Irons Only, Red Dot or Laser enhanced

[Artful]

So my vision is getting worse, but they say the cataracts are not bad enough to operate on.

I have equiped guns I use for defense in the house with laser's
some had nite sights some only Irons. But the bottom line is
I needed help so the wife is starting to become more interested
in her guns and we took one of mine with laser to the range and
she's shooting good with that laser.

Now I have put Red Dot's on several long guns but see lots of
slide mounted mini Red Dots - I picked up a friends and noticed you
had to be almost spot on to even see the dot - not at good as the laser
but it be another tool in the handgun chest.

So those with fading / bad eyes what do you think?

[scb]

G20 & Burris Fastfire
Friend said he "Had to have it" so it's gone. Never really cared for the Glock. I can squeeze into a size 12 glove and that Glock frame was too big. Thinking of replacing it with a 10mm P220. If I do it'll have a red dot.

[LUCKYDAWG13]

My carry gun's have night sights only my H/D have flashlight but subject to change as needed

[Valley-Shooter]

Use your laser with iron/night sights.
In a urgent situation, keep it simple. Use what you know.

[Lefty Red]

With weapon mounted red dot sights, it's all about training. Repetitive training, drawing and bringing the weapon up for the shot. It can be done and very fast. But, majority of self defense usages of a personal firearm doesn't mimic stages on the gun course. Doubt the user will be standing, or the light is good, or numerous other different factors that differ in real life and fun times at the range.

Plus the sights are expensive ($350-$500) and then getting them mounted is expensive (milling and refinishing $300-400). Hell, I though a Crimson Trace Rail Master was expensive! But it's a bargain compared to this.

Yes, you can watch the laser dot too much at the range. But everyone that I know of that uses lasers on their personal carry weapons say the same thing, it's like any other bad habit you do when you get lazy. And correct execution of proper form cures you if that and other bad habits people do.

I'm looking hard at biting the bullet and getting a good CT for my G26. Only reason I haven't is I don't know if I'm carrying the G26 or G19 this winter.

But your sights are your primary source of aiming your pistol. A laser is an aid for when you can not bring your weapon up to eye level or shot from a traditional shooting stance. Options are good.


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[str8wal]

Give me a flashlight and iron sights. My sights are a blur with my eyes but I can still chew up a 2" bull @ 10 yards so a torso at 10 feet shouldn't be a problem.

[marlin39a]

Night Sites on my CCW firearm. Iron works best for me.

[GhostHawk]

I have a pair of Ruger Mk III, 22/45's. Both have a truglo 60$ red dot mounted on them.

Both will put 10 rounds in a pop bottle top at 20 feet with either myself or the wife at the trigger. I'm 64 and she is 60, neither of us is doing well with iron sights anymore.

My buddy had a Beretta 92FS with the laser.
In the dark with a threat around the corner it is perhaps a better option.

But at the range I could way outshoot my buddy when he tried to use the laser.

I would use the laser once, to find out where the sights where. Once the first round hit the target I knew how to hold to put them all in the same spot.

You try to hold that laser on target IMO the small muscles start fighting and first thing you know your drawing 6" then 8" then 12" circles on the target.

With the red dot as I pull the gun down from recoil, the red dot crosses bullseye, trigger gets stroked, and away we go again.

But the secret is as soon as the dot is crossing the center squeeze it off.

Now many will probably not agree, but for me this is what works. YMMV.

But for serious shooting I'll take a red dot every time.

I also think that if the pressure switch is not mounted in the right location for your hand it can cause extra stress just making sure it stays on. Nothing worse than a laser sight that disappears as you start to pull the trigger.

Red Dot you turn it on and it stays on till you turn it off. And the newer ones will run for a LONG LONG time.

[Bzcraig]

My carry gun is still iron sights, HD gun is iron sights with light, rifles either scoped or peeps. I'll need cataract surgery in next 18 months. For self defense I'm more confident in my ability to point and shoot than to retrain myself with the others. In the immortal words of Clint Eastwood in Magnum Force, "every man needs to know his limitations."

[Josh Smith]

Irons.

One primary pistol has a green glowing front sight. The other has black-on-black but will be getting a tritium front sight when I think about it.

Have shot with dots and lasers and am not all that impressed.

I turn 40 in November. Could be that I'll see value in holographic sights as I get older. I cannot see ever becoming a fan of the mounted laser. If you're close enough to use it effectively, you're close enough to point shoot effectively.

Josh

[tazman]

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.

[Pistolero49]

I use Crimson Trace laser grips on my S&W 640 nightstand gun.

[winelover]

CT laser grips on HP, Bulldog, 357 LCR, and two 642's, no need for night sites.

CT green rail master on SA Model 2 Sub-compact.

Night sites on Nano......Laserguard would interfere with my current holsters, otherwise......

Mini reflex on Sig 320 RX Compact with night sights (both are standard)

Red dots on my hunting handguns (RH & BH & MK II) as well as on all lever action carbines.

Been using red dots, since the 80's, mostly Armson/Trijicon OEG's. Have a half dozen and were a bargain for $99 (MSRP $160) Sadly, Trijicon no longer supports (relamps) them. They still are operational but no longer in total darkness.

Guess you could say, I'm a dot junkie. Once you get use to them, there is really no alternative. Lasers on handguns are not only visual aids, but deterrents. They are also a boon for gun retention. No need to extend your arms to obtain a sight picture. You can literally, shoot from the hip with amazing accuracy, once you master trigger control.

Winelover

[rking22]

Im a keep it simple iron sight fan. Nothing to get knocked around or quit working. I'm also a point shooter inside 5 yards. Long time shotguner and every handgun i have gets the " does it shoot where I look" test.

[bob208]

I am a firm believer in the kiss method. { keep it simple stupid }. with irons you have less to go wrong like a battery dying at the wrong time or a add on sight getting knocked out. plus less baulk to carry.

[500Linebaughbuck]

i like to irons, but i'm afraid one day i'll go to burris fastfire.

[45workhorse]

Run a K9, you will like having a 800 lumen light and a green laser, on your duty weapon!!!

[jrayborn]

I have always been an Iron Sights guy, but have gone to red dots on my families AR's with BUIS's attached. On a rifle I have found nothing faster than a red dot scope for self defence range (say under 100 yards) and a 1 or 2 MOA dot is still accurate enough out to 300 or more yards if needed. When I tried my first red dot on a rifle I realized not only how much faster it was, but there are also two other major advantages.

First is the ability to have both eyes open. It doesn't sound like much, but its a big advantage in relation to situational awareness being able to have the peripheral vision of your non-shooting eye.

Second, and this is the biggest (to me) advantage. The ability in pitch black conditions to see your sights perfectly. I know it may seem minor, but grab your normal iron sighted rifle or pistol and try to aim at something you can make out at night. Good luck. The ability to use your sights even when its very dark is critical.

So that's my thinking on rifles. Recently I began to see mini red dots atop handguns so I machined the slide of a Glock-17 for a Burris Fastfire. Did all the work myself, and have $200 ish into it. Wow is all I can say. Why I never thought of doing it years ago I have no idea. All the reason's I went red dot on my AR's work just as well on the Glock. Fast accurate and still has backup sights.

Anyone who has not tried red dots really should. To say they are game-changing is an understatement.

[osteodoc08]

For home defense, perhaps the light/laser combo.

For the range a red dot for sure.

I have streamlight TLRs picatinny lights. Work awesome. Point and shoot. The lights are basically centered on my shot pattern.

[ShooterAZ]

I am totally sold on the Burris Fastfire 3. They are small, it's very easy to acquire the red dot, and they are very rugged. I have them on multiple firearms and love them. Most recently I mounted one on an Inland M1 Carbine with the UltiMAK M6-B rail. I'm now considering putting on on a M94 Win AE in 30-30. You can get adapters/mounts to mount them on just about anything. Lifetime no questions asked warranty too.

[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.