I think it's good to know how to use both. For us older shooters, the red dots (I actually prefer green dot and the ACSS reticle) are easier to use and shoot accurately, though they do take some getting used to. Those skills can be gained at home with practice dry firing or when simply taking a neighborhood stroll shooting out streetlights.

Oops, disregard that last part!

 

What he said ^. I started on irons and eventually went red dots on all my pistols. Depends on your use of the handgun. I shoot mostly competition and I think Red Dots are advantagous in competition, I'm older and iron sights are difficult to use for me. For EDC there is a valid argument to use iron sights (I have a RD on mine). Initial transition from iron sights to Red Dot is challenging and discourages some. Be patient, you'll master the Red Dot with practice.

 

You don’t need to learn irons first because it creates bad front sight focus. With a pistol optic, it’s target focus, and the dot is a blur. Whenever I hear people concerned about the dot being fuzzy due to astigmatism, they are using the dot incorrectly. Don’t worry about the optic failing. With modern pistol optics, their failure rate is no different from any other pistol component failure. Buy the best optic you can afford.

The best pistol optic is the Trijicon RMRcc. It’s rugged, and on the automatic brightness setting, the battery lasts 4+ years always on. It’s a tank. The Holosuns are good but not near the quality of the Trijicon RMRcc or the larger RMR. The Trijicon SRO is a range toy and not suitable for EDC. There is a new fully enclosed Trijicon optic, but I have no experience with that. I find the RMRcc to be bombproof. I also use the Holosun 509T and other Holosun products, and they have all failed in less than a year of use. Holosun support is great because their optics are not bombproof like Trijicon’s are.

 

By yourself, a quality optic. I prefer green, but they’re usually a little more expensive. I own a couple Trijicon‘s, but I like my Hollison‘s better. If you have a concern about failure of the optic, get suppressor height irons. I put optics on every Pistol and rifle I own that will accept it.

 

If I was new, I'd certainly be starting on irons. Everyone should be proficient with irons. You can go to a RDS after.

Red dot is popular, and has benefits. I've used them, but prefer irons, especially on my defensive handgun.

 

Start with irons for sure. Only after those are mastered should you move on.

FWIW IMO using an electronic sight on a handgun is simply not needed and serves no purpose. If I hunted with one and needed the precision I might think differently.

I think that the industry has pushed them so hard with influencers and such and have created a profit center for themselves.

 

Start with irons for sure. Only after those are mastered should you move on.

FWIW IMO using an electronic sight on a handgun is simply not needed and serves no purpose. If I hunted with one and needed the precision I might think differently.

I think that the industry has pushed them so hard with influencers and such and have created a profit center for themselves.

My 70 year old eyes beg to differ.

 

I have never had iron sites fail. Even mt Trijicon RMR has failed. I would never have a red dot or a laser on an EDC. The reason is if the sight fails you are worried about the failed sight instead of shooting

 

Every SIG I have (except P226) with optics has a workable rear iron sight. It's always there in case I need it, either on the slide, or part of the optic itself, sometimes both. I can still shoot irons OK, but the RDO makes my 60 yo. eyes much more effective.

Ex:

 

Personally, I don’t use red dot sights on a pistol but that’s just my preference

 

If you are using your pistol for self-defense, start with irons, stay with irons.
Think about most common uses of a self-defense handgun, e.g.
getting in or out of your car , answering your front door, etc.
You would not have time or distance to worry about ANY sights.

The longest distance in my home is maybe ~15 feet.
Do you think that I need sights for that?

Learn point shooting.

 

Why not both? Optic with cowitness irons in the off chance your optic fails? I have carried with irons since I started carrying and am comfortable with them, but recently acquired a P320 with an optic on it...it's like a cheat code.

I've used a red dot/red dot with magnifier for years on my ARs and those are a game changer vs irons, why wouldn't one want to do the same for the more likely scenario of having to use our EDC?

 

Hey, fairly new to shooting here. I started going to the local range renting different handguns to learn to shoot and find a gun that felt good in my hand and I could operate well. I have small hands and it took a while to find something that fit.
Once I bought the P322 I used it at the range for a couple of months 2 times a week with the stock iron (plastic) sights.. At that point I new my old eyes sucked to the point I was guessing when the sights were lined up and I was on target..
I bought myself a reflex sight for Christmas and practiced at home dry firing to learn how to target focus and present the gun so the dot was right on target. This is the part people are talking about having to relearn if you "Lean" with iron sites first. A lot of what they mean is the presentation or the gun.. moving from a holster to the point of firing, or moving from a ready position to the point of firing. So if you just learn how to stand there, line up the irons and shoot you won't have a lot to relearn when you move to the dot and you will also know how to aim a gun that does not have an optic on it.
The aim is just part of what we need to lean when starting out and none of that requires a dot. Your grip and your stance are the same iron or optic and are both way important. I did find that learning trigger control became much easier to do with the dot when dry fire practicing.
Go for both, start iron and add the optic later. When you start to get proficient with your dominate had, learn to shoot with your non-dominate as well, it is not hard if you don't wait too long and get to used to only shooting with your dominate handed.

 

Another option is to upgrade the iron sights. I set up my wife's 22/45 with fiberoptic sights, front and rear, and when I've recently started talking to her about a RDS, she wants no part of it.

She hits everything she's aiming at, so sees no reason to change. Hard to argue.

Personally, I feel like I need to be proficient on everything in my safe, from OEM irons on vintage warhorses to scopes to RDS or RDS and magnifier. That being said, I had my M1 Garand at the range yesterday shooting irons and the M2 Ball (30-06) was hitting the center of the target just as well as I can do with a RDS and magnifier on a (say) a Mini 14. Nothing wrong with iron sights....and putting an optic on something like a Garand would be a crime.

 

That being said, I had my M1 Garand at the range yesterday shooting irons and the M2 Ball (30-06) was hitting the center of the target just as well as I can do with a RDS and magnifier on a (say) a Mini 14. Nothing wrong with iron sights....and putting an optic on something like a Garand would be a crime.

It’s tough to beat those Garand sights! Intuitive and precise.

 

My .02 Cents
I do not use RDS on Handguns, no need for my use.
Rifles are yes/no. Longer shots are Optics for accuracy.
I prefer the cleanest, smoothest draw and Conceal-ability in my EDC, I typically carry AIWB so no lights no RDS. As I get older and eyesight fails significantly possibly a RDS will find its way onto my handguns.

 

A big 10-4.
I tried a red dot on my P365XL. Two issues... 1 - I cannot find the red dot fast enough. Yes, I've practiced. And two - it gets in my way of a fast, clean draw from concealment. For my self-defense encounter, I will most likely just point and shoot. Red dots on rifles and long shots, OK.

 

Back when all of the high-tech optics started popping up, I tried a red dot with my duty rifle. After about 500 rounds, I took it off. The optic worked great, but the rifle became unbalanced and unwieldy. It was the same with pistols. I guess I’m a “less is more” person. After a lifetime of hunting and decades in the security business, I have an innate mistrust of overly complicated things.

 

".... innate mistrust of overly complicated things."

Amen

 

For my EDC I want ZERO complications.

 

Learn, get comfortable and proficient with the iron sights. Just you and the firearm need to get to know each other. Can always dabble with optics and other add-ons later depending on need, circumstance, and impulse or social influences.

I don't have any for my pistols. I shoot and/or carry a p220 and p239 most often. Took me a short while to get on target with these two pistols of very different sizes, but I'm glad I got comfy with them as-is so now I can get on (close to!) bullseye first pulls with either pistol, one after the other. I'm also surprisingly close to target (a rock, a shadow) at 50 and even 100 yds with the 220 iron sights when on the rifle range waiting for All Clear. I don't hunt any game that isn't feathered, so all my rifles (AKs) are outfitted without optics. I'm very comfortable with my accuracy at distance with iron on those (7.62, 5.45, .308) as well -- but that's just me.

 

Learn and be proficient in both. It’s not hard if you put some work on getting used to and proficient with both methods.

 

My opinion is the current handgun optics trend is an answer to a problem that never existed. But they’re cool and us gun people love our toys. However those who have been in a real life situation can attest that it’s not going to go down perfectly aligned with all your armchair fantasies. You will point and shoot. Most likely while you’re moving. If optics on your handgun can help you win in that outcome then it’s a good choice. Personally I train to point-shoot instinctively.

 

I would have agreed with you, before I hit 50.

Since then, while my far and mid vision have remained 20/20 or better, my near vision has not.

Infinity focus of an optic works better than the near distance of front sight focus, for my older eyes.

 

ok... to some I'm a luddite... BUT I am a firm believer in the K.I.S.S. Principle... that and my father once said "guns don't need batteries"
I completely understand the arguments both ways... but my brain says.. "at handgun distance, why use an optic of any kind?" and "if you can't hit anything within 100 feet without "help", give up shooting." just my opinion and it is worth EXACTLY what you paid to get it.. nothing.

 

Ok...let's see you hit cold bore 100ft first round first shot. Give the guy a break.

 

 

Electronics may fail so you should want to be proficient with the iron sights

 

Electronics may fail so you should want to be proficient with the iron sights

 

As far as the original question goes, a) it is good to be able to use irons and optics; and b) grip and trigger fundamentals will impact your shot placement (especially at close range) more than your choice of sights will.

 

I was iron sights my whole life(55yo), until last year. I was having issues with seeing my Trijicon HD sights properly. I had recently started using reading glasses. LGS employee said to try an RD. I now use a Cross Armory RD on my EDC and a Vortex Defender ST on my comp gun. I shoot both eyes open with a very clear sight picture. My accuracy has great improved.
Now, I need to figure out how to be in my 20’s again for the movement part!

 

I was iron sights my whole life(55yo), until last year. I was having issues with seeing my Trijicon HD sights properly. I had recently started using reading glasses. LGS employee said to try an RD. I now use a Cross Armory RD on my EDC and a Vortex Defender ST on my comp gun. I shoot both eyes open with a very clear sight picture. My accuracy has great improved.
Now, I need to figure out how to be in my 20’s again for the movement part!

I hear you there... at north of 66 years young, I also have the reading glasses thing (and the movements aren't as quick), but I'm still able to make the irons work. My ultimate test is two to the chest, one to the head from the draw or bench at 15 and 21 feet. When I can't do that anymore, I may have to go to an optic (those irons are starting to get a little fuzzy)! Are you really a Texas farm boy? I'm a northern Minnesota boy (aka, a jack pine savage)! I have a friend from Del Rio and after a couple beers we agree there isn't much difference between a MN "jack pine savage" and a "good old boy" from Del Rio Texas... just the accent!

 

Hi all,
What are your thoughts on iron sight vs. red dot for newbie?
Should I be practicing with iron sight or red/green dot first? Pros &cons
Thanks!

If you are a novice shooter, dot first, irons second will likely speed up your learning curve.

 

I learned to use iron sights first with all fire arms then I started using Eotech mini reflex sight on my hand guns after 40+years JMHO

 

Hi all,
What are your thoughts on iron sight vs. red dot for newbie?
Should I be practicing with iron sight or red/green dot first? Pros &cons
Thanks!

Old school here and much older than red/green dots. Even though the eyes are not as good as they were, I'm still an irons guy! Personally, I'm not worried about competition or precision shooting, so I do a lot of dry fire training and most of my handgun range time is done at 15 to 30 feet. Outdoors I train shooting plates and use polymer frangible rounds up close and personal. I have several optics for my handguns and practice with them so I'm comfortable, but my carry guns don't have optics or lights and never will. So, I'm with the "learn your guns and iron sights", practice, practice and Optics can come later if you get interested.