Poll Red Dot or Not on your CCW weapon?

[Hamburger Monster]

When I played with a slingshot all the time as a kid, there wasn't anything I couldn't hit on the first try. A gun has so many reference points outside of iron sights let alone a red dot, I could remove the optic and iron sights and still hit my shots. Really comes down to consistent practice and red dots make it so much easier.

This. You don't always need a sight. When I picked up my G19, it didn't have any sights. No optics or irons. A friend was practicing for his CCW renewal and was shooting a paper plate at ten yards. Was all over the place and was barely hitting it. Something of wrong with his sights and he decided to end it early to get his adjusted. I without sights decided to try mine on the same target, same distance. Just looking down the top of the slide I put all rounds in about a 6" group.

But for more accurate shots and to have more confidence in shot placement, sights sure help

 

[five.five-six]

They make a product to help with that . .

https://caguns.net/attachments/img_2806-webp.253185/

View attachment 253185

I will defer to your expertise on this one

 

[five.five-six]

This is just stuff that people who don't carry with a Dot say, they arent nearly as temperamental as all that and if you really are concerned about it there are a ton of enclosed options. Worst case scenario it's quite easy to index off of the housing of the dot to shoot accurately even without irons

No, I carried with a dot for about a month. All you have to do is sweat once forget about it and you can’t see through it. Sorry I got more important things to do than baby my gun all day long.

Just learn how to use iron sites in the problem is solved

 

[five.five-six]

Reddit - Prove your humanity

www.reddit.com

 

[mossy]

Nope. I don't like alot of extra BS on my gun and the guns i like to carry don't have room for extra BS.

 

[Jimi Jah]

A laser works better and is faster to get on target. Plus it works from the hip.

 

[Nomad]

But how do you get it to stay on your gun?

 

[chiroken007]

A laser works better and is faster to get on target. Plus it works from the hip.

From the hip with just the tip.

 

[Chipperchoi]

Been KISS for CCW all my life. Put a dot on my G19 and it definitely helps on the timer to break the first shot for me. Any advantage I cam get is a plus in my book. I also have carry with irons because I just can't bring myself to cut a 1911 slide lol

 

[pancakes]

I have done comps with both. Yes red dots help confirm and make distant shots easier. But within 5 yards you arnt even going to aim anyways

 

[Hindsight]

I have done comps with both. Yes red dots help confirm and make distant shots easier. But within 5 yards you arnt even going to aim anyways

Given you’re accountable for every shot and potential misses or over penetration, I’d still advocate for seeing your sights even if your index is well developed. Just change the confirmation level that underlies the acceptable sight picture - color confirmation instead of stopped stable dot.

 

[Brandon Breeze]

Just remove all sights. All self defense pewpew events happen within 7 yards, you never need more than 2 shots and you will have plenty of time to draw and make the hits when this happens. Additionally, you and your pewpew will absolutely positively never malfunction under the insanely intensely stressful situation, so make sure you don't carry any additional mags or ammo.

-Elmer FUDD

The real answer if I didn't already post here already is to carry what you train. Don't be slappin a dot on there if you're not confident you can acquire the dot under that insane pressure.

 

[Gawernator]

Just remove all sights. All self defense pewpew events happen within 7 yards, you never need more than 2 shots and you will have plenty of time to draw and make the hits when this happens. Additionally, you and your pewpew will absolutely positively never malfunction under the insanely intensely stressful situation, so make sure you don't carry any additional mags or ammo.

-Elmer FUDD

The real answer if I didn't already post here already is to carry what you train. Don't be slappin a dot on there if you're not confident you can acquire the dot under that insane pressure.

still not carrying a spare mag unless it's in my Obscura. If 16 isn't enough it was my time lol

 

[Brandon Breeze]

still not carrying a spare mag unless it's in my Obscura. If 16 isn't enough it was my time lol

What if your mag fails, or firearm malfunctions? What if you malfunction and press the mag release during your draw or presentation? What if you never seated your mag properly to begin with? Is it quicker to load the spare mag or pick the one up off the ground? Are these questions you want to ponder when in the worst possible situation?

 

[Gawernator]

What if your mag fails, or firearm malfunctions? What if you malfunction and press the mag release during your draw or presentation? What if you never seated your mag properly to begin with? Is it quicker to load the spare mag or pick the one up off the ground? Are these questions you want to ponder when in the worst possible situation?

tap rack bang
if my mag malfunctions then my fault for using an unreliable magazine in a carry gun lol. Never had it happen (especially with HK and Walther shoutout to Deutschland), the 1/billion chance of needing a spare mag in a ccw situation is too small to outweigh the extra effort and discomfort for me. I'll take those odds. Most likely like the average American I can go through my entire life never even using a gun in the first place lol.

On top of that, according to ASP there is no known self defense shooting where a spare magazine or lack thereof changed the outcome of the encounter

 

[Hindsight]

I doubt I'll ever need a spare, but the combination of it helping balance out the weight on my belt and having experienced catastrophic mag failure where my mag spring and basepad seemingly yeeted itself when getting out of a car one day in a grocery store parking lot, I like having the spare. If I didn't have it that day, I would've been without a functioning mag for the rest of the day as I had no idea where the spring went flying off to into the grass and I was getting looks from people while I was chicken pecking my carry ammo off the ground.

Given mags are the typical biggest failure point on guns in general, but especially 2011s, it's pretty easy insurance that doesn't really cost me anything and actually increases comfort for me.

 

[Brandon Breeze]

tap rack bang
if my mag malfunctions then my fault for using an unreliable magazine in a carry gun lol. Never had it happen (especially with HK and Walther shoutout to Deutschland), the 1/billion chance of needing a spare mag in a ccw situation is too small to outweigh the extra effort and discomfort for me. I'll take those odds. Most likely like the average American I can go through my entire life never even using a gun in the first place lol.

On top of that, according to ASP there is no known self defense shooting where a spare magazine or lack thereof changed the outcome of the encounter

If your mag completely fails tap, rack bang will not save you. Unlikely? Sure. Possible, absolutely.

I'm sure the statistics will save you!

You're right, statistically you will most likely never need a firearm for self defense, maybe stop carrying since statistics are absolute!

 

[ButteFlyFisher]

If your mag completely fails tap, rack bang will not save you. Unlikely? Sure. Possible, absolutely.

I'm sure the statistics will save you!

You're right, statistically you will most likely never need a firearm for self defense, maybe stop carrying since statistics are absolute!

Why don’t you carry a back up gun? Your main gun could break. Your back up could then break too. You can really go down a rabbit hole…

 

[Gawernator]

If your mag completely fails tap, rack bang will not save you. Unlikely? Sure. Possible, absolutely.

I'm sure the statistics will save you!

You're right, statistically you will most likely never need a firearm for self defense, maybe stop carrying since statistics are absolute!

You’re more likely to die in a car crash than have a HK mag randomly completely fail while also in the middle of a shootout.

So by this logic to be safe never drive a car? I have a tolerable amount of risk in my life. I race motorcycles. I carry a HK so that’s not a concern for me. If you have a less reliable gun like a 2011 or you’re just scared of your mag failing then sure carry your spare.
Obviously more bullets and mags is better for lethality. I just don’t need it.

It’s an individual’s decision. Some guys are carrying 5 shot revolvers. To me that’s kinda stupid, when we have superior modern handguns. However it’ll probably still get the job done and they like it so who cares. I’m not the gun police telling people they need a certain gun or certain round count or number of spare mags. Why not just carry plate carrier with multiple mags in case two mags fail? lol

Not sure who you’re trying to convince. Is there any self defense shooting where a spare magazine was needed? Ever in the USA?

 

[Gawernator]

Why don’t you carry a back up gun? Your main gun could break. Your back up could then break too. You can really go down a rabbit hole…

Exactly. We can’t eliminate all risk but we can manage our risk. You could have two guns and spare mags and get struck by lightning and die or get hit by a drunk driver. We can’t control every variable. Worrying endlessly is unhealthy.

Matthew 6:34 (NKJV):


“Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.”