Nightsight Brand Durability?

[sliptap]

I am looking to purchase a set of nightsights for my NEW Kahr CM9 (thanks Magnum314...bragging pics later). From what I've researched so far, there doesn't appear to be a difference between Mepro or Trijicon.

I'm nervous that the sights will dim in a few years, so I want to buy the brand that will last longer. Considering this will be pocket carried and the usual daily grind, should I worry about durability between brands?

So:

1) Mepro vs Trijicon...personal experiences of durability?
2) Are night sights particularly fragile?
3) Any other advice (especially Kahr related)?

Thanks in advance for your wisdom

 

[sliptap]

...and just a quick snapshot to show off!

 

[88E30M50]

Nice gun.

I run night sights on just about everything I carry and have not had any issues with durability. I've banged the rear sights off of door frames a bunch over the years and there has been no damage. The oldest of my night sights is about 4 years and is still very bright. I've used Trijicon, Kimber (not sure of the brand actually) and Siglite only, but not for any particular reason.

My favorites of the ones I have experience with are the Trijicon with the white rings around the rear capsules. The Sig and Kimber night sights don't have those and it's just a touch harder to pick up the dots. All are great though. My favorite thing about night sights is being able to look at the nightstand in pitch dark and know exactly how to grab my nightstand gun by how the night sights are situated.

 

[jwh20]

Really the only concern with night sights is longevity. All of these are a small glass capsule coated with a phorphor. The capsule is then filled with a small amount of radioactive tritium. Tritium is a hydrogen gas isotope where there are 2 neutrons vs. none for regular hydrogen. Tritium is man-made in a nuclear reactor as it does not exist in nature.

Tritium has a half-life of 12 years. That means that in 12 years 1/2 of the tritium will decay. The good news is that in the NEXT 12 years, only 1/2 of the remaining will decay. So after 24 years you will have 1/4 of the original amount.

The tritium decay releases energy which causes the phosphor to glow. That's what powers the "lamp", radioactivity.

Eventually the the sights will dim due to decreasing radioactivity. I'm not sure where that threshold is, I have a gun that is 20 years old with tritium sights and it still looks good. I have a watch that is almost 60 years old with tritium dial and it might be a bit dim, I just can remember for sure. It's older than I am.

But if you look at how these are made, they are very rugged. The capsule is glass but it's tiny and it's enclosed on all sides by steel. About the only thing you could do to damage one would be to take a sharp object and break the capsule.

 

[sliptap]

Both of you, thank you very much for the feedback. They were both very informative and answered my questions! I guess my next steps will be find a good deal, look for a gunsmith, then go shooting in the dark haha.

 

[Drake.45]

I have Trijicon sights on my G30 and they work great so far and are three years young

 

[Dj15802]

My Trijicon sights are 3-4 years old and just as bright as the ones I just added to anther gun.

 

[shooter521]

1) Mepro vs Trijicon...personal experiences of durability?

Mepro. Price is lower, daytime sight picture is better, and Kimber (the importer for Mepro) provides exceptional warranty service.

2) Are night sights particularly fragile?

Define "particularly"? If you drop the gun will you break them? Probably not. But they are susceptible to damage during installation if you don't know what you're doing, especially if you're just going after it with a hammer and punch.

3) Any other advice (especially Kahr related)?

Pay the extra money and have them professionally installed, either by Kahr or by a qualified gunsmith. Back in the day, you HAD to send the gun (or at least the slide) back to Kahr for night sights, because they used an arbor press to put them on, shaving metal in the process. I think that has changed recently, however. That said, even using a sight pusher, I managed to crack a vial on my P380's rear sight during installation. Everything looked fine at the time, but a couple days later, one side was dead.

YMMV.

 

[45fan]

I have Trijicons on my officers model, been there for three years, and been abused a lot along the way, still glowing bright.

The only thing I might mention, if conceal ability is a concern, night sights glow ALL the time. I have found that IWB carry of my officers model is kinda silly if its warm enough out to be without a jacket, as the sights glow through most of my shirts. I still carry it, but usually go with something else if I know I will be out after dark in the summer. Kinda defeats the purpose of night sights for me, YMMV.

 

[lucky4034]

I'm surprised night sights are so popular... they seem almost like a novelty to me. Who is going to spend time lining up 3 little glow in the dark sights?

It would seem like better training to just practice throwing the front sight post on the target and pulling the trigger?

Maybe I'm way off

 

[SERparacord]

I'm surprised night sights are so popular... they seem almost like a novelty to me. Who is going to spend time lining up 3 little glow in the dark sights?

It would seem like better training to just practice throwing the front sight post on the target and pulling the trigger?

Maybe I'm way off

I just rely on hand-eye coordination and sound shots.

 

[Midskier]

I read this 3 times and almost checked the brand of my nightstand.........duh

 

[shooter521]

It would seem like better training to just practice throwing the front sight post on the target and pulling the trigger?

Have you ever done any shooting or training in low/no light?

 

[BehindBlueI's]

I'm surprised night sights are so popular... they seem almost like a novelty to me. Who is going to spend time lining up 3 little glow in the dark sights?

It would seem like better training to just practice throwing the front sight post on the target and pulling the trigger?

Maybe I'm way off

Shouldn't you be equally surprised that guns have rear sights at all, then? Why is proper sight alignment a good idea during the day but a novelty at night?

How do you propose to find the front sight in the dark, especially against a target wearing dark clothes?

 

[rockhopper46038]

The oldest night sights I have on any of my guns are the Trijicons that came on my S&W 4006 that I bought back in August of 1992. At night they still shine plenty bright enough such that from 3 or 4 feet away in my bed I can easily see the front and rear sights glowing. However, compared to the Trijicons on my 2005 Wilson, they are indeed less bright.

 

[88E30M50]

The oldest night sights I have on any of my guns are the Trijicons that came on my S&W 4006 that I bought back in August of 1992. At night they still shine plenty bright enough such that from 3 or 4 feet away in my bed I can easily see the front and rear sights glowing. However, compared to the Trijicons on my 2005 Wilson, they are indeed less bright.

The ability to see where my gun is on the nightstand in pitch dark is one of my favorite things about night sights. It's like having a set of approach lights for your handgun.

 

[88E30M50]

I'm surprised night sights are so popular... they seem almost like a novelty to me. Who is going to spend time lining up 3 little glow in the dark sights?

It would seem like better training to just practice throwing the front sight post on the target and pulling the trigger?

Maybe I'm way off

After owning guns with and without night sights, I put night sights on everything that gets carried regularly. If it does not have night sights, it does not get carried after dusk or do nightstand duty.

 

[sharpetop]

If you go with just a front night sight, the Kahr shop and www.dawsonprecision.com have them. They are a simple installation and you will only spend $50 or so. If you go with front and rear it's best to have a sight pusher for the rear [the front sight is staked on].

This information is for the CM/CW series Kahrs only, as the other Kahrs have dovetailed sights.

 

[Max Volume]

I've had good luck with Novak's. My Hi-Power I used to carry before a 1911 has them since the mid '90's and are just now starting to dim.

The MMC's I've used crapped out almost immediately. I hear they are no longer in business. Another person sent his slide to them and last I heard never got it back.

 

[lucky4034]

Have you ever done any shooting or training in low/no light?

Are we talking about target shooting or self defense?