F/O sight powered by tritium?

[TCB]

I've become convinced that F/O front sights with a plain black rear are my preferred setup for shooting (during daylight). However for duty weapons that may be used in lowish light I prefer a tritium front (the Trijicon HD front is perfect for me although I'd like it to be serrated and a bit narrower) to be able to index my front sight before turning on my WML (I do run WML's on all my non-game guns) or in situations where it's not really dark enough for the WML to be necisarry and too dark for F/O to be visible. I realize just turning on the WML all the time would solve this but it tends to wash out both F/O and the dot on tritium, leaving just the plain silhouette of the sights (which works fine but I want what I want dammnit!).

I'm wondering if a front sight could be made where a tritium vial was placed directly underneath a F/O rod that would provide enough illumination to light up the F/O rod making it visible in low / no light conditions? In my pea brain it seems like this would work and be kind of the best of both worlds? I sent Dawson an email asking them about it a while ago but never got a reply (this may be a clue)... Thoughts on this being possible?

[HCM]

My understanding is Tru-Glo has a patent on using tritium to illuminate FO sights. They execute the concept poorly but you won't see competing products till their patent expires.

That's why you see attempts at work arounds like the VTAC pistol sights.

[El Cid]

My understanding is Tru-Glo has a patent on using tritium to illuminate FO sights. They execute the concept poorly but you won't see competing products till their patent expires.

That's why you see attempts at work arounds like the VTAC pistol sights.

I haven't used any of their stuff, but was under the impression their new TFX line was a significant improvement. Can anyone verify that?

[HCM]

I haven't used any of their stuff, but was under the impression their new TFX line was a significant improvement. Can anyone verify that?

Time will tell. Durability was one of the issues with the original Tru Glo's

[Jay Cunningham]

So far so good on the TFX front sight, but I still need a lot more time on it.

[TCB]

Hmmm, wasn't hip to those sights. If they sell just the front and it is the same height as the front on my VP9 I might try one. I still prefer the smaller dot up high of the Dawson F/O and them being serrated rather than the big dot and smooth face on my HD's (these TFO sights look similar)...

At least it's good to know that it's possible for tritium to power F/O on pistol sights...in my mind I just want the dot on my Dawson's to glow under any lighting condition. Maybe I should just have a pistol cut for an RMR?

[BehindBlueI's]

My understanding is Tru-Glo has a patent on using tritium to illuminate FO sights. They execute the concept poorly but you won't see competing products till their patent expires.


They are factory on certain Sigs. I'm finding I like them less and less after putting Trijicon HDs on some Sigs. The FO doesn't light up well if not in direct sunlight, the shrouding that protects it also blocks out too much light. The tritium works really well, though, and it's a good night sight. The issue is in the twilight-ish lighting conditions inside or out. Then it's like having a plain black front sight as the FO isn't lighting up from ambient light and the tritium isn't bright enough to be noticeable yet.

[HCM]

Hmmm, wasn't hip to those sights. If they sell just the front and it is the same height as the front on my VP9 I might try one. I still prefer the smaller dot up high of the Dawson F/O and them being serrated rather than the big dot and smooth face on my HD's (these TFO sights look similar)...

At least it's good to know that it's possible for tritium to power F/O on pistol sights...in my mind I just want the dot on my Dawson's to glow under any lighting condition. Maybe I should just have a pistol cut for an RMR?

There was a member here who had a VP9 cut for RMR a while back - I think it had its own thread.

[TCB]

Yea, I saw it...me like. It seems like it is the way of the future, I'm just not sure I can spend the time to get good with one while still maintaining proficiency with my duty gun and my competition pistol. My idea for this sight would be a perfect (I'm my mind) stop gap between regular irons & an optic sighted pistol...I want a full sunlit bright F/O front sight in all lighting conditions (including when I turn on my U-Boat). Seems like it's not gonna happen, oh well.