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Thread: Once you go dot, do you ever shoot irons again?

  1. #1
    S.L.O.W. ASH556's Avatar
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    Once you go dot, do you ever shoot irons again?

    I suppose the answer to this might depend on what kind of shooter you are. If you're more a collector or you just like making brass, then you probably shoot a variety just to keep things interesting, but from a pure performance shooting perspective, once you've gone to a dot, are there situations where you still shoot irons? If so, when and why? Having just "dotted" my only G19, I'm giving some thought as to what that might mean for future pistols, or is everything going to have a dot from now on? Once we started running dots on carbines it was pretty much a no duh, and irons were only used to zero them and then usually folded out of the way forever. I never forgot how to use irons and when subsequently zeroing a new set had no issues shooting well with them, but in performance shooting of course the dot has advantages, so why go back? Then again, pistols and carbines are different animals.
    Last edited by ASH556; 05-26-2020 at 08:40 AM.
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  2. #2
    Site Supporter Trooper224's Avatar
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    I have no doubt that some time within the next decade, dots will become the standard, at least in LE and military circles. In the civilian world I doubt it will ever be one hundred percent. I mean, can you see a J frame with a dot? The are some contexts I can't see a dot fitting into.
    We may lose and we may win, but we will never be here again.......

  3. #3
    S.L.O.W. ASH556's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Trooper224 View Post
    I have no doubt that some time within the next decade, dots will become the standard, at least in LE and military circles. In the civilian world I doubt it will ever be one hundred percent. I mean, can you see a J frame with a dot? The are some contexts I can't see a dot fitting into.
    I see what you're saying about J frames. At the same time, those less adaptable may just disappear altogether (or at least from the mainstream). Somewhere there is a guy who thinks his FNC is just the bee knees, but forget about readily attaching optics, lights, or lasers.

    I found my J-frame to actually be quite usable with a dot...a laser dot that is
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  4. #4
    THE THIRST MUTILATOR Nephrology's Avatar
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    To be honest this is one of the major reasons I have yet to convert to the dot. It would be a major expense to retrofit all of my Glocks. Once the technology is cheaper and more rugged, however, and I have appropriate funds, I can't imagine I will want to keep around too many glocks without them. I'll probably trade in just about everything whole-sale and replace with new guns/optics.

    Agree with position that there are many private citizens who will probably not migrate to the dot, both due to their needs (e.g. J frame as mentioned above) and the added expense.

  5. #5
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    My situation is a bit different than others, but maintenance is the reason I haven’t moved to carrying a dot pistol. With my current job I can easily have two or three days a week where my responsibilities lead to my pistol (carried aiwb) collecting enough dirt and sweat that I have to wipe down the sights just so the tritium in my night sights is visible. I’m afraid that cleaning schedule would be hell on an optic. Until I can find a holster that protects the optic, yet allows for an unimpeded draw I’ll stick to irons.

  6. #6
    Site Supporter Rex G's Avatar
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    My eyes tend to see an electronic optical dot, as provided by the miniaturized optics for mounting on pistols, (MRDS,) as a disturbingly tilted figure 8, so I will probably never fully embrace dots, for all purposes, and all conditions. In some conditions, I would rather use the dot, but in others, I would rather not.

    I can tune a dot, for my eyes, more expediently and successfully with the nicely prominent dial on a T-1, but that is a big thing to be mounting on a handgun concealed under normal clothing. T1/T2 Aimpoints are more of a “bag gun” optic. If carrying multiple weapons, yes, I woulds like an ACRO, T-1, or T-2 to be on one of them.

    The main thing that the RDO movement has done, for me, was increase the availability of high-profile, bold iron sights, which I really do like.
    Retar’d LE. Kinesthetic dufus.

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  7. #7
    I shoot some iron sighted things for fun.

    I don't shoot anything that doesn't have a dot for performance.

  8. #8
    Gucci gear, Walmart skill Darth_Uno's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Caballoflaco View Post
    . Until I can find a holster that protects the optic, yet allows for an unimpeded draw I’ll stick to irons.
    Dale Fricke Seraphim has a hood that protects the optic to a degree. But doesn’t stop anything from coming in through the top, if that’s your concern.


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  9. #9
    I love 'em.

    On carbines and handguns they're a game changer.

    I still carry irons because I don't want the extra bulk and really, honestly, don't think I would use any sights in a defensive shooting anyway.

  10. #10
    Site Supporter Rex G's Avatar
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    One thing I forgot to mention, above, is that I am not stubbornly resisting electronic red dot optics. I realized, early, that it was a good idea.
    Retar’d LE. Kinesthetic dufus.

    Don’t tread on volcanos!

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