Irons Only, Red Dot or Laser enhanced

[Wild Bill 7]

I have multiple red dots. CLARK custom 38 wadcutter pistol, hi point carbine and ar 15 also.

[DerekP Houston]

Night sights or crimson trace here, I can shoot just fine in good conditions but in the dark I'd rather have a slight advantage. I went with crimson trace because it's on as soon as you grip it and my wife can use it as well.

[Bigslug]

It all comes down to contrast. Ideally, I want my sights black as coal with something bright behind it. Night sights with a hella-bright light bolted under the barrel is the best combo to cover all your bases. A green fiber optic front dot to guide you to where its nice black outline is going to be ain't bad either.

Red dots. . .have always had trouble finding them on handguns. Too slow for me for life-and-death work.

Lasers. . .potentially a useful crutch for lack of ability, aiding with really small guns, or dealing with certain ailments. Can be difficult to zero or keep zeroed depending on what you have. Best to zero them at a longer distance (like 25 yards) to keep the offset and angle between it and the bore from creating SERIOUS zero problems as range increases. Next to useless in bright light.

[fecmech]

For a defensive pistol my choice would be irons with a laser. I would not want to be trying to find the dot while engaging someone trying to do me harm.

[Greg S]

My vision is just starting to fade with age. I started readers and glasses for driving at night two years ago. For my go to 1911 pistols, minimum of a lamped front sight with a tall commander style rear sight with a .140 or .156 rear notch either standard or lamped (Heine str8 style) and a rail mounted light. For my go to carbine, DD slim FSP 12" rail with a light, and Aimpoint RDS set up as an iron dot. I've tried illuminated reticles in 1-4/6 variable and none are a true 1x without spending alot of $ and I've always come back to a standard 4moa rds. It is the quickest to bang 0-75. I have 3 Aimpoints floating around and wish one was a 2moa standard, not compact.

I'm getting ready to set up a J or K frame 3" model 10, 13, 64 or 65 for carry. Just shopping GB for the right candidate as if I don't have enough projects in the waiting line. Either material is fine, CS or SS but the plan is to remove the integral front sight and cut a dovetail for novak blank and mill and attach a .125 Novack rear sight simular to the S&W Pro series model 60 so that I cane see the sights. Once the front is regulated, it will be replaced with a matching Novak lamped dovetail sight. The rear sight will most likely be opened to.140. This will give me a taller front sight to pick up.

[Finster101]

With a laser what you see is what you get. Good for up close encounters where you may not be able bring up your pistol for a good sight picture.

[charlie b]

I also have problems with my eyes so have gone through all of the choices.

Red dots take a LOT of practice to see them immediately. I probably put 1000rds through my pistols trying to do that and never got it.

Open sights with the laser is best of both worlds. When really bright outside the open sights are clear enough. When light gets dim you can fall back on the laser. Or, get a green laser and you can use it in daylight too.

FYI, a laser does not give any illumination in the dark, just a red dot on target. Keep a flashlight around so you can identify the target.

[6bg6ga]

I like the laser with iron sights. If I can see, I can use the irons. If things are blurry or I don't have time/can't get the gun up to eye level, the laser is still good.
The laser itself can be a weapon if needed. Flash his eyes and he can't see for a few seconds.
You can do the same thing with a powerful flashlight.
I like the laser for shooting around corners when you don't want to stand in the hallway. Point the gun around the corner at waist level and look around the corner head high. The bad guy will probably shoot for the laser thinking your head will be there. If he is good enough to hit the laser, at least your head isn't there.

I will agree with taz on this one

[Tripplebeards]

Went to red dots back in the 90's and never looked back. I started with the tasco pdp3 when they had clear glass so you could use them in low and no light. Seems everyone has some type of goofy coating on them now that tints them in low light. I have a pdp2 on my browning 22 cal pistol, another on my 10 gauge for turkey hunting, an original pdp3 on my browning buck mark 22 cal pistol 5.5 target that started it all, a sitron on my Colt Andaconda, and an extra one in a box for a spare, and lastly a gen 1 leupold delta point side saddling my optic on my POF. The delta
Points are a nightmare to sight in. I have open sights on my 44 mag Niteguard and Ruger p85 mark2

[gwpercle]

So is this poll in reguards to small game hunting , large game hunting , NRA Bulleseye Match Target shooting, steel silhouette/plate shooting, self defense , concealed carry , handguns , rifle or shotguns ?????

Depending on the situation I use open iron, receiver (aka peep) scopes, red dot sights and even one barrel mounted peep sight ( a cross between a buckhorn and peep).
Put some limitations on these polls, no one answer covers everything .

[Artful]

So is this poll in reguards to small game hunting , large game hunting , NRA Bulleseye Match Target shooting, steel silhouette/plate shooting, self defense , concealed carry , handguns , rifle or shotguns ?????

Depending on the situation I use open iron, receiver (aka peep) scopes, red dot sights and even one barrel mounted peep sight ( a cross between a buckhorn and peep).

Put some limitations on these polls, no one answer covers everything .

Which is why this poll allows more than one choice...

Well, let's see - the poll is posted in the handgun forum because it's about handguns,
It was stated this was about my guns for defense, it was stated that I have experience with red dot sights on several rifles.
It was stated that I have tried friends handguns with red dot mounted to the slide but
found you had to align with the target to even find the dot.

My question was do YOU have experience with laser and or red dot on YOUR handgun
and if you have vision issues how do you like the additional sighting option besides iron / nite sights.

If you feel the need to try and give more experience with rifle or shotguns,
or your small game hunting , large game hunting , NRA Bulleseye Match Target shooting,
steel silhouette/plate shooting - feel free.

But the original interest was about home defense and/or concealed carry.

Sorry you didn't understand the first post on the thread.

[Drm50]

For bad eyes the laser is way to go for SD or HD weapons. Irons and night sights if your eyes allow. One thing ai will never put on a weapon is a light. You ain't hunting coons its self defense
situation. I want no light to give away my position. That's why they train cops to hold light away
from body on weak side.

[DHDeal]

I've just gotten into the mini red dot sight for revolver gig. Matter of fact, every Blackhawk and 1 FA 83 wear a red dot. I find my target accuracy potential has improved enough that they are all I'll use. I have and use Burris Fastfire III, Vortex Venom, Trijicon RMR (a favorite), and a lone Ultra Dot. I only wish they would get their act together and make a standard mounting for the micro red dots.

Since I carry a handgun everyday for work, a red dot there is not possible. As long as I have my glasses on I can still see the front sight clearly.