Pistol red dot band wagon, You in?

Over the past 4-5 years I have noticed more and more firearms are coming into the red dot accessibility. For about 2 years I have used the red dot (Delta point) and love it. So I have now acquired a concealable FN- compact with a Vortex Viper . Maybe it's my eye sight slipping or just not j]having to concentrate on anything but ""red dot placement before pulling the trigger", of course what's behind the target as well.

Here is a article just read...

https://www.itstactical.com/warcom/firearms/miniature-red-dot-sight-slide-cuts-defensive-pistol/


The long answer is “yes,” but the short answer is “it depends.” Optic-equipped pistols offer significant increases in speed and accuracy, just like an optic mounted on a rifle. They’re single focal-band sights that allow focus to remain on the target, not the sight itself. They allow a far better view and awareness of the target, especially a distant small or moving one, compared to iron sights. Shooters with ailing or older eyes will have a much easier time employing an optical sight than irons. All of these attributes make for a significant enhancement in capability compared to iron sighted pistols.

So are you in or out?

Just curious.

I’m still not sold on them for my job. Maybe it’s because I’ve spent 15+ years with regular sights, not even night sights, but my time with the pistol red dots I have, I’m pretty damn slow

I tried a Vortex on a Glock 21 and hated it.

I'll soon be buying a smaller carry pistol and plan to equip it with a red dot. My old eyes aren't getting any better!

Just rigged out my 43x with one and it is fantastic, more than likely I’ll rig out a couple more

Never been a fan of red dots on pistols. I like good old fashioned iron sights. If my eyesight ever deteriorates that may be another story.

Ironic you carry silver eagle. I carry two of them.

For slow fire, hunting or plinking, at longer ranges, yes.

For quick shooting at defensive ranges, no thanks... I'm much faster without them, and no less accurate, so far.

Went thru a conversion class last sept. Running one since and added one to concealed carry and added one to another
I really like them, can use my irons if needed
7 yards and in its point and shoot anyway

I purchased my first one a couple of weeks ago and the jury's still out. I bought the first Sig 365X that the store received

Yeah, I’ve got a few…

I've never tried one but maybe I should. My eyes have gone downhill a bit in the past year or so. The Dot may work better for me.

I’ve never tried but now y’all got me curious

Works for me.

Once I figured out dot acquisition it was all uphill.

I’ve done both. I like shooting with a dot. I’m not sure I’m sold on one for carry though. It’s just one more thing to break.

I agree, the only way to carry a red dot is being able to co-witness.

When I first started carrying RDS equipped pistol I was SO slow. I mean really slow. I’ve since gotten better but I still feel like I’m faster with irons. Although I’ve done shooting drills side by side with my carry gun and my competition gun which has irons. I don’t have a shot timer, but I do feel faster with the irons. But the groups don’t lie, the groups with the RDS is much better than the irons.

So yes I might be on target faster with the irons but shot placement isn’t the greatest. Idk which is more important in a defensive situation. Shots on target quickly or shot placement a little slower. Give and take I guess.

Agreed, I need to practice more, but I am also practicing co witness as well, which in turn helps overall if that makes sense.

Red dots definitely have a learning curve. For a lot of shooters the biggest hurdle is having the red dot in the glass when you present the gun, and some can't do this consistently because they don't practice enough. In contrast, they can always see their irons and make the adjustment, and they claim that they're quicker at it because I guess even being slow to realign your irons is quicker than not having any idea at all how to adjust to find the dot.

I can understand that some people don't want to take the time to really practice (although I'd certainly prefer if they'd put more time in with their carry or defensive guns) and get used to a dot, but I don't think anyone can sincerely argue that a dot isn't quicker and more accurate in the hands of someone who practices.

Nice one

Here is my current course of action:

I recently bought an xdm elite to host my suppressor, and decided to mount a red dot. The irons do co-witness if I ever need them, but now that I've shot with it a while, I find that I am faster with the red dot. I really like it, but not sure if I'm ready to go RDS on a carry pistol. I would imagine having the RDS would be one mor thing that could snag on clothing, not to mention the fact that the batteries or the dot could fail at the most inopportune time.

Lol isn’t it for sale in classifieds right now?

Never mind I see the other one isn’t optics cut.

Battery life, for those interested, I am on the factory battery from the box since sept and turn it on just about every day, sometimes twice and I let it time out on its own
That is a vortex viper

What pistol is this?

What dot did you go with? I think I'm gonna pick up a Holosun 407k.

I run the MR920 Elite from shadow systems and love it.

I won't put one on a duty pistol but I'm thinking maybe for hunting. In the past two years we have had two fail during qualifications. That was enough for me to steer away from them.

I was curious how long the battery would last on a Vortex Venom. It went about 15 months before it died so now I change them out yearly.

I wouldn't use one. Just adding another part to potentially fail

This is a Shadow System MR918 Elite. It is built off the Glock G19 gen4 platform. Shadow Systems has since upgraded to the MR920. The biggest difference is the MR920 has more optics mounting options for different brands of red dots. The company is out of Plano, and my model is pretty much compatible with almost all Glock G4 parts. I'm not sure about part compatibility with the newer MR920.

I hunt with one. This gun broke 2 scopes before I switched the dot, it’s been fine for years. Not my favorite setup, but I’ve shot pigs out to about 150 yards

This is true but that's the negative side. Consider both sides. My truck could fail but it's more reliable and practical than a horse. This laptop could fail but it's faster than mailing you a letter. I understand the carry pistol is to defend your life and property but if it's faster and more accurate, you might live longer and keep your wallet.

Franken Glock

Fun to plink and target shoot with

But when they may hit/shoot back

I go GREEN laser, or the old fashion way.

They are fun though and definitely the RAGE these days

That's a very nice set up.

507K

What gun are you running Doc?

Thank you sir. She’s a blast for sure. Wakes up the gun range

I have the MR920 Elite. Also a 365XL, but not sure I wanna put a dot on that one.

I was thinking I didn't really need the MRS and the 6 MOA dot seems like it would be a little easier to shoot.

Thanks....I thought it looked similar to mine (I have the 920 Elite). That one looks smaller in the pic than the 920 so I was curious what it was. Good looking gun.

I’d rather have the circle, circle dot , dot option vs the 6 moa but it’s your eyes

Thanks DocHorton. I had not idea SS would release an update so soon after the MR918 or I wouldn't have gotten three of them.

I guess I need to look again to confirm, Lol. You seem to have good reviews.

I run a Holosun 507 on my Shadow Systems MR 918 that is my EDC gun. I wish that our department would let us run a RMR, but I do see a lot of training that would be required for the transition. Running the same drill with my duty Glock 17 vs the 918, I am about 2.5 seconds faster and quite a bit more accurate with the dot equipped gun. I also have a dot sight on my 6 inch 10mm and it is stupid easy to make hits with at distance.

I have several pistols (Glock and Sig) with Red Dot Sights mounted. I have a Gen 4 G19 MOS with a Shield RMS that is both one of my EDC pistols and my pistol for GSSF Matches in Unlimited Division (Indoor League) and Stock MOS Division (outdoor matches.) My other EDC is a Glock G43X MOS with a Swampfox Sentinel mounted. That one is just stupid accurate.

I am a retired Police Officer, but if I were still active, you can believe that my duty gun would absolutely be one with a RDS, probably a Gen 5 G23 MOS with a Swampfox Liberty optic. I am currently employed as a part-time private security officer and my duty gun is a Gen 4 G17 MOS with a Shield RMS.

Red Dot Optics........In or Out??? You can definitely put me in the "IN" camp.

Happy we can use for work, it’s good stuff and ya run suppressor sites so ya don’t lose the ability to use your sites if needed

With the correct after market plate you don’t need to buy suppressor sights. We are exploring the allowance of rd for duty use now.

My back up I don’t run a plate and have factory sites while they are “useable” not much left to use. Glad I run suppressor sights clear and useable

The easiest pistol to put very accurate shots on target in a hurry I have shot is a 45acp nighthawk 1911 with a leupold delta point. Very user friendly setup so easy to use I felt like I was cheating. I really like it. For a self defense pistol, I like irons with one tritium dot on the blade. I will give up a little bit to not be dependent on batteries and use what I judge as a more robust sight that I don’t have to replace batteries in. That is a function of me liking to keep things simple.

I tend to be the most accurate with my red dot equipped pistol (FNX-45 Tactical)...but I don't have red dots on my carry pistols as I feel I take more time and focus on my red dot more than the target when using it. I trained in point/front sight shooting from a multi bianchi cup winner and I feel that a red dot slows me down.

Earl

Not me. I seriously neglect my carry guns and I just want them to go bang. The ranges I anticipate shooting someone at accuracy won’t matter much. If they are far enough away that it matters I am opting for running. My irons are plenty good for my needs. They will defuse the threat or get me back to my rifle. I don’t need another gizmo to fail.

I am not convinced on them yet. I think it really mattes on a persons usage/job/conditions/etc. So I don't believe there is one always correct answer and people have to look at their needs and go from their. I will say for carry the only one I would trust is a trijicon

Still on the fence. I have one sitting here waiting to be put on my 365xl. My concern is with my astigmatism and being able to consistently find the dot. For daily carry I feel like irons are probably better for me but time and practice may change that.

I’ve got an astigmatism as well. I’ve gotten a lot better at finding the dot with practice when I first mounted it and would present the dot was no where to be seen and I’d have to adjust my grip a little to find it. It actually showed me an error of my presentation. Even though it looked good with irons the dot showed me that I wasn’t really on target when presenting otherwise the dot would be right in front of my eye.

Also not worried about the astigmatism because at self defense distances just put the red blob on bad guy and squeeze. You’ll hit them.

Was in the same boat althought my eye issues aren't real bad. I put one on just cuz and now prefer it over iron sights which I thought I'd never say.

I've got a red-green blindness which makes either red or green holographic sights a questionable proposition. I've looked at the amber colored sights and am not enthused. I just purchased an Osprey scope with a blue colored reticle which works extremely well for my eyesight.

I'm still waiting on the pistol sized blue reticle holographic sights.

If you want to test your red/green acuity, this is a an excellent test.
https://enchroma.com/pages/color-blindness-test

Just took it, I have normal color vision but some of those were pretty hard to make out.

I'm in, with deteriorating sight it's an answer.