The night belongs to you

Let there be light … Then you can see everything, but most importantly, you can also be seen. Gabe Suarez (pictured above) addresses the use of night vision, Trijicon RMRs, lasers, and Tritium sights in modern self-defense in this recent article from his blog:

1. If you truly want to be effective at night, you need night vision goggles … not a bright flashlight. Just like with ballistic armor, the better night vision technology gets, the more likely opponents will have it too. And the fact that this capability is available should lead us to rethink our tactics for nighttime combat.

One can already get night vision goggles (NVGs) quite easily and affordably, so one should assume that everyone is supported (using NVGs). Any Gen 1 night vision is sufficient for CQB inside a house. But like (almost) everywhere, there are quality and price differences. A 4,000 Euro Gen. 3 MUM/Mini-14 is not comparable to a Russian surplus Gen 1 device. It's like comparing an Audi R8 with a Trabant. You can drive to work with both, but the driving experience is different and so is the time needed for it.

But despite all that, if I were to operate in a house, I would rather take the Russian Gen 1 NVGs and my Glock with RMR than the best Surefire flashlight. What I'm not trying to express with that is that everyone has the same capabilities. It still holds true that those with better technology have an advantage. But the curve has flattened. In other words, one should not assume that darkness acts as a protective cloak, making us invisible. Nowadays, one must assume that opponents also operate with support, which is why the same principles of cover and concealment should be applied at night as during the day.

2. The adjustable Trijicon RMRs (RM06 and RM07) work great with a Mini-14, and most importantly, do not emit a laser that can be easily seen by opponents with NVGs. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for non-manually adjustable RMRs, Docter Sights, or Delta Points.

Regarding the adjustable RMR: you can see everything when looking through the optic, but without giving off a forward signature. The question is: how bright should you set it? The highest brightness of the Trijicon RM06 (with 3.5 MOA dot) is too bright for NVGs. Instead of a small dot, you see a green soccer ball in the field of view. But if you turn the RMR all the way down, it is bright enough to be used with a Mini-14, but no longer useful in daylight. I don't think Trijicon designed it that way, but it works.

3. Tritium can be detected over long distances if someone is watching and looking for it … and has the right angle. If you also want to be effective at night, you should not think about what a civilian needs, but assume that the opponent is doing what you are doing. A bright flashlight or bright "easily recognizable" Tritium sights can end fatally when facing a competent opponent. I'm not saying you should stay away from Tritium, as it is very useful in many situations, but you must be aware of its weaknesses.

When using a pistol with Tritium sights, it can be useful to adjust the hand position while moving so that the thumb of the firing hand rests on the rear sight and that of the other hand on the front sight. This covers the glowing dots and prevents the opponent from seeing a light source in a moonless and cloudy night.

4. Visibility of light and lasers for others: During the day, you can compare a red dot with a laser. With a pistol, you can use the RMR for sighting in one and a laser in another.

But what is visible from the target's perspective? The laser. Who draws a visible line in high humidity, smoke, or fog? The laser. An RMR doesn't do that, but the shooter has the same visual effect.

The same goes for IR lasers. Anyone with NVGs can detect the IR laser, but not the dot on an RMR. You can position the pistol directly in front of your own NVG (but please make sure the slide doesn't enter the device!), which works very well for short distances up to about 8 meters. For longer distances or precision shots, you need an IR laser because unlike the eye, an NVG cannot change focus quickly enough to work over long distances.

A friend from the 5th Special Forces Group said: "Regarding RMRs … I've had RMRs on my pistols for the past few years, and I've often used them in support. The RM07 is the best part for the job, much better than a laser. Initially, I used an RM04 (with Tritium and fiber optics, note.) which worked well with NVGs, but in the desert sun, it was just too bright during the day."

HERE is the article “Auf den (Rot)punkt gebracht” by Gabe Suarez

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