I recently put a red dot on my Glock 17 that I use for competition. Speaking as a guy who has shot for decades with iron sights, there is definitely a learning curve to get used to acquiring the dot quickly. No doubt shooting a handgun with a red dot is different than iron sights (keeping both eyes open, etc). But my carry gun does NOT have a red dot.
So here’s my question to all those who shoot well with a red dot…do you have problems going BACK to iron sights after shooting with a red dot for a long time?
I’m not really interested in putting a red dot on my carry gun right now, but I don’t want to have a hard time acquiring a good sight picture either.
Welcome aboard. The only issue I have transitioning between the two is if I go Glock to 1911/2011 or back. Grip angle I suppose. I am faster picking up the dots the more I use them. Almost all of my handguns have dots now. Aging eyes makes it hard for me to pick up the front sight, even the fiber optic jobs.
I do not use an optic on my EDC either but have used them extensively. I started out with dots so I would know how to run them when they started showing up in courses I taught and I actually fell in love with them in the process. I trained and carried with a dot exclusively for 8 months and here is what I learned:
When I decided to go back to irons I found I shot much better. I believe shooting pistols with a dot requires you to focus heavily on fundamentals, particularly hold control and trigger control. We can actually see the dot dancing where the irons movement isn’t always so apparent. I also really love the fact you have to be fundamentally sound when drawing an optic equipped pistol to pick up the dot, which I think helps translate to getting a good sight picture with irons from the draw.
So from my experience it actually helped me shoot with irons better. I had no problem whatsoever transitioning back.
I have shot my M&P 9 Shield which has a TLR6 mounted on the trigger guard and has a red dot laser on it. I feel it helps me with target acquisition but I also like my fixed set of night sights which I can also shoot with. But if I had to return to the old medal sights I would be ok with that also. If your are shooting and you are using your fundamentals it doesn’t matter what you use you will shoot fine.
Just personal opinion and preference, I choose not to use an optic for CCW (unless you throw a low profile laser into that catagory). When I carry I want as little things on the weapon as possible to avoid snagging and weight. I separate CCW from competition shooting. I always appreciate accuracy, I think in any ccw situation my iron sights will be good enough. I am not going into battle, I just want to get away safely, less shots fired the better. You just need to do what you are comfortable with.
I will take that money that optic costs and buy a pair of running shoes! Just funning with you!
Running shoes are getting expensive too. I still get the iron sited stuff out just to prove to myself I really can’t see the front post unless I have a pair of upper bifocal shooting glasses on. Not good for EDC. On the other hand my natural point at close quarters is still there.
I still get the iron sited stuff out just to prove to myself I really can’t see the front post unless I have a pair of upper bifocal shooting glasses on. Not good for EDC. On the other hand my natural point at close quarters is still there.