What's the difference between all of these different sights?

**etep513** · September 27th, 2009, 08:31 PM

I noticed that pistols can have a variety of sights. There are fixed sights, adjustable sights, glock night sights, trijicon sights, etc. What's the difference between all of those? Are fixed sights permanently fused to the slide and can't be removed? Also, what's the difference between night sights and trijicon sights. I know that both of them light up at night. Why are they so expensive (when compared to fixed sights)? Are they really that expensive to manufacture? Would you recommend night sights or trijicon sights for a defensive pistol? Or are they bad because they give away your position at night? Thanks in advance.

**CHEMICAL** · September 27th, 2009, 08:35 PM

Originally Posted by etep513

I noticed that pistols can have a variety of sights. There are fixed sights, adjustable sights, glock night sights, trijicon sights, etc. What's the difference between all of those? Are fixed sights permanently fused to the slide and can't be removed? Also, what's the difference between night sights and trijicon sights. I know that both of them light up at night. Why are they so expensive (when compared to fixed sights)? Are they really that expensive to manufacture? Would you recommend night sights or trijicon sights for a defensive pistol? Or are they bad because they give away your position at night? Thanks in advance.

trijicon ARE night sights, thats just one of the brands. meprolight tru-dot is another, etc. they are made from a small capsule of radioactive gas, which is partly why they are so expensive, and no, they dont give away your position unless the bad guy has sneaked up behind you. fixed sights are usually unadjustable for drift, but they can be altered or replaced by a gunsmith at a price, of course.

**etep513** · September 27th, 2009, 08:41 PM

Originally Posted by CHEMICAL

trijicon ARE night sights, thats just one of the brands. meprolight tru-dot is another, etc. they are made from a small capsule of radioactive gas, which is partly why they are so expensive, and no, they dont give away your position unless the bad guy has sneaked up behind you. fixed sights are usually unadjustable for drift, but they can be altered or replaced by a gunsmith at a price, of course.

So would you say that night sights are better than standard fixed sights? Also, how long do night sights last? Do they eventually wear out?

**synergy** · September 27th, 2009, 09:13 PM

Originally Posted by etep513

So would you say that night sights are better than standard fixed sights? Also, how long do night sights last? Do they eventually wear out?

Yes, I would.

10 years or better, it depends on their quality, though. Trijicons seem to stay brighter, longer.

Fixed sights are typically installed into a set of dovetails in the slide. They are typically removable, and can be shifted with tools...but are not meant to click up/down/left/right with a screwdriver.

These are fixed, and night sights

These are adjustable

These are adjustable night sights

**Steve_NEPhila** · September 28th, 2009, 12:43 AM

As for the expense to manufacture, kind of. Believe it or not Trijicon supplies most of the tritium vials to other night sight manufacturers. The major variances are in construction and design of the sight itself that holds the tritium vial.

Tritium is the radioactive gas that reacts with a phosphor lining that makes the glow. Tritium is toxic to humans when ingested and is controlled by government regulatory bodies. I prefer and recommend tritium sights to anyone using a pistol for defense. (What are the chances you have to use your pistol on a bright sunny day during the hours of daylinght?) I also recommend only getting the front sight with a tritium insert, as that is the only one that really matters anyway.