I have a KISS version of both my 16" and 11.5" Colts as backups. They are both mostly stock, with a couple of minor comfort upgrades (A1 grip, gapper, M4 handguards, etc.) to them. They are, other than barrel length, identical.
Lately I’ve become a huge fan of the tritium-front-only setup on my handguns, and am beginning to think that maybe the KISS carbines could benefit from this as well. I’m looking at the Trijicon front sight post, but at $46/ea dealer price it’s not exactly something I want to buy and, if I don’t like it, wind up tossing in the parts bin.
So, does anyone have experience running a tritium front sight post on their AR? I’m not so much interested in theory as much as opinions from those that have actual experience shooting carbines with the sights. I’m especially interested in thoughts on how it affected your ability to make hits at longer range, if at all, and if it affected your ability to go from making hits at close-quarters to making hits at distance quickly.
I’d also like to have some idea of what the dot looks like through the small aperature of an A2 rear sight. Specifically, approximately how much of the hole does the dot take up given standard carbine sight radius? Is the post significantly thicker than the standard A2 post?
Yes, I have heard the theory that a tritium dot swinging around on a slung rifle can be a target indicator for the enemy, but that issue is a non-starter for me so let’s not go there.
I suspect that at the end of the day I’ll wind up ordering one just because I always seem to have to find out for myself (I always have to touch the bench, just to see if the “wet paint” sign is really true), but I’m still interested in the opinions of those that have gone before me.
I don’t like them just because of the width of the front sight post. Sure it’s be great for 100yds for minute-of-perp, beyond that I would probably hate it.
Frankly, all I’m really concerned with is 100 yards and in. For the intended purpose of these carbines I don’t envision needing them beyond that distance. A side use for these rifles is as loaners; either for training/gaming or if actually needed. I’m thinking that the dot on the front sight may make it easier for non-shooters to focus where they’re supposed to.
I’ve got one on a few guns – I’ve been using the XS Sight BigDot.
I have one on my flight front KAC gun here in Iraq (I keep it flipped down)
I also have on a C8 Iron sight clone.
I dont really like them when using optics – especially at night - since they take away from the reddot.
I forgot I have one on my RO634 SMG as well (dust collector)
I like the big Dot – since you just drop it one tgt and bang.
Its not precise – but realistically an iron sighted carbine is not a precision weapon. Its fast and its simple.
I seem to be in the minority, but I like the Trijicon front. I’ve been using them on my guns for a long time now. I am not bothered by the dot through my optics. It is wider than a standard front sight post, but at 100yds and in I dont find it to be a hinderance. Working at night with a long gun, I think the pro’s outweigh the cons even with optics. Without optics at night its a no brainer for me.
YMMV
Having just completed Vickers/Hackathorn low light class, I will say that if your AR does NOT have a dot optic on it (or something that illuminates) you need a Tritium front. There were a couple guys in the class that did not have any optic and they suffered.
So my recommendation would be to get one and yes I do like the Trijicon front sight, but not if all I did was shoot irons.
I have a green Trijicon lamp on the front sight of my LMT 16". That rifle has an ACOG on it as well, and the tritium doesn’t bother it.
The tritium FSP from Trijicon isn’t intended for long range or precision work. However I will strongly echo M4Grant’s comment about having a lamp on any rifle with no optic. My rifles tend to get used in low light conditions a lot. I always grab the rifle with some kind of illumination whether it be a tritium vial on the FSB, or an EOthing, or whatever. You need something on the front sight to work in a reduced light setting.
The problem with tritium FSBs besides them being a little bigger(doesn’t matter much to me close in YMMV) is that the lamp is installed below the shelf on the front sight. That throws your point of aim off. At 25yds and closer, it doesn’t matter much, but farther out it can be an issue. I have a few drawings and ideas for a front sight that fixes this deficiency, I just need to find someone to make it for me. ?
One thig to remember is that if you are shooting in a low light setting, you will be splashing your target with a torch anyway(you have to ID your target right?). This action backlights your front sight and allows for shooting without a lamp. However, the tritium helps me get reoriented to the front sight for follow up shots more effectively that an iron that I have to find. It also allows you to find your front sight before you shine the light.
I really like the Trijicon tritium front sights and have them on my Glocks, and one of my ARs. The other rifles including the AK will be getting them soon. I personally consider them to be mandatory equipment. I only use front sights with tritium as well, the rear lamps are distracting and reduce my sight picture in my goofy opinion. I feel like they mess with my night vision just enough to reduce the clarity of my sight picture. YMMV.
If my optic goes down at night, which has happened to me before when I was about to shoot a feral dog that was killing my cats, the tritium front sight stands in very well. What’s the point of having back up sights if they only work under good lighting conditions? You’re probably going to need them during a low light encounter anyway. Get the lamps.
One of things you touched is an important point. If you have no dot optic and no tritium front post, then to properly ID and engage your target you will need to keep the light on longer as you cannot see your irons.
Shooters that have a tritium front/dot optic will be able to utilize the “flash bulb” illumination technique which is a better way to fight at night.
