Poll: RDS or Irons on your edc

[HeavyDuty]

I’m fluffy and only carry 3:30 OWB or occasionally IWB (hopefully more of the latter.) My most common daily carry is a 26 with RMRcc and I’ve noticed no additional difficulty concealing in my usual garb - an unbuttoned cover shirt over a colored T shirt. But, again - I’m fluffy and am carrying in an easy position. Plus, I’m not in areas where I worry too much about not occasionally profiling.

For me, RDS makes no difference in concealment.

[Slowestshooterer]

Curious to see who is using rds and who is still using what Defoor calls "cowboy sights"

Feel free to share the pistol and why the optic/iron choice below.

I've had to send 3 optics in for repair over 5 years of shooting CO in USPSA. One lasted a couple of weeks, two lasted years. All SRO's. After that, I decided I'd stick with irons for now. I also don't like managing brightness on the optic to account for ambient lighting conditions. Carry is a g19.5 with vogel dynamics sights.

[RennBaer]

It makes it considerably harder for me in appendix. I can carry a g19 sized gun appendix and not print at all with irons. I add a dot and that prints. I've tried different claws, different wedges, and for whatever reason it either looks like I have a side ways L for a belly button or a mail box. Going to revisit dots later but for now I've moved back to irons personally. I do not regret for a minute the time I spent shooting and carrying red dots though. It has made me a significantly better iron sight shooter and both eye open/target focused shooting

That is definitely true that all of those concealment features work against concealing a red dot. One of the things that I did that helped was to have my slides milled so that the red dot is located right above my beltline, basically as low as it can be. It doesn't stick out any further than my beltline does so it doesn't add any easily noticeable printing, even in t-shirts. Some people have their red dots mounted all the way to the rear of the slide which can make it noticeably harder to conceal.

I carry between AIWB 12:30-1 with most pistols, but that's really secondary to my context in importance. I am limited to tucked in button-ups and untucked polos, and I'm in an environment where getting made could cost me my job. I also have a fairly small waist. I can conceal a 19 with a dot all day long in my casual clothes, but I've reached a point in my career where that's maybe one or two days per week.

Dots are a challenge for me in high-pressure AIWB contexts because they add height in the opposite direction from the grip. So all the concealment features my holsters use to tuck the grip are causing that sight to cant outward aggressively. It prints pretty bad unless most guns are at 1. And unfortunately, very few pairs of pants have belt loops adequately spaced for that. It's easier with smaller guns where i can afford less grip tuck, but then we're getting into stuff that is very difficult to draw without a compromised grip.

This is all pretty specific to me. But I think the general context of a high-pressure concealment environment applies to the majority of workplaces in this country. I've never identified anybody else in any workplace who carries, and I'm always looking. Maybe they're just that good, or they'd be gone anyway.
In any case, if your employer is able to stop you from carrying practically or lawfully, the 2A may as well not exist for you. And for the majority of working Americans, that is the case. And I think all the marketing of "tactical" stuff in the industry distracts enthusiasts from this problem, which I'd argue is a way more important 2A front than mag bans, braces etc. /rant

Ah I missed the part about your work attire. That would certainly make a difference, especially the tucked-in shirts. I'm in a similar situation with regard to being in a high-pressure concealment environment, but I, thankfully, have more flexibility with my attire. I think if I had to wear tucked-in shirts for work, I would have to give something like the Phlster Enigma a try.

I completely agree with your last point (it's a pet peeve of mine) about the 2A being kind of irrelevant for people as far as self defense goes if your workplace prohibits you from carrying. I know lots of people who basically end up carrying only on the weekends for that reason. Others might carry to and from work if they don't mind putting on and removing their CCW multiple times a day, but most people I know end up just leaving their CCW at home even though they're out running errands all over town during the week.

[BillSWPA]

RE: concealing a pistol with an optic:

IWB at 3:30: An RMR carried on a gun at a 10 degree cant angle will place the gun at the same height as a gun without the RMR, and will position the RMR so that the window is right above the belt, where it is unlikely to contribute to printing. With a closed emitter optic, the upper back corner of the optic would potentially be more likely to print.

Shoulder holster: some horizontal shoulder holsters exist for optics-equipped pistols. These are likely to require a different position of the front shoulder strap attachment to the holster, which may or may not hinder concealment.

Pocket holster: Unless you have huge pockets, forget it.

Ankle holster: Galco makes one for some dot-equipped pistols. Whether having the optic that close to the ground is a good idea presents a separate question I am unprepared to answer. At least some optics are water resistant. I am also unsure how the optic would affect concealment in an ankle holster. I wonder about the potential for snagging a pant leg?

[Dusty Stone]

If the red dot is a blue with your glasses it may be a sign it’s time for an eye exam.

The quick check to ensure it isn’t the optic is to take a picture of the dot with your phone. If the picture of the dot is good it’s going to be your eyes.

I said flur not blue... I can shoot fine without my glass, but I don't personally like the red dot or any dot for that matter... I like a smooth top with iron sights only on my semi auto pistol as well as all my revolvers. I don't compete, and shoot matches etc so if you guys like them have at it, I'm not going to have the added expense for them on my firearms. I had a Doc III on my GP100 6" and while I was out in the woods, the battery went dead... my shooting was done. So I prefer not to have any electronics on my firearms.. why complicate the simple life.

[HCM]

I said flur not blue... I can shoot fine without my glass, but I don't personally like the red dot or any dot for that matter... I like a smooth top with iron sights only on my semi auto pistol as well as all my revolvers. I don't compete, and shoot matches etc so if you guys like them have at it, I'm not going to have the added expense for them on my firearms. I had a Doc III on my GP100 6" and while I was out in the woods, the battery went dead... my shooting was done. So I prefer not to have any electronics on my firearms.. why complicate the simple life.

“Blue” was an auto correct typo.

You’re a grown ass man and can do whatever the f**k you want.

My point was that blurry or irregular dots are either a sign of an eye issue or a malfunction. Taking a picture of the dot is a quick way to diagnose the source issue.

Optics have advanced quite a bit in the past few years an older / cheaper optics are what they are like with guns you get what you pay for.

[1Rangemaster]

So, @Dusty Stone, it seems we will put you down for irons(and a revolver)-cool.

Hopefully your simple life doesn’t run into a complex problem where complicated equipment would be of benefit.

[Salamander]

Up until now I've been running irons, with one exception and that's a 22LR with a RDS for range use.

Eyes age gradually, and I'm feeling just recently to the point that irons are becoming harder to use effectively at least with barrel lengths typical of carry. My 6.02-inch USP Elite with match sights is still fine, but I'm not going to be carrying that anytime soon. On the other hand the sight picture is a whole lot clearer with a red dot, and a little playing with my 22LR Buckmark suggests that hand-eye coordination is aging a lot better than the eyes, so I don't think a transition to RDS is going to be all that difficult. Having used them on rifles for a long time is also helping.

In any case I just bought another Glock 26 and it will be going out for an optics cut as soon it's been vetted it for reliability. SCD is inbound. It's going to be a process. Pick-up in 10 days, vet with a few hundred rounds, make a final decision on which optic and hopefully it will be in stock somewhere at the right time, ship the slide off to be cut and wait 4-8 weeks it looks like. Then practice for a while. Goal is to be ready to make the move by the time my CCW renewal rolls over in November, and add it to the permit at that time.

At times it's been frustrating waiting for the technology to mature. It's now time to make the move whether it's all the way there or not.

[Dusty Stone]

“Blue” was an auto correct typo.

You’re a grown ass man and can do whatever the f**k you want.

My point was that blurry or irregular dots are either a sign of an eye issue or a malfunction. Taking a picture of the dot is a quick way to diagnose the source issue.

Optics have advanced quite a bit in the past few years an older / cheaper optics are what they are like with guns you get what you pay for.

WOW you don't get it do you... I hate them and don't like them, but you seem to have an agenda to push... leave it alone please.

[Nephrology]

Hi, reminder to everyone, behave like adults and not overgrown children when there is a dispute. This is ask, I think we can avoid tell and make here.