Ret dot vs iron sight

tres369_

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Nov 20, 2025
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If you've experienced both, do you ever notice that your speed with irons feels pretty much the same as your speed with a dot? There are some shooters who claim that a dot doesn’t actually make them faster. Is there anyone else who feels this way?
 
Had one on my Glock 10mm, i didn't care for it and took it off, target acquisition for me was slower, but in all honesty, it's all personal preference and what works for you
 
I was working on a friend's Kimber (1911) that had a red dot. Didn't put a lot of rds thru it, but enough to realize that ( at least for me) there is a learning curve to using a red dot. Probably varies from person to person, but I don't think that most red dot users start shooting better immediately after switching to using a dot instead of iron sights
 
I was working on a friend's Kimber (1911) that had a red dot. Didn't put a lot of rds thru it, but enough to realize that ( at least for me) there is a learning curve to using a red dot. Probably varies from person to person, but I don't think that most red dot users start shooting better immediately after switching to using a dot instead of iron sights
Exactly. It takes a bit of repetitive practice to pick up the RD before you get proficient with it. Not so much if you're using something like an XS Big Dot FS.
 
I was working on a friend's Kimber (1911) that had a red dot. Didn't put a lot of rds thru it, but enough to realize that ( at least for me) there is a learning curve to using a red dot. Probably varies from person to person, but I don't think that most red dot users start shooting better immediately after switching to using a dot instead of iron sights
When I first used a dot sight on a 1911, I honestly expected it to be a huge upgrade. I spent the first couple of mags just trying to find the dot because my setup was totally geared towards iron sights. It felt awkward and slow. But after some dry-fire sessions and a few trips to the range, it finally started to make sense. Once your mechanics align and the dot appears where it’s meant to, everything becomes smoother. At that point, the dot really gives you an edge, but it definitely wasn’t an instant transformation for me 🤷‍♂️
 
Here's a little advice that can help you pick up the dot faster ......... When aiming, bring the dot up to your eye(s), don't drop your head to pick up the dot. Once you get used to doing that, you'll be able to line up the dot to the target faster.
 
Eric's advice might help but I think you really need to spend hours behind the pistol to figure out your own best acquisition to this issue. Try his recommendation first of course but you will master it. I had issues as well and have conquered it. Not as fast as point and shooting but close.
 

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