Tri-Trap Night Sights

4517 Views 28 Replies 7 Participants Last post by armored, Aug 26, 2006

Wulf

Discussion Starter · Aug 18, 2006

Howdy All

Well, I'm doin' my damndest to get the triangular trapezoidal night sights made available, believe you me. :roll: No one seems to wanna make this happen soon enough for me. I'm workin' on somethin' and I think its headin' in the right direction. This is for the front sight. Jack sent me a couple front and back sights to work with. They are pretty much all used up and no longer useable for any further experimentin'. The back sights are in tatters. They are gonna prolly need to be tritium, and that opens up a whole different can of worms for me to deal with because tritium is sanctioned through the NRC and ya just can't get someone to send ya a hunk. <shrug> I'm gonna post this front sight pic and hopefully get some constructive feedback from Steyrclub members. What can I do to improve upon this avenue of tri-trap front sight R&D? And, anybody got any good ideas about how best to approach the back sights? My concept is that they be unobtrusive in good lighting and overtly available when ya need 'em in poor lighting conditions. Whataya think People?

Oh well.... Y'all hava great weekend.

Wulf

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ZEEK

· #2 · Aug 18, 2006

Wulf said:
Howdy All

Well, I'm doin' my damndest to get the triangular trapezoidal night sights made available, believe you me. :roll: No one seems to wanna make this happen soon enough for me. I'm workin' on somethin' and I think its headin' in the right direction. This is for the front sight. Jack sent me a couple front and back sights to work with. pt is that they be unobtrusive in good lighting and overtly available when ya need 'em in poor lighting conditions. Whataya think People?

Hey Wulf,

In the M&S forum, I know several members had some good feedback and pics as well it seems. Short of having tritium to actually work with, is there any way to have the tubes run, longways on all three sides of the triangle, recessed into a semicircle cavity? If you could do this, that would allow them to be installed length-wise on the back sight also, leaving room for the white outlines on the inside of the site. If you look at the suresights, from the pics, they look like they are elongated, sort of like a neon tube.

bigtaco

· #3 · Aug 19, 2006

your'e definitely on the right track!!! looks good.

as far as the rear...

what if you started with one of the triangles and cut off like 60% from the tip. you could then mount it sideways and simulate the trapezoidal deal.

// \\

Wulf

Discussion Starter · #4 · Aug 19, 2006

Thanx for the feedback, Guys.

I'm finding that the problem with the litepipes is the required length and diameter to make them really stand out. If I had an easy way to make the triangular piece longer to accommodate a longer litepipe, I would. <shrug> Heck, even the tritium capsules are pretty long and the current dimensions to the stocker tri-trap sights are very limiting to the amount of light gathering surface required for the sight intensity. My idea is to somehow incorporate a 3-dot night sight within the confines of the conventional tri-traps. Say, an opaquish brilliant 3-dot setup that was only seen when the tri-traps were inadequate during low lighting situations. :? Kinda hard to explain. If you look at current night sights using litepipes, you'll see that they are very long and as much direct exposure to the ambient light is gathered as is possible within the confines of the area made available to whatever pistol for their sights. The more surface area the better the results, and the end of the litepipe is significantly more illuminated and is nicely contrasted against the low light background. The M & S Series sights are critically short to accommodate a long litepipe. The pic of the tri-trap front site I posted may in fact be somewhat deceptive. Hang in there and I'll post another pic...brb

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Wulf

Discussion Starter · #5 · Aug 19, 2006

2

OK, I'm back...

Sorry bout that, I ran outta batteries for my digicam. <shrug> Here's a couple pics that may bring things into perspective, and really, the litepipe should be longer, using this design. Better yet, the pipe should be a bit larger in diameter, triangular shaped at the viewing end, more exposed to the available light and yielding the front sight view with more intensity...all things being perfect. <shrug> Now how to get what I want, well, that's another story.

Gotta run. Thanx for your participation and plz keep the idears a comin'. Hava great day.

Wulf

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flyandscuba

· #6 · Aug 19, 2006

What about a configration for the front sight similar to those produced by tru-glo. You could mount fiber optic material in the shape of the triangle in front of a conventional tritium tube.

In daylight, the fiber optic material would catch the ambient light. At night, the tritium residing behind the fiber optic material would transmit the tritium illumnination through the fiber optic material, making it glow.

The rear sight could employ two or three tritium "bars".

I've got the tru-glo fiber optic/tritium combination on one of my HK Tacticals -- it works great. Maybe they would even consider working up a sight for the Steyr??

steyrile

· #7 · Aug 19, 2006

Wulf, where'd you pick up my ex to pose with the sight?
She's a heck of a shot so don't piss her off.
Best of luck.

steyrile

Wulf

Discussion Starter · #8 · Aug 19, 2006

Hmmm...

Steyrile, "no comment".

Wulf

Wulf

Discussion Starter · #9 · Aug 19, 2006

Hiya scuba

I'm really not interested in the "bars". Bars are too complicated for me. What I have in mind is the tri-traps that are just as they are for sufficient lighting, but in low lighting, the 3-dot night sights kick in. I was hoping that all it would take was 3 holes drilled and litepiped. That didn't happen. <shrug> The rest of the story is what I'm dealing with now. If tritium is the only way to go with this concept then that's what's gonna happen untill I can find a better way to go. I'm sending a predrilled front sight to Al at PT and he's gonna put onna his tritium capsules in it for me. It'd be nice if that's the end of the story and we can get our front tri-trap night sights direct from PT and install them ourselves. That may or may not happen. I'm kinda fishin' for a better way by posting this thread and asking for ideas from our Club. I'm no optical genius and actually, I've had very little to no experience with optics. In my pistol past, whatever firearm I wanted to put night sights on had after market sights available. Not so with the Steyr, unless you want the 3-dot tritiums from PT. After market accessories for the Steyr M's and S's are severly lacking. I can only fathom that its from some lack of proper marketing efforts or direction in the past. This firearm is actually well advanced in its performance considering current alternatives. I'm no newbie to firearms and to pistols, in particular. I am very ambitious in my ventures to find the ultimate SD pistol...from Kimber to HK. My M357-A1 has given me the vision of what the best personal SD firearm can be according to price, reliability, comfort, recoil and performance. All I'm trying to do is to increase its ability to serve me in low lighting conditions. That has become the challenge to making it over all, the best bang for my buck SD pistol available. So, that's where I stand at present...making my best bang for my buck SD pistol ever even better. Nuff said. So, bring it on and let's get 'er done!

Wulf

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flyandscuba

· #10 · Aug 19, 2006

I've got the "factory" night sights on my M40 and M357 -- from back when usasteyr.com existed. Are they the same as those offered by PT?

My new M40-A1 of course has the non-illuminated traps that I'm determined to get used to.

I like the grip of the new A1, but find myself going back to the traditional sights on the older Ms. I did see that the M slides and barrels will function on the new A1 grip frame if necessary.

I'm surprised that Steyr was permitted to put the serial number on the polymer grip, as opposed to placing it on the metal sub-frame as with other manufacturers -- especially since the metal sub-frame can be so easily removed from the grip. After all, it is the true fram in the Steyr. Then, we could have easily swaped out the plastic grip from the older Ms to that of the newer A1s.

Hmmm.... come to think of it -- that is probably exactly why Steyr did what they did!

MrApathy

· #11 · Aug 20, 2006

the metal subframes I have all have a serial number in them

the subject has been discussed it a can of worms.

flyandscuba

· #12 · Aug 20, 2006

If it has one -- I certainly don't see it. At any rate, it isn't visible from the exterior of the pistol when installed...

MrApathy

· #13 · Aug 20, 2006

on the left side hiding behind the slide release

check stickied thread
Slide DISS/Assembly Originally posted by:c5367

frame assembly picture window 17 for a glimpse
it hides under the slide release

flyandscuba

· #14 · Aug 20, 2006

Mine has a number at the location you describe -- that was molded into the subframe at the time it was cast during manufacture. However, it does not correspond to the serial number on the polymer grip, slide, or barrel.

Actually, I've checked all three of my Steyrs -- and the number you refer happens to be the same on all three subframes....I think it is a part number.

Wulf

Discussion Starter · #15 · Aug 20, 2006

Hiya scuba

Hey, would ya mind postin' a pic of the factory night sights on your M Series? A side angle and a sight alignment pic from the back would be greatly appreciated. I'd like to get the perspective. Hell, straight down at the top of the slide would be great, too, if you can manage. If scuba can't, maybe someone else can. I need a few pics showing the factory Steyr night sights from a couple different angles to exhibit good perspective. If you'd rather send pics via email, plz send 'em to: [email protected]

Thanx and hava great day.

Wulf

flyandscuba

· #16 · Aug 20, 2006

Sure, be happy to -- will post shortly.

flyandscuba

· #17 · Aug 20, 2006

4

Wulf,

Here ya go... "Factory" night sights on an M40.

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flyandscuba

· #18 · Aug 20, 2006

2

Installed on the M40A1

Installed on the M40

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Wulf

Discussion Starter · #19 · Aug 20, 2006

Thanx *scuba

You rock, Dude!

That helps a lot. Now for some re-evaluating. It appears that the factory front night sight is much smaller than others available thru the American after market industry. I just finished takin' these pics, trying to show perspective of what the triangle front night sight is capable of, at this early stage of R&D, using Hi Viz triangular litepipes from a shotgun sight kit. The green litepipe is actually brighter and more to my liking, but I mangled it trying to recut the angle for the Steyr install. Oh well.... <sigh>

It occurs to me that I may not need back sights for close up night shooting. Maybe a little practice would yield acceptable accuracy in low lighting conditions with only the front sight bing used by itself...put the triangle on the target and pull the trigger. 8) I'll hafta check that out. Any competitors out there that wanna try this thing out? Someone with the wherewithall to give 'er a proper go? PM me. "...back to the drawin' board, etc...." Thanx again, *scuba.

Hava great day.

Wulf

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Wulf

Discussion Starter · #20 · Aug 20, 2006

BTW, *scuba....

May I impose upon you for one more pic?...plz? I would love to hava pic straight down from the top on the slide showing both front and back sights to get a proper perspective on the factory night sights when compared to what I've got goin' on now with my litepipe front sight set up. It'd help. Thanx again. 8)

Wulf

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