red dot for defense?

[opr1945]

I have noticed the some guns now come with a red dot (like a mini scope, not lazer). Is this a good idea for self defense gun? I have never used one, is it harder to acquire a target over iron sight?
Thanks.

[michiganlouie]

I'm no expert, but I think they would be easier to acquire over iron sights. Another advantage is that you can keep both eyes open, maintaining binocular vision. Be interested to know what other more experience shooters may contribute.

[mikee1973]

Like everything you’ll need to practice. I have switched to red dots on all my carry and competition guns

[somecrazygreek]

Easier to acquire once you get used to them for sure, but I don't really like them.

I'm so used to iron sights that I don't really want to use optics because then I feel I'd have to use optics on all of my guns to keep it consistent.

[gman]

I like red dots (Burris FF3 & Vortex venom) on my target .22's, but can be hard to pick up the dot when first getting use to it. The only thing I have for defense with a red dot is my HD shotgun, it has a Burris FF3 on it, I don't own any tube style red dots though. I find that the red dot is very easy to pick up in low light for HD as when I may need it for an intruder during the night. I'm not going to change my EDC over from open sights though, I find it to be a little bulky, don't want to purchase new holsters, IWB would seem impractical, and don't want to rely on battery operated sights. Just my two cents.

[GreaseMonkeySRT]

It's all about context. According to FBI statistics, and I'm paraphrasing here, most SD shootings occur within 12 feet with three shots or less fired. At those distances iron sights are barely going to be utilized.

There is absolutely no doubt with a dot a person can be far more accurate on target than with irons, and far more accurate at distance. Dots on a pistol are not easy to acquire, and require a lot of practice to consistently draw and pick up the dot. In a SD shooting you may not even have the time or distance to execute that draw.

I would highly recommend if going this route you choose a setup where either the irons are co-witnessed, or have a lower 1/3 cowitness which is the usually concealed carry setup. You'll see the dot, but also be able to see the irons in the bottom window of the dot. This way you can practice utilizing the front dot to get shots on target and can practice transitioning to the dot. That's what I do at shorter distances but work to acquire the dot for longer shots, especially when shooting in USPSA. It's also not a bad tactic as if the dot is ever off or the battery died, that front sight will still be there.

[pscipio03]

Almost every pistol I own, to including most of my 1911s, have a dot on them.
With practice you can pick up the dot just as easily as you can pick up irons.
With more practice you can pick them up faster.
Batteries will last for well over a year when left on. Easy trick- replace the battery on your birthday.
Mounting abilities have evolved to the point where they are just as sturdy, and in some cases even more sturdy, than irons.
In the last 12 or so pistol courses I've taken, I've seen irons fail more than dots. Rear sights shifting or front sight post snapping off. Only saw one red dot (that wasn't due to someone letting a battery go dead after a couple of years of it being left on) fail and it was a Glock MOS. The dot itself wasn't the issue, it was the craptastic MOS system that sheared the mounting screws. Launched the entire mount/optic about 10 feet in front of the shooter. It's also a well-known problem with the MOS.
To each his own, but I still recall the days when people poo-poo'd dots on ARs. "Why would I want a dot? Irons work better and electronics fail!' (insert other reason here). Fast forward and you'll more likely see a Yeti riding the Loch Ness Monster before you see someone running straight irons on their AR.

[slingshot77]

opr1945,

There is good info in the threads above.

My best 2 cents is just try it on a carry gun around your house, I shoot with red Dot a lot as I have older eyes so a red Dot really improves my accuracy at longer distance.

Personally, I haven't found a red Dot to improve my A zone hits at under 15 yards.

Reason(s) I presently don't have a red Dot on my every-day carry guns.

First, my biggest complaint is the gun still needs backup iron sights, with most Red Dot setups unless you have a deeply recessed red Dot that means higher sights, with higher sights I find they can hang up on everything, even my holster. Not always but it has happened to me.

The other reason I have is, I have had a couple of occasions now that the red Dot lens totally fogged up on me. I pretty well carry an iron sight pistol for every day carry but have lot of Coyote's in my area so usually carry a red Dot equipped pistol around the house & property. Last time it happened (not very long ago) I was in my cold back barn working on a tractor so I put my red Dot gun on the tractor seat so I didn't bang it around or catch it on something. It was warmer with high humidity outside than inside the barn.

I had my barn door cracked just a little so my barn cat went out to get some fresh air. While I was working I heard my cat start to make loud angry cat noises. I peeked out the door slit & saw a Coyote & my cat confronting each other.

So I grabbed my red Dot gun & went out the back door to sneak around the barn to get a clean shot at the Coyote (didn't want to shoot my cat). When I put the gun up to put the dot on that dog the lens was totally fogged over. I could see nothing through it, not even a good look around the red Dot as it blocked me from even looking down the slide top.

I know, an unusual circumstance for sure but I haven't ever had a set of irons fog up on me.

So try a red Dot on one of your pistols, shoot it for a while, possibly even carry it in non-threatening areas. Then make your own mind up on if it is something that you think worth while.

[JohnJak]

Thanks to the red dot mounted on my springer air rifle my ground squirrel population has diminished.

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