Red Dot on Pistol

[obijohn]

index is CRITICAL with a dot. Two hands, strong hand, weak hand.... you have to be able to bring the gun up on target w no other visual help (which you get from irons as you bring the gun up/out). You need to be able to index it from a draw, from a reload, from un-natural positions (eg hard leans around cover). Otherwise you'll spend seconds doing the "where is it?" wiggle...

-rvb

RVB is spot on. Some are able to use the suppressor front sight for the visual index that they get from irons, but repetition in order to develop procedural memory is the key. What if you had a mechanical failure of the front sight? No you have to visual reference, only your procedural memory of your index.

 

[thompal]

Is there any issue with the added mass of the red dot sight slowing down the slide enough to affect reliability? Conversely, how well are these sights maintaining zero after a few mags?

 

[cedartop]

Is there any issue with the added mass of the red dot sight slowing down the slide enough to affect reliability? Conversely, how well are these sights maintaining zero after a few mags?

Typically the sights way just over an ounce. I haven't weighed two of them side by side, but you have to be removing almost that much to make room for the mounting area. Like anything else buy a quality sight and it will most likely maintain zero just as well as one on your long gun will.