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The Future of Red Dot Sights on Defensive Handguns?

Good article Mike.

i will say i cannot stand a RDS on a pistol. HATE it! I have fired 5 pistols with expensive RDS and i just cannot stand using it. I prefer a traditional pistol sight.
I love my RDS on my AR platforms though. Call me crazy and old 🤪🤪
 
My vision is deteriorating so much that I have been using a "target focus" for a while now. I realize that I may have to transition to an optical sight sometime in the near future to stay accurate at greater distances.
 
The future of handgun self-defense began when John Browning invented what has evolved in to the Model 1911-A1.

I couldn't get past the first 30 seconds of the expert's "expert" opinion.

Reality: 90+% of all gunfights occur within 10'. Survivors have to learn to point shoot with both eyes open and hit their targets every time. Since we cannot deny our involuntary response of tunnel vision, we have to tactically train with both eyes open while turning our heads to scan for other threats. Really bad guys rarely do bad things alone.

I began my career using a revolver. A couple weeks ago, I point shot an S&W Model 66-8 2.75". With a lower than shoulder point, I was able to rapid fire all six .38 Special rounds into the "X" ring of my silhouette target. Muscle memory doesn't fade. I was able to routinely hit my silhouette using the same point. I did it again last week.

BTW, when I go to indoor ranges, I'll mostly shoot a revolver. Indoor ranges make $$$ by confiscating ejected brass, reloading it, and selling it to shooters. I'd much rather shoot at my former employer's range. I can shoot free ammo. And I'd much rather shoot my Springfield Armory EMP 3 9MM and my Springfield Armory TRP .45 Auto. The indoor range trips were due to no other options.

In a violent confrontation at 10' and less, finding sights might cause you to surrender a life-saving tactical advantage.

For me, I do not want anything attached to a self-defense handgun. I get it that what works for me doesn't work for others.

It's unfair competition to point shoot my Springfield Armory TRP .45 Auto. At point shooting distance, that gun points itself. I have yet to hold another handgun that has the divine natural point of a full-size 1911-A1.

Shooters at target ranges generally shoot at too great a distance. Move your targets to 10' and develop point shooting skills. They might save your life. At 10' and less, acquiring any sights might be a fatal tactical disadvantage.

There are only two controlling rules of survival:

1. The only known way of surviving a gunfight is to avoid getting into one. A gunfight means a bad guy wants you dead, reduced to evidence of murder, and autopsied the following morning.

2. If rule one is not an option, do not get shot. Getting shot might ruin the rest of your life, which might be merely seconds. Your accuracy is nowhere as important as a bad guy's accuracy. Hence develop tactical skills that are designed to prevent a bad guy's rounds from hitting you.

A corollary rule: if a threat is at a distance that requires precise sight alignment, the wise tactical move would probably be running like the wind into the next county. The term for not engaging and hightailing it outta a deadly force encounter is tactical retreat.

If rule one ain't an option, you cannot get shot. Only a fool would trade his life for a dirt bag's life.

I have no ill will for red dot sights. However, for self-defense, I view them as a tactical disadvantage. If I were a competition shooter, I'd probably go with a red dot sight.

The way I see it, the future of self-defense handguns was created with Browning's 1911 that evolved in to the 1911-A1. Ditto for self-defense cartridge. I do not want breach the realm of self-defense handgun cartridges; however, from my vantage point, the .45 Auto has not come close to relinquishing its supremacy. I'm completely good with contrary opinions.
 
Point-shoot is exactly why I have an instant-on green laser mounted to my XD-s.

Draw, it lights on its own as it leaves the magnetized holster.

Place dot on target, pull trigger, make hole.

I kept spare batteries in my pocket...for 3 years. It finally crapped out on a practice session. Fresh batteries...and now that I know how long they last, I'll replace them pre-emptively every year to year and a half.

If I have to use a sight picture, I have my TruGlo TFX that I just installed.
 
Wearing bifocals I find them really the only true way to see the target. My eyes cannot focus near and far at the same so the single target point eliminates that. Now anyone within 5/10 I'll probably ignore it and concentrate on the real threat. So if I'm 5 inch's off is it truly going to matter. I think speed and amount might cover that 2inch spacing. First I'm going to run like a chicken **** if I get the chance. The most valuable asset is your brain first and foremost
 
Peglegjoe said:
Point-shoot is exactly why I have an instant-on green laser mounted to my XD-s.

Draw, it lights on its own as it leaves the magnetized holster.

Place dot on target, pull trigger, make hole.

I kept spare batteries in my pocket...for 3 years. It finally crapped out on a practice session. Fresh batteries...and now that I know how long they last, I'll replace them pre-emptively every year to year and a half.

If I have to use a sight picture, I have my TruGlo TFX that I just installed.
Click to expand...
I was curious what kind of laser you had on your XDS sir?? I like the instant on feature you referred to.
 
I like the red dot a lot on the Q 9mm, but it's a range gun. I don't think I'd want one on my carry guns. In fact one of the main reasons I am on the hunt for another high capacity 9mm is for carrying and I won't be putting a red dot on it.
 
I had to change the fiber optic sights from red to green, because of my red green color blind issue.
I don't think the red dot would work for me.
 
Peglegjoe said:
Point-shoot is exactly why I have an instant-on green laser mounted to my XD-s.

Draw, it lights on its own as it leaves the magnetized holster.

Place dot on target, pull trigger, make hole.

I kept spare batteries in my pocket...for 3 years. It finally crapped out on a practice session. Fresh batteries...and now that I know how long they last, I'll replace them pre-emptively every year to year and a half.

If I have to use a sight picture, I have my TruGlo TFX that I just installed.
Click to expand...
I carry a XDS. Was wondering what set you have. Was thinking about a laser for it. Yours sound like something I would like.
 
SATRP said:
The future of handgun self-defense began when John Browning invented what has evolved in to the Model 1911-A1.

I couldn't get past the first 30 seconds of the expert's "expert" opinion.

Reality: 90+% of all gunfights occur within 10'. Survivors have to learn to point shoot with both eyes open and hit their targets every time. Since we cannot deny our involuntary response of tunnel vision, we have to tactically train with both eyes open while turning our heads to scan for other threats. Really bad guys rarely do bad things alone.

I began my career using a revolver. A couple weeks ago, I point shot an S&W Model 66-8 2.75". With a lower than shoulder point, I was able to rapid fire all six .38 Special rounds into the "X" ring of my silhouette target. Muscle memory doesn't fade. I was able to routinely hit my silhouette using the same point. I did it again last week.

BTW, when I go to indoor ranges, I'll mostly shoot a revolver. Indoor ranges make $$$ by confiscating ejected brass, reloading it, and selling it to shooters. I'd much rather shoot at my former employer's range. I can shoot free ammo. And I'd much rather shoot my Springfield Armory EMP 3 9MM and my Springfield Armory TRP .45 Auto. The indoor range trips were due to no other options.

In a violent confrontation at 10' and less, finding sights might cause you to surrender a life-saving tactical advantage.

For me, I do not want anything attached to a self-defense handgun. I get it that what works for me doesn't work for others.

It's unfair competition to point shoot my Springfield Armory TRP .45 Auto. At point shooting distance, that gun points itself. I have yet to hold another handgun that has the divine natural point of a full-size 1911-A1.

Shooters at target ranges generally shoot at too great a distance. Move your targets to 10' and develop point shooting skills. They might save your life. At 10' and less, acquiring any sights might be a fatal tactical disadvantage.

There are only two controlling rules of survival:

1. The only known way of surviving a gunfight is to avoid getting into one. A gunfight means a bad guy wants you dead, reduced to evidence of murder, and autopsied the following morning.

2. If rule one is not an option, do not get shot. Getting shot might ruin the rest of your life, which might be merely seconds. Your accuracy is nowhere as important as a bad guy's accuracy. Hence develop tactical skills that are designed to prevent a bad guy's rounds from hitting you.

A corollary rule: if a threat is at a distance that requires precise sight alignment, the wise tactical move would probably be running like the wind into the next county. The term for not engaging and hightailing it outta a deadly force encounter is tactical retreat.

If rule one ain't an option, you cannot get shot. Only a fool would trade his life for a dirt bag's life.

I have no ill will for red dot sights. However, for self-defense, I view them as a tactical disadvantage. If I were a competition shooter, I'd probably go with a red dot sight.

The way I see it, the future of self-defense handguns was created with Browning's 1911 that evolved in to the 1911-A1. Ditto for self-defense cartridge. I do not want breach the realm of self-defense handgun cartridges; however, from my vantage point, the .45 Auto has not come close to relinquishing its supremacy. I'm completely good with contrary opinions.
Click to expand...
It's only ten feet? That's nuts. do you even have to aim from that distance? Just visualizing, it seems like you could almost shoot from the hip and still put your shots in the torso.
 
I have a Sig X5 Legion with a Leupold Deltapoint Pro and I love it. It also has auto on. There’s no lining up sights - where the red dot sits the bullet goes. When I point aim, the red dot is immediately visible. There is no extra time to acquire the red dot. Nothing wrong with with shooting a pistol that was designed 100 years ago - I have two of them - but the red dot is not going away.
 
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