Until recently, I had a streamlight "night com" attached to my handguard that allowed me to have both red LED or white xenon. This was ideal for my needs at the time. However, I ended up switching to the Streamlight TLR-1 (white LED) for its compact size and brighter light. You will be able to see your iron sights as a silhouette using a light in this manner.

I haven't ever heard anything bad about the tritium iron sights for the AR. Try a set out and let us know what you think.

Here's a pic for reference. The first shows the Streamlight night com flashlight and the second shows the Streamlight TLR-1.

GlockMeister · 04-23-2008, 04:59 PM

Well the only thing a night sight on the front does is give you a guide as to where your barrel is pointed. They aren't intended to help you see at night. As for night vision scope, I'd rather have night vision binoculars. No special reason, I just would prefer binoculars over scope for night vision is all.

stitchclimber · 04-23-2008, 07:29 PM

The glowing front sight is probably what I'll end up going for. Thanks for all the input.

neophyte · 04-24-2008, 06:15 AM

stitchclimber: The absolutely best way to improve your night vision and night hunting. Try coon hunting. Imagine shooting something as small as a cat almost straight up with 'iron' sights.

We use lights to find our way around, and iron sight them out of trees.
I carry handguns only. Either MK11 or Single Six,

oejeffrey · 04-24-2008, 08:21 AM

I would imagine that strapping a flashlight to the end of your barrel would pretty much give anyone else a nice target to aim at as well.....that being said if they have night vision and you have that glowing tritium front post ??? For them with the night vision on that tritium is just like having a flashlight aimed at your face. Now I could be wrong about that but that is the gospel I heard LOL. Check it out though I could be wrong
Jeffrey

FragMaster · 04-24-2008, 01:26 PM

No doubt, if you're conducting missions to that level of stealth, you're just better off using passive night vision goggles with a red dot scope. Otherwize, I wouldn't worry about the reflective light from the tritium. Tritium's probably the best bet because it's only visible to you and everything behind you.

04-23-2008, 01:08 AM	#1
stitchclimber Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: The great northwest Posts: 945	improve night time visibility Since getting my first AR I've been playing with it a lot, doing pie sweeps around the house, and sighting out my back window. I realized that the iron sights were absolutely impossible to see out of during dusk/dark. Given the AR's platform is there anyway to remedy this without the use of night vision? I have night sights on one of my handguns, but I've never messed with them on a rifle. I've seen some advertised in Cheaper than dirt for the AR, but I'm leery to buy them without hearing a review. __________________ turning up the radio, got just enough religion and a half tank of gas...

04-23-2008, 01:12 AM	#2
GlockMeister Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Northern Illinois Posts: 5,513	Just get the front one in tritium on an/the AR. Here, it's $39.99 and it's a Trijicon brand. I bought one and it came/comes with 2 different sizes of detents and the sight adjustment tool. AR-15 Front Night Sight New By the way, bookmark the homepage. Great sight in my book. __________________ I'd rather be tried by 12 than carried by 6!

04-23-2008, 01:29 AM	#3
Mooseman684 Super Moderator Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Alaska Wilderness Posts: 9,702 Images: 2	Strap a TAC light like a Scorpion on the bottom of the barrel... Rich __________________ You know you might be facing your doom,when all you get is a click when you're expecting a BOOM!

04-23-2008, 01:36 AM	#4
GlockMeister Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Northern Illinois Posts: 5,513	Yea, do that. Then they'll have a perfect spot to aim at. lol __________________ I'd rather be tried by 12 than carried by 6!

04-23-2008, 01:46 AM	#5
stitchclimber Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: The great northwest Posts: 945	I could that for extreme CQC, but I'd like something that can maintain a sense of stealth to it. __________________ turning up the radio, got just enough religion and a half tank of gas...

04-23-2008, 01:54 AM	#6
GlockMeister Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Northern Illinois Posts: 5,513	Did you check the link out I gave you? Or here try this place out. XS Sight Systems - Tactical Sights And if I got one from this place, I'd get the Big Dot tritium. But the first link i gave you in my first post, works fine. Trust me... __________________ I'd rather be tried by 12 than carried by 6!

04-23-2008, 02:12 AM	#7
Mooseman684 Super Moderator Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Alaska Wilderness Posts: 9,702 Images: 2	Better just buy a Night vision scope if you think they are gonna be armed and you want to be stealthy. If they are dark, Tritium sights wont help Either. I have tried Lots of stuff...NV works in the dark... even an Invisible holographic sight doesn't work if you can't see them... Rich __________________ You know you might be facing your doom,when all you get is a click when you're expecting a BOOM!

04-23-2008, 07:23 AM	#8
at4rxj Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Houston, TX Posts: 856 Images: 10	Something else to think about is your night vision without the light after using it... Any white light will cause your eyes to readjust and you'll have a harder time seeing once you turn it off. A red light will not. Your eyes have two different types of collectors... rods and cones. I believe it's the rods that collect light, and the cones collect colors. The rods are less affected by red light than any other color. They do not detect the red as "light" like they will with other colors. This means that if you use a red light and turn it off, you'll still be able to see much much better than if you used a white/green/blue light and turned it off. There is a drawback, however, and that's the amount of light. For going across a room, you wouldn't have an issue. Going down a hallway, however, the red light will seem to fade much more quickly than a white light. Until recently, I had a streamlight "night com" attached to my handguard that allowed me to have both red LED or white xenon. This was ideal for my needs at the time. However, I ended up switching to the Streamlight TLR-1 (white LED) for its compact size and brighter light. You will be able to see your iron sights as a silhouette using a light in this manner. I haven't ever heard anything bad about the tritium iron sights for the AR. Try a set out and let us know what you think. Here's a pic for reference. The first shows the Streamlight night com flashlight and the second shows the Streamlight TLR-1. __________________ modulARweapons.com

04-23-2008, 04:59 PM	#9
GlockMeister Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Northern Illinois Posts: 5,513	Well the only thing a night sight on the front does is give you a guide as to where your barrel is pointed. They aren't intended to help you see at night. As for night vision scope, I'd rather have night vision binoculars. No special reason, I just would prefer binoculars over scope for night vision is all. __________________ I'd rather be tried by 12 than carried by 6!

04-23-2008, 07:29 PM	#10
stitchclimber Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: The great northwest Posts: 945	The glowing front sight is probably what I'll end up going for. Thanks for all the input. __________________ turning up the radio, got just enough religion and a half tank of gas...

04-24-2008, 06:15 AM	#11
neophyte Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Charlotte, NC Posts: 3,628 Blog Entries: 2	Coon Hunting stitchclimber: The absolutely best way to improve your night vision and night hunting. Try coon hunting. Imagine shooting something as small as a cat almost straight up with 'iron' sights. We use lights to find our way around, and iron sight them out of trees. I carry handguns only. Either MK11 or Single Six, __________________ Craig By the standards of most

04-24-2008, 08:21 AM	#12
oejeffrey Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: West Virginia Posts: 58	I would imagine that strapping a flashlight to the end of your barrel would pretty much give anyone else a nice target to aim at as well.....that being said if they have night vision and you have that glowing tritium front post ??? For them with the night vision on that tritium is just like having a flashlight aimed at your face. Now I could be wrong about that but that is the gospel I heard LOL. Check it out though I could be wrong Jeffrey

04-24-2008, 01:26 PM	#13
FragMaster Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Maui, Hawaii Posts: 27	No doubt, if you're conducting missions to that level of stealth, you're just better off using passive night vision goggles with a red dot scope. Otherwize, I wouldn't worry about the reflective light from the tritium. Tritium's probably the best bet because it's only visible to you and everything behind you. __________________ Peace through Superior Firepower.