Poll: RDS or Irons on your edc

[TGS]

Irons, because I'm fairly religious about carrying the work gun off duty and we don't authorize RDS yet. Also, because even if I don't carry the work gun, I don't want to create a massive dissimilarity between guns I carry at work and off work, and training incongruities.

Id like us to have an RDS authorized, as in the last 2-3 years in particular my ability to focus on the front sight has become more difficult and it is noticeably impacting my 25 yard accuracy. we are currently evaluating RDSs and I'm fairly confident we are going to buy the ACRO P2, but it hasn't happened yet; word from senior management through the FTU is that "it's definitely coming", we just don't know when. After shooting @Kyle Reese's G19 w/ACRO P2 which turned shooting accurately at 25 into an exercise as simple as running a typewriter, I'd really rather get an RDS authorized at work sooner than later.

[Shades]

Irons for now. EDC is either a pocket-carried J-frame with CT laser grip or a SIG P365XL. I can see the sights on the 365 pretty well still and am developing old-guy-itis, aka resistant to change. But I've also got an M&P 2.0 compact with an RMR on it to play with, so you never know...

I'd consider carrying one of my BHPs, but another thread has made me aware that doing so would render me either a woman or a Frenchman (or both?), neither of which would be acceptable, n'est pas?

[1911Nut]

Both. Based on essentially the same criteria as mentioned by JCN.

But without his skill.

Watch the news for reports of me being killed in the streets.

[Darth_Uno]

Well it’s not an always/never deal. I usually carry a milled 19 with RMR, so that’s what I voted. But I wouldn’t want one on my 43, whose whole point is to be as concealable and minimalist as possible - which for me is the (rare) times I just cannot reasonably get away with carrying a 19, with or without optic.

So I’m not carrying my 43 thinking, “Man I wish this had a dot.” I wouldn’t feel very put out if my 19 just had irons either - I just strongly prefer a red dot where it’s possible.

Now if you’re asking, “Should I carry with a red dot?”, I’m sure you’ve seen this thread and the consensus we reached was…pretty much the same results as your poll.

[breakingtime91]

Irons for me currently.

While I do generally subscribe to keeping things simple, the evidence for performance enhancement with an RDS is undeniable at this point.

However, I feel as though this technology is in such a rapid state of evolution and I am simply unable to afford to purchase an optic that will be rendered obsolete within a year.

I will wait until the technology has plateaued more in terms of optimization before I commit.

I find everyone's reasons and choices interesting and valid. I have recently lost a lot of weight (a lot for me) and noticed something. I can easily carry a 19 with irons but print sometimes with a 26/rmr but only the rmr with a wing claw holster and mastermind pillow. I also have psoriasis and the struggle is real with the optic window getting a lot of crud

[Duelist]

I’d better dig my old cowboy hat out of storage, because I have just been informed that I am using “cowboy sights.” Learn sump’n new every day.

It is difficult enough, to conceal a blocky Glock. I am only going to use closed-emitter optics. Adding that much height to the pistol makes it, well, Draped Open Carry. I see an RDS’ed pistol to be a bag gun, not a belt gun. I live in a county that got “blued waved,” in the 2016 election. Concealment is necessary; the entire county can be considered an NPE.

I have an ACRO P-1 that I use on my designated dry-fire pistol, a Glock 19x with the Worst. Glock. Trigger. Ever. The dot really shows any errors in technique.

My default daily carry guns are revolving pistols, with trough-style rear sights. Caveman Cowboy Sights.

I am also carrying with cowboy sights right now sir. *tips hat

Revolving pistol in pocket, check. Cowboy trough rear sight, check. Cowboy hats and feed store caps on the hat tree, yessir.

[Hstanton1]

Dot, because I shoot better with one.

I’m learning to shoot better with irons though, because they do simplify things in terms of concealment and in setting a gun up for defensive use.

[Leroy Suggs]

Irons for me.
No plans or desire to go to optics.

[breakingtime91]

Dot, because I shoot better with one.

I’m learning to shoot better with irons though, because they do simplify things in terms of concealment and in setting a gun up for defensive use.

I for sure shoot a dot gun better at 20 yards plus. But after spending the last two years with dots, I find I can shot irons much better than I used to.

[Sig_Fiend]

Irons for me currently.

While I do generally subscribe to keeping things simple, the evidence for performance enhancement with an RDS is undeniable at this point.

However, I feel as though this technology is in such a rapid state of evolution and I am simply unable to afford to purchase an optic that will be rendered obsolete within a year.

I will wait until the technology has plateaued more in terms of optimization before I commit.

While PF'ers tend to be very forward-thinking and pragmatic, I get the sense there are a lot of us on the same boat and exercising restraint specifically on the EDC side based on the churn with RDS technology. At least, I know I am. I can't stand switching setups frequently and really prefer to stick with one for at least 1yr or more.

For an HD gun, I feel this is much easier as there are fewer considerations. For EDC, you must also factor in the holster, how many providers even cater to a given setup (for me, if Tony has it on his list of supported models it's a viable carry option lol), placement of the gun, how well it conceals, etc. For an HD gun, at least for some, burn some reps on press outs and get used to finding the dot, and maybe there aren't too many more considerations except battery changes.

Thinking about the expense involved, for most guns you're looking at $1-2k for a gun + RDS setup. Yes, there are some a bit under $1k now as well. That said, if the setup ends up less than ideal, at minimum it's probably another $400-700 for a different RDS + adapter plate, or possibly closer to $1k if we're talking direct cuts and needing to replace a slide. A few iterations of this and, for a lot of people, you're at a not so insignificant percentage of your annual income...

I'm really hoping within just a few short years the industry will standardize on the P-2 mounting pattern, or some modified form of it. Possibly even something like that but not as wide so that slide width is less of an issue (e.g. bypassing the whole issue of things like RMR vs RMRcc mounting patterns). Something almost like a shrunken 1913 spec. I'm envisioning pistols of the near future being standard with the slide rear of the ejection port being machined for this spec at a fairly deep cut by default, with a cover that bolts in place to finish the slide. No more iron dovetails directly in slide, but simply milled in the cover so mounting irons, RDS, or both becomes a standard affair of choosing the right cover or integrated RDS/iron setup. This would have awesome implications for aftermarket support as well.