Massad Ayoob - Red Dot Sights on Carry Guns? Pros and Cons of Carry Optics - Critical Mas EP46

[@gowilsoncombat]

What is your opinion? Should a carry gun have a red dot?

[@762x69]

For me yes but be prepared if you seriously EDC all day to go through batteries like no one's business.

[@Lutz101]

*KIS principle* For defensive use I would say they are more trouble than they are worth, as are white lights and lasers, as they violate the KIS principle. If you are using Jim Cirillo's coarse-aim shooting technique (point shooting) the sights are just a training aid and will not be used in a close range defensive encounter when you are focused on the target, not trying to find the irons or a red dot (which could be out of alignment, broken, have a flat battery, or have a window that is cracked or covered in dirt, mud, wet sand, dust, water or condensation that also stops you using your irons). I find that once I have shot a pistol enough using the sights only slows me down, so why slow down and try to find the sights that could be non-functional when I have a split second to save a life? A handgun is not a rifle so should not be treated as such.

[@bsmithhammer]

I see no downside, and numerous upsides, assuming one puts the time in and trains accordingly. Too many people try to use a dot once or twice at the range, struggle with it, and then consider themselves some sort of authority on how dots are for the range but in the real world, iron sights are better." No, you just haven't put the time in to learn a new (and in many ways superior) sighting system.

[@66smithra]

@@bsmithhammer They make the gun bigger, they make the gun more fragile, they have glass that can shatter, they have chinese circuit boards that can fritz out, they need to be checked to make sure the batteries aren't dead, the sighting point gets lost during recoil. Those are a bunch of downsides just off the top of my head.

[@bsmithhammer]

@@66smithra Have you personally experienced a modern, quality optic failing on you? Have you experienced a dead battery, and if so, how regularly do you swap them out? Curious to hear if these are personal experiences you've had, or are you just repeating common speculative arguments. "The sighting point gets lost during recoil?!?" Ok, that's truly ridiculous. That is no more true than it is with a front iron sight, unless you are inexperienced.

[@kathobza4925]

Mr. Ayoob, I am Andy Cannon's eldest daughter, Kat Cannon Hobza. I remember all the articles you wrote about Dad's work, I have several of them framed :) It's so nice to hear Dad's name mentioned still in the gun world -- if I have one regret in life, it is that I never had Dad teach me how to pistol-smith! (He did teach me how to shoot competitively, however!!) My sisters and I miss Dad a lot, and it's nice that his skill and legacy are remembered!

[@59gaperry]

Hi Kat. I never met your dad, but read about him many times in Mas's articles, and regret I never had a chance to have him work on my guns. Really cool to see your post here, as I am a father of daughters myself.

[@kathobza4925]

@@59gaperry Thank you for your comment! Dad has been gone for 17 years now, it's so nice to know how his name and work lives on!!

[@boogaboogaboogaable]

Kat, I was too young and too broke to afford any custom guns but I would have given my eye teeth for one of your dad's guns! He is definitely remembered. Thanks for sharing your content.

[@jimmydesouza4375]

Wait, you have a double barrel surname instead of forcing your husband to take the surname Cannon? Who wouldn't want their surname to be Cannon?

[@ScottCooper136]

My grandfather had a custom S&W from your father and now I own it. It is still a tack driver and it holds very fond memories for me, as it was the first pistol I ever shot. The fact that it was with my grandpa is just icing!

[@scottgauley7722]

My father is an older man in his 70's, and a red dot sight really helps him out while aiming his pistol. As a younger whipper snapper myself, I prefer the old iron sights.

[@DavidLLambertmobile]

Nash Bridges, Don Johnson used a rear optic on his pistol in the recent USA tv movie. He ran around SF with it. 😎

[@KidFromQueens]

Follow n pops foot steps! Red dots for the W!

[@MRsolidcolor]

irons are not naturel for human combat. we fight threat focus.. irons fight that instinct to look at the target, RDS lets you do that while you just move the dot into the line of sight...

[@omardevonlittle3817]

What are you gunna do in low light/darkness?

[@Big_Floyd]

@@omardevonlittle3817 flashlight

[@TheTruthis5285]

After shooting iron sight for over 40 years, 30 of those years with both iron sights on my duty pistol and later my duty AR15, I finally had to go to a red dot (green in my case) optics on both because of my diminished eye sight. WHAT A GAME CHANGER!! Definitely a learning curve for us old dogs, but well worth the time and effort. Thank you for the video Sir!!

[@ScrappyXFL]

That's what I've heard from others, as your eyesight goes dots help out. I'm used to irons on M1 down to my Taurus "church gun". Only my A-bolt w/BOSS is the only thing I run optics on. 😂 The only one I'd take a shot on 4" steel at 1000y. The rest mostly come down to muscle memory at the ranges I'd be using them, I shoot with both eyes open till about 25y on pistols and 50-100y on rifles. Since I'm catching up to you, I may have a new learning curve coming 😢🤣

[@Daddy53751]

As another “old guy” with decades under his belt of duty and service irons and now with old eyes, I found the learning curve to be almost zero! I found that by simply presenting exactly the same as I’ve done a million times, bingo! There she is. Game changer for sure!

[@GodGunsGills]

​@Daddy53751 yeah, there's really no learning curve at all for most

[@sgtjrr9771]

25 year LEO & Firearms Instructor, I remain intrigued by RDS but not convinced… you fellas push me a little closer to being convinced… lol

[@Daddy53751]

@@sgtjrr9771 when you finally “pull the trigger” and get one, you’ll wonder why you waited so long.😂(I did) On my next one, I will say I’ll get a closed emitter. For no other reason than they are offering them at livable prices nowadays.

[@fafniricingdeath]

Massad I love your channel. I would never use an optic on a handgun. My opinion comes from 5 years working as a private contractor for the US government. I worked the border of Mexico to the near tip of Tierra del Fuego. I have been in dozens and dozens of gunfights, more than Id care to admit. I have personally seen two men killed on seperate occasions using optics on their pistols. Both times they went dry on their primary and had to resort to their backup handgun. One gentleman was wounded and blood covered his optic and he was killed trying to wipe it off. The second had his optic lens cracked by shrapnel from stucco bursting from a building hit with automatic fire. In a gunfight with automatic weapons I cannot describe how much shrapnel is flying around, its everywhere. He was last seen trying to knock the optic off on a windowsill. Optics are fine if your aging and have tired eyes and/or in competition. They make you look like a pro on the range. But in the field Im a hard no on optics and personally would never use one. Far too many unseen forces can cause those things to fail. Practice with iron sights you find best to acquire the target and then practice some more. Thats my humble opinion Massad. I love your channel and wish you and all viewers well.

[@JasonGage]

I totally agree 👍

[@edraid]

Very good points that I never thought of. Thank you for sharing. I carry a red dot that cowitness with Iron and practice mostly iron. Never thought of an obstruction as you mentioned.

[@fitztragic2405]

Sure bud lmao

[@Nnip9]

Wow! Great post. I'll bet Massad is still smiling and nodding.

[@bigdaddyslick4961]

Navy seals disagree

[@bobwampler3387]

Different strokes for different folks as we used to say. I love red dots on rifles, but I’m not there yet on handguns. Mas is awesome and truly a 2A treasure. Thank you for having him on this channel.

[@Skank_and_Gutterboy]

Yep, and I found some of the reasons given in the comments section ridiculous. If I'm in a shooting situation at my house or out on the town, I'm not planning on going out into a forest or urban area at night (or in the daytime) to hunt somebody down. That's no longer self-defense, that's going on offense. The legal risk is way too high.

[@copper-tc6un]

Retired 20 year California LEO, L.E. POST Certified Firearms Instructor /Range master. Our department was the first law enforcement agency in California to equip our duty pistols with laser grip units. This was in 1997. I still carry my pistol with a modern light/laser combo. I've been thinking of getting a red dot sight for them, but haven't done so yet. Great breakdown and insight, as usual.

[@jamesvaughan3871]

I’m almost 52. I won a gun raffle back in December and I decided to get a couple of pistols with a red dot and suppressor iron sights. After acclimating myself to the new system I must say I absolutely love them. Yes I still draw the same way and I look for the front sight. I have found that if you set the brightness of the red dot to the appropriate amount of ambient lighting, brighter in the daytime, the red dot will pop into your vision before your iron sight is fully on target. Also to keep the lenses from fogging I just rub plain unscented barbersol shaving cream on the lenses then buff off with a camera cloth. The shave cream works well on motorcycle helmets with face shields too:)

[@JC-em4tx]

couldn't help but think of Jurassic park. haha

[@ronhagelstein5701]

I'm one of those Old Farts and my new Sig P320 shoots like a dream right out of the box with the red dot. Love It

[@RodneyGordon-t3n]

As a retired Range master/armorer for a southern California sheriff's department I have ( for years now ) enjoyed your expertise. Recently I have observed my ex department changing over to red dot sights on their duty Glocks which for the most part mild conditions is a very good match in mt humble opinion. I however have moved out of that state to one where the firearms mentality is not so restrictive and am finding the carry red dot sights great for my seventy six years as a proud American - thank you again for your expertise and thanks to Wilson Combat for sponsoring your series .

[@Griever0121]

Carried with an RMR for 3 years. Last month I took off my red dot and returned to the irons. Got a G19 slide and RMR to sell now.

[@c-jam6392]

How come? I’m back and forth on milling my Glock for one

[@armeddiver]

I am an old guy, who started in law enforcement with an S&W Mdl 10, back when speed loaders were the new technology, and our total loadout was 18 rds. I now carry a Red Dot on all my carry guns, [but] they all have backup irons and I train with both. I will not carry any gun with a red or green dot alone. I have had the dot sight fail on me right when I needed it. There was no, “hold on I have to change the battery.” My first failure was right in the middle of a LE qualification and the other was during a timed shoot - don’t shoot qualification. In both cases I qualified, but only because I had backup irons to go too. As for anti-fog I have had good luck with BreakThrough anti-fog. I am 68 with severe astigmatism. In low light I have to really turn down the power on the dot to keep from seeing multiple circles that obscure the target. Also, for me I have to keep both eyes open, which greatly reduces eye strain and really helps me get sight on target. For anyone that really wants to carry a red dot, I highly recommend training with Scott Jedlinski, Modern Samurai Project. In my opinion MSP is the best training you can get if you are going to carry a red dot.

[@Valorius]

Red dots are lots of fun, and great for making impressive long range shots on my yt shooting channel, but I do not use one on my carry gun.

[@CitizenCarrier]

I never thought I would switch to an optic. Never saw the need since I am very proficient with my irons. Until it got increasing harder to see my irons. I could still shoot fine with irons, but I noticed an ever so slight increase in time from draw to a good sight picture. Then I bough a Walther PDP and put a Holosun SCS green dot made for the PDP cut on it. After considerable training and practice, I haven!t looked back. About a year in and roughly 4,000 rounds at the range it has held up perfectly. The technology is getting MUCH better and they seem to be more reliable than optics of the past.

[@Rico-uv5ew]

I recently got a Sig 365xl with Remeo zero. Did I mention I'm 69 years old. Never had any red dot experience. This was also my first striker fired handgun. I hated both the gun and site. I was spraying bullets all over the target. But after some practice things got better. Had to train for better trigger control and shoot with both eyes open. My groups tighted up considerably. Finally switched grip module to the Wilson combat frame on the 365 Wow, what a difference. I'm shooting better than I ever did with Iron sites. I now love the pistol and red dot. May consider a better red dot in the future but for now the Remeo zero will do. You have to train and burn ammo to get used to anything new. The downside is it is expensive but necessary.

[@nighthawkron]

I love the Old Fart reference since I'm one of them. But honestly I'm quickly becoming a believer, especially since it works very well with my astigmatism. Thanks for the perspective and your views on this subject it's much appreciated.

[@carminemurray6624]

@nighthawkron • That is quite true, as I get older I may change from my customary cap & ball Revolver. 😇

[@nighthawkron]

@@LastTrump7 For the Shield Plus (same slide as the equalizer) i use a Riton Mprd 2. It's shake awake, auto brightness, 2 Moa dot, it's a pretty good sight. If there were one thing I'd change it would be adjustable brightness, it sometimes is a little too intense and appears to look like a star rather than a dot.

[@damiangrouse4564]

@@nighthawkron the astigmatism you mentioned is the cause of the "Star" and the reason why lowering the brightness helps. what that red dot is helping you with is Presbyopia...I didn't change to illuminated (red/green dots) rifle sights till Prism scopes became available.

[@Jameskenomis3]

90% of KZbinrs who talk about guns …I could care less about their opinion. This guy is definitely one that I do.

[@frankdamsy9715]

I've personally carried with a dot for a couple years now. I find they work great personally, but I understand why some people would be hesitant about using them.

[@Nobody-11B]

New vs old, metal vs polymer. I got one and I'm happy with it.

[@billfisher6708]

You are definitely correct about younger, newer pistol shooters picking up dots quicker than us older folks. I am a 76 year old Vietnam veteran and fairly recently mounted a Holosun 507K-GR X2 green dot optic on my Sig P365XL (I also put a Wilson Combat grip module on it and love it). It has taken me a lot of practice, both by live and dry fire, to become effective using it. A couple of weeks ago I took my 14 year old Grandson out to my gun club to do some .22LR rifle shooting and as we were about ready to leave I decided to stop at one of our action ranges with a steel plate setup and do a few practice runs on the plates with my P365. I saved the last four rounds and asked my Grandson, who had never shot a pistol at all if he would like to shoot a few rounds at the plates. Of course he eagerly accepted. I gave him some basic instruction on the P365 and the green dot, then stepped back and let him go at the plates. He quickly hit 3 plates out of 4 shots! On the way home he told me how much fun shooting the pistol was and that he would like to do a lot more pistol shooting. I was amazed at how fast and effective he picked up shooting a 9 mm pistol using the green dot!! And yes, I plan to spend a lot more time with him shooting pistols of various types and calibers.

[@lluvik2450]

Thats epic man. Wish i had the same with my grandad

[@attra91]

Andy was a great man. Helped me out a number of times as well as being a good friend. R.I.P. Andy.

[@pauldowning3996]

After several eye surgeries, they have relieved focus frustrations, and made shooting fun again.

[@01100101011100100111]

I loved the story about his cataracts preventing him from using red dots, and the quip about fireworks with cataracts being "awesome".

[@rogermurtaugh4766]

He was joking.

[@i2sky532]

I appreciated that story, too! And that explains my initial issues with red dot

[@mytquin7605]

a much better take on red dots compared to the previous one i saw. the fact that most pistols are now optic cut right from the factory speaks volumes.

[@MattiasTheMerc]

They’re just responding to the market. I’m not a dot guy myself, but it’s something that’s obviously becoming more popular. Hell I know a guy who only has dots on his pistols and has not backup irons

[@ColtCommander45]

As an older shooter, I find that a red dot is extremely useful. I did have to, and still do, train myself to pick up the dot quickly. Just like all tools, we have to learn how to use them properly.

[@facelesssman]

Hi Massad, I work for a major west coat Police Department as a Firearms instructor. We put on a lot of pistol Mounted Optic transition schools for our Officers…The Officer, or in the case of the civilian, Defensive shooter with training and repetition, is able to be Threat Centric, and illuminate the focal shift! This greatly helps in seeing the threats hands and positivity identifying shoot and no-shoot situations. Back up sites are still a must… and until the shooter is used to the Red Dot acquisition through repetition, the shooter can use what the know (front site/equal height equal light) to get to what they need…. Stay Safe!!👊🏻👊🏻🇺🇸

[@Goldenwithaleash]

Solid points. I have red dots on most of my carry guns and still can’t say they’re totally worth it for concealed carry. For duty or competition pistols, I’m more pro red dot. I can say (for me) that when things get “dynamic” is where dots shine. I recently took a advanced pistol class and I was a bit slower with the dot from within 10 yards where neither the target or myself were moving. However, when we started to move, shoot from awkward positions, or shots beyond 10 yards, the dot was a big help.

[@danieldurette1641]

Hello, I just got a canik rival with red dot. I’m 64 years old and I’m a veteran. I just started shooting steel plate competition. I can shoot well but speed is not my forte. I tried another person’s gun with red dot and I can shoot more consistently with it. That’s why I bought one. The canik rivals have great reviews on KZbin and great for the money. As far as what you said about foggy lens, rain and battery life I don’t think it’s a good idea. But, only time will tell if problems arise. I work in the city garage and I talk to a lot of officers about it because they just got new guns with red dot and most love it because they can shoot more accurately. Thank you for making this video. I hope you’re doing well and hope you have a great Christmas. Take care and stay safe.

[@ASPextra]

Good discussion, Mas! Always appreciate your level-headed and fair approach.

[@Chevy_Gang_]

Love your work at ASP and ASPextra especially the podcasts, great to hear from someone who has lived through it then just someone telling someone else’s story.

[@gowilsoncombat]

Thanks for listening

[@MrScott3060]

I never used a red dot until recently I purchased the Holosun scs green dot and I'll never go back to iron sights again!! Its easy and faster to get on target and accurate. No need for night sights. I love it and I'm 62 years old.

[@sisleymichael]

I have always had a non-prescriptive approach in life, and I spent 28yrs in the Army. How can that be? Surely you are a lockstep guy Mike. NO! Everyone is an individual. What motivates one may not motivate another. Let us go to firearms. Sure, we trained to standards, but I always looked at the guys who were really good shots and darn it, several of them had variations in positions, whatever, just doing it their way. I NEVER messed with them, given the fundamentals were present. I remained results oriented. I had a kid that did not want the ACOG. He shot expert time and time again with open sights. He grew up shooting open sights and had better than average eyesight and was a natural. Give him more reins, an old Texas term for let the horse do what the horse does. Those guys are not the "average". The Army was designed for average folks. Myself? On my personal carry gun, I am not adding an optic. I have a laser in my grip and iron sights. That works for me. We all face Mother Nature and Father Time in our WWE match called life and at anytime one of them can come and piledrive you from the turnbuckle. I spent a good 2 years trying, very hard, even seeking professional instruction twice with different people, to do the red dot. Rounds, time, effort, I wanted it to work. I realized it was not to be. With the laser and irons, I have no issues. My shooting is decent. You are an individual. You decide what fits you. I can tell you wear this boot because I said so, or you can figure out what boot works for your foot, the width, the length, arch support yes or no, etc. Only you can determine that. I would say if a dot works for you use it. For the guys who like the iron sight, yes, use them. At the end of the day, we all have to be honest with only one person for this question: do you feel ready right now to place your life on the line with your system? If you are sure, rest easy. If not, get to work and fix it.

[@DavidLLambertmobile]

I'm 52 & saw many "fads" gimmick stuff; 1980s 1990s 2000s. Mostly ammunition & add-ons. CT lasergrips were popular for around 10yr. Then 1913-rails came out, then newer, more robust 🔦 rolled out. As did night sights & "fiber optics" 😏. The 9x19mm rose & fell(hard) then rose again 📈. Optics are fine but I'm in no major rush to slap down $400-700.00 for rear pistol optics.

[@davidslesinski4761]

Just giving you a 👍for a well written comment.

[@Dont_Tread_On_Me]

​@@DavidLLambertmobileget a holosun for $300

[@thereloadingcraft]

Well said, Mike!

[@brick2392]

@@Dont_Tread_On_Me I just did and I’ll never go back lol Since getting an optic with my compensator my shooting has improved twice as much

[@7633J]

I think you make an excellent point about what you are used to. When I test drove my Mercedes I keep looking back behind me. The sales guy said sir you have a backup camera. Yeah I know, but I was so accustomed to looking for myself. That's my feelings on red dot. I do believe they have their place, but I enjoy iron sites.

[@gowilsoncombat]

Thanks for sharing!

[@ptortland]

I'm 63 with severe astigmatism (as well as the presbyopia that comes with age!). Adding a green dot optic to my pistols and AR's was a game changer. But it DID take time to make the transition from iron sights. And all of my guns have iron sights that co-witness with the green dot, just in case!

[@f.schmid468]

Does the green dot work better with astigmatism? I got some astigmatism that really annoys me when I tried using a red version red dot

[@ptortland]

@@f.schmid468 Yes, I’ve found the green reticle much easier to see than the red, both indoors and outdoors. For me, in addition there seems to be less “blooming” of the dot with the green vs the red

[@f.schmid468]

@@ptortland Thank you a lot for answering! I will definitely go test that out! Amazing, have a good day:)

[@ptortland]

@@f.schmid468 Let me know what you think / what your experience is!

[@Stephen-wb3wf]

Love to see an older wiser man not disregard the new tech out of hand even though I'm not a fan of them personally. He has a very objective view to it which is a sign of great intelligence.

[@351CJ]

Awesome video and info. Love listening to Massad, one of the true great mentors of the gun craft

[@omardevonlittle3817]

Hes rinsed. Boomer. Fudd. Weve been using the same red dot tech on rifles for decades... its not complicated. Its a better way of aiming. He wouldnt say we need to wait and see if our carbine reddot batteries die in the cold or that theyre jus as effective as irons.

[@PaulDo22]

@@omardevonlittle3817 🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡

[@omardevonlittle3817]

@@PaulDo22 the truth hurts huh old man? They used red dots in Nam lol. Gotta vet em for another 50 years. Not sure if good

[@MRsolidcolor]

if you are having issues with finding the dot. the best way i have found is squeezing the pinkies. it puts the dot center!! RDS are the real deal

[@jemulz12]

Quicker site acquisition and being able to focus on the target were good enough reasons for me to switch to red dots. Just make sure you buy a quality one that will be durable. If you're going to cheap out on a red dot, you should probably stick with your irons.

[@eddiearchuleta615]

Perfectly said

[@thecocooreo]

Very well said James!

[@Lucas12v]

You can target focus with irons as well. Works even better with a dot though.

[@michaels5210]

Cheap pistol dots are only good if you’re not sure about them and want to try it out. But honestly if budget is a problem, I’m a slut for Holosun. Their EPS is fantastic. They’re also pretty damn durable from the tests I’ve seen done.

[@jemulz12]

@@michaels5210 Holosun's are great tbh! Perfect for people who want to try our reddots but want something that doesn't sacrifice quality.

[@cheeng1]

as a young, old man (50) I absolutely love Massad's perspective and comments on getting old.

[@dmanderson01]

Personally I think there is a place for both. Just as I have different weapons I carry for differing occasions. Definitely have to put in the time for using a red or green dot. If I’m at church or somewhere I might need a longer shot,I carry the dot. Thanks for all the great videos and as for some of the detractors in these comments, wow. Lol

[@andershilmo1866]

Great comment sir. I have some guns without optics. Putting several red dots on my two main carry guns I want a dot for longer shots to. Some of us do need that option.

[@jimsember3528]

I do the same. Carry a gun with a dot if I'm going to be in a crowded place like Church. Carry a gun with irons for other circumstances like cold weather.

[@robertsims9201]

Trijicon rmr type 2s are rugged in extreme weather.

[@mikehhedt]

Wow!! That’s awesome. Never thought about it like this! 😂 you gotta “dress” for the occasion

[@nancyoffenhiser4916]

Well, You have an abundance of common sense, and I like it!

[@carminemurray6624]

Mas Ayoob is the best source of personal defense information. My Father God rest his soul, was always a great Fan of Mas, and would show Me an article or quote something, I am in tears 😢 now remembering My Father and how much He admired Mas.

[@Urban_Tarzan]

I started having trouble with my eyes as I got older and it really impacted my ability to aquire and align iron sights. My accuracy was going south fast and the time it took to squeeze off a shot was going north. I decided to give a red dot a try. I knew from the first shot that the red dot was my answer. It did take a bit to get used to it but "seeing" how accurate I could be with it and being able to shoot like I used to gave me the incentive to put in the reps. I don't think about it anymore , the gun comes up and the dot is there! I have suppressor height irons on it too just in case. Us old guys don't trust technology as much as we trust good ol steel !

[@johnnyh3653]

I've been having trouble with my eyesight as I age as well. I can see clearly to arms length but past that, things get quite blurry. Since most of life happens past arms length, I wear glasses to see distance. Once the glasses are on, the iron sights are a blurry mess and therefore unusable. The red dot allows me to see the target and the dot with my glasses on! If my glasses should get knocked off, that's okay because my irons now become crystal clear.

[@JO-li8rq]

Practice Practice and practice. The whole gun world, especially concealed carry is pros and cons give and take. My comment on rain is this ... I've been using a couple dots for 4 t 5 yrs now. I have found in the rain that turning the brightness up all the way works. With water all over the glass you can pick out the brightest dot and be on target. Take a couple hundred rnds to the range during an absolute downpoor and find what works best . It's not as bad as most would have you believe. Great video btw

[@lastminuteman]

I’m 39 years young and I’ve been trained with iron sights since I was eight… I wouldn’t say I’m old, but I am a fan of traditional sights. Just works best for me… Great video 👍

[@jerrydonquixote5927]

53 same here!

[@JMJ3rd]

I'm 66 and I transitioned to RDSs on my handgun about 3 years ago. I was using them on my rifles at 32~45° along side an LPVO. After sticking out the learning curve, with the handgun, I really like them.

[@rachel81962]

I just started swapping over to the red dot. I’m 65 and it definitely helps me. But like you say there is a learning curve. I am using the backup sights

[@scottsawyer1218]

59 yrs old I've been using for 45 yrs tried the red dot i personally couldn't make the switch to red dot but to each his own what ever works for you go with it.

[@jamessuperits1269]

I'm old so it's iron sights for me and i still wheel gun it with my back up G45 9m

[@hotuish]

I have trained my whole life on iron sights (46 yrs old, Marines). As of 3 months ago I started carrying with a red dot. And to find the dot I still need to align my iron sights first. Not every time, but it’s guaranteed when I do.

[@earldelsanto]

This man knows his stuff. Period.

[@michaelslisher4652]

Old guy here, pushin' 70. I've been shooting handguns since I was 18, so 50+ years. 1.5 years ago I bought my first RDS and put it on a Hellcat OSP. I now have three carry guns with red dots. I think I'm still better with irons but I'm working hard to improve on using the optics. Good video, and I like that Mas points out both the pros and the cons of them.

[@garygriffiths6998]

Excellent analysis, as always! At 74, my eyesight isn't what it once was, and I find it difficult to view the front sight and target sharply enough to get a decent sight picture. All of my carry pistols now have a green dot sight AND a green laser. Using the laser gives me the ability to literally shoot from a low ready position and reliably hit the target center mass at 25 yds. I have three different green dot sights; a Holosun circle-dot on my Springfield XDM, which gives me a large circle to quickly acquire the dot when presenting the weapon; a Primary Arms/Holosun on my CZ P01, which uses an even larger circle to allow you to quickly acquire the targeting chevron, and a Swampfox Sentinel on my Springfield Hellcat, which has only a 3-MOA center dot, but which partially co-witnesses with the original sights which makes for quicker sight acquisition. Cannot emphasize enough: Practice, practice, practice presenting your weapon so that you naturally are in position to see the dot, and keep focused on the target, looking through the dot sight or at the laser beam, to see whether your opponent is drawing a weapon or a cell phone. 👍👍👍

[@applestienwilocox6381]

What's crazy is at 74 you use the 3 same pistols id use.. lol I can't afford a nice cz pistol but I got a nice EAA witness I came up on cz clone, I have a xdm9 and a HS2000 (basically a xd9) and the hellcat is a little out of the budget but I got a wannabe hellcat (xds9)

[@Au60schild]

For those who took Spanish instead of French, "raison d'etre" is French for "reason for being". It's often sprinkled in analytical writings as well as in common conversation, an English appropriation of a common French saying. Thanks again Mas.

[@jakethebard]

I started using a green dot on my EDC around six months ago and I really love it! I've been shooting for about 25 years, and pistol shooting for about 15 years and it really has been an awesome addition to my pistol shooting technique. I will totally agree that the learning curve can be a steep one if you have been shooting with irons for a long time. I was really struggling to get mine zeroed when I first installed it on my EDC, but once I wrapped my head around that task, I had it shooting right where I wanted very easily. The thing that I was struggling with was figuring out the parallax (even high end dots have some parallax). It definitely took me some time to get used to having the irons in a different sight picture than normal. Now, I can transition between my dot and my irons easily without thinking about it. Now, it can be very expensive to try it out. A lot of slides don't come pre-cut to accept a dot, and getting them milled can be pricey. You also have the cost of any adapter plates, and the dot itself to contend with. I would suggest seeing if a friend has one that you can test drive, or see if any ranges have dots installed on their rentals. That way, you're not making a larger financial commitment on something you might not like. TLDR is this. My recommendation is to definitely give it a solid try, even if you aren't entirely sold on the idea. You might just be surprised at how well you shoot with it. Also, practice, practice, practice. This is even true if you are using irons. If you put the time and effort in, I think you'll really enjoy the end result. For those curious, my EDC is a Kimber R7 Mako with the Holosun 507K. It's a great combination and I love carrying it every day.

[@johnroseman9087]

Hi Mas: Just found you channel. It was a good find. I just bought a Springfield Arms XDS Mod 2, 9mm with a Crimson Trace Red Dot and 5 mags for $425. I couldn't pass that up. I'm 68 and had one cataract done waiting for the other. I use a contact lens for the other eye. So your vid was informative and gave me a sense of patience. I liked the side of the chin resting on your arm. That was something, nobody ever taught me. I have been a golfer since the age of 10-12 yo. My first lesson was the proper grip. It is the only part of your body that touches the club. Your club is an extension of your hand. Aside from weapon saftey, proper grip is first and foremost. The second lesson was the proper stance. Where you stand with your feet, hips and shoulders is where you hit the ball. If someone would've taught me these concepts, I would be further along. Some teachers are knowledgeable about subject matter but don't know how to get their point across. Thank you! ✌️❤️

[@johnouellet4099]

Tried red dots and three different pistols, and didn’t like them. I think it’s a solution in search of a problem. Generally most people are not much faster at finding the site and when it comes to combat shooting I think it’s very little game for a lot of potential problems. The red dot on one of my cherry guns fogged up daily and every time I took it out of the holster I had to clean the red dot off if I needed it to depend on my life. I would’ve been in a lot of trouble.

[@musicman1eanda]

I'd highly recommend taking a red dot course with Scott Jedlinski. It was an eye opener for me as it is for just about everyone who takes his course.

[@0Snare0Affair0]

Some idiot hasn’t heard of closed-emitters, obviously.

[@Asghaad]

uhh problems with irons are known and pretty serious ... main one being threat focus which either makes you lose focus on actual threat by focusing on the sights OR lose sight picture if not focusing on sights... especially since natural reaction for high stress situation is threat focus ... if you think speed is the goal of RDS then you didnt understand what its for ... red dots dont give you speed, they give you ACCURACY you simply cant get with irons and ability to look at what you are shooting at instead of squinting at irons. it also helps that RDS forces people to keep both eyes open, because i have seen far too many people close one eye when trying to shoot with irons which is BAD habit...

[@johnm3659]

I came to the same conclusion you did. I have owned an RMR, Deltapoint, ACRO P1 and several Holosuns (open and enclosed emitters) and I trained with all of them to the point of proficiency. They have been mostly mounted on Glocks via their MOS system with Forward Control plates and I have had several slides milled. My carry gun was a Sig P365XL with a Holosun 507k direct mounted. After several years, a few thousand dollars and thousands of rounds in training, I went back to iron sights on all of my pistols. I found that I was just as fast and accurate with irons out to about 15 yards. The benefits of a red dot were definitely noticeable past 15 yards but statistically I will likely never encounter a self defense shooting farther than that. Ken Hackathorn had a great point from a recent video about red dots where he insisted that you train for probabilities rather than possibilities. Red dots make a lot of sense for law enforcement or military applications but I don't think the red dot is going to be the deciding factor in the outcome of a self defense shooting for your average citizen.

[@Asghaad]

@@johnm3659 if you train for "probabilities" and not "possibilities" then you DONT NEED A GUN ... because PROBABILITY that you will ever need it is so miniscule that its statistically pointless ... but guess what, we do carry because we want to be ready for POSSIBILITY that we will need to defend someones life however NOT PROBABLE it is that it will happen ... ill say it again, go ask Eli Dickens if he ever though he will have to take shots at 40 yards ... but guess what, he had to.

[@georgeidpa]

I shot a IDPA match on the same squat as Mr Ayoob several years ago at the Carolina Cup. He was so down to earth. I really respected him as a person & he was a really good shot.

[@charlesharper7292]

I'm 65 and got my first red dot. A Leupold pro point on a Walther PDP compact 5. Definitely a learning experience. I have no access to training for this sight and am going through exactly what you talk about here. This video has been more helpful than anything so far. I do need to find some iron sights that will co witness with the red dot. I tend to put Tru GLO on all my pistols except for the Walther. I am eager to get trained on the red dot so I can carry the Walther. Thanks for the video, and Merry Christmas to you and yours.

[@jessicagrecco5813]

Massad you are just the greatest human being ever I just got a green laser put on my Ruger 5450 for accuracy in shooting you are the world’s greatest instructor you know everything

[@zxrider9246]

I use to shoot with open sights and have also competed with open sights. Today I have eye damage and the red dot helps. I practice at home learning to locate the red dot, on the range I use the red dot exclusively now. It helps greatly in my accuracy.

[@coryjanko]

Frankly, I run both, comfortably. I will add, that I run my RDS with a WML, particularly in the months with less daylight. I forget when it was, but I met Mr Ayoob some years ago in North Carolina. His “command presence” was no less than what I had heard and read about beforehand. Respect given was equally returned. Some of these younger instructors and “gun celebrities” could learn a bit from him and those like him. God bless and Merry Christmas.

[@snowman3219]

Depends on the day and the situation. I use both. As my eyes age I find myself preferring the red dot.

[@johnnyh3653]

@@LastTrump7 I have Trijicon RMR's on my M&P 9mm compacts and they are great. If I were you, I'd either get the RMRcc (it's for smaller pistols) or the Holosun 507K. Either will serve you well and they are both well vetted.

[@snowman3219]

@@LastTrump7 Holosun 507 is what I use.

[@djkak5320]

This channel’s content is awesome! I’ve watched Ken’s Red dot video and the rebuttal from John Correia. In the comments of John’s video there was a remark that stated, “If you can see your sights, you’ve already been shot”. The stats appear to say that in a self defense gunfight you have a few seconds to assess and respond with your firearm. I don’t own that experience, and God willing I never will, so my perspective is limited. My sense is that if the person commenting was sharing an experience that they owned, then when you’ve been ambushed, and are able to find an opportunity to access your weapon and respond to the threat, milliseconds are the measure of time in that scenario. When your eyes lock on to a point on the threat, and give the go signal, the instant the muzzle clears your body the trigger timing must begin; the sights are irrelevant, it’s all muscle memory and body mechanics at this point. If your training has been focused on a static firearm, target and sight picture, you may need more time to pull off a successful response.

[@RockinRack]

That is my train of thought exactly. I practice muscle memory and try to ignore my sights. Have found that a bright front sight helps once the gun gets jumping I just keep the front sight vertical with my target. If you can't mag dump a torso target at at least 10y with no sights then you are practicing wrong imo. Everyone thinks they are a bad ass gun slinger till the heat is on. Police practice all the time and still hit only 20% of their shots. Many interviews I have seen have said the same thing, when the shit hits the fan you are just shooting of instinct. You can't ask the bad guy to hold still while you line up on his head lol

[@mikeyob4271]

Thank you Mas. Happy holidays to you and your family.

[@skykingOH58]

I am a big game hunter using scoped rifles and my transition to red dot pistol mount was easy and it improved my old eye sight acquisition of the targets.

[@JohnDoe-qw4gc]

I'm a Fudd who just went red dot recently, and I gotta say they're awesome. I'm still not exactly sure how they'd work without irons because I use my front sight to orient against the dot. But yes, my accuracy has improved. There's definitely a brightness, though, where it blooms out with my old eyes.

[@seanroberts381]

Have you tried a green dot? It's supposed to help with Astigmatism.

[@tomtucker8863]

I'm 79. I shot IPSC for years WITH optical sights. Now I can't see open sights any longer, so I carry an optically sighted SIG. I love it. You don't have to be young to get it.

[@chrisb9478]

I’m a 28yr police ofc, Firearms Instructor & Idpa master class shooter. I switched to all red dots on all my pistols 3yrs ago. I use Holosun & Swampfox. The advantages to me clearly outweigh any negatives. You can see so much more of what’s going on, you get to stay target focused with both eyes open, makes far shots easier, helps aging eyes & they’re great in low light. You do have to use the correct threadlocker on the screws & use an in/lbs torque wrench. You do need to set a battery schedule. The good ones only need 1 battery/year anyway. I used scopes & red dots on hunting & patrol rifles for years, so what’s the problem? Some people don’t like change. It took time to get used to the target focus shooting & consistently finding the dot. You do have to practice. But now I don’t think about it. The dot just appears where I’m looking & point the gun.

[@66smithra]

The “problems:” they make no difference at combat ranges. May even be slower for some. They make the gun bigger. Abs harder to conceal. They fog and may not work great in rain. You need to hack up your gun to put one on. You can’t forget to change batteries. They run on a Chinese circuit board. There are others. I like simple pieces of steel that will never fail for a SD gun. Those are all the reasons why red dots aren’t used by millions of people.

[@chrisb9478]

@@66smithra Hmm, so far, after thousands of rounds, I’ve had no fogging, loose optics or dead batteries. To each his own, if you only like irons that’s fine.

[@66smithra]

@@chrisb9478 agreed. Just saying that there ARE problems with them that don’t exist with irons. I have no problems hitting with irons out to 20 yards so I have no need to introduce more complexity and points of failure. You may disagree, but these are logical, valid reasons why many will never use optics on their carry gun.

[@Asghaad]

@@66smithra 1. they make HUGE difference at any range as tehy allow you to focus on the target instead of squinting at the front sight 2. they make no difference for concealability ... for CC the GRIP is what makes the gun "print" not small piece of metal tucked at the edge of your belt and holster 3. they dont fog if treated properly and if you are super concerned about it there are fully enclosed units that work in any condition 4. current "go-to" brands have all +- 5 years battery life ... and thats without motion sensing tech or solar panel secondary source ... change battery once a year and you are going to be just fine 5. 95% of stuff anyone uses is "made in china" and frankly there is significant part of those 5% left that are WORSE quality xD Pick a brand that has reputation for quality product and it doesnt matter one bit where it was made, just how WELL its made ... 6. ah yes because simple piece of steel cant get bent or covered in mud and is sooo great in low light conditions ... guess what, you can have BOTH on your gun - i certainly do ...

[@66smithra]

@@Asghaad there’s no need for a red dot on an SD gun. Performance in practical shots at practical sd distances will be exactly the same unless you are older and have bad eyes. That’s the bottom line.

[@InAuOb]

I'm in my 60's - it takes me at least a second to get the front sight into focus. My Red Dot is a godsend. I wouldn't have needed it 20 years ago.

[@tommccormick9290]

I've thought if I'm in a shootout, %95 of the time, it would occur so fast and too close for me to use any sights but in about the other %5 ,where target is more distant and incident more drawn out, a red dot can give me an advantage.

[@WaterDR-tw8re]

BINGO!

[@drmitofit2673]

I currently use a non-optic sighting system when shooting handguns that works well with stress physiology when the sympathetic (fight or flight) nervous system kicks in. Both eyes open, isosceles (turret) stance, semi-crouch, focus on threat, target above sights, front sight above rear sights, sights in peripheral vision, allowing you to see the entire bad guy torso. The traditional target method of one eye open one eye squinting, semi-weaver, sights obscuring bottom half of torso target, carefully lining up the sights, and focusing on front sight is not how the human brain and body operate when the fight or flight adrenaline response kicks in. It becomes very natural and intuitive with moderate range practice, with very good rapid fire accuracy at combat handgun distances.

[@omarmejia8999]

I’ve been waiting for more of those comedic impressions, and you did not disappoint. 😂

[@58allendavis]

As always, sage advice. Much to my chagrin, I am now an old fart myself, complete with astigmatism AND cataracts that aren't quite ripe enough to have fixed surgically. You mention that you're getting fond of the green dot. Well, I learned with my very first AR-15 optic, a Vortex Strikefire II, that the green dot was the perfect solution for me. I don't get the oblong, blotchy disk with all the rays emanating in every direction and completely distracting me from proper focus. Since then, every optic I've purchased is a green dot. My preferred EDC pistol is the Smith & Wesson Equalizer with the Holosun 407K-GR X2 sight, and my marksmanship has seen a profound improvement. I was also both stunned and pleasantly surprised that you endorse the "dot acquisition" method I've used which is to use my jaw against my upper right arm. I get the dot on target now so much faster than I ever could with my Hi Power and its Hi Viz tritium "light pipe" sights. Thanks for a great video. I'd been wondering what your opinion of pistol optics has been for a long time.

[@swkohnle08]

Interesting video. For me, I’ll stick to iron sights as that is what I trained with and it is effective for me.

[@garymatney9344]

Do you like & use a red dot on your AR? If you do , case closed.

[@thecocooreo]

You should give the red dot a chance, once you train to it, they are unbelievably fast

[@RoadieWingZZ]

@@garymatney9344 …. Lol no. Not even close. Totally different use cases. Unconcealed weapon with 16” barrel radius for 50+yd vs concealed weapon with 3-6” for 3-10yd point and shoot scenarios. And You shouldn’t be relying on a red dot for an AR in a CQB setting either.

[@0Snare0Affair0]

@Keith Rabun ah, a ‘scene rip’/statistic person… statistics offer little comfort to the man that was just stuck by lightning. Homie compared an AR dot to a red dot on a pistol to stress how it still makes things easier, faster, and more accurately IF YOU KNOW HOW TO USE AND IMPROVE ON THAT ASPECT. Stop bringing bullshit ‘scenerio’ talk and agree where we are trying to agree: it’s the future, with the typical battery life being OVER 40,000 hrs, it’s easier to shoot and maintain a better target-focus since it’s a dot superimposed over the target vs 3 different focal-planes(rear, front, and target). Just stop and bite your fudd tongue, for the love of god.

[@0Snare0Affair0]

*scenario

[@wdussery5513]

I'm almost 65. Got my 1st red dot on my AR pistol a year ago. Recently acquired a P365XL with the factory Romeo. I'm hooked on them. Still use my iron to stay tuned, but transitioned well to the dot

[@Chevy_Gang_]

I personally carry a Canik TP9 SFX with a holosun 407c green dot. I absolutely love it I’ve only shot about 20 rounds with it on so far definitely need more practice with it. Most definitely will, just bought a 1000 rds of 124g 9mm on Black Friday. Btw love the videos, information and advice you give. It definitely would take me a lifetime to even learn some of the stuff Ik now compared to 10-15 years ago just by word of mouth and books.

[@Shadow__133]

Open or CC? That's is a big gun to carry, no?

[@jackoconnor9090]

When I got my Walther PDP full size, and I put a green dot on it, Walter simply said to find the dot squeeze your pinky that's holding the handle of the pistol and it'll come right into play. I used that and it definitely helped.

[@johnhawkins3507]

Damn best gun advice ever! It works!

[@alexwells8610]

As a person used to using iron sights and shoots rather well with them, I'll stick with em. When I worked in a gunshop, many of my coworkers were trying to get me in on the fad but I never got past using iron sights and never saw a need for an rds and I don't like the idea of depending on something that can fail when I would need it most.

[@0Snare0Affair0]

…. You understand iron sights can fail, too, yeah? Tell me you’re a stubborn fudd without telling me.

[@Full_Otto_Bismarck]

@@0Snare0Affair0 tell me you don't know the meaning of the word fudd without telling me

[@0Snare0Affair0]

@@Full_Otto_Bismarck Fudd (plural Fudds) (derogatory) A gun-owner who supports traditional hunting guns but favors gun control for other guns such as handguns or tactical rifles. …. Sir, where is the confusion? Traditional beliefs would fall into this, like ‘irons never fail’ or ‘red dots are a fad’

[@0Snare0Affair0]

AKA that’s something a fudd would say

[@Full_Otto_Bismarck]

@@0Snare0Affair0 It has nothing to do with what guns or accessories someone prefers, it's about supporting gun control based on the belief that only hunting is a legitimate use for firearms. Find something more productive than trolling the comments section.

[@adirondacker007]

My aiming technique puts my line of sight an inch to an inch and a half above my iron sights. When aiming, my sights are in my sight picture, but it's more that I am aware of them than actually using them, if that makes sense. The sights verify to me that my azimuth alignment is correct and give me a good idea of my elevation. I actually fire tighter groups using what I call "Sight Reference" sighting than I do with the conventional technique. The caveat here is that I have been a handgun shooter since about 1985, when I was a teenager. There was a considerable time period where I was firing 500 rounds per day with a Ruger Single-Six, a Ruger Blackhawk and a Ruger Mark II. This included a fair amount of hip shooting as well. I'm not pushing this technique on anyone, but it gets it done for me.

[@carlhansen8672]

I am 72 y.o. and a green dot optic has improved my shooting accuracy a lot. All my carry pistols now have optics.

[@mikepelosi9877]

Something I always state is that not all iron sights are created the same. A $150 iron sight upgrade can make all the difference. Second, the red dots made for carry pistols today can do-witness to the point where you can use both at the same time. It’s not a mutually exclusive decision to make. I find the red dot to be frustrating and then very awesome after I train with it. But overall I think both dots and sights can co-exist. The caveat being that, in most self defense situations for civilians, a red dot probably won’t help but it may not hurt either. It then becomes an added expense. So i guess it all depends on what your goal is.

[@RockinRack]

Co witness is useless if your dot is dirty or covered in blood. I love them but removed them from my edc for this reason. If you have a clean city lifestyle they might be ok but mine stays on my hip 24 7 and always found it almost unusable when I would pull it out for some fun or practice. But like I said I'm out here covered in mud and blood most of the time so my red dot was too haha

[@zachaument]

You continuously have the most reasonable and measured opinions of any content creator in this industry.

[@ryanlane4282]

The voice change killed me.

[@999Emergency24]

The old ways are not obsolete because they're old. I agree with every thing you have said. There is a place for new tech,but it must be tested and tried through experience,and fire. You are a combat, snd self defense sage.Keep up the Awe inspiring work, and insights.

[@DTreatz]

I'd put it on a SHTF pistol, but as far as everyday carry? It not really necessary, and here's my take: IF you're not a LEO, special operator or in a SHTF scenario, there's almost never going to be a a time where you're in a bad situation where you'll have adequate time to aim _that_ well with the red dot to make it count. I've seen enough Active Self Protection videos with gun defenders/offenders firing *AND* moving to know that you're probably not going to have time to aim _any_ pistol like you do at the range with a full presentation within defensive distances (less than 10 yards) I see Red dots definitely could benefit SpecOps, LEOs and SHTF survivors more than an everyday carry, but do what you want.

[@gary7seven120]

I want to say thank you for this video. I realize now there are many more things to consider when trying to decide if we want an optic or not. It's not going to be an easy decision.

[@pete8707]

My concerns include, the red-dot assembley getting caught on clothing when drawing; failing to turn on; not bright enough in daylight situation, etc.

[@bsmithhammer]

All of which are evidence that you don't have much experience with them. I've never once had a variety of red dots, on a variety of different pistols, get hung up on clothing when drawing from concealment. A beavertail, or a hammer, is more likely to snag. As for not being bright enough for daylight situations, you do know that you can adjust the brightness on just about any red dot, right? Just turn it up a few clicks before you leave the house in the morning, turn it down a few clicks in the evening - it's no big deal.

[@eddiearchuleta615]

Sorry those are non concerns if you get dust rated RDS and train

[@HotPinkMist]

I keep my RMR dot typically 1 click below max brightness which for me is bright enough for even the sunniest day. In lower light, you can still shoot with it but in the evenings if its darker I'll discreetly click down I more on the brightness. I like that with the RMR, the + and - buttons are on opposite sides of the housing which makes adjusting the brightness by feel thru clothing very easy.

[@dustbustr91]

lack of training though i dont bash anyone who just wants irons

[@M1911jln]

I’ve never had any problem with my red dot snagging. Dry practice will convince you it is a non-issue. My red dots are on all the time. There is no need for them to “turn on”. When I holster first thing, I check that my mags are full, I check that the chamber is charged, and I check that the dot is on. There is no worry about the dot being bright enough in daylight - turn it up bright and leave it. Change the battery once a year. Torque or properly and witness mark the screws. Seriously, you guys are overthinking this and worrying about issues that have long since been solved.

[@atlasfiresafety6718]

You are a smart man. I am 52. Just got my first dot. Gonna try it out. Sorry I don't hit the like button on all, But have watched you for years. Film, VHS, DVD now KZbin. Keep on trucking. You are a god.

[@jeffwallace957]

You can build a better mousetrap but I'm going to keep the cat. Love the new technology but I'll stick with iron sights on my carry gun. As always thank you and I wish you seasons greetings and a merry Christmas

[@jessegpresley]

Yeah who'd want a sighting system designed for a target focus?

[@Lucas12v]

@@jessegpresley I like red dots but i also shoot irons target focused so that argument doesn't matter for everyone.

[@66smithra]

@@jessegpresley as long as the battery isn’t dead, the glass is clean, the bolts didn’t come loose, etc. you guys make mountains out of molehills for shooting 10 yards or closer. You need a computer and Chinese circuit board strapped to your gun to make a 25 foot shot.

[@grahamhawes7089]

@@jessegpresley in a defensive situation you’re going to be unconsciously point-shooting while target-focused. Training reps with iron sights allow you point the weapon very accurately at close ranges. Keep in mind that the vast majority of carry shootings are at 3-5 yards or less. With reasonable training you could have completely satisfactory accuracy with no sights at all.

[@AJuniorOutdoorsman]

@@66smithra I use my acro for shooting c-zone targets from 0-100 yards

[@randyschaub5452]

I remember Massad from the Police Product magazine days 40 years ago…always great content.

[@shaunsteele4968]

What's not said here. Your wallet should bleed and cry out as you purchase an optic. If it doesn't. It won't hold up long.

[@johnwool]

If you don't mind buying Chinese the Holsun is a pretty good deal and maybe just as good as Trijicon or Aimpoint. I bought a Trijicon SRO (2ea.) and found them to be the cat's meow.

[@kohlpee3732]

MA, you are spot on to the pros and cons of using a red dot sight. I personally use red dot with my carry gun and it has more advantages than iron sights. My problem is my eye sight and good visual is a must for me. I don't have good visual of my iron sights now because of advanced age. I use to shot USPSA primarily in open division and I am used to using a red dot sight. At least once a week or every 2 weeks, I make it a point to practice a few minutes with my draw and acquire my red dot to retain "muscle memory" and sight aquisition. Also one way to check my red dot if it is working. I also tend to replace my battery every year. Battery don't cost that much but your life is. Not all people need a red dot. Use whatever suits you well. Nothing wrong with using iron sights if your vision is perfect and you are good at it. If ain't broke, don't fix it. During my competition days, we learn to do point and shoot at close range.

[@johnm3659]

I have owned an RMR, Deltapoint, ACRO P1 and several Holosuns (open and enclosed emitters) and I trained with all of them to the point of proficiency. They have been mostly mounted on Glocks via their MOS system with Forward Control plates and I have had several slides milled. My carry gun was a Sig P365XL with a Holosun 507k direct mounted. After several years, a few thousand dollars and thousands of rounds in training, I went back to iron sights on all of my pistols. I found that I was just as fast and accurate with irons out to about 15 yards. The benefits of a red dot were definitely noticeable past 15 yards but statistically I will likely never encounter a self defense shooting farther than that. Ken Hackathorn had a great point from a recent video about red dots where he insisted that you train for probabilities rather than possibilities. Red dots make a lot of sense for law enforcement or military applications but I don't think the red dot is going to be the deciding factor in the outcome of a self defense shooting for your average citizen.

[@ka3uxu1]

Thank you for the comments (Red Dot v. Iron Sites). I recently purchased Shadow Systems DR920 w/Holosun 507c. I’m 66, and I know I have a lot of getting use to and adjustments. I’m very old school and like the open sites most of all. I just thought changing things up to see what the red dot optics fuss was all about. Been following you for a very long time. Your opinions always mattered. I’ll keep carrying my 17 (gen 4) just the way it is as I continue learning about the Shadow Systems and reflex site. I figure, I won’t have an issue over either beyond application (home or carry). Congratulations on your retirement, and thank you for the years of reading your articles. You’re a pioneer and legend. Wishing you the very best!

[@marvinmyers9367]

Andy Cannon and 686 say it all. The 686 is my overall favorite pistol of all time. The 686 is great out of the box, but Cannonized it achieves a level of greatness that modern pistolsmiths can only dream of.

[@outbackeddie]

You are so right about cold killing batteries. I went on a caribou hunt in Alaska many years ago and I sat down my pack and marked the location with my GPS. A few hours later when I went to go back to my pack I discovered the subzero temps had completely killed my lithium GPS battery. Fortunately, I had some spare alkaline batteries in my pocket and when I installed them I was able to recover the data point and make it back to my back pack. You certainly don't want dead batteries in a self defense situation.

[@flutterstone1281]

I am in agreement the many other comments regarding the need to train with red dots (as is the case with any piece of equipment). Also important are drills designed to simulate malfunctions and breakage. Those are important too!

[@toobeer]

Your suggestion about tucking the chin into the arm made all the difference to this left eye dominant right handed shooter. I find the dot immediately now and since going to it, my groups under fast shooting conditions have closed up considerably.

[@GLOCKDPLUSFlowriders]

Wow! Didn't realise that you are such an eloquent, knowledgeable, gentleman! Thank you for all of your videos.

[@CaptVanO]

I have been a fixed iron sights guy who shoots from the hip, one handed, and still keeps the rounds in a teacup sized group at 33 feet. It is all about practice, practice, practice. It has taken lots of years and lots of rounds to get and keep that skill.

[@kiasax2]

Mr. Ayoob, as a 64 y/o this year, and having a strong desire to compete with my new Canik TP9SFx this year the red dot on it has given me a new lease on my shooting life. I am a great fan of red dot optics. I hadn't considered using the red dot on my carry pistol, however, I'm not averse to it. I'll see how my compettion shooting goes and then make a decision. As usual, you've given us a great topic and both entertained and enlightened.

[@TheRios7018]

I’m 51 and I trained with a red dot and I prefer the dot on all my carry rotations! Ty bud great information!👊🏼💯👍🏼

[@gowilsoncombat]

Right on