Red dot sights on pistols?

[DocGKR]

No traditional FAST drills in the SOM class.

As I have stated before, it does take a lot of dry firing/drawing and several thousand live rounds to become proficient with an RDS. I am still not as quite as fast using the RDS, however, I am substantially more accurate with the RDS, especially at longer ranges. Shooting at moving targets and when I am moving is substantially easier with the RDS. In addition, the RDS allows me to remain fully focused on the threat and not have to transition back to the front sight prior to firing—this is an incredibly SIGNIFICANT factor!

If I still had perfect vision, I might consider staying with iron sights due to the speed advantage; however, given the vision changes following my bicycle accident induced basilar skull fracture last year, as well as the onset of middle-age presbyopia, I personally NEVER want to go back to irons.

I believe it is critical for a duty/CCW pistol to have back-up iron sights. With BIS, I never have to worry about finding the red dot, even in awkward shooting positions—just line up the iron sights as normal and the red dot is there.

Until you have fired at least 1000 rounds or so and have spent a lot of time working on dry-fire presentation and press-out, I would not recommend an advanced class using an RDS, as you would likely end-up frustrated.

[YVK]

Very valid point in last paragraph. I can certainly shoot one or three thousand rounds with reddot in next month-two and do some dry firing; not sure if that would be sufficient. Bigger barrier, though, is that I feel one needs to become adequately proficient with irons before experimenting with reddot; I've not met my proficiency standards with conventionally sighted pistols.

Speaking of proficiency with irons, how do you plan to structure your practice/training for 2011? I imagine you wouldn't want to let your performance with iron sights slip below certain level. Do you plan to set a certain amount of time for shooting with irons? Or shoot some sort of quals with them and practice with them only if results decline?