front night site only

[fotomaker57]

I was just reading a discussion on another site and wanting to get the opinions of people here. The discussion was on the use of a single front night site as opposed to front and rear. Most felt that just the front was all that was necessary for close personal defense purposes. Give me your thoughts on and ideas on this subject.
Mike

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[Bud White]

Personally i like both front and rear but thats just me

[P95Carry]

I'm with Bud - tho I admit that ''in extremis'' I sure as heck wanna see at least a front sight.

If we have the luxury of that odd millisecond to get a full sight picture then I want ''something'' as a rear sight, even if just a groove down topstrap!!! Better still - per my 226 - two rear sight dots and the one front sight dot - makes sense IMO.

If required to point shoot then sights don't matter but I sure want them there! I have the rudimentary sights on my R9 - but arguably they won't be used all that much in a CQC situation but - I sure prefer to have 'em. Both front and rear!

[Euclidean]

It's not that bad of an idea at all.

For years patrol cops have been painting the back of their front sight with White Out. It's bright white color and reflective quality are great in low light conditions.

I know a lot of people who black out their 3 dot sights in various combinations including me.

[OD*]

A single front night site isn't a bad idea, but I prefer the three dot with the front and rear of different colors.

[rfurtkamp]

My most recent Sig 226 came that way as a CPO from whatever federal agency spec'd it that way. I don't like it for one simple reason: the cutouts on my preferred Trijicons act to focus light during day shooting as well as focus the eyes on the inserts when shooting in less optimal conditions.

If I don't have time to focus on the sight picture, I'll be honest: I'm not focusing on *any* sights. I'm going to point shoot.

And at civilian defense ranges, it's perfectly doable with a modicum of practice and guarantee COM hits.

[gunthorp]

Maybe practice breaking tunnel vision works, and I hope I'll see at least the front sight in the vision cone, but when facing a Brown or Grizzly, I'd like the biggest brightest glow in the dark front sight I can get. Maybe the reflection of it in my eyeballs will look like the headlights of a Mack truck going at him.

[fotomaker57]

Many of the people that were for the use of a single front night site thought there was always enough light to illuminate an outline of the rear sites and making acquisition of the front that much easier. There was also the discussion that in stress situations people could confuse the rear site for the front. All seem like valid arguments to me. Any one with night sites game to try covering the rear dots with some electrical tape and giving us a report no how you think it would work for you?
Mike

[gregarat]

the use of a single front night site thought there was always enough light to illuminate an outline of the rear sites and making acquisition of the front that much easier.

That makes sence, and saves me money.

I alwayes used bright nail polish on hard to see sights.

[rocky]

The Military uses front nite sights only , cause the show up great with NV. (in the holster others would see the rear sights glowing.) As for application for CC , I can see where it might help to focus on the front sight.

[OD*]

Any one with night sites game to try covering the rear dots with some electrical tape and giving us a report no how you think it would work for you?

I've done it Mike, that's what I based my opinion on.

[CLASS3NH]

I've also done the same as OD has. The 3 dot sight system is a much better picture, than just the front sight only.

[Betty]

I have XS Sights Big Dots on my USPc - the front sight is a giant white dot with tritium, and the rear is a single vertical bar of tritium. So you just line up the two. They're meant to be fast acquisition sights, and they work well for me. They're also great for someone like me who can't see squat without glasses or contacts.

[rocky]

The XS sights are really nice. Someone posted a while back witha pic. of em. If I were to upgrade, I might go with that type over 3 dot.

[Bumper]

My Nighthawk Enforcer has a blank, unmarked rear sight and a tritium front sight. I didn't think I was going to like it when I bought it, but after taking it to the range I found I actually found it helped in quickly picking up a target and putting it where I wanted it. Below is the only picture I have of the rear sight. Trying to improve on the idea, and since the tritium front sight was a little small, I added a XS Big Dot front sight. While you can get on target very quickly and, no doubt would be good in a defensive situation, the size of the front sight definitely has an effect on the preciseness of your targeting. My plans are to replace the front sight now with a brighter, but smaller, tritium and surround. The blank rear sight, in itself, seems to work pretty well, for me, for point shooting or controlled fire on the range.