Quote:
Originally Posted by CB3
What you describe is not a fault of the RDS sighting system. It is a training issue with the operator. Seeing the dot consistently is the result of mastering the basics of pistol presentation. If you have to "find" or "hunt for" the dot, it is a result of improper presentations. RDS are not for everyone; there is a skill level required for them to work effectively.
Now, lest I sound too much like a complete know-it-all, I am still not as expert on presentation as I would like to be. I have thousands of dry presentations over the past year and a half, and I am probably about 90% consistent. I often practice with the RDS off, concentrating on the iron sights. If you can't do it first with irons, you won't be able to do it with a dot either. However, I know what I am trying to achieve.
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In truth, the same basic skill set that produces the quick and accurate iron sight alignment that is necessary for competitive or defensive accuracy is the exact same skill set necessary for the dot to consistently appear in the window. Proper consistent grip, pistol level in front of the eyes, aimed at the target with front and rear sights aligned.
Proper, consistent presentation allows you to see (not find) the dot because your pistol is pointed in correctly, even in the dark.
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Never said it was a fault with the RMR or RDS, just inherent in the system that alignment is important to viewing the dot and unlike with night sights, there are no visual cues in the dark. Disagree on your comment that a laser is purely a crutch, especially when considering non traditional shooting positions. But that is a topic for another thread.
So as I understand your post, you can acquire and line up the iron sights or red dot purely on muscle memory with no visual cues (ie. no night sights). If you pick up your hand gun in a pitch black room and sight, then a light gets turned on, your front and rear sight will already be in alignment on where ever the pistol is pointed and no further sight lineup is needed. Because that is what I understand you are saying.
(If you can not achieve that, then there is also some possibility that the red dot won't be lined up sufficiently to be visible either. And I am not talking about where there is some foreground light as that provides visual cues to quickly complete sight alignment and others have already mentioned other techniques like just getting the target in the RMR window in that lighting situation.)
If you can do that GREAT! You are correct, I don't have that level of proficiency or training. I am wondering how many others that shoot and practice often can currently achieve that?
Secondly, I understand that night competitions are growing in popularity. How many of those competitors, that are professionals with presumably extensive training, practice and expertise with red dot sights from daytime competition, are using a red dot as primary sighting device (i.e. no night sights) in nighttime competition? I am asking because I don't really know the answer and it seems relevant.
But from what I have read, the night shoot competitors, where speed acquiring a sight picture and getting shots on target is important, who have available any sight combination they want, their preferred sights are night sight + laser combination for night competition.
(None of this is to imply that I don't like and use a red dot sight on handguns. I've had 2 and have one mounted currently and the combination: accurate gun, decent trigger, and a red dot sight to compensate for poor but corrected vision and old eyes, is my most consistently accurate, very tight grouping gun. My current thinking is I just will not use it for night HD without adding night sights too to add visual reference to rapidly complete sight alignment in the dark. But I concede that I have not tried it yet and I understand your point that it could get confusing having 4 "lighted dots". That's why I stuck with a separate gun with night sights and a laser, and no red dot, so far for night HD.)