Do tritium sights give off radiation?

Because the tritium night sights are in contained sights, there is no risk for radiation exposure. To be noted, tritium molecules can travel just 6mm in air before losing their radioactive charge.

How much tritium is in a gun sight?

The amount of tritium found in a typical rifle sight is about 0.012 curies and is human-made. Human-made tritium is generated by bombarding hydrogen with neutrons in a nuclear reactor or an accelerator (MLM-3719, 1991). All atoms are composed of a center nucleus surrounded by shells of electrons.

What kind of radiation does tritium emit?

beta particle
Tritium has a half-life of 12.3 years. When tritium decays, it emits a form of radiation known as a beta particle, a negatively charged particle similar to an electron. This is a very weak form of radiation and can be stopped by a thin sheet of metal or a few sheets of paper.

Are tritium watches safe to wear?

Tritium gas occurs naturally in the atmosphere. It is generally considered to be harmless, except in very high concentrations. The amount of tritium used in in wrist watches and handgun sights falls well below the amount considered to be harmful.

Are tritium tubes safe?

These Tritium Glow Tubes are perfectly safe to handle as the beta radiation generated from the Tritium decay cannot pass through the glass wall of the vial. Incidentally, the collision of the beta particles with the glass does produce a very tiny amount of x-rays, but not enough to harm anything.

Are tritium watches safe?

But because tritium is mildly radioactive, and feared by some to be a health hazard, tritium paint is no longer used on dials. (The consensus among scientists is that, despite consumers’ apprehensions, tritium paint on watch dials presents no danger.)

Are watches with tritium safe?

What are tritium sights?

Tritium is used to illuminate the iron sights of some small arms. The electrons emitted by the radioactive decay of the tritium cause phosphor to glow, thus providing a long-lasting (several years) and non-battery-powered firearms sight that is visible in dim lighting conditions.

What are tritium sights made of?

Self-illuminated night sights are made from tiny capsules containing tritium gas, which is a radioactive isotope of hydrogen. Then the capsule is coated with a phosphorous material, which reacts with the radioactive electrons being given off by the tritium.