Red dot your ccw? Or stick with irons?

[steviesterno]

I fought dots for years, loving 1911s. However I shot matches for a long time and the open division winners always had a dot. Always. As far back as 2006 or so when I started getting into it. Dots are 100% faster than irons for someone that practices, even a little bit. Dots eliminate the 3 focal planes your eyes need to focus on with irons. Front sight/rear sight/target becomes just target. The dot appears on it, as if by magic.

there is an expense. You need the dot, you need a way to mount it on the gun, and you need some ammo for live fire training. And while MOST self defense shootings are close and fast and under 3 rounds, not all of them are. All of them are open division, run what you brung. If a dot lets me get more accuracy and more speed, I'd be stupid not to have one on a gun I trust to carry.

I have a 365xl with holosun 507k. Circle dot reticle lets me hit stuff really fast or easily make head shots at 30+ yards. With a small gun. I shoot it as well as my Baer TRS 1911, and I'm a damn good pistol shot with irons.

 

[streetroc]

If it's a 9mm then definitely a red dot. If it's a .45 then shot placement doesn't matter bc it's a real gun

 

[lostchild]

Having (thankfully) never been involved in a shootout, if I ever should be, I’m just going to hope that the sights on my ratty old 1911 will continue to work like they have since, well, 1911.
Please excuse the run-on sentence. Sister Mary Edward would be apalled.

 

[MNRSports]

Irons....k.i.s.s. is the reason

 

[H2O MAN]

I love a red dot on a rifle, but I can't stand them on pistols.

 

[GAgunLAWbooklet]

My daily CCW's are optimized for dropping up to 2 (no more) attackers at rock-throwing distances, not to exceed 15 yards.

Since both of the guns I chose for this role have crappy small fixed sights, I have equipped both guns with laser sights --that's my way of overcoming the factory sights' deficiencies and making sure I can keep tight groups while shooting fast at 15 yards.

I don't want or need a micro red dot optic for shooting at no more than a couple of bad guys who are no more than 15 yards away.

But, IF I wanted to be prepared for a different scenario, such as a goblin wearing body armor committing a public massacre at a local shopping mall, where I might feel like have to get involved and take a headshot or neck shot on him to avoid his body armor,

or if I wanted to take a shot from all the way across the food court at the mall,
a distance that might be 40 or 50 yards instead of the typical 15 foot self-defense shooting distance...

THEN I would want a gun that had a longer barrel than either of my two concealed carry guns. I would want my "active shooter armed response" gun to have a nicer trigger system, and I think I would like it to have a red dot optic --which would give me a considerable accuracy advantage even over the best iron sights on the market today.

 

[steviesterno]

My daily CCW's are optimized for dropping up to 2 (no more) attackers at rock-throwing distances, not to exceed 15 yards.

Since both of the guns I chose for this role have crappy small fixed sights, I have equipped both guns with laser sights --that's my way of overcoming the factory sights' deficiencies and making sure I can keep tight groups while shooting fast at 15 yards.

I don't want or need a micro red dot optic for shooting at no more than a couple of bad guys who are no more than 15 yards away.

But, IF I wanted to be prepared for a different scenario, such as a goblin wearing body armor committing a public massacre at a local shopping mall, where I might feel like have to get involved and take a headshot or neck shot on him to avoid his body armor,

or if I wanted to take a shot from all the way across the food court at the mall,
a distance that might be 40 or 50 yards instead of the typical 15 foot self-defense shooting distance...

THEN I would want a gun that had a longer barrel than either of my two concealed carry guns. I would want my "active shooter armed response" gun to have a nicer trigger system, and I think I would like it to have a red dot optic --which would give me a considerable accuracy advantage even over the best iron sights on the market today.

it's really cool you've gotten to pick which gunfights you're going to being before they happen. That does make gear selection easier, for sure.

I can shoot fast as heck in close with a dot AND I can make a headshot at 50 yards with it, on the same gun. Makes sense to me to plan for the worst and hope for the best, but be ready for either

 

[Sneakypete]

How does a RDS change your comfort while carrying appendix? If anything, the back of the slide would dig into you, not the RDS.

I have carried EDC appendix with a RMR on a VP9sk with zero issues for the last 3 years. You have to get the right holster (GCODE incog is what I went with) is a must. Combined with a proper belt you’ ll never realize you have a RDS on your weapon. Practice makes perfect. Yeah some of you out there will freak out about not seeing the dot right away, then you realize you’re pointing to low.
With that being said, I grew up and trained before the red dot revolution came about. If an old school dude can do it anyone can.
remember , you get what you pay for, if you go cheap you get cheap results. There are a lot of quality inexpensive RDS out there today. Choose wisely, do your home work

Train like your life depends on it

make it habitual…

ODA out

 

[GAgunLAWbooklet]

it's really cool you've gotten to pick which gunfights you're going to being before they happen. That does make gear selection easier, for sure.

You pick your gear based on the realistic threats you face.

If some folks want to be ready to fight off a herd of rabid grizzly bears,
or save North Hollywood from a pair of Bank robbers who are shooting everything in sight with a pair of illegally converted machine guns ....
well you just go right ahead and choose your guns and gear based on that scenario.
Who knows, "it might" happen to you one day.

 

[baxterday]

irons for me. Keep it simple.........