I see this is an older post but I’ll add to it! I added a red dot for my shield plus. Thought with my aging eyes it would be easier to acquire. For me it wasn’t. It’s still faster for me to use the Trijicon HDs I have installed on my other shield 2.0. It just seems like it would take me forever to get used to it. For me lasers are the way to go. So I add them HDs to my shield 2.0 with integrated green laser. Super fast. Just my thoughts. Red dots just aren’t for me for my carry gun. And it changes how I carry and I pretty much like the holster I carry IWB.
Red dot or not
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I had my Hellcat OSP for a few months & then got a SIG Romeo Zero for it
Not sure if its better with or without it
I also have a M&P Shield Optics Ready OR that has a Shield SMSc on it
![Hand Photograph Trigger Air gun Revolver]()
Not sure if its better with or without it
I also have a M&P Shield Optics Ready OR that has a Shield SMSc on it
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That was the same red dot I put on my shield plus. Sold it 2 days later! I seen a lot of people complaining about the dot not adjusting much higher than the true cowitness height! Either way I just got the plain Plus. Considering a Glock 43X with a Holosun. But I really think the shields are the best bang for the money
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I don't want or need RDS on my pistols. That's my preference, no harm, no foul to those who like them
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Agree 💯, test for your self. I just don't have enough time with a Dot, to favor it. I still prefer sights on my pistols. No doubt that at distance the dot shines, especially with follow up shot's. To 10 yards sights all day.
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Same as many, nice for certain situations, but in the craziness of a shootout, all I care about is that front sight post.
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But all I care about is the target...
Cool thing....the way the dot works. I am focused on the target, and seeing a dot on them, rather than focusing on the front sight and seeing a slightly out of focus shape out there.
It takes time and practice to shift how you see things, but once you have it, it's almost magic. And this is from a guy that LOVES aperture sights, and is hitting 6 decades on this rock in two months.
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The dot doesn't magically appear. It takes a lot of practice / training for consistent draws. For me a few days without practice and I had to relearn how to draw consistently. Standard sights are way more forgiving in fast close quarter situations, which is more likely to be the case.But all I care about is the target...
Cool thing....the way the dot works. I am focused on the target, and seeing a dot on them, rather than focusing on the front sight and seeing a slightly out of focus shape out there.
It takes time and practice to shift how you see things, but once you have it, it's almost magic. And this is from a guy that LOVES aperture sights, and is hitting 6 decades on this rock in two months.
This is just my 2 cents and my experience.
I rock night sights on my compact (carry size) pistols.
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Notice I said, as you did, that it takes time and practice to learn how to do it?
Then notice that I said it's "ALMOST magic"?
It's as if I KNEW it wasn't actually magic, right?
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😂 Smart ass. It's great that forums like this exists. So we can share our "knowledge" and experiences.
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Take a class or three and that will stop.
I was in the hospital earlier this year for a day short of seven weeks, three weeks after getting out (had to relearn how to walk) I came in second place at a competition that included 50yd shots.
There is a very easy way to get the dot on the target without much effort.
Any instructor worth a rip can teach this to you.
If you didn't live in another country I could show you how in about 2 hours.
I won't go into the pros and cons, I'll just stick with my situation.
At some point in my life, the front sight started to get fuzzy. I started wearing multi distance glasses, not much help for shooting. Then, it got harder and harder to shoot.
Lasik surgery helped a whole lot. But, add more years, and the front sight started getting fuzzy again. My reading glasses helped, but then the target was fuzzy. Walking around with reading glasses would be a problem. Now, at 75 years old, it is a real problem see the sight without them. I don't need multi vision glasses, but I do need help to read and see the sight.
With red dots, the dot and target are in the same focal plain. I also get the benefit of now shooting with both eyes. That was something I was never able to do. It took some work to learn, but I was able to shoot again.
Yes, there is that pesky stigmatism, but it's not too bad. A 3 MOA dot looks like a 6 MOA dot. It works for me.
I don't tell anyone they should be using a red dot, that's their decision. But, the red dot lets me shoot again.
We are all different. It's a big mistake to expect us all to be alike. Some like red dots, some don't.
At some point in my life, the front sight started to get fuzzy. I started wearing multi distance glasses, not much help for shooting. Then, it got harder and harder to shoot.
Lasik surgery helped a whole lot. But, add more years, and the front sight started getting fuzzy again. My reading glasses helped, but then the target was fuzzy. Walking around with reading glasses would be a problem. Now, at 75 years old, it is a real problem see the sight without them. I don't need multi vision glasses, but I do need help to read and see the sight.
With red dots, the dot and target are in the same focal plain. I also get the benefit of now shooting with both eyes. That was something I was never able to do. It took some work to learn, but I was able to shoot again.
Yes, there is that pesky stigmatism, but it's not too bad. A 3 MOA dot looks like a 6 MOA dot. It works for me.
I don't tell anyone they should be using a red dot, that's their decision. But, the red dot lets me shoot again.
We are all different. It's a big mistake to expect us all to be alike. Some like red dots, some don't.
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Well said. I shoot with both eyes open even with a scoped rifle.
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I purchased an XDS Mod 2 OSP with the Included Crimson Trace red dot. I purchased it just to see how much I liked the red dot concept. I carried it. I took it to the range, and I practiced presentation and dry fired for about a year. I decided that I liked the red dot concept, so I put a Holosun 507C on my other carry pistol, a glock 26. 6 months later I replaced the Crimson Trace with a Holosun 507k. My findings were that the red dot did not increase printing at at all as most printing is done by the grip. The only down side I found was you have to clean the class and be mindful of that. I am much more accurate with the dot than with iron sights and once I practiced presentations, much faster. Also, being over 40 and using bifocals, used to mean, with iron sights, using my near vison part of my glasses to see the sights and my far vision part of my glasses to see the target. If I were to accidentaly use the transitioing middle ground, all I would see would be a blurry mess. Now I just use my far vision. I also have an astigmatism, wich for whatever reason, the holosun does not exasserbate, but the crimson trace did. For me moving to a red dot was a very good decision. I also recognise that a concealed carry handgun is most of the time there for a feeling of security and cofidence, because most of them are never fired to defend the carrier. So if you do not feel comfortable carying with a red dot, Don't. It defeats the whole purpose. I'm sure people have very valid reasons for carying what they carry. These are mine.
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Great points 👍. Holosun's are great RDS, got the 407 for my RIA CS. For me the RDS shine's at distance. Out to 7-10 yards I'm quicker with sights. Even though I may print slightly smaller groups with a RDS. It's not much of a difference @ a practical range to make the switch. Il take a good set of sights over a RDS on a pistol. That might change 1 day as I age.
I imagine there was resistance to optics on rifles long ago too. The fact is, optics on a pistol aren’t for everyone. But, if you’re willing to put in the work, it probably makes 99.9% of us better shooters. So would a $4,000 custom pistol. Not everyone needs to be a professional shooter.
Irons on both rifles and pistols just don’t work for me
Irons on both rifles and pistols just don’t work for me
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I own several rifles and they all have a RDS or Scope. Bringing up a rifle is extremely natural and comfortable to me. So sight alignment is almost always perfect. No matter which one of my rifles I grab. I generally focus on 200 yards and closer with a RDS. With my pistols I focus on 10 yards but always make time for the steel plates at 25 & 35 yards. Iv been focusing on shooting quickly with at least 2 targets and transitioning between the two. Half the range officers know me pretty well and allow me to do triple taps as long as I give them plenty of time between sets. I'm definitely quicker with my irons. There's no doubt in my mind that people who can adapt the whole spectrum of using a RDS is a Advantage / Better. I can't seem to retain the whole spectrum.
I love the taste of my own foot, I'm probably gonna mount a Holosun on the CZ 😂
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