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Pistol red dots?

I go back and forth. I can definitely appreciate the precision of the dot but my first shot time is faster with irons, usually a half second or so at 10 yards. Also, in the rain, the dot tends to look funny or disappear if the window and/or emitter get wet.
 
There's a few things to consider when selecting pistol optics.

1. MOA - the larger the dot, the easier it is to acquire. But larger dots cover the target more at distance; making longer shots more difficult. Smaller dots are more precise, but can slow down your engagement time. In my opinion, a 2 or 3 MOA dot is a good median. 1 MOA is good if you're shooting precision matches. 6 MOA is good if you're shooting USPSA type matches.

2. Form factor - the larger the window, the better field of view and the easier it is to find the dot. Some optics (like the ACRO) are enclosed, which has benefits, but also obscures your view more.

3. Auto features - such as: Battery saver (self explanatory) and Shake Awake (turns on when you need it). Also, Auto Brightness is great because you don't have time to adjust dot brightness in the heat of a moment. A super bright dot in low light will cause blooming. And a dim dot in direct sunlight is difficult to acquire. Either one could land you in a pine box.

4. Battery location - some have the battery on the bottom; so every time you change the battery, you have to re-zero.

5. Red vs Green - The human eye detects green faster than red. Take a look through optics with different colors and see which one you are partial too. Green dot optics also have marginally longer battery life because it requires less power to emit. You'll also notice less blueish tint of the lens on green optics, because less tinting is needed to reflect the green dot.

6. Night vision - If you run NODs, you'll want an optic with an NV mode.

That being said, I recommend (and use both) the Trijicon RMR or DeltaPoint Pro. A couple other great options are the Burris Fastfire 3, Vortex Venom, and Holosun 507K X2.
You're quite welcome. Whatever you get, practice practice practice. Red dots are faster than irons because there's only 2 focal planes instead of 3, like with irons.

Irons = front sight + rear sight + target

Red dot = target + red dot

Remember this when using a red dot, do NOT focus on the dot. Focus on the target and superimpose the dot over the target. Shooters coming from irons (me included) make that mistake, so it's harder to get used to the red dot. This also helps the Shooter make more accurate shots by focusing on the threat, instead of focusing on a front sight tip. And helps keep you from getting tunnel vision.

Fantastic and comprehensive layout right here.

And as was stated, and cannot be overemphasized, practice practice practice your presentation. No ammo required, just stand or sit in front of your tv and dry fire from either the draw or compressed ready and your dot will be center of the glass every time before you know it.

I like my Holosun 507 with the "bullseye" reticle, allows for fast acquisition for up-close, and the small dot in the center allows for those precise shots at distance. The newer ACSS reticle on them looks like an even better option but I haven't had the chance to try it out yet.


The only real argument out there to stick with irons is the absolute raw dependability for self-defense/CCW.

Running backup irons works if the battery dies and can be used with slight difficultly if the glass fogs up. (with the current humidity, I know y'all know what I'm talking about) But if there's any kind of crud on the glass, or it's cracked beyond visibility, those backup irons aren't visible either.

For most folks I doubt you'd have much to worry about. Just something to weigh into the decision based on application.

And now we wait for someone to tell us, "You won't aim in a gunfight"
 
Thank you, I have been using Ben stoeger’s book dryfire reloaded and scale targets. I put my belt on and just forced myself to do it starting out but after a couple weeks I’ve seen some gains during live fire that makes it a lot easier to put your rig on run around the house shootin tiny targets lol. When the dot gets here it I plan to zero it and go through my dryfire program with it.
 
I use a RMR 2 with a 6 MOA dot, great for carry.

A smaller dot is ideal for competition when precision is required, but a 6 MOA dot nicely compliments adrenaline filled life or death scenarios.
 
RMR is king for durability, optically it's very poor
SRO is decent optically, but durability is not quite "duty" use
Deltapoint is fantastic optically and durability is decent
Holosuns are hit or miss depending on model, 509T seems to do very well
 
Biggest learning curve for me was not to look at the front sight anymore and I soon learned I’m not a fan of anything larger than 3 MOA dot as I like to practice hits at distance.
 
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