Will red dots replace lasers on pistols?

LVSteve

LVSteve

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I do wonder if lasers will be overtaken by red dot optics in the long run. I prefer the compactness of a trigger guard laser, myself. Are existing holsters often compatible with red dots? Is it easier to make holsters for red dots compared with lasers?

What say the hive.
 
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I think fiber optic sights and red dots will dominate for now. It's too hard to see a laser in daylight conditions. Lasers definitely have their place, but are more limited in the situations they can be useful. One good use of them is for indoor range training. You can see the dot dancing around on the target and tell exactly what the gun and holder of said gun is doing.

There are lots of RD compatible holsters on the market now. It is easier to make a holster for RDs if you just make a cutout for clearance. The holsters that have protection for RDs probably are not any easier to make than the ones for under barrel lasers.

I have a red or green dot and grip mounted laser on a couple of my revos. That works out pretty well. Then you can choose the best one for the current situation.
 
Red dots on pistols are the hot item now like lasers used to be. Although both serve their purpose in certain shooting/combat scenarios, sooner or later people are going to realize that you can get off faster shots/target acquisition from the holster with good ol' iron sights.
 
I am 73,near sighted wear glasses-stuck to single vision, no bifocals for me. All those years of shooting with iron sights-the laser and red dot people ask me how I do it.
 
My minimal experience with handgun-mounted lasers quickly convinced me that they are undesirable as, except under low-light conditions, the laser beam dot is essentially invisible. I have no red dot handgun sights but do have two mounted on rifles. I like them much better as the red dot is visible under any light condition.
 
I don't have a red dot sight, but

I do know that every now and then my Crimson trace red laser beam

does not show up on my targets from my hand position, grip presser, or what ever ? !!

Not the thing that you want to happen when the chips are down
when counting on it.

The Red Dot might be a better system?
 
If you go by LE acceptance and use, its red dots by 20 furlongs. I don’t think lasers every really caught on with cops, but I see red dots on cop guns all the time. My well-funded local PD has gone 100% optics on handguns. Their rifles have had red dots for years, and shotguns have gone the way of the blunderbuss.

I am a recent convert. Once you get the hang of it they are hard to beat, and the irons are there in case that Chinese balloon EMPs the sight into the stone age.

Holsters are easy to find.

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Eric300 said:
Red dots on pistols are the hot item now like lasers used to be. Although both serve their purpose in certain shooting/combat scenarios, sooner or later people are going to realize that you can get off faster shots/target acquisition from the holster with good ol' iron sights.
Click to expand...

Very true, but with an exception for those with vision problems. Even for the newschoolers and Youtubers with good eyes, they're not going to go for old technology like iron sights even if iron sights work better. Besides, with gadgetry, one needn't waste time developing shooting skills.
 
Red dots are getting way more popular, but no, they will not replace lasers as lasers aren't really around to be replaced.. I don't think I've known anyone who has used a laser in decades (except an IR rifle mounted one)
 
I’ve had lasers for a long time and usually have them on my carry gun. I have both red and green and never had an issue seeing them in daylight, especially the green, but I shoot on my property where it’s wooded so that would be better than in full sun. It took a while to learn how to shoot them well but with my eyes I do much tighter groups with the laser than open sights. I shoot at 18 to 20 yards and it is easier for me to see the laser dot vs open or even a red dot at that distance. I am new to the red dot so I don’t have a lot of experience with them yet. My favorite thing about the laser is the ability to shoot behind cover or in any position that you don’t have to line up sights or even look for a red dot with your eyes being behind the sights. I practiced a bit with a shield 9 with the crimson trace green grip laser by hiding behind a tree just looking out enough to see the target and extending the gun out about 90 degrees from the target, shooting with just the laser and was able to keep all shots on target with a pretty good group too. They definitely are a good training aid for your trigger control and show any pulling left or right or anticipating the recoil. Not ideal for all situations but are fun and easily taken on and off as long as you have a rail.
 
Been down the path of lasers, not too impressed with giving my position away. Shot a friends red dot equipped Marvel 45/22 and fell in love. I have since added a Burris Fastfire to three of my semi-automatics. My bedside HK 45C has the 8 Pixel dot along with a Surefire light, with a bit of practice I have my drill down quite well. I hate to admit it but I installed one on my Model 52, I hesitated to install, I needed to remove the factory rear sight and the modification to fit the Burris went very well, I believe it will leave no trace should I reverse the process. I did the same with my Marvel 22/45 and can shoot both 52 and Marvel better that with irons. The Marvel and 52 have the 3 pixel red dot for fine work.
 
Red dots will stay in favor on pistols until enough
reports are gathered due to maintenance failure,
weather/temperature changes blind them.

During those failures, which will be very
unexpected, most shooters won't be able to
transition back to iron sights fast enough.
In fact, the red dot user may well have
"forgotten" how to use iron sights.

In fact, iron sights may also be overrated when
it comes to close-in responses, fighting.
 
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I have a laser/light combo on my home defense semi-auto. I hope I never have to find out, but it seems it would be useful in an adrenaline-filled home invasion scenario at night. I have a red dot sight on my full sized 9mm target semi-auto and I really like it. I don't have holsters for either. But a red dot sight on a revolver just doesn't look right to me.
 
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