shot an IDPA night match....

[Tyler Durden]

Hi all,

Eight stages total.  Two different ranges/clubs.   Four stages at one club.  Four stages at the other.  Four stages could be used with a flashlight, and the other four stages no flashlight was used.

I finished up at 300 something seconds.

The top finisher was done at 185 seconds.

I was just using a Beretta with standard sights. 

I might try some glow in the dark paint on the sights to see if that does anything for them.

I was trying to use the syringe method for holding the flashlight with my weak hand, but I wasn't all that proficient with it.

So I regressed, and would just press the flashlight against my left ear muff, and the beam lit up both the sights and the target.

It's not very tactical but it worked.

And even though I was basically shooting some stages strong hand only, it seemed faster and more accurate to me.

if you have a chance, try shooting and acquiring your sights at night some time.   

[fightingquaker13]

Sounds like fun. And as far as tactical? Well, as Alexander the Great said "Do whatever works".
FQ13

[kmitch200]

I was trying to use the syringe method for holding the flashlight with my weak hand, but I wasn't all that proficient with it.
And even though I was basically shooting some stages strong hand only, it seemed faster and more accurate to me.

Which is why I like and use the Harries technique.   Strong hand shooting with some support from the off hand - it's also easy to align.
It's pretty much the only type of hold I practice with regularly, (I've tried several), as always - YMMV.

[alfsauve]

Cool Tyler.   I went an observed a part of an indoor IDPA on Tuesday night.  The stage they were shooting was pretty simple.  It was  basically shooting while moving towards and then away from the targets.    And in the limited space they can't do anything very complicated.

I haven't tried night sights.   

The next Tuesday I have free I may go shoot too.

[billt]

if you have a chance, try shooting and acquiring your sights at night some time.

I'm a little disappointed with Tritium Night Sights. They are not all that bright in practical / tactical applications. My Springfield SOCOM 16 has a Trijicon Tritium front sight post. If I go into a completely dark closet, you can't even see the thing. My Glocks and Sigs are not all that much better. Still and all I would rather have them than not, in a dark, self defense type situation. They're just not all they are cracked up to be. I doubt when they go dim in 10 years or so I'll be spending a C Note to replace them.

[Sponsor]

[Timothy]

I'm a little disappointed with Tritium Night Sights. They are not all that bright in practical / tactical applications. My Springfield SOCOM 16 has a Trijicon Tritium front sight post. If I go into a completely dark closet, you can't even see the thing. My Glocks and Sigs are not all that much better. Still and all I would rather have them than not, in a dark, self defense type situation. They're just not all they are cracked up to be. I doubt when they go dim in 10 years or so I'll be spending a C Note to replace them.

My daughters Sig is about 20 years old I'd guess.  Her sights are barely visible in the dark now.  I didn't even realize they were tritium until we lost power a few weeks ago.

[Tyler Durden]

I was a Safety Officer for this match too, so I got to peer over a lot of shooter's shoulders as they loaded up and unloaded.  Some had TFO's just installed and I could pick them up just fine.

But there was at least one shooter I remember SO'ing....he drew his pistola, had the gun up level like normal, but he really, REALLY was swirling the muzzle around like he was fishing for the front sight's glow in the dark dot.  It was painfully slow.

My point is or was that practice and experience with the gun during lit conditions gives your body, your muscle memory an "index" to base off even if you can't see your sights.  I think that alone would let you hit a man size target accurately enough at across the room or down the hallway distances.

[fightingquaker13]

Agreed completly. Think of it as a very small shot gun and just POINT the thing. All you're looking for is getting it "on paper". As for the rest, that's why you have a hi-cap magazine.
FQ13

PS I have fading night sights on a G-19. I don't plan on replacing them. If I were to spend the C note I'd put it towards a guide rod mounted laser or just leave it alone.

[les snyder]

if you shoot a weak thumb forward grip, there is a technique where you can attach a large split key ring to a SureFire 6P/G2 size light with a plastic cable tie....insert weak index finger thru ring, and grasp light between index and middle finger... take regular grip with pistol.. button activated by pulling pressure against the strong middle finger below the trigger guard... if I have my 6P, I shoot Harries technique as the ring is on the textured G2

I think that there is utility in a different front sight color or the stacked "8" for tritium sights... I have to elevate the muzzle slightly to determine  the correct dot, and then shoot with non dominate eye closed...(same if I shoot through narrow slats) when I shoot a night match.. tritium works best when your eyes are dialated..

[Tyler Durden]

I have a Surefire E2D Defender.

It looks like this:


I took a dremel with a cutoff wheel and buzzed off the rear prongs so that the switch on the end would be more accessible.


actually, I think the flashlight I have is just the regular E2D Defender not the LED version.  The light it puts out is more yellow-ish.

I have the silver version of the Coleman flashlight pictured here:


It has LED's so the light it puts out has a blue-ish cast to it, but it just seems brighter or crisper for some reason.

I used the Surefire flashlight for the match because it has a pocket clip to it.  I just clipped it inside my left front pants pocket with enough of the light sticking out that I could grab it quickly.

For the start of each stage, the flashlight had to be stowed.