Heinie Ledge: Tritium- Yes or No?

[Hot Cereal]

Over the years I've done more low light and night fire training, using flashlight, no flashlight, WML, etc. I haven't once noticed or found any distinct advantage from the tritium. It normally washes out and if it doesn't there is still enough light to make a shot if I can see my target. I'm thinking about ordering some Heinie Ledge sights and I'm just not sure if I want to spend the extra money for tritium. The non tritium set is $80 and the tritium is $140. I've thought about just a front tritium sight, but still, I think that pushes the cost close to or just over $100. I can't find any good reason to spend the cash, other than "better to have and not need than need and not have", even though I can't think of a time I'd need them. Looking for some other perspectives, in agreement or disagreement.

[TC215]

I like the Straight 8-style sights with tritium, and have had them on a lot of guns.

A couple years ago, though, I tried a plain black rear sight with a tritium front sight on the Gen4 G19 I was carrying on-duty.

One night, while serving an arrest warrant, the situation went south, and I thought I was going to have to shoot. It was outside and dark. I distinctly remember wishing that I could see some kind of reference on the rear sight.

I ordered new sights for that gun the next day. There are plenty of people that like the plain rear, though.

EDIT: I should add, since then, I’ve added a Surefire XC-1B to my pistol.

[spinmove_]

There is a rather small part of the day where tritium is useful as well as certain situations if you’re indoors. That being said, I’d prefer to use the money saved on brighter and more robust lights (handheld and WML). If it’s getting iffy seeing the sights or PIDing the target, time to illuminate.


Sent from mah smertfone using tapathingy

[1Rangemaster]

Funny-a couple of coworkers and I were at a range this afternoon and were discussing “night sights”. I routinely have one good handheld light on me, and a backup in backpack. Streamlight and/or Surefire daily.
I run Heinie “Straight 8s”, Warren/Sevigny 2 dot configuration, and the last year or two AmeriGlos of different configs.
As I type this, I’m on a family trip and am staying in a hotel. A G43 topped off with Warren/Sevigny tritiums and TLR7
mounted; Surefire “Tactician” by it.
Reason for the sights: I can find the gun in the dark.
I get the $$-for me it gives another option.
YMMV

[03RN]

I have tritium in my g19 ledges.

I think it's worth it.

There is a limited amount of time that tritium is extremely useful. That is also the time that needs a gun the most.

I can't tell you how many varmits I've shot during Dawn/dusk

[HopetonBrown]

I don't get the popularity of these sights. I think they might just have a memorable name, like Hydro-Shock.

Why not a set of day sights, if you don't find an advantage with tritium?

[WOLFIE]

You can be in an area dark enough that you need the tritium to see the sights and be able to see the target that is in a lighted area. An example of this would be in my house.

[rainman]

Over the years I've done more low light and night fire training, using flashlight, no flashlight, WML, etc. I haven't once noticed or found any distinct advantage from the tritium. It normally washes out and if it doesn't there is still enough light to make a shot if I can see my target. I'm thinking about ordering some Heinie Ledge sights and I'm just not sure if I want to spend the extra money for tritium. The non tritium set is $80 and the tritium is $140. I've thought about just a front tritium sight, but still, I think that pushes the cost close to or just over $100. I can't find any good reason to spend the cash, other than "better to have and not need than need and not have", even though I can't think of a time I'd need them. Looking for some other perspectives, in agreement or disagreement.

What firearm do you need these sights for?

-Rainman

[KhanRad]

Over the years I've done more low light and night fire training, using flashlight, no flashlight, WML, etc. I haven't once noticed or found any distinct advantage from the tritium. It normally washes out and if it doesn't there is still enough light to make a shot if I can see my target. I'm thinking about ordering some Heinie Ledge sights and I'm just not sure if I want to spend the extra money for tritium. The non tritium set is $80 and the tritium is $140. I've thought about just a front tritium sight, but still, I think that pushes the cost close to or just over $100. I can't find any good reason to spend the cash, other than "better to have and not need than need and not have", even though I can't think of a time I'd need them. Looking for some other perspectives, in agreement or disagreement.

I've used the Heinies, along with many other sight options. The Heines, even in tritium format are good for bullseye shooting in good lighting conditions. They can turn a short sight radius pistol into a pistol with the precision of a much longer slide pistol. However.......their overall visibility and speed of front sight acquisition is poor due to the front sight visibility and the tight rear sight posts. I tried several high visibility front sight paint options, but the improvements were marginal.

If you are setting it up as a precision competition gun, then the Heinies work well with some decent front sight paint. However there are many better options for a defensive pistol, or a IDPA(or similar) competition. How quickly you can pick up the front sight makes all the difference in defensive use. Front sight, front sight, front sight......unless it is close enough to point shoot. It needs to be visible under the widest range of lighting conditions, and have reduced obstruction by the rear sight. Another important characteristic of a faster gun config is to have the grip setup to so that the front sight rides high with your natural point of aim so that you have to slightly lower the muzzle for sight alignment. A pistol grip that allows the front sight to dip below the rear sight with your natural point of aim forcing you to raise the muzzle for sight alignment is significantly slower, and often is difficult to achieve during stress. The grip is a different topic, but might help with your sight selection. Glocks have a nice grip angle for a front sight high ride, the P320 x-frame or x-5 frame does this well too.

At the moment I have settled on Trijicon HD XRs for my defensive pistol needs. I've tried 6 different types of sights over the last 10 years, and I feel they give me the best all around benefits.

[Hot Cereal]

However.......their overall visibility and speed of front sight acquisition is poor due to the front sight visibility and the tight rear sight posts. I tried several high visibility front sight paint options, but the improvements were marginal.

At the moment I have settled on Trijicon HD XRs for my defensive pistol needs. I've tried 6 different types of sights over the last 10 years, and I feel they give me the best all around benefits.

I too really like the Trijicon HDs. I have them on an M&P and really like them. I just don't notice the orange dot much unless it is bright sunlight out. Its there, but only effective, to me, if its sunny or I just charged them from my flashlight. I was looking for a narrower front sight post and blacked out, serrated rear sight, similar to HDs, without the price tag. I was looking at Dawson Precision, but their rear notches seem really tight, more set up for an IDPA type gun than a carry gun. I'm also not keen on putting a F/O front sight on a carry gun. I did look at the Amerglo FBI sights, but they are .140 wide. I was looking for something around .125, which puts me into the HD XR if I want a bright front sight.

I'm not sure I want a tritium rear sight, so I was looking at options other than the HD XRs. I've read about people pairing an HD XR front sight with a 10-8 rear. Anyone running a 10-8 rear?