Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Handguns Rds on pistol? Yea or nay

Had an extra fastfire 3 I've never opened so I ordered an adapter to mount it to my M&P 40. Haven't got to try it yet, probably go shoot it Monday & set the optic at 20 yds. Those who use them how do you like it?

Yea

Just shot it in backyard at maybe 10-12 yds and it shot a hair left before I adjusted it. Never realized how much I shake til I put red dot on.

Yep .

Sighting in and giving a first run to a Holosun w/ ACSS reticle in the morning to see what that’s about

Nice! I need to get a light, but not wanting to spend a fortune

Yea. here’s an option for the bottom, even if ya go RDS on top or not. light and laser combo $100-130. have had it on this XD40 for a year and a half now, plenty of rounds through, no issues. green laser dot, 800 lumen light, or both at same time

Is that a yea or a nay?

Yea! Though, not on a semi…..use a 3 moa Fastfire on my hunting revolver zero’s @ 100! Took a little while to get comfortable with it…..but ve ry happy! memtb

I’m becoming a fan of red dots. Especially for fast shooting. I have two of those Burris fast fires - I think same as yours. They are great on shotguns for turkey and competition. I don’t like this model on self defense guns because you have to manually turn them on.

They are invaluable but there is a learning curve to using them if you want to use your handgun to potential.

If you're a casual shooter they will give you a false sense of expediency when you use them to zero, shoot a target (slowly), or plink empty cans. That all goes to schit the first time you try to kill something that isn't going to stand still for very long. Or you don't get your draw and presentation to where it needs to be for the red dot to be effective.

Most decent transition courses are about 16 hours. 16 minutes on the back forty usually don't cut it in my experience.

In my experience if you draw and your eyes are infine with the sight, then with the same draw and presentazione you will see the dot

Expanding on what deflave and jwp475 said…Red dots and holosights make the act of target acquisition easier, without the emphasis on actual handgun sight alignment. With that being said, it will not cure bad habits or substitute for repetitions of draw or muscle memory. Lasers will sometimes make you think you had waaaay too much coffee, or you might need a doctor visit for the twitching! I guess it would depend on the sight/optic and how high it rides in relation to normal pistol sights line, for the getting used to it part. In my opinion this is why I like co-witnessing a bottom mount laser to my pistol sights. Draw, present…both are lined up on target in unison. Maybe not better, but no real getting used to period like a top dot might need. I have both and I’m way quicker with shots on target with the pistols with lasers, but when slow firing both, I tend to be more accurate with the holosight setups. I suppose that might be why the lasers are on my carry rigs, and the holosights are on my hunting rigs. I do plan on putting a Holosun green dot on a Springfield XDS Mod 2 OSP soon though, so I’ll see how that works for me.

Get one. But you'll need to practice with it a lot. Like said above, there is a big learning curve. I've used Burris FF IIs and IIIs and Trijicon RMRs. My Newest Glock G17 Gen 5 wears a Trijicon Dual Illuminated RMR. I started off hating it but love it now and like it better than any red dot RMR's I've tried. I am still not has fast with this gun as a I am with my G19 Gen 4 with XS DXTs sights, but I am more accurate with it. On a defensive handgun, up close, I am not sure it matters much is you have a red dot or good iron sights. At longer distances, a dot sight has the accuracy advantage.

1st thing I figured out is I couldn't find the dot. Muzzle to high. Without traditional irons I had no reference. Eye box is small on this thing. Works great on my 870, but as soon as I shoulder it the dot is there. I'll definitely have to put some time in to see if it's for me. Did I mention I'm a terrible shot, maybe I'll just carry the 870 everywhere. I think for distance shooting I'll like it once I get used to it.

I have one on a 9mm carbine and for it, there was practically no learning curve required. Shoulder the gun and it’s there…

I also put one on my Smith 41 and it’s not nearly as intuitive. It’s really nice but you have to be very consistent with presentation and your grip. If you can’t bring up the pistol and instantly see the dot, you need some more practice.

Since a handgun is a short range (20yds max), low-power, defensive weapon, an optical sight is a waste of money to me.

But, this is America and we don't all have to think alike.

Great for old eyes. With a decent rest a 6" plate at 50 yards is easy with my 4" 686 & Burris FF3. Easily rock chuck accurate at 75 yards.

If I hadn't had the new unopened extra fastfire laying around I wouldn't have fooled with it. Just had to try it.

Not to mention you’re a fugking moron.

I guess that may vary a bit, depending upon the handgun being used! memtb