Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Handguns What is your objection to red dot sights?

This issue gets brought up in other threads, and I don't want to add to the clutter.

Some say that having an "electronic" sight on their EDC pistol is an unacceptable/unnecessary risk. Yet, these same folks willingly, without objection, gamble their lives on the reliability of electronics in every other aspect of their existence--vehicles, planes, anything medical, microwaves, elevators, digital reloading scales, computers, phones, GPS's. The list of examples is infinite.

BUT...the mere mention of a red dot sight on a pistol has them freaking out. Why?

I made the switch to an RDS on my EDC pistols (Glocks and Sigs) and haven't looked back. I'm both faster and more accurate. My near-vision issues are now non-issues thanks to dot sights. Where I work, an indoor gunfight could easily involve distances of 50+ feet, and a red dot greatly improves my accuracy.

In my immediate circle of friends who shoot with dots, nobody has had one fail. I agree that the data sample is too small to make that fact statistically relevant, but neither do I see the interweb filled with reports of failures from reputable companies. Sig Romeo's sucked for a time, and Vortex low end stuff is reputably unreliable, but the current offerings from Trijicon, Holosun, Leupold, etc. are holding up well. In my own experience, I've had more iron sights fail than dots--I had a Glock front sight fall off (and I'm far from alone in that experience), and I've had a Sig rear sight fall off--two different times.

Regardless, having a red dot does not preclude you from having irons zeroed and ready to go. I've got irons on my guns.

So, what makes a red dot sight so unacceptable to you? (I anticipate some spirited discussion, but if we can maintain civility, it may prove more useful.)

I have no objection to them and infact have embraced the red dot sights

I don't object to them, I simply don't need or want one on a carry gun. I can see the utility on a modern, dedicated hunting handgun particularly for low light shooting.

I have a couple of semi autos with Trijicon RMR sights, and they perform as advertised. I often use revolvers though and just don't want to clutter the revolver up with a dang dot sight

I've been shooting handguns long before red dots came around. I have no dislike for the dots at all and even have a couple mounted on pistols myself. However not on a EDC.
I still think I can find the front sight faster than I can the dot.

I see a pistol as a short range defensive weapon and I don't have the urge to dress up my pistols with RD sights. "front sight, press" works for me.
I don't play video games so I don't think much of a pistol (my grandsons say I suck at games).
I would rather spend money on reloading supplies and go shooting (or upgrade my steel targets).

Self defense needs arise I. Low light as well. Red dots dominate speed shooting events and faster first shots are very important in a self defense situation

I want to thank Waders for asking this question.

Like Waders, I was fine with irons, eyesight issues forced me to change.


I've heard/read, "Irons are faster".

Set up right (IMO), they co-witness with the irons sights. So it's no faster with irons sights (only). Just like irons, they take practice.


Heard/read "why would someone buy a small conceal carry pistol and put a great big red dot on it", apparently they have not seen the conceal carry red dots, the bulk is imagined.


YMMV, not a RDS evangelist, just don't care for the statements made in ignorance.

Jerry

Th people that don't think the red dots are useful sound like people sounded about scopes on rifles when I was young. They didn't think scopes were better or faster. They were wrong just like they are wrong about red dots not being useful

It can be stated very simply as a violation of the principle of KISS, Keep It Simple, Stupid.

If you need it on your daily carry handgun due to a vision deficit (one that would dramatically diminish your shooting ability absent its use), then, of course, it's a different matter. I wouldn't tell a man with limited mobility not to use a walker because it over complicates the task of walking. For him, it's a significant advantage, despite the added complexity. Same here.

Red dots keeps it simple because tge irons are still usable

Everything has pro's and con's. I use traditional and red dot sights. The red dots are faster generally speaking. However, the glass and laser are prone to problems in rugged environments. The glass does fog in certain weather conditions, and the glass can get covered in rain/snow making it almost useless. Additionally the laser emitter can easily be covered by mud, dust, snow, rendering the red dot completely useless. For a CCW weapon in controlled environments, or competition pistol in same, I think they are great. For outdoors, backcountry, survival, hunting side arm, I'm not sold (yet).

It seems like the guys that are using them are the older guys with eyesight issues. I love them on my 22lr for pin shoots, but for the bigger centerfire pistols, don't need them. Not needed yet, as iron sights still work just fine for my eyes and needs. Getting on target quick is not a problem. A deficit with the red dot is sometimes finding the dot may take longer, which may require more practice to know exactly how to acquire it. That's a deficit for someone like me, where I don't shoot pistols much. I went for 11 months this last year without shooting any pistols. I see a lot of guys running them for CC. That is up to them, just learn to be proficient. That means at any range, not just 3 to 7 yards. I do agree with some here, that I can get on target and find the front sight quicker than acquiring the red dot. YMMV.. And yes, I have experimented recently with a new red dot on a pistol vs a new 9mm pistol I just bought. Better 40 yard times with the 9 and conventional sights.

Let's see, the arguments against RDS on a carry pistol that I am aware of are.....

1: RDS is slower
2: Pistols with RDS are harder to conceal
3: A lack of affordable or compatible holsters
4: Dust/fog/rain
5: Unreliability of electronics

I resisted the RDS for a long time, waiting for reliability history to shake out. At the same time, my eyes have aged. The two curves intersecting, I gave it a serious try on a serious carry pistol, and found that my speed and accuracy improved almost immediately. Argument #1 debunked. Next, I went searching for a compatible holster that would allow effective concealment, and found plenty available at reasonable cost. Arguments #2 and #3 debunked.

I dismiss #4 because we've all managed to avoid and/or work around the same issues with optics on long guns. #5 remains a question for certain models but not so much for others.

I'm transitioning to optics on everything that is designed or can easily be modified to accept them effectively. I think if you take your role as a defender of loved ones seriously, you should be grabbing every advantage you can. You guys who are determined to remain in the past are on your own.

For an average shooter, with poor or declining eyesight, it will probably help..

If you're having trouble finding the dot (if it isn't immediately visible), either your setup is bad (ie: poor quality or bad fit) or your presentation is bad, or both. Admittedly, it may take time and money to fix either problem.

That would describe me, but I notice that a huge percentage of top shooters with young eyes are using red dots.

My initial resistance was that I was slower in acquiring the dot. I've improved. And switching from a Trijicon RMR to a Leupold Delta Point Pro has helped, too.

Another issue is that red dots really show your shake. Of course, you shake just as much without a red dot. But it's not as noticable with irons as it is with an RDS. The upside is that it does a good job showing you things you need to work on.

The sign of the times for sure. A lot of younger people don't know how to use iron sights.. I'm not against using a red dot sight. They are cool, but just an extra un needed gadget that I don't need on a cc yet.. When my eyes go to schidt, that may change. Thankfully I can still see the irons on pistols with my right eye pretty well.