Tritium site refurbishment?

Rovert · July 6, 2002, 11:49 PM

A friend asked me what happens when the tritium on a nite sight, like Trijicons or Meprolight, goes bad. Can the capsules be replaced, or is one in for having to buy totally new sights?

Just curious if these things can be 'rebuilt', or if you have to chuck the whole deal, and start over.

TIA!

C.R.Sam · July 7, 2002, 12:13 AM

Rebuilt by the manufacturer.
The AEC seems to think the stuff needs tight control.

Sam

Blackhawk · July 7, 2002, 01:08 AM

So does that make a Glock .40 with a 180gr reload in the chamber a "dirty bomb"?

Sub MOA · July 7, 2002, 02:45 AM

This is actually a very good question. If they really do refurbish night sights, I wonder how much of an economic advantage there is over buying new. Anybody got some figures?

Sub

Jim March · July 7, 2002, 03:42 AM

Tritium is a "triggering mechanism" in very advanced nuclear bombs

. Read Clancy's "Sum Of All Fears" (the movie doesn't explain, and of course the book is sketchy).

Enough Tritium to make a "dirty bomb" would be far less valuable used that way...much MORE valuable used to seriously boost a nuke.

So ya, they're pretty squirrelly about the stuff. They won't sell you just the bare lamps - if you tried to back-door order 50,000 lamps, there would be some rather serious-lookin' gents at your door pronto, even if your name is Jones versus Achmed

.

Eric Larsen · July 7, 2002, 09:24 AM

Ok...
Trijicon will replace inserts that are getting "old and dim" for a very reasonable fee. Send them your slide and sights and they replace them with the sights in place.....no gunsmithing and you have new inserts. Around 50-75$ including shipping.
Meprolight wont do this. They say the inserts are in the sights so well, that it will destroy the sights getting them out...you must by new sights. $ of new sights.
For this main reason...Ill look for Trijicons moreso than Meps in the future.
Shoot well

Coronach · July 7, 2002, 01:56 PM

Query:

Can they refurbish the tritium in optical sights like the Elcan and the ACOG? Or once it goes dim, do you just drop $500 or so on a new one?

Mike

Rovert · July 7, 2002, 01:58 PM

Wow. What a racket. For $50 to $75 plus shipping and insurance round trip, which would cost about $15, that brings us to $65 to $90, almost the cost of new sites.

My bull-[color=#FF0000]█[/color][color=#FF0000]█[/color][color=#FF0000]█[/color][color=#FF0000]█[/color][color=#FF0000]█[/color]-o-meter just went on full tilt.

Blackhawk · July 7, 2002, 02:42 PM

Like the $3 gizmo with a lifetime free replacement warranty but sent $5 for S&H?

Eric Larsen · July 7, 2002, 03:13 PM

Actually, its a fairly solid deal if you think about it. Real Trijicons are not 100$ sights..most run around 150-175$ a set, plus shipping and installation by a smith. The installation can run from 25-50$ depending on who does the work.
For 50-75$ INCLUDING shipping...for brand new nights...thats a pretty solid deal, IMO....
Shoot well

7th Fleet · July 7, 2002, 04:14 PM

I don't think that it's such a hot deal either.
I can buy either brand of night sights for from 60-80 bucks from our Police supply house and since I'm a LEO Glock Armorer, I have the factory tools to install them on both sizes of Glock frames.

7th

GunGeek · July 7, 2002, 05:02 PM

I agree it isn't economical for many pistols, I paid $75 for my Mepros and installed them myself. replacment cost arn't worth it after 10 years just buy new sights, it's not like they only last a year or 2.

jack pringle · July 7, 2002, 08:07 PM

Ajax Custom Grips of Dallas TX sells Trijicons for $89.95 for Glocks and 1911s as an example. my smith puts them on for $20.

got the green front and yellow rear last time ordered. like the green on green better.

best advantage i have found: when i roll over in my sleep, wake for a moment, i open one eye and see those things glowing on the night stand . i feel more comfy. noise in the night, same thing. they are placed where visible to me but not to intruder if in fact that is the case.

my l988s on the G17 are about at 65/70 percent of my newer ones if that helps. still very useable. they take on a film as eyeglasses do, so i windex them once in a while.

the date of mfgr is printed right on the trijicons that i have.
dont know about mepro, no experience.

dive watch and lensatic compass have tritium. good stuff for old eyes.

hos

Rovert · July 7, 2002, 08:30 PM

Blackhawk, not sure if your 'meter' was a jibe at my policy. If it was, kindly bear in mind my grips aren't $3 items, and the replacement fee covers material, labor, and return shipping, since these jammies are, by and large, hand made.

I guess it depends on the gun, and the skill level. My P99 has easily replaceable sights, and at $90 or so a pair, it doesn't make sense to bother. However, my Kimber Custom Eclipse is a different story.

What I suppose I'm trying to say is that the replacement cost seems, to my math, disproportional to the cost of the item.

Just my two cents.

guntalkradio · July 9, 2002, 12:33 AM

I recently had trijicon replace my NS lamps, it costs $18 each lamp, that included return shipping. I sent my slide with sights on it and thats how it was returned in 2 weeks time. The original lamps lasted approx 15 years before too dim. I had a set of mepro's go dead in half that time, I also noticed that mepro doesn't have a warranty on lumination. trijicon warranty is 12 years (or is it 10?) they print it on the front of the package. Again, $54 to replace as opposed to $90 for new, not too big of a difference unless you have a more elaborate / adjustable NS's that run closer to $125-$150, then the savings of replacement lamps is substantial. -Greg
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Eric Larsen · July 9, 2002, 08:41 AM

Actually, I think now all of the Night sight companies have the same warranty...12 year 1/2 life. PT, Mep and Trijicon all have the same thing going on...competition is a great thing at times.
I will still vote Trijicons are the best....BUT, Ive had a set of TruDots on my Kahr for a while and they are great sights....may be changing my exising opinion. To further add to my confusion...my PCR slide is at PT getting nights for it..they offer a Novak style sight for it.
Ill have one gun with each make of night on it....long term testing is soon to begin. Shoot well

Coronach · July 9, 2002, 09:19 AM

Sending my question BTT.

Can you refresh the tritium in advanced optical sights, or do you just budget dropping $500 every few years for new ones? Seems spendy, and a good argument for battery-equipped models.

Mike

krept · July 9, 2002, 11:03 AM

Good question Coronach. Does the tritium look like it is actually imbedded in glass, or in a teeny compartment. I dig those optics, but have always wondered.

Well since the other guys started it I have to chime in for Meprolight and say that mine were ... $75? and glow brightly. I guess it's appropriate that they are on a Glock?

As far as individual vials, a local gunsmith said to contact a company out of some North/midwestern state... think the company was ToolTech? he said they are regulated and horribly difficult to get and has never seen one outside the sights.

I have, however, seen a couple tritium inserts on the buttons of automatic knives... that is why I was interested in obtaining one. How these folks got their hands on a vial to insert into the button is beyond me but like all keen gagets, they are very cool indeed.

Gotta love the radioactive stuff

edited, for the folks that might be interested... tritium HALO

Ledbetter · July 9, 2002, 12:25 PM

Coronach,

I don't know what type of sight you have, but the Reflex II I have has the lamp in a capsule. It has, I believe a "lifetime warranty" under which they will replace the capsule at the end of its half-life (mmm, Half-Life) for shipping. You probably should contact the manufacturer to see whether they will replace the capsule when it dims.

The front sight on my Colt Officers cost $25 and I'll probably just replace it when its time.

Regards,

Ledbetter

Coronach · July 9, 2002, 10:53 PM

I don't own one of those sights, yet. I have other things I "need" more, but I'll eventually be in the market for one...and I want to know whether I should be looking at battery or tritium powered optics.

Tritium has the OBVIOUS advantage of being 'always on' and unlikely to unexpectedly be dead in the manner of a battery-powered sight. However, if I pay mega-loot for a Tritium sight and some well-meaning socialist decides that glow-in-the-dark optics should be banned for The Childruun, I'm not exactly ahead of the game when the tritium finally gets dim.

They're unlikely to ban batteries in my lifetime.

Mike

July 6, 2002, 11:49 PM	#1
Rovert Senior Member Join Date: October 6, 2001 Posts: 824	Tritium site refurbishment? A friend asked me what happens when the tritium on a nite sight, like Trijicons or Meprolight, goes bad. Can the capsules be replaced, or is one in for having to buy totally new sights? Just curious if these things can be 'rebuilt', or if you have to chuck the whole deal, and start over. TIA! __________________ "Following the path of least resistance is what makes rivers, and men, crooked."

July 7, 2002, 03:42 AM	#5
Jim March Senior Member Join Date: February 14, 1999 Location: Pittsburg, CA, USA Posts: 7,417	Tritium is a "triggering mechanism" in very advanced nuclear bombs . Read Clancy's "Sum Of All Fears" (the movie doesn't explain, and of course the book is sketchy). Enough Tritium to make a "dirty bomb" would be far less valuable used that way...much MORE valuable used to seriously boost a nuke. So ya, they're pretty squirrelly about the stuff. They won't sell you just the bare lamps - if you tried to back-door order 50,000 lamps, there would be some rather serious-lookin' gents at your door pronto, even if your name is Jones versus Achmed . __________________ Jim March

July 7, 2002, 09:24 AM	#6
Eric Larsen Senior Member Join Date: December 5, 2001 Location: Bountiful....Ut. Posts: 3,226	Ok... Trijicon will replace inserts that are getting "old and dim" for a very reasonable fee. Send them your slide and sights and they replace them with the sights in place.....no gunsmithing and you have new inserts. Around 50-75$ including shipping. Meprolight wont do this. They say the inserts are in the sights so well, that it will destroy the sights getting them out...you must by new sights. $ of new sights. For this main reason...Ill look for Trijicons moreso than Meps in the future. Shoot well __________________ If they dont know you have a gun.....then I did alright! If you choose not to decide, you still have made a choice......Rush

July 7, 2002, 01:56 PM	#7
Coronach Senior Member Join Date: March 25, 1999 Posts: 3,147	Query: Can they refurbish the tritium in optical sights like the Elcan and the ACOG? Or once it goes dim, do you just drop $500 or so on a new one? Mike __________________ The axe bites into the door, ripping a hole in one panel. The maniac puts his face into the hole, cackling gleefully, "Here's Johnny...erk." "And here's Smith and Wesson," murmurs Coronach, Mozambiquing six rounds of .357 into the critter at a range of three feet. -Lawdog "True pacifism is the finest form of manliness. But if a man comes up to you and cuts your hand off, you don't just offer him the other one. Not if you want to go on playing the piano, you don't." -Sam Peckinpah "A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher a hog, conn a ship, design a building, write a sonnet, balance accounts, build a wall, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders, give orders, cooperate, act alone, solve equations, analyze a new problem, pitch manure, program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently, die gallantly. Specialization is for insects." -Robert Heinlein

July 7, 2002, 01:58 PM	#8
Rovert Senior Member Join Date: October 6, 2001 Posts: 824	Wow. What a racket. For $50 to $75 plus shipping and insurance round trip, which would cost about $15, that brings us to $65 to $90, almost the cost of new sites. My bull-[color=#FF0000]█[/color][color=#FF0000]█[/color][color=#FF0000]█[/color][color=#FF0000]█[/color][color=#FF0000]█[/color]-o-meter just went on full tilt. __________________ "Following the path of least resistance is what makes rivers, and men, crooked."

July 7, 2002, 12:13 AM	#2
C.R.Sam Senior Member Join Date: October 29, 1999 Location: Dewey, AZ Posts: 12,858	Rebuilt by the manufacturer. The AEC seems to think the stuff needs tight control. Sam

July 7, 2002, 01:08 AM	#3
Blackhawk Senior Member Join Date: November 4, 2001 Posts: 5,040	So does that make a Glock .40 with a 180gr reload in the chamber a "dirty bomb"?

July 7, 2002, 02:45 AM	#4
Sub MOA Senior Member Join Date: June 28, 2000 Location: WA Posts: 292	This is actually a very good question. If they really do refurbish night sights, I wonder how much of an economic advantage there is over buying new. Anybody got some figures? Sub

July 7, 2002, 03:13 PM	#10
Eric Larsen Senior Member Join Date: December 5, 2001 Location: Bountiful....Ut. Posts: 3,226	Actually, its a fairly solid deal if you think about it. Real Trijicons are not 100$ sights..most run around 150-175$ a set, plus shipping and installation by a smith. The installation can run from 25-50$ depending on who does the work. For 50-75$ INCLUDING shipping...for brand new nights...thats a pretty solid deal, IMO.... Shoot well __________________ If they dont know you have a gun.....then I did alright! If you choose not to decide, you still have made a choice......Rush

July 7, 2002, 04:14 PM	#11
7th Fleet Senior Member Join Date: January 28, 2000 Posts: 1,469	I don't think that it's such a hot deal either. I can buy either brand of night sights for from 60-80 bucks from our Police supply house and since I'm a LEO Glock Armorer, I have the factory tools to install them on both sizes of Glock frames. 7th __________________ SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL POLICE, KEEP THEM INDEPENDENT.

July 7, 2002, 05:02 PM	#12
GunGeek Senior Member Join Date: May 3, 2002 Location: Florida Posts: 287	I agree it isn't economical for many pistols, I paid $75 for my Mepros and installed them myself. replacment cost arn't worth it after 10 years just buy new sights, it's not like they only last a year or 2. __________________ The Gun Geek Vero Firearm Academy

July 7, 2002, 08:07 PM	#13
jack pringle Senior Member Join Date: February 27, 2002 Location: west coast of arkansas, near the beach Posts: 123	Ajax Custom Grips of Dallas TX sells Trijicons for $89.95 for Glocks and 1911s as an example. my smith puts them on for $20. got the green front and yellow rear last time ordered. like the green on green better. best advantage i have found: when i roll over in my sleep, wake for a moment, i open one eye and see those things glowing on the night stand . i feel more comfy. noise in the night, same thing. they are placed where visible to me but not to intruder if in fact that is the case. my l988s on the G17 are about at 65/70 percent of my newer ones if that helps. still very useable. they take on a film as eyeglasses do, so i windex them once in a while. the date of mfgr is printed right on the trijicons that i have. dont know about mepro, no experience. dive watch and lensatic compass have tritium. good stuff for old eyes. hos

July 7, 2002, 08:30 PM	#14
Rovert Senior Member Join Date: October 6, 2001 Posts: 824	Blackhawk, not sure if your 'meter' was a jibe at my policy. If it was, kindly bear in mind my grips aren't $3 items, and the replacement fee covers material, labor, and return shipping, since these jammies are, by and large, hand made. I guess it depends on the gun, and the skill level. My P99 has easily replaceable sights, and at $90 or so a pair, it doesn't make sense to bother. However, my Kimber Custom Eclipse is a different story. What I suppose I'm trying to say is that the replacement cost seems, to my math, disproportional to the cost of the item. Just my two cents. __________________ "Following the path of least resistance is what makes rivers, and men, crooked."

July 9, 2002, 12:33 AM	#15
guntalkradio Member Join Date: June 10, 2002 Location: somewhere in the PRK Posts: 73	I recently had trijicon replace my NS lamps, it costs $18 each lamp, that included return shipping. I sent my slide with sights on it and thats how it was returned in 2 weeks time. The original lamps lasted approx 15 years before too dim. I had a set of mepro's go dead in half that time, I also noticed that mepro doesn't have a warranty on lumination. trijicon warranty is 12 years (or is it 10?) they print it on the front of the package. Again, $54 to replace as opposed to $90 for new, not too big of a difference unless you have a more elaborate / adjustable NS's that run closer to $125-$150, then the savings of replacement lamps is substantial. -Greg ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Listen to GunTalkRadio: http://12.162.161.64/cart/ProductDet...R_ProductID=72

July 9, 2002, 08:41 AM	#16
Eric Larsen Senior Member Join Date: December 5, 2001 Location: Bountiful....Ut. Posts: 3,226	Actually, I think now all of the Night sight companies have the same warranty...12 year 1/2 life. PT, Mep and Trijicon all have the same thing going on...competition is a great thing at times. I will still vote Trijicons are the best....BUT, Ive had a set of TruDots on my Kahr for a while and they are great sights....may be changing my exising opinion. To further add to my confusion...my PCR slide is at PT getting nights for it..they offer a Novak style sight for it. Ill have one gun with each make of night on it....long term testing is soon to begin. Shoot well __________________ If they dont know you have a gun.....then I did alright! If you choose not to decide, you still have made a choice......Rush

July 9, 2002, 09:19 AM	#17
Coronach Senior Member Join Date: March 25, 1999 Posts: 3,147	Sending my question BTT. Can you refresh the tritium in advanced optical sights, or do you just budget dropping $500 every few years for new ones? Seems spendy, and a good argument for battery-equipped models. Mike __________________ The axe bites into the door, ripping a hole in one panel. The maniac puts his face into the hole, cackling gleefully, "Here's Johnny...erk." "And here's Smith and Wesson," murmurs Coronach, Mozambiquing six rounds of .357 into the critter at a range of three feet. -Lawdog "True pacifism is the finest form of manliness. But if a man comes up to you and cuts your hand off, you don't just offer him the other one. Not if you want to go on playing the piano, you don't." -Sam Peckinpah "A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher a hog, conn a ship, design a building, write a sonnet, balance accounts, build a wall, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders, give orders, cooperate, act alone, solve equations, analyze a new problem, pitch manure, program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently, die gallantly. Specialization is for insects." -Robert Heinlein

July 9, 2002, 11:03 AM	#18
krept Senior Member Join Date: August 20, 2000 Location: AZ Posts: 1,363	Good question Coronach. Does the tritium look like it is actually imbedded in glass, or in a teeny compartment. I dig those optics, but have always wondered. Well since the other guys started it I have to chime in for Meprolight and say that mine were ... $75? and glow brightly. I guess it's appropriate that they are on a Glock? As far as individual vials, a local gunsmith said to contact a company out of some North/midwestern state... think the company was ToolTech? he said they are regulated and horribly difficult to get and has never seen one outside the sights. I have, however, seen a couple tritium inserts on the buttons of automatic knives... that is why I was interested in obtaining one. How these folks got their hands on a vial to insert into the button is beyond me but like all keen gagets, they are very cool indeed. Gotta love the radioactive stuff edited, for the folks that might be interested... tritium HALO __________________ the tallest blade of grass is the first to greet the lawnmower blade

July 9, 2002, 12:25 PM	#19
Ledbetter Senior Member Join Date: February 23, 2000 Location: California USA Posts: 4,533	Trijicon Reflex II Coronach, I don't know what type of sight you have, but the Reflex II I have has the lamp in a capsule. It has, I believe a "lifetime warranty" under which they will replace the capsule at the end of its half-life (mmm, Half-Life) for shipping. You probably should contact the manufacturer to see whether they will replace the capsule when it dims. The front sight on my Colt Officers cost $25 and I'll probably just replace it when its time. Regards, Ledbetter

July 9, 2002, 10:53 PM	#20
Coronach Senior Member Join Date: March 25, 1999 Posts: 3,147	I don't own one of those sights, yet. I have other things I "need" more, but I'll eventually be in the market for one...and I want to know whether I should be looking at battery or tritium powered optics. Tritium has the OBVIOUS advantage of being 'always on' and unlikely to unexpectedly be dead in the manner of a battery-powered sight. However, if I pay mega-loot for a Tritium sight and some well-meaning socialist decides that glow-in-the-dark optics should be banned for The Childruun, I'm not exactly ahead of the game when the tritium finally gets dim. They're unlikely to ban batteries in my lifetime. Mike __________________ The axe bites into the door, ripping a hole in one panel. The maniac puts his face into the hole, cackling gleefully, "Here's Johnny...erk." "And here's Smith and Wesson," murmurs Coronach, Mozambiquing six rounds of .357 into the critter at a range of three feet. -Lawdog "True pacifism is the finest form of manliness. But if a man comes up to you and cuts your hand off, you don't just offer him the other one. Not if you want to go on playing the piano, you don't." -Sam Peckinpah "A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher a hog, conn a ship, design a building, write a sonnet, balance accounts, build a wall, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders, give orders, cooperate, act alone, solve equations, analyze a new problem, pitch manure, program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently, die gallantly. Specialization is for insects." -Robert Heinlein