Dear Black Bag Confidential Reader,
John Wolf lives in a working-class neighborhood in Hazelwood, Missouri, a suburb of St. Louis.
One evening after the sun had gone down, Wolf went for a walk like he typically does. While walking, Wolf noticed a suspicious-looking man walking toward him, so he crossed to the other side of the street and continued.
The next thing he knew, the man was standing directly behind him holding a .38 to his back and telling him that he was going to die.
The robber obviously didn’t know that Wolf had his own .40-caliber Glock concealed under his shirt. Wolf had gone through this scenario countless times in his head and he knew that if he wanted to live, he only had one choice.
Think Fast
At first, Wolf complied with the demands of the robber and handed over his wallet. Then he asked the robber if he could at least have his driver’s license back.
During this split second of distraction, Wolf removed his own handgun and told the robber to drop his weapon. The robber began to raise his gun, at which point Wolf fired, emptying his magazine and reloading with his backup magazine.
Initially, the robber dropped to the ground. Then he got up and stumbled across the street before collapsing again. This is where he died from his injuries.
John Wolf says he doesn’t take walks in the dark anymore. Not only that, but the first thing he did with his Glock after the shooting was add night sights to it.
The fact is it’s not uncommon for people who use their firearms in self-defense to have to shoot in the dark. Whether it’s a home invasion during the night or you are walking to your car after a long day of work, chances are you could be faced with a life-or-death encounter with limited visibility.
With that in mind, I want to share with you my top five makers of night sights, should you consider adding one your firearm:
- Meprolight — Recently, this company released the FT Bullseye. This device eliminates the front sight, which, after some practice, is easy to get used to not having. It uses only a single fiber-optic unit with a circle-and-dot alignment, and many users claim the sight can easily be seen whether it’s day or night. There are no batteries or switches to activate the night sight. It currently sells for between $140–190 depending on the model of your firearm
- TruGlo — This company has created a patented combination of tritium/fiber-optic technologies to give you the best of both worlds. In short, whether you are shooting in bright daylight or absolute darkness, TruGlo night sights provide a reliable sight picture. The advantage with these sights is that you don’t need a light source to shine through them like you do with most standard fiber-optic sights. Depending on your specific firearm, TruGlo night sights can range from $80–150, but are well worth the cost
- XS Sight — The new XS F8 night sights are different from the typical night sights most shooters are familiar with. Instead of lining up the dots with the right amount of space, you “dot the i.” In other words, the front sight is a colored dot with a large white ring, and the rear sight is a colored line. To aim, you place the white dot on the top of the line on the rear sight — hence “dot the i.” It’s pretty simple to do once you get the hang of it, and the company claims to have the fastest sights in any light condition. These new sights range from $115–175
- Trijicon — One of the most trusted manufacturers of night sights is Trijicon. Law enforcement and military members use many of their products. Trijicon sights provide the standard front blade sight and U-shaped rear sight a lot of people are familiar with. These sights are known for their rugged durability, and their lifetime warranty means the company stands behind their product. These sights range from $80–175
- AmeriGlo — This company focuses all of their attention on handgun sights, which allows them to provide many different styles and models. In fact, they have over 10 different models of night sights just for Glocks. Their most popular design has the standard front sight post with a dovetail rear two-post sight. When it comes to night sights, AmeriGlo is one of the most cost-effective options that still gives you a quality product. The fact is most of the AmeriGlo products are no-frills, solid night sights that are easy to use. These sights range from $60–150 depending on the specific model.
Night sights are one gun accessory that drastically affects the usability of your firearm in certain conditions. Essentially, night sights allow you to shoot confidently anytime — day or night.
I recommend looking into getting night sights, especially if the only gun you have is your home defense gun. If someone breaks into your home in the middle of the night, you’ll be glad you have one.
Stay safe,
Jason Hanson
