I took two newbies to the range
The only light recoil firearm I have is a post ban 5.56 black rifle.

Today we used a red dot site at 25 yards

Does the Forum think irons sights would be better for newbies

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If they are fired up using a red dot and following safety rules, way to go. You can always teach iron sights to an excited learner.

I would start with standard iron sights for new shooter so they learn the basics of shooting and sighting.

More about fun and comfort than learning basics

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Newbie's main objective is to keep the muzzle pointed down range and enjoy the experience. Successfully do that and everything else will eventually come together, irons or red dot.

That was exactly my question. If it's somebody you're training to be a rifleman, then take the time and start with irons. If it's an outing to have some fun, then I'd go with the RDS. Using a dot sight will make shooting a lot easier, thus less stressful, and who knows maybe lead to them wanting to get more into guns.



Personally, I insist on starting new shooters out with a .460 Weatherby, without a recoil pad but with iron sights, and I use a riding crop to correct their form. For handguns, it's a 340 and Buffalo Bore loads.

STOP FLINCHING!! YOU'RE WORTHLESS AND WEAK!!

Works wonders.

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It's your rifle...Was it ever zeroed in with the iron sights.No sense taking off the red dot if it wasn't.

Safety first then just have some fun.If they end up getting their own rifle then they can experiment with the iron sights with your continued tutelage of course.

The objective is for the newbie to have an enjoyable and positive learning experience. The easier it is for them to be able to hit the target the more enjoyable it will be. The red dot makes hitting the target easier, and they can then concentrate more on the safety aspects of shooting while having fun hitting the target.

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I agree 100% with that.

I wouldn't use irons if I had a scope or dot. Irons are harder to use for beginners, the reason the military has gone exclusively to dots on rifles. They're looking for results without a steep learning curve. I'm not talking about snipers here obviously.

I have irons on two carbines and can use them but the fun factor just isn't the same. dot, scope, irons in that order if you are trying to amp up the fun factor for a kid or new shooter. If they get serious about the sport then it's scope exclusively for rifle.

I broke a newbie in (67 YO) and he started with a dot. He now realizes that he needs a scope on his second AR. He got hooked real fast using a dot. It works the same way with kids. We are all kids when it comes to fun anyway.

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That's just somebody talkin.

As others have mentioned, these days a red-dot or some type of lenticular optics has become "the basics", and iron sights are more "advanced" in a retro sort of way.

Practicing the eye coordination of three optical planes (rear/front/target) is an additional skill that's more enjoyable to learn once a new shooter is comfortable with the trigger pull, the bang and the recoil.

First time out.........they need to leave having had fun and asking......"when can we do this again? Is there a gunshop on the way home????"


LOL there's a reason we now call them "backup iron sights"

if they enjoy using the red dot and are better with it in the beginning, it will be a better experience. Gotta keep them going to the range; can always add in some practice with the iron sights down the road.
Perhaps make that a form of competition or a challenge, once they have proved the basics are there.

Old school here--but a red dot definitely fits the old KISS rule. I think sometimes we forget the information overload we had back in the day trying to absorb everything at once.

Plenty of time for the irons in the course of things.

I learned on iron sights in the Marines and believe that everyone should learn the same way,Then after they become proficient go to the scope.

I too am old school . I learn on iron sights. I prefer them. But I move to using pep sights. All my rifles have them. Red dots have there place.

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