Generally Underwhelmed By Red Dot Sights

[Howland]

I went ahead and installed the combo slide with Romeo 1 Pro red dot sight on my Sig P229, 9mm. Runs great, dot is nice and easy to pick up 6moa. The slide and the sight are top quality. I've taken it to the range twice and put 260 rounds through my P229 with the red dot set-up. I will say that I shoot a little more accurately with it over the 3 dot sights but not really by that much. I suppose the red dot would be a superior sight to use in low light situations too. Don't know if I really want to keep it or let it go. Do these sights grow on you over time? Right now I don't feel like I got my money's worth out of the purchase. You might see this slide & red dot in the classifieds.

Red dot sights, either RMR or those projecting onto the target, take some getting used to. Especially the RMR types. With the RMR, it becomes critical to present from draw already lined up on target, which is a useful habit to develop.

With either type, it allows you to focus on the target, not the front sight blade 4 or 6 inches forward of your knuckles. That is a huge advantage! You will especially appreciate it as your eyes get older. If you aren't already there, that day will come. You won't realize it until after it happens.

 

[Broc]

Try the C-more RTS2. I think the C-more are the best red dots out there in terms of fast acquisition.

I tried a Vortex before the RTS2, I didn't know how sh*tty it was until I went to a competition and everyone had C-more sights, I fell in love and returned the Vortex.

 

[yanici]

I hated electronic sights for years. In my experience anything that requires batteries will fail at the worst possible time.
But now that I need reading glasses it's becoming difficult for me to pick up my iron sights quickly. A red dot sight on my target pistol helps immensely.
But my self defense gun will remain iron sighted. I'll take speed and reliability over pin-point accuracy in a combat situation.
I realize that the odds are slim that my sight red dot will fail right at the moment a one in a million gun fight kicks off. But it is a possibility. And in the close distance that a handgun battle is likely to occur I'm fairly confident that point shooting will suffice.

If you put the suppressor height sights on your gun you'll have an adequate back-up if the red dot sight should fail. The Sig slide that I got had the suppressor height sights. Before I even powered up the red dot I checked the zero on the suppressor height sights. They were right on.

 

[mac1911]

Yeah, if you get lucky.

Yes, but one doesn’t want to just hit the torso. You want to hit a ~6” circle in the upper center of the torso. Yes, I can easily hit a torso when target focusing with iron sights at home defense distances, but I want a bit more confidence in POI.

Dots also provide an easier and more confident hit into the T-box if you need to. Admittedly, that is unlikely to be needed for the vast majority of self/home defense scenarios.

As much as the 6” magic spot is ideal. 99% of us will be “hits on torso” is good under threatening conditions

 

[E.Stoner]

Red dots are the way. That is all.

 

[PappyM3]

As much as the 6” magic spot is ideal. 99% of us will be “hits on torso” is good under threatening conditions

Agreed, but I don’t want to settle when training. I’m not a super duper pistol shooter, but I’m going to strive and train for that vital hit box.

 

[Lennypeters]

I realize most of the replies are referring to defensive shooting but for target shooting, specifically NRA bullseye, red dots rule the roost.

 

[Shark_Cage]

Apologize to the op and not trying to hijack. Is there a red dot sight or style that is better for people with bad astigmatism?

 

[PappyM3]

Apologize to the op and not trying to hijack. Is there a red dot sight or style that is better for people with bad astigmatism?

It seems to be pretty variable with some optics working better for some, but not others and vice versa.

 

[FancyGunz]

I took a RomeoZero to the range (first time ever shooting a red dot on a handgun) and I was easily banging steel at 100 yards, 9 out of 10 shots, with 9mm 147gr. Never would have been able to do that with irons. I zeroed it at 5 yards, checked it at 10, then went to 100.