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Red dot sights on a handgun
Any of you folks carry a handgun with red dot sights?
looks like more are starting to. seems like it may be more of a hindrance than a help if it snags on something.
"Just because you're paranoid doesn't mean they're not out to get you"
Comments
I don't, but nothing I own could easily be fitted for a red dot anyway.
The extra bulk does not appeal to me so I have none set up with it.
Not me……..been thinking about it though.
I have mounted a couple and carried them on occasion. Depending how I am dressed makes all the difference. I have range tested them with coat, sweatshirts etc and so far no issues with getting snagged up.
The jury is still out for me though. I still a firearm without a dot sight 95% of the time. Not ready to make a switch yet..
I have a red dot on a Buckmark Target 22. Very nice.
But I've never considered a red dot for a carry gun. Seems like it would get in the way.
🇺🇲 "The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants." - Thomas Jefferson 🇺🇲
Local law enforcement have halo sights on Glocks.
Red dot is ok for open carry, but concealed it just gets in the way and slows you down. I greatly prefer the light-gathering fiber optic sights. They are small, very easy to see, and they always work except in near total darkness.
Yes. There's a budget dot optic on my P95 house gun. Works every time. No questions and not excuses.
Hunt with one, not a carry gun though.
Spent about a month practicing with a Holosun 407k on PSA Micro Dagger. Worked on draws / dot alignment daily. Ultimately the battery died on me and I stopped practicing with it.
it is something that takes quite a bit of time to master, you need a lot of muscle memory to continuously get on target fast, after training for a while it becomes much easier to rapidly acquire a fast consistent sight picture, the dot seems to make it easier for me to have better groups at shorter distances and faster engagement to target.
my Springfield hellcat is one of my favorite ccw's never shot it without a red dot, it is almost too easy to hit where you aim with it😎.and the dot does not interfere with carry or draw.
I have seen they are not for every handgun shooter, but then personal preference is why there are so many choices in sights for all different types of firearms
I've been looking at the Crimson Trace 1550 and it is set up as a co witness sight which I like ……….. I might just try one.
Holosun HE507C-GR-x2 this is a Green dot sight for pistols has the ACSS Vulcan reticle
Can be found at primaryarms.c o m
if you can’t shoot with iron sights a red dot will only complicate things.
If you can shoot fast, a red dot makes everything faster. Particularly that first shot & getting a hit on target.
My Go-to G19 has an Trijicon RMR but if I’m not carrying that my trusty G43 does the job with normal night sights.
I have a aimpoint 9000l on my Smith & Wesson 500 about the only thing I could find that would survive on it and a Bushnell TRS-25 on my Smith & Wesson 610 for hunting purposes I really like them especially in that last half hour of shooting time
I can shoot with iron sights but tell me how a red dot complicates things.
Sure- With irons you should be focused on the front sight & you likely spent a few decades shooting that way.
With a red dot, you should shoot both eyes open and focus on the target.
If you didn’t begin shooting this way, you have to learn to do so. Once you learn target acquisition is faster and you can get off accurate hits quicker, but you do have to learn to shoot a red dot fast in a manner that is different than shooting irons quickly.
Thanks
FWIW, the carry firearms I have set up with a dot sight, both have iron sights that co-witness with the dot sight. In my case it has not really changed how I sight the target. There was a learning curve, but it feels like I can get on target faster with the dot sight
I used to use a cheapo BSA Red Dot sight on my .50AE Desert Eagle. It worked OK for me for just plinking around target shooting but I wouldn't want carry it hunting or whatever because the Desert Eagle is already big and heavy and the red dot just made it more heavy and bulky.
I have them on one gun. Good thing it co-witnesses in the bottom third of the sight. I have to aim with the irons to find the dot .
I use a older Bushnell (that looks like a small scope0 on a Ruger 22 pistol for close range night varmits in the yard. Have to remember to turn it off after use. (also the intensity of the red dot is variable with a on/off switch and not desirable for fast draws)
Also have another older model Bushnell red dot with a 2X multiplier screwed onto the front of the tube on a rail mount on a 22LR auto pistol. When I added the multiplier the group shifted quite a bit at 50 yards. The magnifier really did not do much good for day or even night use.
Had to return one of them out of warranty to Bushnell because when the pistol was fired the red dot would evaporate until the on/off switch was operated again. Bushnell sent me another one no charge.
For concealed carry I would want something I could use as fast as possible. (laser maybe for concealed carry and night time use) NOT ANY OF THESE TYPE RED DOTS
I would not skimp on cost if I want something very reliable/dependable to defend myself and my family when needed.
I like those with the sight you can slam on a table to rack the slide. You know if you only have one good hand to man handle the slide.
I have a Glock model 40 with a halo sight and I am having a tough time learning to shoot with it.Like was previously stated after years shooting open sight pistols,its pretty hard to change.