testtest

Red Dots on Carry Guns: Dumb Idea?

Mike H. said:
Hello all, here is today's article posted on TheArmoryLife.com. It is titled Red Dots on Carry Guns: Dumb Idea? and can be found at https://www.thearmorylife.com/red-dots-on-carry-guns-dumb-idea/.

Click to expand...
hey might have there place, but in the real world, especially at night, are they really going to help? Example, you are walking down a dark street and knocked to the ground, getting hit, you draw your CW, are you going to raise the gun up to eye level to acquire the target? Nope. Red dots have their place....in target shooting. Do we see law enforcement have them on their duty weapons? They train constantly. Besides, there is the possible legal matters with it. I have read and watched reviews of micro dots, and not one person has a light on their CW or demonstrates with a flashlight. Another that I don't see in the reviews....the reviewer using the micro red dot and CW at night!! There might be one or two, but I can't find them. My background is in law enforcement and I also was on SWAT for two years. I like a green laser on my CW and AR pistol.
 
How is that different with iron sights? Are you going to raise your gun to eye level so you can see your iron sights? No, of course not, you’re going to blast away because you can’t miss the guy on top of you raining punches down on you. Same with a red dot. And if someone is coming at you, inside of 7 yds you’re going to point and shoot, and you’re going to hit your target. I’ve practiced this in classes and even when my gun comes up and I don’t immediately see my dot I’m still putting rounds in the A zone. By the second shot my dot is on target - and that’s with a 2.5 moa dot on my DPP. If I’m using my Holosun 507C which has a 32 moa reticle with a 2 moa dot in the center, if that gun is up I can see the reticle and it’s on target. And day or night the dot is equally visible. In fact, the dot can be harder to see in daylight than nighttime. The red dot is clearly not everyone’s cup of tea, and that’s fine, but it is certainly not a handicap as long as you train with it.
 
My Hellcat was the first carry piece I put a RedDot on. Like was stated earlier in this thread, it took some training to consistantly bring the gun up and aquire the reddot in the seconds I bring the gun up and foward to the target. Now, I can shoot this gun with ease and at distance and have had no lapses with using iron sights on another gun.
I too have older eyes and found the reddot a greater tool than I expected. Atleast on the Hellcat!!!
It has not done anything to the gun to decrease conceilability. Nothing to decrease my draw speed and foremost, you choose a sight that allows co-witnessing. (Mine is the Romeo-Zero). I lost count way after a thousand rounds and it is still solid, works flawlessly and keeps it's zero.
The consumer is where the preferance comes down to. I respect anyone's opinions on anything related to this industry. Like anything, there are pros and cons. If it works for you, great. If it doesn't, that's OK too. We are not all wired the same and I truely believe a few of us have some short circuits. (Myself included)! :geek:
 
So I just picked up a Kimber Aegis 9mm 1911 with a Vortex Red Dot. I took it to the range and I was not all that pleased. As many have said, not great for close up. Distance was better. I assume it will take time to get used to and get faster and I understand that. After about 100 rounds the battery cover come off and the battery went down range. My guess is you must check it every time if you are going to use it in a self defense situation. Not a good time for that to happen.
 
SCfromNY said:
So I just picked up a Kimber Aegis 9mm 1911 with a Vortex Red Dot. I took it to the range and I was not all that pleased. As many have said, not great for close up. Distance was better. I assume it will take time to get used to and get faster and I understand that. After about 100 rounds the battery cover come off and the battery went down range. My guess is you must check it every time if you are going to use it in a self defense situation. Not a good time for that to happen.
Click to expand...
For a carry gun I wouldn’t cheap out on the optic. DPP may be expensive but it is combat ready.
 
SimonRL said:
How is that different with iron sights? Are you going to raise your gun to eye level so you can see your iron sights? No, of course not, you’re going to blast away because you can’t miss the guy on top of you raining punches down on you. Same with a red dot. And if someone is coming at you, inside of 7 yds you’re going to point and shoot, and you’re going to hit your target. I’ve practiced this in classes and even when my gun comes up and I don’t immediately see my dot I’m still putting rounds in the A zone. By the second shot my dot is on target - and that’s with a 2.5 moa dot on my DPP. If I’m using my Holosun 507C which has a 32 moa reticle with a 2 moa dot in the center, if that gun is up I can see the reticle and it’s on target. And day or night the dot is equally visible. In fact, the dot can be harder to see in daylight than nighttime. The red dot is clearly not everyone’s cup of tea, and that’s fine, but it is certainly not a handicap as long as you train with it.
Click to expand...

For me, red dot is different in terms of having to line up irons vs putting the dot on target. 21’ is not as close as 9’ or 15’ as in the distance an aggressor can close his distance. At 21’ I should be able to have my sights/dot on target vs 9-15’. What I like about the dot vs irons is how it allows one to have the dot on target no matter how the pistol is aligned. If your dot is on target you will hit what your aiming at. If you are doing the same with irons you will shoot low or high, whichever the case may be. Of course in an arms length fight one would go to a point and shoot situation and even shoot “off the hip” where one doesn’t have time to get a sight picture.
 
Here's why I'm considering a red dot for my Hellcat OSP. Two reasons. 1 - because I need reading glasses and sometimes it's hard to keep the front sight in focus. 2 - I'm right handed and left eye dominant. So I have to close my left eye to line up the sights. I have a red dot on my AR pistol and I know I can keep both eyes open with that and see the dot and the target. It takes some practice to not close my left eye after all the years of shooting that way, but being able to keep both eyes open in a defensive situation is definitely a big advantage.
 
Bassbob said:
For a carry gun I wouldn’t cheap out on the optic. DPP may be expensive but it is combat ready.
Click to expand...
The Vortex came with the gun. I actually ordered the Aegis without the red dot back in Feb. and still waiting. The local LGS called me and said an Aegis came in with a red dot so I figured to give it a try. Worse case I remove the red dot and replace the high sights with new ones. (I don't like the high sights AND would require a new holster)
 
uspatriot1960 said:
Here's why I'm considering a red dot for my Hellcat OSP. Two reasons. 1 - because I need reading glasses and sometimes it's hard to keep the front sight in focus. 2 - I'm right handed and left eye dominant. So I have to close my left eye to line up the sights. I have a red dot on my AR pistol and I know I can keep both eyes open with that and see the dot and the target. It takes some practice to not close my left eye after all the years of shooting that way, but being able to keep both eyes open in a defensive situation is definitely a big advantage.
Click to expand...
I’m right handed and left eye dominant. My carry guns all have irons. I line the pistol up with my left eye looking through the rear sight but I keep both eyes open.
 
Bassbob said:
I’m right handed and left eye dominant. My carry guns all have irons. I line the pistol up with my left eye looking through the rear sight but I keep both eyes open.
Click to expand...
Yeah, I've done that, but it's not easy. Need to move the gun in right hand over to line up with left eye. You wind up with grip and stance issues. It can be done, but I'm just thinking that the red dot may help with the issue. I do have other pistols which will never get a red dot and I have to deal with that, but it is a reason why I'm considering the red dot on the Hellcat.
 
uspatriot1960 said:
Yeah, I've done that, but it's not easy. Need to move the gun in right hand over to line up with left eye. You wind up with grip and stance issues. It can be done, but I'm just thinking that the red dot may help with the issue. I do have other pistols which will never get a red dot and I have to deal with that, but it is a reason why I'm considering the red dot on the Hellcat.
Click to expand...
It’s about 2 1/2” difference. It causes zero grip and stance issues.
 
Bassbob said:
For a carry gun I wouldn’t cheap out on the optic. DPP may be expensive but it is combat ready.
Click to expand...
I broke a DPP from a holster height drop. It's recoil immune and for cowitness irons it requires super high sights - I can't make the DPP cowitness on my XDM Elite OSP. I'm trying the Bushnell RSX-250 just for grins - but if you need bombproof it's RMR and Acro - maybe HOlosun 508/509.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top