Two Letters Re: Home Defense Tactics for the Disabled and the Infirmed

Mr. Rawles:
In regards to the Home Defense Tactics for the Disabled and the Infirmed post.
This is a YouTube video that plays a 911 recording of a lady [in Indiana] who was at home alone when a guy whom she had dated a couple of times and then after she broke up from him, he started stalking her. He came to her house one night and she called 911.

Fortunately she had a weapon and was willing to use it.

Near the end after he broke into her bedroom he tried choking her, she shot him three times, one of the shots is muffled because she had the pistol pressed against him.
This needs to be shared with every woman you know. This proves the old adage that police investigate crimes and are unable to stop most of them. They would not been able to protect her. Yes she had court orders in place to “protect” her, they didn’t do any good either. When seconds count, 911 is [still] minutes away. – Eric B. in Southern Idaho

 

Jim,
Like you, I am also not a fan of red dot sights for “at night” use. Some time ago I investigated the different available night time systems available. Below is what I discovered:
1. Red dot sight– okay during the day but at night– not good! Because of the brightness it causes pupil constriction, and due to the “consensual eye reflex” (CER) the other pupil constricts as well it was dark before, now it’s really dark, i.e. it blinds you ! (until the rodopsin recovers).
In trying to turn the red dot site down to a level that doesn’t cause this, it makes it very difficult to reliably see the red dot!

2. Night vision mounted as a scope on a rifle– same as above– better have a buddy with you to watch your back who has natural night vision unimpaired while yours recovers.
A headset is better but you’re kinda stuck in tunnel vision as you don’t have peripheral vision with these. (See note above about having a buddy.) Better to keep them on until in an area of safety.

3. OEG (occluded eye gun site) works off tritium (and fiber optic during the day). Oddly this seems to adjust to the needed level automatically without stimulating pupil constriction. I am not sure why, maybe it’s a different wavelength of red that doesn’t stimulate CER. The problem with this site is that it does take some training to use though as you don’t look into it as your do past it. I think the best thing is the Trijicon ACOG as it works in a very similar way.
With this site you can actually look into it, it offers magnification, and again adjusts to ambient light levels to prevent CER. The drawback is of course price.

4. The plain, good ol’ tritiums sights, as you recommended, are the low buck choice. These as well do not seem to stimulate CER as they are usually far out enough from the eye (arms length) to not be too bright. I prefer the ones from TruGlo for pistols that are fiber optic as well and XS Systems for rifles and shotguns. Well, I hope you find this helpful. Yours in Freedom, – DH