Red dots on handguns are for play (change my mind)

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  • T4rdV4rk

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    I will posit that everyone is better off buying practice ammo for their edc instead of a red dot.

    - good shooters point instinctively within typical self defense range
    - red dots are electronic, consume batteries, and are an additional failure point
    - red dots add weight
    - unless all your pistols have red dots, you have inconsistent sight pictures across arms
    - i personally find them unnatural vs irons, admittedly this is likely a training issue
    - all of these points also apply to lasers

    In conclusion i believe red dots are a fad. They look cool and may be a status symbol.

    Are the above ideas incorrect or do the pros of red dots outweigh these cons?

    Pros:
    Accurate shots in the dark
     
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    Sigblitz

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    The green laser is on my streamlight. It turns night into day, excellent flash light. I don't have to use the laser but it's available with the flip of a switch, and sighted in. Just another useful tool in the toolbox.

    Sighted in at 20 feet, so I can aim without getting out of bed. I'm so lazy.
     
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    T4rdV4rk

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    The green laser is on my streamlight. It turns night into day, excellent flash light. I don't have to use the laser but it's available with the flip of a switch, and sighted in. Just another useful tool in the toolbox.

    I'll agree that flashlights are almost mandatory on edc. You have to see what you're shooting at.
     

    T4rdV4rk

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    The green laser is on my streamlight. It turns night into day, excellent flash light. I don't have to use the laser but it's available with the flip of a switch, and sighted in. Just another useful tool in the toolbox.

    Hi Sig. Would you be able to debunk each point?
     

    T4rdV4rk

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    There will come a day when virtually no pistols will be sold without optic cuts.

    I disagree with most of your statements except the failure point. But my .02 is worth only about .00002, so I wouldn't trust it.

    Yeah no problem on pistols coming with optic cuts, if somebody wants to use their gun for play.
     

    Trigger Time

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    Red dots on rifles were balked at too, now they're standard issue.
    Red dots on pistols are being utilized/issued by teams within the special operations community and have proven their usefulness in combat. They aren't going anywhere. Embrace them or don't but they absolutely offer an advantage once you train with them
     

    Sigblitz

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    Red dots on rifles were balked at too, now they're standard issue.
    Red dots on pistols are being utilized/issued by teams within the special operations community and have proven their usefulness in combat. They aren't going anywhere. Embrace them or don't but they absolutely offer an advantage once you train with them
    Good point. I can't imagine shooting my rifle without one.
     

    Dean C.

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    I will posit that everyone is better off buying practice ammo for their edc instead of a red dot.

    - good shooters point instinctively within typical self defense range
    - red dots are electronic, consume batteries, and are an additional failure point
    - red dots add weight

    You never know how far you might have to shoot see the Jack Wilson and Greenwood Mall shootings

    Red dots can fail but that's what BUIS are for just like on a rifle

    A RMR weighs 1.7oz big deal

    - unless all your pistols have red dots, you have inconsistent sight pictures across arms

    Stop being poor and embrace the dot on everything


    - i personally find them unnatural vs irons, admittedly this is likely a training issue
    - all of these points also apply to lasers

    In conclusion i believe red dots are a fad. They look cool and may be a status symbol.

    Are the above ideas incorrect or do the pros of red dots outweigh these cons?

    No trying to focus on the front sight is unnatural , humans have a natural target focus, your eyes want to be on the target. There is a reason all the new .Gov pistols come cut for optics. You are wrong flavored wrong with wrong filling.
     

    Squid556

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    I will posit that everyone is better off buying practice ammo for their edc instead of a red dot.

    - good shooters point instinctively within typical self defense range
    - red dots are electronic, consume batteries, and are an additional failure point
    - red dots add weight
    - unless all your pistols have red dots, you have inconsistent sight pictures across arms
    - i personally find them unnatural vs irons, admittedly this is likely a training issue
    - all of these points also apply to lasers

    In conclusion i believe red dots are a fad. They look cool and may be a status symbol.

    Are the above ideas incorrect or do the pros of red dots outweigh these cons?
    Don't want one on my defensive pistols. I DO see the merit on target and hunting pistols.

    Your points are solid and there's nothing here that will change it. I don't believe they are necessary for the average concealed carrier.

    That being said, the above points doesn't mean they cant be on defensive pistols. I am the last of my group to keep irons. They all use dots effectively and so long as they maintain them, guess its okay. Overall the people I see switch to dots have never gone back to irons. Take that for what its worth.

    As dorky as I think they look, I don't believe its just a fad, its an actual industry change that will stay in one form or another. I'm in the same boat with you and will keep the irons until I'm convinced otherwise.
     
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    DadSmith

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    I had a RDS on my carry gun, but found I was faster in self defense ranges upto 15yds with open sights.
    Past that the dot took over for speed and accuracy in my case.
    So since the overwhelming majority of self defense shootings occur under 10yds I just took the RDS off my edc.
    I bought a dagger that I plan to mount an RDS on, and use it as a learning pistol. Once I learn to use the RDS as well as iron sights under 10yds I'm going to mount one back onto my edc.

    On my 44mag revolver I put one on because you can actually see the sight once it starts getting darker when doing the evening hunt or early morning when it's still not quite bright enough to make my iron sights visible.
     

    T4rdV4rk

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    Reminds me of the Glock hater threads. :rolleyes:

    The mystery of why some go out of their way to unconstructively trash widely accepted tools. :scratch:

    Says a lot more about those who are doing the trashing than what they are trying to somehow diminish, eh?


    :n00b:

    Thank you for the personal attack :)
     
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