Night sights question

[xandi]

I was just wondering, why tritium? Why not something with a longer life span like thorium or radium?
Thx

 

[griz]

less radioactivity for the shooter to absorb I'm guessing.

 

[Mal H]

Unlike Tritium, Radium (specifically ²²⁶Ra) emits mainly alpha particles which would be useful for luminescence, but it is very toxic to living tissue. (Tritium emits far less energetic beta rays.) However, unlike Tritium, it is a solid and if the container holding it breaks for some reason, then a highly ionizing source of radiation is susceptible to ingestion. If the Tritium container breaks, the gas is quickly dissipated into the atmosphere. Even if it is inhaled, it is fairly quickly exhaled and practically never reacts with living tissue.

The same can be said of Thorium, but it emits alpha particles at a far lower rate so it is not quite as toxic as Radium. But, it is still a well known carcinogen when ingested.

In short, those elements aren't used for safety reasons.

 

[Jim Watson]

Also, a longer half life would mean fewer decays per second, so it would not be as bright.

 

[xandi]

Thx very helpful info
My thoughts were that using another material in the night sighs wouldn’t be more rads then a day in the sun, and a glass of tap water, in NM

 

[NukemJim]

There is no measurable radiation emitted from the night sights. I know I borrowed a Geiger-Muller counter and could not find any increase over background. If you used extremely sensitive lab equipment you might be able to get a measurement but as was stated "My thoughts were that using another material in the night sighs wouldn’t be more rads then a day in the sun, and a glass of tap water, in NM" is probably correct, if not less.

 

[Mal H]

True, there is virtually no danger from radiation for any of the 3 elements mentioned when they are enclosed in a suitable container. Beta rays from Tritium are easily stopped by the glass enclosing it, and a good sheet of paper will stop alpha particles from Radium.

 

[shuvelrider]

You should find and watch "Radium City USA", to see what happens when radium is ingested over time. The luminous dials on watches were hand painted back in the 20's/ 30's using radium, some of the gravesites of the workers were still giving readings into the 1980's.

 

[Mal H]

Yep, and the workers were licking the brushes so that the Radium would stick to the brush!

 

[lamarw]

As I recall and hope my memory serves me well. Most of the employees applying the radium to the watch/clock dials were licking their paint brushes to help paint the small numbers and hands. As shuvelrider stated this was the major avenue for the ingestion of the radium.

 

[shuvelrider]

That was the town of Ottawa Illinois, the factory has long been torn down and the debris was used as back-fill around town. Until a super-fund grant dug most of it up in the 1990's. There is an old dump site on the East end of town (RT.6) that is fenced off, still has the old radioactive warning signs attached. I grew up in La Salle/Peru where the Westclox watch and clock factory was located for decades, they contracted the Radium Dial Factory in the early days for parts.

 

[DaleA]

There is no measurable radiation emitted from the night sights.

Post #6.

Well if I can't trust this statement from somebody with a forum handle like yours I just don't know what!

Thanks.

 

[Mal H]

Ok, this is getting a bit far afield. The question has been answered - closed.