Red dot observation

I'm as green as can be to precision pistol and have noticed that red dots(ultradot) seam to dominate the line. Can one still be in the mix with good ole iron sights?  Much like in trapshooting the model 12 broke plenty of championship scores on three hole targetsback in the 60s, but very few at the winners podium today.

Have you noticed the average age of those shooters? Many simply don't see iron sights well enough anymore.
If you vision still great, you still can be competitive with iron sights.

Boris_La wrote:Have you noticed the average age of those shooters? Many simply don't see iron sights well enough anymore.
If you vision still great, you still can be competitive with iron sights.

look at all the young shooters we use dots as well.

Given a good lens and proper lighting, I'd take irons any day.

I wasn't there, but I've been told that the all-time record was shot with iron sights. If that's true, there's really no question of whether or not they CAN be competitive.

That being said, dots are easier to shoot well, because 
    (a) you only have 2 things to worry about (dot and target) instead of 3 things (rear sight, front sight, and target)
    (b) it's much easier (some would say more natural) to center the dot in the middle of the circular scope tube and at the same time center the dot in the middle of the circular black area of the target, than it is to put the top center of the square front post in the center of the circular black area of the target (or bottom, if you like the 6 o'clock hold), and keep that front post at equal height to the rear sight, and keep that front post at equal distance from each side of the rear sight's notch, all at the same time
    (c) you can focus your eye on the target or the dot without the other one becoming woefully out of focus, as happens when you try to focus your eye on the front sight or target (or rear sight), especially as you get older (NOTE 1: This is different than focusing your ATTENTION on the target versus the dot... that's a different discussion.  NOTE 2: You shouldn't be toggling focus between the target and the dot/front sight, but if you do, the dot imposes a much smaller penalty on you.)
    (d) putting the same model of red dot on all of your bullseye guns provides a consistency that would be difficult to achieve with iron sights

Getting good at bullseye shooting is hard, so something that makes it easier is likely to become popular, and red dots are an example of that.

Read some of my previous posts. Open sights are the way to learn how to really hold the pistol aligned. Open sights are the way to learn how to see / call the shots. If you can really see the front sight, they are more than competitive. But you have to learn. Dots may get you to Expert quicker, but most shooters plateau there because they don't learn the difference between wobble and misalignment......

No matter what you use (open or dot); you still need to focus on only one thing but see everything.

CR

On irons, I have to insert my own alternative to this:

"[...] you only have 2 things to worry about (dot and target) instead of 3 things (rear sight, front sight, and target)"

My take is you only have to see the front sight, and frame it with the rear notch and the black.

Seeing the front sight is all about vision or lens, lighting, and concentration.

Jack H wrote:On irons, I have to insert my own alternative

Seeing the front sight is all about vision or lens, lighting, and concentration.

And that, is the rub.