Night Sights worth the extra$$

[Retlawman590]

Hi,

Looking at the PM9. Dealer has one with the night sights. It's about $125 more than the standard sights. Worth it? Is accuracy any better with the three dot system? How bright are these sights at night?

Also, he is selling it for $730 shipped. 2 tone.

Thanks.

[muggsy]

Accuracy is no better or worse than the standard sights except at night. Most close encounters of the defensive type occur in close quarters in poor light conditions and most will be point and shoot incidents. You simply don't have time to align sights when someone is trying to kill you. Having said that, I prefer three dot night sights for serious social work.

[Popeye]

Sure liked the Tru Dots on my PM9. They worked well in low light conditions and were not to bright in total darkness to wash each other out even with my old tired eyes. I don't think they make the pistol more accurate in well lit conditions but they don't hurt either. If your planning to use your pistol in question for SD CC. then I'd have to give them a thumbs up. You just never know when you might have to take that shot in low light or dark conditions that is just a little more then a point and shoot shot. If it's going to be just a range pistol then No I would not buy them.

[b4uqzme]

I prefer them. I find night sights easy to see in any low light condition. Clear but not too bright in total darkness. They don't make the gun more accurate but easier to hit your target if you do have the opportunity to aim. But you will see valid arguments on both sides. But I feel even in a point-and-shoot situation, it's gotta be helpful to at least find that front sight.

I think it's more important to be consistent with all your self defense pistols: all 3 dots, all night sights, etc. That makes the most of your training.

[kerby9mm]

I have 4 guns that have them & the 2 that don't are my Kahrs. My 2 S&W revolvers have the front XS big dot nite site which I find is all that is really needed. If it was my choice I would get the one with nite sites but its your money. They will go dim but you will be around 10 years older.

[Longitude Zero]

3-Dot with the front and rear different colors.

[TucsonMTB]

. . . night sights . . . Worth it?
The answer might depend on what your other guns have and what you are accustomed to. For me, three dot sights are found on all my other guns. So, yeah, it was worth it to add them to both my Kahr pocket pistols.

Also, in my experience, the white paint on the original Kahr sights is not durable and comes off easily, especially if you use the recommended brake cleaner spray to keep your striker channel clean.

Plus, as my wife observed, "little boys like 'glow in the dark' toys." Night sights qualify . . .

YMMV and this "information" is undoubtedly worth every penny you paid for it. ;)

[Retlawman590]

Thanks guys, yes this will be one of my CCW guns. I currently have an XD45c and XD40sc with XS Big dots. I have many years experience with Glocks standard and three dot sights as a LEO. I shot the XDs very well up to the 15 yard line. After that, it's difficult to sight my target. My eyes are 51 though, but I shoot with low powered reading glasses (.75x) which help a lot.

What do you think of the price? $730 shipped. Seems to be about right according to GB.

[hogsnguns]

I think that is a great price. I wish I had paid that for mine with night sights.I think prices are higher on the west coast. Go for it!

[ParabellumJ]

It is worth it. Personally I don't care for the bar-dot style sight. I also put night sights on all of my defensive pistols. Since $125 is about the rate for the sights plus install its not a bad deal.

[Jules Winnfield]

I paid $730 for my PM9 w/standard sights here in Tampa Bay. I then purchased some Meprolight TruDots on Amazon for $88. I got them installed for free after gunsmith jacked up the front sight by shattering the tube otherwise it would have costed me $30. Personally I'm a fan of three dot system and have them on my 2 other guns (G26 & Sig P250C 9mm). Having said that I also shot just as well with the standard Kahr "dot the i" sights. But anything that increase the odds of you hitting your target is worth it IMO. So to answer your original question...yes you're getting a pretty good deal.


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[pappy42]

As a retired LEO; my answer to the question re night sights is yes and no. As a FNG, an old timer clued me in about having a night sight on the front only.

Think it through; handgun, yes. 870 tritium bead, yes. Tritium front sight on an AR with a peep rear, yes.

The responder who stated that one won't align the sights in a gun fight is right on. In the dark, a retained image from the muzzle flash is all you have after your first shot. After that, one should be moving and seeking cover and or concealment.

[muggsy]

As a retired LEO; my answer to the question re night sights is yes and no. As a FNG, an old timer clued me in about having a night sight on the front only.

Think it through; handgun, yes. 870 tritium bead, yes. Tritium front sight on an AR with a peep rear, yes.

The responder who stated that one won't align the sights in a gun fight is right on. In the dark, a retained image from the muzzle flash is all you have after your first shot. After that, one should be moving and seeking cover and or concealment.

That was me Pappy and your a man of obvious experience. Night fighting is a whole different ball game.

[stuch77]

this is how i see it. Better to have night sights if you get into a gun fight at night then not to have them.

[garyb]

Hi,

Looking at the PM9. Dealer has one with the night sights. It's about $125 more than the standard sights. Worth it? Is accuracy any better with the three dot system? How bright are these sights at night?

Also, he is selling it for $730 shipped. 2 tone.

Thanks.

Yep! Night sights are better in the dark. In the daylight, a night sight is unnecessary. In the dark, I use night sights and a CTL (laser) for SD. In the daylight, I prefer fiberoptic for competition (IDPA). In daylight, Night sights work the same as sights that are not night sights.....no accuracy difference as far as I am concerned. However, others might argue their preference and mine is a fiberoptic front sight which I feel is faster in daylight competition shooting. Fiberoptic draws your eye immediately to the front sight. At night, it's another matter and that is where the strength of the night sight shows up. Even better....add the laser to your night sight and your night shooting leans toward instinctive. Night sights and a laser combination allows you to defend in any light...day or night. Best of both worlds. I would not have a SD gun without both night sight AND laser. JMO and not a dig against anyone elses piece....to each his own but think on this.

[JERRY]

NS help with confidence, they also help if and when you have the time to use them. most of the time be it day or night you wont have the time to use your sights unless youre on the offensive.

shoot, move, reload. if youre not doing at least two of those things at the same time youre going to die. get off the X.

[muggsy]

If you practice point and shoot you'll be surprised at how quickly you can pick it up and of how accurate you can be. They taught this technique in WWII.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ro7N7dAmjLY

[muggsy]

The rule of threes. Most gun fights occur at three yards or less with three shots fired in under three seconds. You won't have time to look at the sights.

[jocko]

If you practice point and shoot you'll be surprised at how quickly you can pick it up and of how accurate you can be. They taught this technique in WWII.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ro7N7dAmjLY

one would go blind looking for those sights on the 1911's back then:behindsofa:

[ndoren]

What do you think of the price? $730 shipped. Seems to be about right according to GB.

Currently $723 on Buds, shipped free. Often goes on sale for $30 less than that, depending on supply. They used to have a 'same as cash' deal, until GE finance decided it was morally wrong to support hangdun purchases.

http://www.budsgunshop.com/catalog/product_info.php/products_id/55791/Kahr+Arms+6+%2B+1+Round+9MM+w3%22+BarrelPolymer+Fr ameTritium

[muggsy]

one would go blind looking for those sights on the 1911's back then:behindsofa:

That was back in JMB's minimalist days. Big bore, tiny sights. I used them until I needed glasses. That's my story and I'm stickin to it. :)

[garyb]

If you practice point and shoot you'll be surprised at how quickly you can pick it up and of how accurate you can be. They taught this technique in WWII.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ro7N7dAmjLY

Not to pick on the vid but My, My, how things have changed with training today. It is a good vid and I enjoyed watching it. Good points made. While some of the WW2 tips still apply (ie., alignment of the gun and the arm), there are many training items that have changed since WW2 (ie, two handed grip; pushing out the gun rather than lifting up the arm, etc...).Some very fast shooters are squeezing the trigger after the draw while they are on the push/extension, even before their arm is fully extended...rather than raising up with a stiff arm as in the vid. Important muscle memory stuff for instinctive shooting. Obviously for long range shooting (50 yrds) the sights were obviously used, not instinctive point and shoot. Gotta have the sights, as point and shoot won't work for every situation and longer distance. Gotta love those gaiters too! Good history vid.

There is no doubt that point and shoot, instinctive shooting (what ever you wish to call this method) is a good thing to practice. I totally agree and practice it, but it does not replace the need to see and use your sights well. Although range time is essential to repetitively acquire proficiency with the point and shoot method, it requires ammo. Nothing wrong with burning ammo, we all love to do it. But I would add that a great training tool for this instinctive point and shoot training is a CTL and dry fire. You can practice draw, point your gun and squeeze the trigger....while almost instantaneously following with a pressure tap the laser button under your middle finger...to see where you would have hit.... You can do this over and over again without the need to fire a shot. A CTL is a very valuable tool to build gun alignment, point and shoot, instinctive skill, because you can do this on a much more frequent basis between range time. You really build the skill and lock it in.

Again, I do agree with your point and shoot comment AND the comment on rule of 3s... but you still need the ability to see and use your sights (day and night) and I would add, to enhance your low light (night) shooting via a laser dot when the sights can't be seen. The laser provides a great tool to add to your night sights and training tool for instinctive practice. JMO

[muggsy]

I use my sights when I can and don't when I can't. Either way at 25' I'll keep most of them on target. Practice, practice, practice. I doubt that many on this board have ever even tried point shooting.

[garyb]

I use my sights when I can and don't when I can't. Either way at 25' I'll keep most of them on target. Practice, practice, practice. I doubt that many on this board have ever even tried point shooting.

I'd say that many fast double taps are point and shoot on the second tap....at least for me....so I'd say many guys to try it without thinking about it much...and I agree that point and shoot is kind of important to practice, as are the sights.