red dot?
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9mmPatriot
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I have one on my EDC, others will say don't do it.
my eyes are still in decent shape for longer distances but up-close, well let's just say my arms are too short.
I've extremely pleased with my Holosun 407c Green Dot on my M&P 2.0 9c. Yes there's a learning curve, but it ain't that steep.
my eyes are still in decent shape for longer distances but up-close, well let's just say my arms are too short.
I've extremely pleased with my Holosun 407c Green Dot on my M&P 2.0 9c. Yes there's a learning curve, but it ain't that steep.
With some good training and a little practice, a pistol optic will be as fast or faster than iron sights.
The biggest advantage is that you can get accurate hits with the dot anywhere in the window as long as the dot is on your target. This eliminates having to align iron sights and focus on the front sight.
The next biggest advantage is that your vision will be target-focused for speed. This is natural for close threat shooting. You won’t have to do the focus shifting usually required with iron sights (target, rear/front alignment, target, hard focus on front sight with blurred target).
If you can get the search engine here to help you, there have been many threads that will answer your question in much more detail.
The biggest advantage is that you can get accurate hits with the dot anywhere in the window as long as the dot is on your target. This eliminates having to align iron sights and focus on the front sight.
The next biggest advantage is that your vision will be target-focused for speed. This is natural for close threat shooting. You won’t have to do the focus shifting usually required with iron sights (target, rear/front alignment, target, hard focus on front sight with blurred target).
If you can get the search engine here to help you, there have been many threads that will answer your question in much more detail.
OKFC05
Member
Optic sights can be used in a carry gun, and Concealed Carry Optics now have their own Division in action pistol games like USPSA and IDPA.
Like any type of gunsight, it requires PRACTICE to be effective, and a firm grasp of the shooting fundamentals.
I have seen many shooters learn to use them very effectively, after struggling at first to master the dot in rapid fire. Just putting one on your gun does not automatically make you a better shooter.
Like any type of gunsight, it requires PRACTICE to be effective, and a firm grasp of the shooting fundamentals.
I have seen many shooters learn to use them very effectively, after struggling at first to master the dot in rapid fire. Just putting one on your gun does not automatically make you a better shooter.
AzShooter
Member
Make sure it has the Shake - On capability so you don't have to push any buttons to have your dot work. With minimal practice you will find your times to be much faster with the dot and your hits will be better.
Look at your target and when the dot becomes visible go for the hit. You don't have to have a steady dot. Let it shake. The shaking will reduce as you practice.
Look at your target and when the dot becomes visible go for the hit. You don't have to have a steady dot. Let it shake. The shaking will reduce as you practice.
I have only one red dot equipped handgun. It is *great* for making accurate shots at distance (25 yards+), but for me sight acquisition is slower inside 20 yards or so.
But this is not the fault of the dot. It reflects my lack of willingness to put the time in to get good with it.
As has already been said, shooting a red dot—like most things in life—requires practice. I’ve seen a number of guys at my outlaw practice pistol club make the switch in recent years. Those that keep with the dot get better and better until they are at least as fast as they were with irons—and often they become faster.
I will say that I think there is some utility to having a gun with a red dot, even if you don’t intend to carry or compete with it. First, they’re fun. Second, I think they’re a great tool for working on grip and trigger control. Seeing how much that dot was bouncing all over the target was a revelation.
But this is not the fault of the dot. It reflects my lack of willingness to put the time in to get good with it.
As has already been said, shooting a red dot—like most things in life—requires practice. I’ve seen a number of guys at my outlaw practice pistol club make the switch in recent years. Those that keep with the dot get better and better until they are at least as fast as they were with irons—and often they become faster.
I will say that I think there is some utility to having a gun with a red dot, even if you don’t intend to carry or compete with it. First, they’re fun. Second, I think they’re a great tool for working on grip and trigger control. Seeing how much that dot was bouncing all over the target was a revelation.
sotexas
Member
Go for it and they can be used effectively. I personally like the optics for steel/target at longer distances' Self defense range I put the front sight center mass. There are advantages especially if you will feel more confident.
Notch and post iron sights were first used almost 200 years ago. Their basic use has hardly changed.
Optics on pistols as has been the case with carbines and rifles take Shooting to a new level. Pistol optics will be extremely common in the future as people learn the advantages.
Optics on pistols as has been the case with carbines and rifles take Shooting to a new level. Pistol optics will be extremely common in the future as people learn the advantages.
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This is why I don’t bother with one. My front sight is always visible. But I have one on my AR and my Marlin .22 for fun.
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There is a bit of a learning curve with them, you have to get used to focusing on the target and not the sight, it's a fundamental change but one that makes sense as something you would want to do if you think about it, you're no longer looking at a blurry target and an in focus front sight or vice versa.
If you go with something that doesn't co-witness with the iron sights you will also have to make some adjustments on how you present things or will find yourself searching for the dot.
I pretty much budget in an optic for everything new I buy these days. Of course I'm also getting old, and need my TopFocal glasses to clearly see the front sight these days, so that's also a part of it.
On the question of reliability, I do have to admit that it is something that can break, especially compared to two pieces of metal on a slide. For EDC I spend the extra money on Trijicon RMRcc's for the reliability (and I will admit to being a bit of a Trijicon fanboy.) For the range guns I'll put pretty much anything on one, usually staying with established brands, but also have some of the $50 made in China clones, that I usually put on air guns, mounted on the rimfire stuff, and as experiments to see if the thing will survive on a center fire pistol.
If you go with something that doesn't co-witness with the iron sights you will also have to make some adjustments on how you present things or will find yourself searching for the dot.
I pretty much budget in an optic for everything new I buy these days. Of course I'm also getting old, and need my TopFocal glasses to clearly see the front sight these days, so that's also a part of it.
On the question of reliability, I do have to admit that it is something that can break, especially compared to two pieces of metal on a slide. For EDC I spend the extra money on Trijicon RMRcc's for the reliability (and I will admit to being a bit of a Trijicon fanboy.) For the range guns I'll put pretty much anything on one, usually staying with established brands, but also have some of the $50 made in China clones, that I usually put on air guns, mounted on the rimfire stuff, and as experiments to see if the thing will survive on a center fire pistol.
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Rlg#17
US Veteran
The absolute easiest and fastest way to shoot a firearm once you get used to it. It takes some getting used to I will say that. But once you get used to it, it’s the cats meow. We have Holosun on our house guns (green is the color best seen by our eyes!) And own pistols with Burris, trijicon, and Shield optics on them at this time.
If I’m carrying something, it most likely has a RDS on it. The wife wants a G-26 MOS so bad, only seen one so far that a GLOCK rep had…
Regards, Rick Gibbs
If I’m carrying something, it most likely has a RDS on it. The wife wants a G-26 MOS so bad, only seen one so far that a GLOCK rep had…
Regards, Rick Gibbs
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It took some practice, and learning to bring the gun down flatter, but once that was done I shoot faster better with a RDS.
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