Thanks to the collaborative efforts of Student of the Gun and Night Fision, the Accur8™ Night Sights are here. We at Student of the Gun are excited to share with you the behind the scenes creative process that lead to the Accur8™ Sights.

It all started with a simple question. “If you could make your own sight, what would it be?”

With 30+ years of experience, Professor Paul took his time cataloging the benefits and drawbacks of all of the sights he had used over the many years of training, teaching, and writing. With the help of Night Fision, Paul came up with a true point-of-aim, point-of-impact night sight.

Student of the Gun Accur8™ Sights by Night Fision

Student of the Gun Accur8™ Sights by Night Fision

Accur8™ Sights: How They Work

A popular question that’s answered in the video above is “How long do tritium night sights last?”.

After months of rigorously testing sight colors and sight heights, Professor Paul found that the perfect sight height for the Accur8™ sights is also just tall enough to peak over a suppressor. No more needing to change your sights if you want to shoot suppressed.

Paul gives a behind the scenes in-depth explanation about our color vision, why they chose certain colors, why Night Fision night sights are the brightest on the market, and the story of how Night Fision came to be.

“Student of the Gun is extremely honored for the opportunity to create a unique night sight with a leader in Tritium night sights and to share the behind the scenes journey with all of you,” adds Professor Paul.

Sight Height

One of the major complaints from shooters, particularly law enforcement officers, when it comes to factory pistol sights is that the guns shoot high out of the box. Factory sights tend to be low on the slide or short, this causes the shooter to instinctively elevate or tip the gun up. The farther the target, the higher the shots impact.

When it came time to design a set of sights for a duty pistol, we tried numerous front sight heights and rear sight configurations in order to get our rounds to hit exactly where they needed to at practical distances. The pistol qualifications courses for law enforcement officers nationwide, in most all cases, require shots to be taken on targets from five yards out to fifty feet. For the curious, shot impacts at 3 yards and 5 yards are for all intents indistinguishable.

Initially released for the GLOCK 17 sight cut, the Accur8™ sights were made to offer Point of Aim/Point of Impact that is identical from 5 yards to 50 feet using 124 grain 9x19mm ammunition. Specifically, we used the Black Hills duty ammunition for consistency. The front sight height was purposely chosen to provide consistent accuracy at practical shooting distances.

Rear Sight Design

“A great deal of thought and testing went into the development of these sights,” said Paul Markel veteran trainer and firearms instructor. “I am pleased to have the Student of the Gun name associated with Night Fision and these sights.”

The dot over dot or figure 8 design is used to aid the shooter in making precision shots both in daylight and lowlight conditions. The “8” is a simple and straightforward index mechanism that can be employed rapidly by the shooter. Unlike the older, more generic 3 dot sight which are aligned horizontally, nearly guaranteeing that shots will impact low, the Accur8 front and rear dots align vertically. The front sight is much brighter than the rear sight therefore the eye will pick up the front first and fastest. In the rear sight, the Tritium dot is present but only noticeable in lowlight when it is needed. During daylight, the rear dot is hardly noticeable and that is as it should be.

Both the front and rear sights are constructed of duty-quality steel, not polymer, to ensure strength and durability. The forward edge of the rear sight has a 90 degree angle deliberately. During single-handed manipulation under stress, it is the hard edge of the rear sight that allows the slide to be wracked to clear a simple stoppage or during a one-handed reload. For a fighting pistol, this is a critically important aspect.
The Night Fision Accur8 Sights provide the end user, whether law enforcement or the armed citizen with absolute accuracy, day or night.

Accur8™ Sights: How to Install Night Fision Front Sights

Step 0 – Cut a hole in, I mean open the box

Hopefully you are tracking 5×5 with that reference. If not, let me know in a comment on this article.

We all get excited when the present lady (that’s what my sister used to call the UPS driver) brings us a gift, even if we were already expecting the delivery. With the new, easy to install Accur8™ sights, your excitement should only be elevated.

Step 1 – Disassemble Your Firearm

Here is a simple step-by-step process to use when disassembling your firearm.

  1. Remove the ammunition source (magazine, etc.) from the gun.
  2. Clear the chamber. When clearing the chamber, you are looking for an empty chamber (not brass). The purpose of looking for an empty chamber is to defeat your subconscious. When telling yourself to look for brass in the chamber, it is easier for your mind to think it is correct if you see brass in the chamber. On the flip side, telling yourself to look for an empty chamber, your mind will do just that.
  3. Remove all ammunition from the area.
  4. Follow the manufacturers recommended instructions for disassembly

Step 2 – Remove Factory Sights

Some factory front sights can be removed simply with a set of pliers, others you will need a sight tool. For the rear sight removal, a punch is a great piece of equipment to have available. Night Fision was nice enough to put together a Gunsmithing Tool Kit that has everything you need. You can add it to your Accur8™ Sights order for only $20. I highly recommend the Gunsmithing Tool Kit.

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Step 3 – Install Front Sight

After the factory sights are removed, it is time to install the front sight. You install the front sight first so you can use it to roughly align the rear site.

Pro Tips

  • Shave sights to make necessary adjustments and get the perfect fit. Refer to the Gunsmithing Tool Kit mentioned above for the tools you will need for this step.
  • Use thread locker. Loctite Blue in the red bottle is perfect

Step 4 – Install Rear Sight

Now that you have installed the front sight, you’re ready to install the rear sight. You will definitely want to have the punch handy for this step of the process.

Pro Tips

  • Shave sights to make necessary adjustments and get the perfect fit. Refer to the Gunsmithing Tool Kit mentioned above for the tools you will need for this step.
  • Use thread locker. Loctite Blue in the red bottle is perfect

Step 5 – Reassemble Your Firearm

Now it is time to put humpty dumpty back together again. Simply reverse the steps you followed to disassemble your firearm.

Pro Tips

  • Let the thread locker set for 24 hours before testing
  • If you have “extra” parts left over after reassembly, something is not right. You know who you are.

Function Check

It is important to perform a function check on your firearm. Here is a video detailing how to function check your weapon.

Test Your Firearm

After you wait 24 hours for the thread locker to set, it is time to take your gun to the range. We developed two practice regimens for you to use at the range so you are making the most out of the available ammunition. Of course we recommend the Official SOTG Skill Maintenance targets for use during your range sessions.

The One Box Workout™

The One Box Workout™ is a proven 10-step program guaranteed to help you improve your accuracy and consistency.

In this downloadable program you will receive:

  • The 5 Steps to Guarantee Success During Every Handgun Range Session
  • One Key to Successful Single-Handed Shooting
  • The ideal distance to place your targets
  • How-to make the most of your practice time & ammunition
  • How-to guarantee a productive & practical range session
  • The Definition of Training & Practice
  • 5 Steps to Guarantee Success During Every Rifle Range Session

Add the One Box Workout™ to your cart

The Firearm Fitness Workout Program

Make every shot count. Developed by Paul G. Markel, Small Arms and Tactics instructor, the Firearms Fitness curriculum is purpose-built to help ensure that no time or ammunition is wasted on the range.

A professional instructor for more than 30 years, Mr. Markel has created a shooting program that will enable new and seasoned shooters alike to build upon their existing level of skill. Shooters can complete the Firearms Fitness Workout Program at their own pace during their own time.

During the Firearms Fitness Workout Program, shooters will be challenged through;

  • Multiple target distances
  • Numerous target shapes and sizes
  • Two-handed, Strong and Support hand exercises
  • Multiple Round counts
  • Magazine Reloading Drills

No shot timers or specialty gear is required. You will need your desired handgun, spare magazines, 50 rounds of ammunition per session and the SOTG Skill Maintenance paper target.

That is all.

Add the Firearm Fitness Workout Program to your cart

Step 6 – Make Any Adjustments

After you have successfully tested your firearm on the range, preferably using The One Box Workout™ program or The Firearm Fitness Workout Program, you will want to make any necessary adjustments. The Accur8™ sights are designed to be point-of-aim, point-of-impact from 5 yards to 50 feet.

If you do not see that result from your firearm, adjustments will need to be made. The most common adjustment that needs to be made is the rear sight. Sometimes when setting the rear sight during installation the rear sight can be a little too far to the left or right, resulting in incorrect shot placement.

To determine if this is the case, you first need to be 100% sure the incorrect shot placement is not due to human error. If you are right handed and your shots are low and to the left, misplaced shots are likely a result of your trigger press. The same is true if you are left handed and your shot placement is low and to the right.

We put together a completely free online course that will help you master the fundamentals. Before you make any adjustments, take 30 minutes to go through 7 Training Tips That Could Save Your Life.

FREE COURSE

Master the Fundamentals with 7 Training Tips That Could Save Your Life

Sign up now and get started with the course.

The article below was written by Professor Paul himself.

The Science of Sight

We all have five senses but one of them is the most critical for effectively hitting your target. Sight, or vision, is the critical component in identifying your target and then effectively putting rounds in it. Yes, I am fully aware of the subjects of contact shooting and “recon by fire” but those are topics for another day.

When we are discussing the most important reason for using a firearm, the defense of your life or that of another, proper identification of the target is vital. Away from the gun range there are far more things that should not be shot versus things that should be. Responsible citizens also understand that you are responsible for every round you fire. You own every projectile that exits the muzzle. If any of these round negligently strikes something or someone you are liable.

Caught in the Dark

Most of us understand that violent crime and assaults occur predominantly during the hours of darkness or in diminished light situations (indoors). The FBI Uniform Crimes Statistics are tabulated annually. Year after year they report that police officers are attacked and killed between 60 and 70 percent of the time during hours of darkness.

The twisted irony is that the vast majority of firearm training is conducted when the light is the best. Ranges are closed during foul weather and darkness. Most all public and private ranges have strict rules about shooting after sunset and few police departments train in darkness. For those that do it is normally an annual qualification not a regular event. If you are serious about defending your life with a firearm you need to seek out realistic training and determine whether the gun school or academy will conduct low light training.

Accur8 Sights - Caught in the Dark

Vision

How’s your vision? Do you require corrective lenses to drive a car? Consider the following scenario. It’s 2 a.m. and you spring up in bed in a panic. Your labrador retriever is barking ferociously and you thought you heard a crashing/smashing sound. Your adrenaline is racing as your grab a pistol and flashlight from the night stand. You have children asleep in their bedrooms. Their safety is at the forefront of your mind.

Show of hands, how many of your think you’ll remember to grab your prescription glasses? Ok, you can put your hands down now. Let’s say you have the clarity of mind to look for your glasses but in the haste of the moment you can’t find them. Have you ever trained to shoot your defensive gun without your prescription glasses? More importantly, have you done so in the dark using only a flashlight to identify your target? What if your glasses are knocked off in a struggle? Do you have the instilled confidence to know that you can hit your target?

As we age our eyes require more light to function normally. It’s a simple fact of growing older. The eyes of a 40 year old require more light to see clearly than those of a 20 year old. Older eyes require three to four times more light to function as they did when we were much younger. As we age vision issues include reduced ability to see contrast and colors and impaired depth perception. Also, there is an increase in the amount of time it takes for the eyes to transition from light to dark or vice versa.

The Human Eye

Also, the human eye, specifically the retina uses two types of photoreceptors: rods and cones. Rods work at very low levels of light. We use these for night vision because only a few bits of light (photons) can activate a rod. Rods don’t help with color vision, which is why at night, we see everything in a gray scale. The human eye has over 100 million rod cells.

Cones require a lot more light and they are used to see color. We have three types of cones: blue, green, and red. The human eye only has about 6 million cones. Many of these are packed into the fovea, a small pit in the back of the eye that helps with the sharpness or detail of images.

As visible light is reduced, the human eye loses the ability to see color. The first color spectrum to be lost is the red spectrum, the last color to be lost is the yellow one. That is why highway workers have switches from the traditional orange safety vests to the new “safety green” (super bright yellow with greenish tint) vests. When visible light is lost, all images change from color to

black, white, or shades of grey. Black is black, white is white, and all things that were colored are now grey. For this reason, a front sight with a white outline will always be white, regardless of light conditions. Red, orange, green, etc. front sights will look grey in diminished light.

Night shooting with a suppressor

Night shooting with a suppressor

White Light

The best tool available to help make up for the aforementioned vision deficiencies is white light and lots of it. When we find ourselves in the previously mentioned poor light conditions and we are handicapped by aging eyes or absent glasses it’s time to pour on the white light.

Generally speaking, the more light the better. There are two basic types of lights you will use to save your life; handheld and weapon-mounted. Regardless of the deployment system, tactical or combat lights should all share certain characteristics.

All of them should have a solid, focused beam of unbroken light. Cheap flashlights have dead spots due to poorly constructed reflectors. Stay away from adjustable focus lights for serious work. White LED lights are the rage and provide many benefits. With an LED, there are no bulb filaments to break and they offer tremendous battery-life and run time. Beware the cheap Chinese LED lights. These are made to be inexpensive, essentially throw away lights. I’m sure you’ll agree that your life is worth more than a $5.00 flashlight.

But How Bright?

How bright should the light be? The current scale for measuring light strength is “Lumens”. Lumens measure the entire output of the light beam. Candlepower measures the brightest spot of the light. In general, 60 to 100 Lumen lights are good for utility purposes, checking your tires at night, finding a lost set of keys, etc. A light of 200 Lumens of higher is being far better for fighting purposes. A light small enough to be carried in a pocket and greater than 100 Lumens should get you through most nights.

For handheld tactical lights the switch should be some form of push button at the base of the light. This allows you to find it easily in complete darkness with either hand. Dual switching for momentary and constant on is a plus, but the more options you have the more you must train.

Weapon-mounted lights whether on handguns, rifles, or shotguns must be rated as such from the manufacturer and have a shock-resistant bulb/LED and circuits. Just because a light is LED instead of incandescent doesn’t mean it’s a good weapon light. The shock from a recoiling weapon can jar loose cheap wiring and circuits.

Using weapon-mounted lights is a bit of an advanced skill and must be practiced it you have any hope of doing it under stress. Can’t shoot at night? No big deal, take your weapon with light mounted to the daytime range. Turn the light on and run through some drills. You will soon know whether or not the gun and light will operate in conjunction with each other.

SOTG Accur8™ Sights in the Dark

SOTG Accur8™ Sights in the Dark

Training in the Dark

Operating a handgun, or long gun for that matter, while using a handheld light is another skill that must be learned and practiced. Again, you can practice the techniques in the daylight on a normal range. The culmination of your learning should take place in actual darkness on a live-fire range. This takes us back to our previous discussion of schools or academies that conduct training after dark.

There are several professional firearms schools that do indeed offer advanced fighting courses where students engage targets in the dark. During a recent trip to Prescott, Arizona I spent several days out at the Gunsite Academy. While there we ran nighttime training in both their indoor and outdoor simulators.

During the indoor simulator exercise I ran the scenario with clear safety glasses but without my prescription set. My pistol had a SureFire X300 weapon light. It was a challenge as there were both “Shoot” and “No-Shoot” full-color targets in the specially designed building.

If all you have ever practiced is slow-fire shooting on a square range in ample light, clearing a building in the dark with a flashlight is quite an eye opening experience. Any person serious about protecting their loved ones with arms should aspire to such training. It’s not easy and it’s not cheap but it’s worth every penny.

Seeing the Sights

The best iron sights are those that you can actually see in the dark. Tritium® inserts in the front sight a big plus. Remember, the front sight is the most important one. If you have more light producing radioactive material in the rear sight than the front it defeats the purpose.

Minus Tritium, your front sight should reflect any available light. The front sight, whatever the design, should stand out from the barrel not blend in.

Parting Thoughts

Facing a deadly attack in the dark is a horrifying proposition. Unfortunately an assault in the dark or under poor light conditions is statistically very likely. Such is the world we live in.

Step one is to accept this reality and steel your mind to meet the challenge. Steps two and three include arming yourself with the best training and equipment available. Tools without training are merely toys. Combining the two will give you the skill and genuine confidence you’ll need with thing go bump in the night.

Where to Buy Accur8™ Sights

You can find Accur8™ sights at your local gun shop. If they do not have the sights, you can buy them directly from Night Fision. Be sure to request your local shop stock the Accur8™ sights.

Buy Accur8™ Sights Online

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