I think this is a great thread. I'm a new HD shotgun owner and I've been thinking about this issue. For now I'm going to start at the beginning- buy lots of ammo and practice.
Thanks for saying that and I think you have a clear head on your shoulders, Dave. What we've been discussing here is not ground-breaking and is argued over in many places. But not everyone is up on the options for low-light conditions so we might as well share our thoughts and, whatever the tool, I think it bears repeating that practice and familiarization come first, long before the hardware enhancements. Once you encounter a situation where your setup is lacking (hopefully during training/practice!) you'll know exactly what you need.
Rossignol's clip gives a good idea of what to expect when indoors with a firearm and a light, and that's the basis for my own resistance to using anything else. The sights are very visible and appear black, unless they are made of a high-visibility material in which case they may become blindingly bright (it depends on the distance from the light source too). The guys who train extensively in low-light are typically adamant that tritium and/or laser are a must and I can't argue because I don't train extensively. My own experience, which is not negligible (armed private security for the past 15 years, often at night and at large estates, which routinely requires me to clear yards and buildings) tells me that the cases when night sights would be a plus are few and often limited to law enforcement tactics (more offensive by nature). For me and most people (I suspect) it will be more like: perceive a potential threat, ID with light, be aware of your front sight and shoot (or not).
I've installed tritium sights on a 1911 before (because I was told it was a must-have and I didn't know any better) and didn't like having to send my slide out or watching the tritium go bad within just a few years. They talk about 10 years, but after 4-5 they looked much dimmer to me. And my Dan Wesson came from the factory with a dead front sight (now painted over). All this would be acceptable to me if I felt that the advantage provided was decisive (after all, I replace the batteries in my SureFires all the time, but
those are critical tools), but I don't and have been returning to old school tricks such as a gold bead or sight paint.
Again, this is not about trying to convince anyone, just to provide perspective for those on the fence. Since taking a point shooting (handgun) class I've been a firm believer in sighted fire, even at close range, but it's a flash picture not a careful alignment. That's why I like beads so much and as long as I can see them...
