Red dots for concealed carry?

[wgm2011]

With a new prescription came new eyeglasses.

I pocket carry daily and run a box of ammo through the gun quarterly to keep the ammo fresh as well as keep me familiar with the gun.

With a little judicious head tilting, I could still see the front sight but just barely. But each time I took out the carry gun at the range, it seemed like I needed to move the targets a little closer.

Now with the new eyeglasses, the front sight is just a distant memory.

All of my red dot experience is with C-mores (on pistols and shotguns) and Burris Fast Fire 3's (on shotguns and rifles).

What I would like is a compact red dot with extremely long battery life. No sense in carrying with a round in the chamber if I need to switch on the red dot. Way too slow.

I'm looking for recommendations or actual experience from anyone that actually carries their defense weapon with a red dot.

Thank you.

 

[Jeff T.]

You might think about a red dot that displays on the target as opposed to a red dot site, like a crimson trace laser grip. I have one for 4 different pistols and they are very accurate to about 100 feet.
They do not use battery power until you grip the pistol, a pressure switch in the grip causes the dot to appear.


Live Simply, Love Generously, Care Deeply, Speak Kindly, Shoot Well, Leave the Rest to God.

 

[wgm2011]

Good idea Jeff. I need to see if they make them for any of my guns.

The 100' accuracy is much better than I expected.

Do they do well in bright light like we usually have here in Texas?

 

[Josh Smash]

I have no experience with slide mounted optics, but I do have one crimson trace laser. IMHO I see my laser as a multiplier, not a replacement. In bright light (sunlight or flashlight) the laser can disappear. Trijicon makes a battery free sight with fiber optic and tritium.

 

[Matt1911]

In bright light the laser sight absolutely disappears.
I was shooting with my uncle in law the other day and he had a sig with crimson trace grips. I ended up turning off the grips and just going iron sights cause the laser was getting washed out in the sun.

 

[Chasegibson]

Flatland Shooter, This may or may not apply to you but red dot sights such as a Trijicon RMR can appear incredibly blurry to people with an astigmatism(like me). To the point where the red dot looks like a giant fireball instead of a crisp 2 MOA dot or whatever size it is supposed to be. Just something to consider for you or anyone else who stumbles across this thread.

 

[Jeff T.]

...
Do they do well in bright light like we usually have here in Texas?

The few times I have used them outside in the sun light they do tend to fade in the 50-100 foot distance, but they did not disappear completely. It was more like they grew from a 1/4" at 50' to about 3/4" at 50'. When it got to 100' it was more like a 2" or 2.5" faded blob, instead of the tiny red dot.


Live Simply, Love Generously, Care Deeply, Speak Kindly, Shoot Well, Leave the Rest to God.

 

[dennishoddy]

Learn to point shoot at point blank distances in daylight. The laser works great at night, or low light, but sucks during the day.
One training session I went through many years ago taught the first shot should go off midway between the draw and coming to the eye at point blank distances. 3-7 yds. It does take some practice but you would be surprised at how accurate you can be on center mass shots.
I have the same issue with glasses. The front sight is a blur at best.

 

[Scott Hearn]

You can get green lasers in Crimson Trace grips now.

As for a slide mounted optic, the Trijicon RMR is the only one I'd consider for a carry gun.


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