Red Dot on a handgun .. any regrets?

[jls in az]

I have them on a 686+, a Kimber 10MM, a Browning Buckmark Target and, Heaven forbid, a Marlin 1894 in 357. With failing sight, they keep me shooting.

[QuangTri]

How is availability of holsters for sidearms with a red dot?

[QuietM4]

How is availability of holsters for sidearms with a red dot?

Depends on the gun/red dot combo. Pick a popular pistol and a popular red dot, you should be good to go. Glock 19 with an RMR, 100+ holsters available.

Try an unpopular pistol with an unpopular red dot, good luck finding anything.

[RufusXG]

How is availability of holsters for sidearms with a red dot?

That should be a fairly straightforward mod to any kydex holster you're ordering, though I have not surveyed how commonly it is offered. Basically they leave everything behind the chamber uncovered and that pretty much handles it.

[was21]

I get the deal with not relying on batteries but I still have the iron sights to use if the battery fails... so I don’t see a down side.... and the up side is tremendous.

Have put many on revo’s and autos for people. The ones that didn’t like them were for the most part not shooters( they had little to no skills or drawstroke/consistent presentation). The ones that had skills knew immediately what a game changer it was for them.

[Boriqua]

So last week I tried a few rounds through a bullpup with a dot and it was amazing.

Today I got to try a handgun. A little different since you can't count on shouldering but after a minute of just acquiring the sight after the draw and changing my sight pic some the dot just pops right on target.

Let off about 8,10 rounds from a glock 19 and it was wild. Its like freagin cheating.

Switching between targets is where it really shined for me. Guessing I had one about 8 yds directly in front, one about 25 yds to the left and one about 30 to the right. Moving from target to target was effortless. Damnit... I liked it.

Cha ching!

[needsmostuff]

Something to try if you have to take a while to find the dot.
Initially I tend to present pointing high and have found a system for me .
Point , look thru the red dot , squeeze on the bottom of the grip and the red dot comes down from out of view.
Faster for me , maybe you. As you shoot it becomes easier to acquire the sight.

[freefly]

As you shoot it becomes easier to acquire the sight.

Yep, red dots are faster/easier, especially for those with "ageing" eyes.
And yep, there is a learning/training curve.

A couple other things to add:

Within reason, a larger dot is generally better for most (pistol) applications, IMO. They are easier/faster to acquire, with less pronounced/perceived "wobble" than smaller dots. Larger dots also require less intensity (brightness) to pick up vs. smaller dots.

If you are in the "smaller dots are fine because you can just turn up the brightness" camp, you are doing it wrong, IMO. It will work, but not as intended. Any excess "bloom" will occlude the target anyway, and sometimes much more than if you were to simply go up in dot size with no blooming.

Obviously if you are shooting bullseye / long range, or any other application with a heavy preference for accuracy (vs. speed), then a smaller dot will be a better choice.

Also, it can be a bit hard to "unlearn" the one-eyed squint shooting, if that's what you are used to. The thing with red dots is that they more easily facilitate the ability to shoot both-eyes-open, with no parallax and no need for multi-plane sight alignment. You basically focus on your target (not the dot), and simply superimpose the dot on where you want the round to hit. It's a single focal-plane system, as opposed to the three focal-planes of traditional irons (rear sight / front sight / target).

YMMV...

[magaskins]

I put a swampfox kingslayer on a g19, best thing I ever did. Cannot miss....

[knockonit]

I put a swampfox kingslayer on a g19, best thing I ever did. Cannot miss....

what he meant to say his friends who shoot his gat'' cannot miss''

[TJMX397]

As you shoot it becomes easier to acquire the sight.

Yep, red dots are faster/easier, especially for those with "ageing" eyes.
And yep, there is a learning/training curve.

A couple other things to add:

Within reason, a larger dot is generally better for most (pistol) applications, IMO. They are easier/faster to acquire, with less pronounced/perceived "wobble" than smaller dots. Larger dots also require less intensity (brightness) to pick up vs. smaller dots.

If you are in the "smaller dots are fine because you can just turn up the brightness" camp, you are doing it wrong, IMO. It will work, but not as intended. Any excess "bloom" will occlude the target anyway, and sometimes much more than if you were to simply go up in dot size with no blooming.

Obviously if you are shooting bullseye / long range, or any other application with a heavy preference for accuracy (vs. speed), then a smaller dot will be a better choice.

Also, it can be a bit hard to "unlearn" the one-eyed squint shooting, if that's what you are used to. The thing with red dots is that they more easily facilitate the ability to shoot both-eyes-open, with no parallax and no need for multi-plane sight alignment. You basically focus on your target (not the dot), and simply superimpose the dot on where you want the round to hit. It's a single focal-plane system, as opposed to the three focal-planes of traditional irons (rear sight / front sight / target).

YMMV...

Good stuff & spot on. It's a game changer for me, who like others, is getting older & my eyes aren't what they used to be. I have a Romeo1 Pro on my M18 & it's unbelievable how quickly I got comfortable, especially being a two-eye shooter. No regrets, other than cost .

[schiffer99]

I have been fighting going to the red dot on the handgun... but I have to admit, its superior to iron sights. The biggest problem with the red dot--as I imagine it was with red dots on rifles--is stubborness.

I had shot many USPSA matches with irons, done classes with irons, and shot 1000's of rounds with irons. First match i shot with a red dot, I sucked. Couldn't find the dot, felt slower, and figured the battery would die at any minute. Second match, i sucked a little less. Than during the third match I kind of noticed how much easier distance shots were with the dot. I was able to start changing stage plans and having to move less as I could take longer distance shots on targets like steel poppers. I also started to force myself to target focus and superimpose the dot as opposed to trying to focus on the front sight. I still have A LOT of frustrations compared to irons, but when I can get the dot working for me, its works far better than irons ever could. Also, with high enough irons you can still use them for the super close target and snap shots. (i.e. kind of point shoot using the front sight.)

What really convinced me is when I took some friends and family out shooting for the first time. None had experience with shooting irons or red dots. Every one of them from teenagers to adults shot the red dot far better and made comments along the lines of "why doesn't every handgun have this?"

[coupeman]

I've been on the fence about putting on a 19x, I gotta stay away from this thread! hahah

[Yellowcarbon]

Check out the ACSS reticle from Primary Arms on the Holosun 507C. It's a PA exclusive and has a large ring that sits outside the window of the sigh when properly aligned. The circle is to help you correct the reticle if it is 'lost' and helps you see how to correctly bring the chevron back into the window. When you square up, dots aren't difficult to find with minimal practice. But when shooting from awkward positions, the ACSS reticle shines. I also love the chevron aiming point as it is fast while still allowing you to use the tip for precision shooting. I think it is a well thought out reticle and is my current favorite.

I also have the circle dot reticle on another 507C, which might get put on a shotgun. I thought I would like the circle dot more than I do, but I do need to shoot a little more to see which one I like. I bought the circle dot and within a week, got the ACSS reticle as it was an open box item from PA for $90 off. I only have 1 milled slide and am trying to decide if I want another milled slide or to put it on a shotgun.

I get the criticism of the Holosun optics being from China. But they have out capitalist the capitalist and up the bar. Its durable, has selectible reticles (dot only/circle dot), is inexpensive, shake awake, etc. They have innovated and polished up the concept, so now the other guys need to catch up. I would gladly pay more for a Trijicon RMR with these features, but they don't offer it. But when I can pay half for more features, it's hard to reward the US manufacturers. And believe me, I have done my part buying US made guns & optics. Over the years, I have owned a dozen ACOGs and Accupoints from Trijicon. But they don't have what I wand on the mini red dot market. Hell, I even tried a Trijicon Tripower which wasn't a very good optics, although the concept was excellent.

[xerts1191]