Trijicon & other tritium sights lifespan

TrueBlue711 · November 7, 2017, 12:13 PM

So I never really looked deep into this before getting my Trijicon RMR, but how long does tritium really last before you need to send it in to get the tritium replaced? 5 years? 10 years? A lifetime? Would constantly having it in the sun/light affect it's lifespan? Would keeping it stored in the dark extend it's life? Just general knowledge about tritium would be appreciated. Thanks!

Sharkbite · November 7, 2017, 01:03 PM

Ive used tritium sights since they came out. I noticed dimming at about the 5 year mark. I have 10 year old sights that dont glow at all anymore.

Out in the sun or stored in the dark, wont make a difference. Its a radioactive isotope that is decaying to cause the glow. Not exposure to light.

NoSecondBest · November 7, 2017, 01:15 PM

Light or dark has nothing to do with how bright it is. It's a breakdown/decay of a nuclear process over time. It simply has a certain length of life and then it's over.

TrueBlue711 · November 7, 2017, 01:33 PM

Great info, thank you.

rpseraph · November 8, 2017, 04:36 PM

I believe Trijicon says it'll last 10-12 years... but you can also send your sights back to them to be 'recharged' when the isotope dims. Their 10-12 year claim is when it'll go OUT... so you'll likely find it too dim to be super useful before that.

Its something to keep in mind when buying dusty clearance products too, might already be a couple years old!

MTT TL · November 9, 2017, 08:56 AM

12 Year warranty on Trijicon.

Mine died like clockwork at 12 years.

NoSecondBest · November 9, 2017, 10:04 AM

Quote:

12 Year warranty on Trijicon.

Mine died like clockwork at 12 years

Atomic decay is extremely precise. No mystery to the manufacturer at all.

TrueBlue711 · November 9, 2017, 11:00 AM

Quote:

12 Year warranty on Trijicon.

Good to know. I'll send mine in to get recharged at the 11 year mark whether it's still good or not. Thankfull I'm the first owner, so I'll know when that is.

berettaprofessor · November 11, 2017, 11:35 AM

The half-life of tritium is 12.3 years. At 12.3 years after manufacture, give or take how long manufacture takes from when the tritium is created and how long the gun sits on the shelf before its sold, the amount of tritium remaining is half what it used to be. Just as predictable as an atomic clock (in fact, it is!). That would suggest that the sights would be half as bright as original at 12.3 years as well, but it's not the tritium remaining actually glowing, it's the phosphor that the tritium activates so it might in fact be that there is some minimal amount of energy that the phosphor needs to luminesce at all.

Wiki states that the entire commercial use of tritium annually is 400 grams for all uses, which seems trivial, so you can bet there's only a very very small amount in a sight. That and it's $30000 a gram.

Ricklin · November 11, 2017, 11:45 AM

Good stuff berettaprofessor.

ZuluWarrior · November 13, 2017, 01:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by berettaprofessor

The half-life of tritium is 12.3 years. At 12.3 years after manufacture, give or take how long manufacture takes from when the tritium is created and how long the gun sits on the shelf before its sold, the amount of tritium remaining is half what it used to be. Just as predictable as an atomic clock (in fact, it is!). That would suggest that the sights would be half as bright as original at 12.3 years as well, but it's not the tritium remaining actually glowing, it's the phosphor that the tritium activates so it might in fact be that there is some minimal amount of energy that the phosphor needs to luminesce at all.

Wiki states that the entire commercial use of tritium annually is 400 grams for all uses, which seems trivial, so you can bet there's only a very very small amount in a sight. That and it's $30000 a gram.

Dang! $30k/gr?!?

Yikes!

I like your reference to an atomic clock. In a sense, our sights really are similar.

Thx,
Todd

k4swb · November 13, 2017, 05:14 PM

At this point in time, probably longer than mine.

Sorry, I couldn't help it.

November 7, 2017, 12:13 PM	#1
TrueBlue711 Senior Member Join Date: March 16, 2011 Posts: 489	Trijicon & other tritium sights lifespan So I never really looked deep into this before getting my Trijicon RMR, but how long does tritium really last before you need to send it in to get the tritium replaced? 5 years? 10 years? A lifetime? Would constantly having it in the sun/light affect it's lifespan? Would keeping it stored in the dark extend it's life? Just general knowledge about tritium would be appreciated. Thanks!

November 9, 2017, 08:56 AM	#6
MTT TL Senior Member Join Date: October 21, 2009 Location: Quadling Country Posts: 2,779	12 Year warranty on Trijicon. Mine died like clockwork at 12 years. __________________ Thus a man should endeavor to reach this high place of courage with all his heart, and, so trying, never be backward in war.

November 11, 2017, 11:35 AM	#9
berettaprofessor Senior Member Join Date: November 23, 2008 Posts: 1,103	The half-life of tritium is 12.3 years. At 12.3 years after manufacture, give or take how long manufacture takes from when the tritium is created and how long the gun sits on the shelf before its sold, the amount of tritium remaining is half what it used to be. Just as predictable as an atomic clock (in fact, it is!). That would suggest that the sights would be half as bright as original at 12.3 years as well, but it's not the tritium remaining actually glowing, it's the phosphor that the tritium activates so it might in fact be that there is some minimal amount of energy that the phosphor needs to luminesce at all. Wiki states that the entire commercial use of tritium annually is 400 grams for all uses, which seems trivial, so you can bet there's only a very very small amount in a sight. That and it's $30000 a gram. Last edited by berettaprofessor; November 11, 2017 at 11:41 AM.

November 11, 2017, 11:45 AM	#10
Ricklin Senior Member Join Date: February 22, 2008 Location: SW Washington state Posts: 2,374	Excellent^ Good stuff berettaprofessor. __________________ ricklin Freedom is not free

November 13, 2017, 05:14 PM	#12
k4swb Senior Member Join Date: July 11, 2009 Posts: 389	Trijicon & other tritium sights lifespan At this point in time, probably longer than mine. Sorry, I couldn't help it.

November 7, 2017, 01:03 PM	#2
Sharkbite Senior Member Join Date: November 4, 2013 Location: Western slope of Colorado Posts: 3,822	Ive used tritium sights since they came out. I noticed dimming at about the 5 year mark. I have 10 year old sights that dont glow at all anymore. Out in the sun or stored in the dark, wont make a difference. Its a radioactive isotope that is decaying to cause the glow. Not exposure to light.

November 7, 2017, 01:15 PM	#3
NoSecondBest Senior Member Join Date: December 7, 2009 Location: Western New York Posts: 2,736	Light or dark has nothing to do with how bright it is. It's a breakdown/decay of a nuclear process over time. It simply has a certain length of life and then it's over.

November 7, 2017, 01:33 PM	#4
TrueBlue711 Senior Member Join Date: March 16, 2011 Posts: 489	Great info, thank you.

November 8, 2017, 04:36 PM	#5
rpseraph Senior Member Join Date: October 23, 2015 Location: MinneSNOWta Posts: 454	I believe Trijicon says it'll last 10-12 years... but you can also send your sights back to them to be 'recharged' when the isotope dims. Their 10-12 year claim is when it'll go OUT... so you'll likely find it too dim to be super useful before that. Its something to keep in mind when buying dusty clearance products too, might already be a couple years old!