Truglo TG-H3 Review: Tritium Fiber Optic Shotgun Sight

The Truglo TG-H3 is a wide tritium fiber optic front sight that screws onto a 12 gauge barrel. On my cut down Ithaca 66 it glowed in full darkness, the solid front of the frame hides the tube from anyone downrange, and it stayed intact through a rough move. It needs two holes drilled in the barrel, and the dot is wide, which suits a shotgun at defensive distances.

Status: the TG-H3 may no longer be in Truglo’s current lineup. Check with Truglo before you shop.

Specs and the verdict come first, then the full review.

Truglo TG-H3 Specs

	Truglo TG-H3 (as tested)
Type	Front sight, tritium plus fiber optic (TFO)
Fits	12 gauge barrels
Mounting	Two screws into drilled and tapped holes
Insert	Pinned tube in a milled, shielded frame

Verdict

• Good: bright day and night, shielded from the front, tough.
• Know this: requires drilling, a wide dot, and this was a short test before any live fire workout.

For more glowing sights, see our night sight roundup.

For a Truglo handgun sight, read our Truglo TFX review.

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Truglo

The TG-H3 is a rather simple looking front sight, but don’t let it fool you. It has a trick up its sleeve.

I’m not one to preference good looks over serious performance. But this is getting to be one ugly gun. A couple of years ago, I needed a break action shotgun for a review I was planning. I’d lined up some multicaliber 12 gauge barrel inserts that promised to turn ol’ Betsy (or whatever you’ve named your break-action clunker) into a versatile survival piece capable of firing anything from a .308 to a .22 short. So I picked up this beauty, a rusted out Ithaca Model 66. The old girl locks up tight, and has a clean, shiny bore. She wasn’t much to look at, but she shot straight. And that’s all I needed.

If she wasn’t much to look at before, I surely didn’t help make things better. I tore the gun down, completely, and cleaned everything up. I sanded out all off all of the rust. I cut the barrel down to 18.5 inches. I even Duracoated the whole thing, just to see how well the finish worked. It was all well and good, but missing a front sight. Enter the Truglo TG-H3.

The TG-H3 looks a bit out of place on this beastly shotgun. If I were more vain, it wouldn’t be my first choice for a lever action. But I wasn’t concerned about the aesthetic. If the barrel inserts do come in for review, I’ll need a sight. And the TG-H3 is a serious sight. It is long, and wide. It installs on a 12 gauge barrel fairly easily. There are two holes that need to be drilled into the top of the barrel, and it may be best to have a gunsmith do it, but it can be done at home.

What would possess someone to Duracoat an entire lever action shotgun in tan? Beats me, and I’m the one that did it.

The real appeal of the sight, though, is the fat glowing tube. As we’re talking shotguns here, a wide front sight isn’t a detriment. At seven yards, the glowing dot is still smaller than a birdshot pattern and buckshot pattern. That pretty much covers the defensive end fairly well.

The TG-H3 glows, even in full darkness, thanks to the tritium in the tube.

The insert glows well, thanks to the combination of tritium and fiber optic. The dot is visible even in full darkness. Not that I’d advise shooting anything in full darkness, but it is nice to think you could. And because the business end of the sight’s frame is solid, the glow is shielded from anyone in front of the gun. The side view is a different story, as the frame is cut to allow ample light transmission. But the tube isn’t visible from the side in the dark, only from the shooter’s perspective. Truglo calls this TFO (Tritium Fiber Optic).

All told, I’m thrilled with the sight. I moved recently, and threw the gun, as you see it here, into the moving truck in a rather unceremonious fashion. The ride was long, and somewhat brutal for the finish on the Ithaca. Yet the sight remained in place, intact, just as I’d suspected. It can take a beating. And I’m hoping it can dish one out, too. I’m looking for a rear sight now, one that will compliment this giant front sight, and one that will make this ridiculous shotgun look even more ludicrous.

And I’m still waiting for the inserts. That’s the reason for this gun’s continued existence. When they arrive, the TG-H3 will get a full on workout, and I’ll post a follow up to this one.

The dot on the TG-H3 is wide, and the base of the sight is as wide as some rear sights, but it is ideal for a scatter-gun.

The frame itself has been milled and contoured to protect the insert and gather light.

The tube slides into the milled frame, which pins in place on the barrel.

This is all you need to hold everything in place. The screws attach the frame to the barrel, and the pins lock in the insert.

Now it is time to address the rear sight on this ugly old gun. This one would suffice if I had a riser.

Because I’d shortened the barrel, I need a new sight.

I obviously need to adjust the rear sight. With no riser, I’m shooting way high from 25 yards.

From 7 yards, the shotgun is performing much better. How well with the sight work when we run rifle rounds through the shotgun? Time will tell.

The front end of the sight is solid, which protects the insert even more and keeps the beacon like sight from showing your position.

It fits the contour of the barrel well, and I found it faster to pick up than a typical bead.

FAQ

Does the Truglo TG-H3 glow in the dark?

Yes. The tritium kept it visible in full darkness in my test.

How does the TG-H3 mount?

Two screws into holes drilled and tapped in the barrel; a gunsmith is the safer choice.

Is the Truglo TG-H3 still sold?

It may no longer be in Truglo’s current lineup; check with Truglo.