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View Full Version : AK-47 tritium night sights or red dot?



platinumdude
4th July 2010, 10:15 PM
In a shtf scenario, which is best to have on an ak-47, tritium night sights or a red dot? Just wanting something that can be used in dusk situation or in a low lit area in a home.

wildcard
4th July 2010, 11:06 PM
I have a red dot on mine. If you're only focused on inside your house, unless it's huge, I'd get a shotgun with some ghost rings/night sights. imo

http://media.midwayusa.com/ProductImages/Large/109166.jpg

Awoke
5th July 2010, 03:59 AM
Batteries have a finite life span....

But I still have a green-dot reflex sight on my shotgun.

wildcard
5th July 2010, 04:11 AM
No batteries to worry about, no switching it on or off to worry about, just grab and go.

trijicon link (http://www.trijicon.com/user/parts/products1.cfm?PartID=640&back_row=1&categoryID=8)

http://www.trijicon.com/parts/RX30-14web.jpg

*here it is on an M4gery, not my pic, not my gun. Just shows that it's not as obnoxious as the stand alone pic makes it look:

http://ee.ar15.com/uploadImages/20100301/174128/Uploaded_634030468227375000_File.JPG

**I see now they are making them in 4.5 moa. I wish I could swap. But the 6.5 is fine. My AK is probably a 3-4 moa gun and I won't be taking any long shots with it so for 0-200 meters it's great.

link to 4.5 moa trijicon (http://www.trijicon.com/user/parts/products1.cfm?PartID=815&back_row=1&categoryID=8)

Awoke
5th July 2010, 04:38 AM
I'll have to wait till I get home to see the the Trijicon links and photos, because those sites are blocked here as usual.

the riot act
5th July 2010, 05:11 AM
In a shtf scenario, which is best to have on an ak-47, tritium night sights or a red dot? Just wanting something that can be used in dusk situation or in a low lit area in a home.


I have Tritium on one of my Yugo's (they come that way, well my two did, but with painted over and expired vials.) I replaced the vials on the wood stock one as they can flip down when not needed. Problem I have with them is that if someone gets slightly behind you they know where you are. They came with my 1911, but I'm not that impressed, simply I use point and shoot with handguns.

The other Yugo (a underfolder) I have bought a UltiMAK M9 (http://www.ultimak.com/M9.htm) forward mount (gas tube). Haven't decided on which reflex sight I will install as of yet.

Rebel Yarr
5th July 2010, 10:12 AM
I like Trijicon - but throwing money away at a 10-15 year lifetime product is no good for my thrifty ass. I am contemplating getting one of these - as it is battery operated - but I'd like to check it out before buying it..

http://www.trijicon.com/user/parts/products1.cfm?PartID=666&back_row=0&categoryID=13

wildcard
5th July 2010, 03:02 PM
Man, that RMR is tiny. That'd be pretty sweet on a shotgun too.

http://www.bowietacticalconcepts.com/sitebuilder/images/RMR_3-526x391.jpg

*and most of them can be recharged by Trijicon (for a nominal fee of course) They're not 15 years and throw 'em in the trash.

Awoke
5th July 2010, 07:17 PM
No batteries to worry about, no switching it on or off to worry about, just grab and go.


So you're telling me that the Trijicon sights don't take batteries??

How are they powered?

Heimdhal
5th July 2010, 07:23 PM
No batteries to worry about, no switching it on or off to worry about, just grab and go.


So you're telling me that the Trijicon sights don't take batteries??

How are they powered?


Tritium and Fiber optic. ;)

wildcard
5th July 2010, 07:24 PM
FM ;D


Nah, it's tritium and the solar collector thingy on the top of the reflex. Like on the ACOG and some others too I think. Accupoint also, I think.

wallew
5th July 2010, 08:23 PM
IF, AND ONLY IF you are going to mount this on an AK, why are you attempting to go with US made systems?

Russian systems are very well made, will fit AND work with your AK.

I mounted a PSO 4x24. It has an illuminated reticle for LOW LIGHT applications. I got mine in red, though I think green might also be available. Mounts right up to my NHM91. And aside from having a lit reticle, part of that reticle is a BDC (bullet drop compensator) out to 400 meters FOR the 7.62x39 AK round. I'm unaware of ANY other scope that IS BDC for the AK round.

You can find them at Tantal. He's the ONLY guy in the US that is licensed by the Russians to sell their optics here. And the one I bought installed and WORKS perfectly.

http://www.tantal.kalashnikov.guns.ru/bstpso1.html

Now if that's NOT enough, you CAN still find the NSPU1pn34 gen 1 Russian night scope if that's your gig. They ain't cheap at $600 (ish) for a really nice version and about $300 for a beater model.

http://sites.google.com/site/nspu1pn34/

LIKE the AK, the Russian optics are MUCH less expensive than the US versions. The KOBRA is very similar to the US one posted by WC.

I paid less than $200 shipped for my PSO 4x24 and that included the cost of the mount, which took me about twenty minutes to install (measure FOUR TIMES, drill twice). That was about three or four years ago.

And the NSPU1pn34 WILL fit the same mount. I have NOT had time to finish my siting in process with the night scope. But I don't have many places to shoot at night without drawing some kind of attention.

hoarder
5th July 2010, 09:34 PM
I had a scope on my AK but I decided I didn't want it on there and sold it. It had a fine Russian "Belarus" mount.
A scope might be nice on a "sniper" AK with a long barrel and a tripod, but most people want a lightweight, rugged, grab and go AK with little or no baggage.
Sadly, the AK is not well suited to attaching optics.

The AK rear sight leaves a lot to be desired for people with old eyes. I heard a company is building an aperture sight that fits on the rear of the reciever, which sounds like a good idea but I don't know how well the idea was executed.

wildcard
5th July 2010, 09:35 PM
Boy wallew, that should be a GREAT setup for inside the house defense. ::)

I know you didn't even read the OP.

*and what is wrong with American made? You frikkin commie.

Heimdhal
5th July 2010, 09:41 PM
I had a scope on my AK but I decided I didn't want it on there and sold it. It had a fine Russian "Belarus" mount.
A scope might be nice on a "sniper" AK with a long barrel and a tripod, but most people want a lightweight, rugged, grab and go AK with little or no baggage.
Sadly, the AK is not well suited to attaching optics.

The AK rear sight leaves a lot to be desired for people with old eyes. I heard a company is building an aperture sight that fits on the rear of the reciever, which sounds like a good idea but I don't know how well the idea was executed.



That company is Tech Sights. They came out with a peep sight that fits and locks into the rear trunion of the AK and, as with their other lines of peep sights, it has received nothing but praise and accoldaes all around. In fact, it will be my very next large purchase for my ak (outside of mags and ammo, of course).

Google them, itll come up in the first link. The sight is a drop in mod. It does require a new receiver cover, but they provide that with the sight. The rear sight block locks into the rear trunion and provides the anchor for the recoil spring, so it apparently will never lose its zero. They claim it holds its zero even after being completley removed from the rifle (which is NOT necessary for cleaning, btw).

Of course it nearly doubles the sight radius and will take standard after market a2 apperatures if you dont like the sizes that it comes with.

I'll be giving a full range report whenver it is i get around to getting one (which may be delayed a few months).

wildcard
5th July 2010, 09:45 PM
There are a lot of good rails for AKs nowadays. Most of them are up front for scout mounting optics though.

I have a krebs rail on mine. There is the ultimaK, Samson, and several others out now I'm sure.

Scroll through this thread to see a lot of them:

http://www.ar15.com/forums/topic.html?b=4&f=56&t=116492

platinumdude
6th July 2010, 06:24 PM
Thanks for the tips. I will not got with the iron type night sights. I will get this scope mount for my Bulgarian Arsenal.

http://www.k-var.com/shop/product.php?productid=16166&cat=381&page=1

and I am debating what kind of red dot to get, or tritium dot.

the riot act
6th July 2010, 06:42 PM
Thanks for the tips. I will not got with the iron type night sights. I will get this scope mount for my Bulgarian Arsenal.

http://www.k-var.com/shop/product.php?productid=16166&cat=381&page=1

and I am debating what kind of red dot to get, or tritium dot.


Now that I recently acquired a IOR 4x24 illuminated scope I think I'll spring for that mount for my wood stock Yugo. Going to get the piece for the receiver to mount it on also. Thanks for the link!

Book
6th July 2010, 09:33 PM
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/112/315094375_da2d13482c.jpg

Serious question: After the muzzle flash of the first shot can anybody actually SEE the Tritium glowing on the front sight?

:o

wildcard
6th July 2010, 09:45 PM
Just have to make the first shot count. :)

Awoke
8th July 2010, 07:43 AM
Night Sights Don't See in the Dark

July 8, 2010
From: Dr. Ignatius Piazza
Founder and Director
Front Sight Resorts
www.frontsight.com

Dear Awoke, You may never have contemplated the situation before, but let's think about it now:

If it is too dark to see what is in your opponent's hands, then you really can't identify a threat and you should not shoot, even if you can see your night sights.

If it is light enough to identify your opponent as a threat, then is it also light enough to see your sights so you don't really need night sights.

Most people are unaware that night sights by themselves are only useful for about 20 minutes during a normal 24hour period.

It is in that short window of time, when the sun is going down (or coming up) and there is still enough light to identify your target as a threat, but not enough light to clearly see your sights, that night sights really shine as an important addition to your weapon.

So should you have night sights on your tactical weapons...?

Click on Gun Training Report #24:
http://www.frontsight.com/newsletter/html/24-night-sights.html

hoarder
8th July 2010, 10:51 AM
Another problem with night sights is that most only come in a "three-dot" configuration. Under duress and in the dark are you sure that the middle dot is the front sight when all those dots look the same?

wildcard
8th July 2010, 07:31 PM
I love night sights because they allow me to find my pistol in the dark without turning the light on. I don't like weapons lights because they give away your position (and anything you want to light up you have to cover with the muzzle: do you want to light up your 2 year old and muzzle sweep themwhen they get up for a drink of water and knock something over?). I do like small hand held flash lights that you can blink on/off without any noise (and can hold away from your body at weird angles).

I live alone, so I can safely assume anyone in my house at zero dark thirty is there for the wrong reasons unless my house is on fire. People with kids or other adults in the house will just have to make the best choices they can for themselves.

platinumdude
8th July 2010, 08:32 PM
Another problem with night sights is that most only come in a "three-dot" configuration. Under duress and in the dark are you sure that the middle dot is the front sight when all those dots look the same?


Then get them with different colors.

http://www.trijicon.com/user/parts/products1.cfm?PartID=574&back_row=13&categoryID=7

CrufflerJJ
11th July 2010, 03:25 PM
Russian systems are very well made, will fit AND work with your AK.
-snip-

You can find them at Tantal. He's the ONLY guy in the US that is licensed by the Russians to sell their optics here. And the one I bought installed and WORKS perfectly.

-snip-

LIKE the AK, the Russian optics are MUCH less expensive than the US versions. The KOBRA is very similar to the US one posted by WC.



I bought my Kobra sights from Tantal back in 2001 for $110-$130 each. Not shabby at all.

http://tantal.kalashnikov.guns.ru/kobra1.html

Awoke
11th July 2010, 05:21 PM
I personally like the idea of night sights for pistols.

I am considering getting some for my pieces, but it's not a high priority for me right now.

wallew
12th July 2010, 07:47 AM
Holy Cr@p batman, apparently NO ONE read anything.

HELLO. RUSSIAN KOBRA SITE. Less that $300.

And TANTAL has all the site mounts your AK will ever need.

http://www.tantal.kalashnikov.guns.ru/collimator.html

OMG, they even make one that will mount on a WEAVER rail for any weapon to use this fine optic...