Fiber optic sights for duty?
- Thread starter Grayman
- Start date
regdudedrtyjob
Regular Member
I would if I could.
FailureDrill
Member
I do run them on duty and trust them as much as any other sight.
Proper installation is the key. The end of this lays it out. http://modernserviceweapons.com/?p=216
My Gen4 17 Duty gun which is fed only duty ammo has about 10k rounds in the last year without a FO failure. I install a new piece about every 3k rds to keep it bright. I've run them on my USPSA guns for years with the same results.
Proper installation is the key. The end of this lays it out. http://modernserviceweapons.com/?p=216
My Gen4 17 Duty gun which is fed only duty ammo has about 10k rounds in the last year without a FO failure. I install a new piece about every 3k rds to keep it bright. I've run them on my USPSA guns for years with the same results.
@Roland Deschain this is my first official tagging of someone in a thread.
Chris Taylor
Random Factor of the K Power
I'll be the dissenting voice here, but I've replaced dozens of busted FO light pipes, and seen busted FO FS blades, on all sorts of different guns.
Uniform patrol, G17 has fiber optic. Absolutely reliable.
Chris Taylor
Random Factor of the K Power
Asking strictly from a professional POV here...
For the folks running FO,
-Is the added maintenence (swapping the light pipe) worth it, vice running all black or the dreaded tritium?
-Have you guys seen no issues with breakage?
-If/when you ever had a FO breakage, did you notice any degradation in effectiveness? (ie: where's my shiny dot?)
-Are FO really that much better for you, especially in dim/twilight situations?
I ask because, as I said in the fb discussion, I've seen lots of FO sights go TU, and on the couple I've tested, had limited utility. They work ok in bright light, but don't light up much unless it's close to daylight bright. They turn into black sights pretty quick.
Curious as to y'alls thoughts and experiences. Thanks.
Edit: I'm willing to be convinced to go to the Light(pipe) Side.
For the folks running FO,
-Is the added maintenence (swapping the light pipe) worth it, vice running all black or the dreaded tritium?
-Have you guys seen no issues with breakage?
-If/when you ever had a FO breakage, did you notice any degradation in effectiveness? (ie: where's my shiny dot?)
-Are FO really that much better for you, especially in dim/twilight situations?
I ask because, as I said in the fb discussion, I've seen lots of FO sights go TU, and on the couple I've tested, had limited utility. They work ok in bright light, but don't light up much unless it's close to daylight bright. They turn into black sights pretty quick.
Curious as to y'alls thoughts and experiences. Thanks.
Edit: I'm willing to be convinced to go to the Light(pipe) Side.
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Grizzly
Regular Member
My g19 has at least 2000 rounds through it with TFOs and they are still going strong. I did put a little dab of super glue on top as preventative maintenance. So far they've worked great in bright light, dim (shoot house and covered porch) light and glow well in the dark. I know 2k is a paltry number in some circles but it speaks well to durability in my mind. It isn't my primary duty weapon but it is carried nearly daily for conceal carry and I've qualified with it to use as a backup weapon after graduation. I trust the sights to save my life if needed.
RickJames
Amateur
It may just be a case of personal preference in the end. Ive never had one break on me, but if it did, you're basically left with a tiny peep sight up front. Not sure how effective that would be, other than a standard black sight with a hole in it. Something to try out at the range this weekend.
Grizzly
Regular Member
First, I'm no stickman when it comes to photos. I'm sure there is a half blind monkey drinking anti-freeze for fun that does better pictures. With that out of the way I tried taking pictures of a few various sites for comparing how they do in various lighting conditions.
The contenders are:
1. M&P wearing factory trijicon night sites
2. G19 wearing TFO tritiums
3. Ameriglo Pro-IDOT Tritium
Outside in moderate light.
Looking up at the sky
In a dark closet no light
Same closet with a trl1-hl (600ish lumen claimed) in front of them
Dark closet with trl1-hl up and behind the guns
The contenders are:
1. M&P wearing factory trijicon night sites
2. G19 wearing TFO tritiums
3. Ameriglo Pro-IDOT Tritium
Outside in moderate light.
Looking up at the sky
In a dark closet no light
Same closet with a trl1-hl (600ish lumen claimed) in front of them
Dark closet with trl1-hl up and behind the guns
Too bad you don't have an RMR in that mix
Grizzly
Regular Member
I've tried them a few times and haven't found it to be worth the extra bulk and price. Maybe I just need more time with them.
JD Williams
Member
Gen 3 G-17 with 10,200 rds through it has a had a fiber optic the entire time. Duty gun. No issues.
Chris Parrish
Newbie
I've only ran 10-8 Performance FO sights on my duty and EDC Glocks. Not a single failure over several thousand rounds. Love the FO front/black rear set up too.
ScottPM09
Member
Grizzly, those comparison pics are exactly what I've been waiting for! I currently run the Ameriglo sights on my duty gun and was contemplating trying out FOs for my future 1911 build. This makes my decision quite easy. I think what shocked me the most is your "no-light closet" pic....I was expecting the FO to be dark (keep in mind I have zero experience running them).
Grizzly
Regular Member
Remember there are fiber optic only (FO) and tritium fiber optic (TFO) sights. The pictures I posted are the TFOs so they have tritium under the fiber so they glow in the dark. Normal FO sights with no tritium wouldn't glow like that at all.