Beginners: dot or irons?

To piggyback on the recent dot vs. iron subjects here, I'd like to ask this:

Do you think it's better for beginners to start out with irons or dots? I just started this game last year and so far am only shooting .22. I use an old S&W 41 with a Clark barrel with an Ultradot. I just shot my best 2700 with a 2508-54. However, when I put the old iron sight barrel on there, my scores go way down. Was it a mistake to not utilize my irons to begin with, get halfway decent, then go to a dot?

I come from a Highpower Rifle background where the general progression is to shoot service rifle when you start out, use it until you go Distinguished (if that is your goal), then switch over to match rifle and the easier (to see) sights.

It would be my suggestion for a new shooter under the age of 30 to spend a season of training and competing with irons before going to an optic.  Also for those still looking for distinguished to spend a significant time with irons.  But I also feel that there is much to be learned using a dot like holding and trigger control that can get masked using irons only.  So I'd recommend some irons work with a 22 but the 22 should get a dot first so you can train your holding and trigger control.

Irons if you can see them. Teaches you fundamentals and limits costs.

I shoot all irons. I have for some time now. I'm still unclassified but that's because I only shoot bullseye as a casual - if I feel like it - game. I enjoy it a lot. Another match or two I think and I'll have enough to be classified. But my main focus is muzzleloading pistol where I have excelled greatly. But with muzzleloaders I am only allowed iron sights. No dots. So in bullseye I shoot irons as well. I'm shooting just the .22 right now but I'm shooting master class percentages. 

Irons allow you to learn your hold, and trigger control and the balance between them. I tried a dot and hated it. It was great at 25 yards. But my 50 yard scores tanked. Besides you gotta get good with em if you want to shoot distinguished any way so....

I had exclusively irons since I started in 2013...though I didn't shot any 15 and most of 16...I went to a dot two weeks ago and scores are on par with irons. I feel with my limited time with the dot is the 50 yards is where it takes some getting use to..I just trust it moving around and pull on through

My 2¢: Irons, especially if you want to work on Distinguished, or shoot any International pistol ever.

Shooting iron sights will teach you to develop what Ben A. calls "critical vision". See the posts by "BEA" in this forum post.

Don't forget to factor in eyeglasses and aging eyesight.  I started at 57 and some of us older guys just can't get the glasses we are using to give us front sights in focus.   For me, red dots was a better starting point.

When I first started shooting for the Missouri National Guard Team we were told no optics until we broke 2500 three times.  They also told me front sight front sight front sight.  The coach said if you don't see the round ejecting you are not watching the front sight.  Mid way through my first season we were doing the old ball and dummy drill with our 22's on the long line and I saw something.  So I relaxed went through my shot process and fired the next round, there it was again.  Then I realized I had finally saw the brass ejecting.  From that point forward my scores starting climbing.  Went all the way to Expert shooting irons.  Then the National Guard moved away from Bullseye and started promoting "combat style" shooting.  So now 20 years later I am trying to get back into things and I have given up on the optics and now I am going back to the basics and using irons.

O.K., we shot a 900 at league last night. I shot it with irons and scored 816. With the dot, I was 830-850, so not as bad as I anticipated. I found I have to focus ONLY on the front sight and it's alignment while keeping it somewhere near the black. Anytime I worried about a perfect 6 o'clock hold, things went bad.
That, and don't get impatient and jerk the trigger.