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I don't have red dots on any pistols that aren't AR's, but I do have a TLR-1 on the G17 I conceal, from my perspective, low light conditions are best served by putting light on a target, not necessarily a red dot on a target that is hard to see clearly because of dark conditions. Going back to topic of red dots and iron sights, with illumination on target, iron sights function just the same as during the day.

It would make sense that folks who desire better results in low light shooting, if they want to go the red dot route, should also add a light to the mixture.

That all being said, many years ago, my now deceased grandfather put a red dot on his pellet rifle he used to dispatch many nuisance birds. His eyes simply deteriorated to the point iron sights compared to a red dot became less practical. So I can very easily empathize for those with 'older' eyes, that they would appreciate a red dot even on a handgun.

I carry a separate light with me at all times. Reason I choose this is because I don't want to sweep anyone or anything out in public just to "investigate" something. At home I have X300 Ultras on 3 of my pistols, including my new M&P.

I'm not against optics or Smith by any means, I just have a hard time wrapping my head around making a deep conceal firearm bigger. Although some of the posts here got me to kind of understand.
 
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You guys should put your holsters on a diet. Bunch of fatties.

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A Shield doesn't benefit from an optic because you can't hit anything beyond 10' with it anyway. :p;)

I'd LOVE to have an optic for my G34 that I use in competition. Cuz ah cain't see for sh.........t!! But alas, IDPA doesn't allow it.

I'm fortunate to be able to point shoot at short distances and just look over the top of the barrel up to 7yds. Beyond that I really need the sights... or I'm gonna have to use my "Runfu". And I'm old, and slow. So I have a Big Dot sight but I'm struggling with it at 25yds.

My EDC weapons will not have an optic on them, because of the above, and well, I'm cheap. :)
 
I carry a seperate light with me at all times. Reason I choose this is because I don't want to sweep anyone or anything out in public just to "investigate" something. At home I have X300 Ultras on 3 of my pistols, including my new M&P.

I'm not against optics or Smith by any means, I just have a hard time wrapping my head around making a deep conceal firearm bigger. Although some of the posts here got me to kind of understand.

I use a streamlight handheld for day to day light purposes and not draw worthy investigation purposes, but the point being that if you feel the need to draw a pistol, having a light source not dependent on a second hand is helpful.

I also have credible sources that will say a aggressor looking at 800 lumens can't visually tell whether it is attached to a pistol or not until they were instructed to stop advancing or be shot.
 
What's the point? The Shield is for CC and the optic isn't going to help with that.
Wait til you pass the half century mark and suddenly iron sights become a bit more of a challenge... Low profile Red Dot's on a carry gun could be a godsend for those who are visually challenged. Doesn't add much height and it's be right at the belt line anyway, making it a bit easier to hide... Now dust and lint are a whole nother story :eek:
 
Wait til you pass the half century mark and suddenly iron sights become a bit more of a challenge... Low profile Red Dot's on a carry gun could be a godsend for those who are visually challenged. Doesn't add much height and it's be right at the belt line anyway, making it a bit easier to hide... Now dust and lint are a whole nother story :eek:

Ah, bought a G17 MOS and threw a Vortex Venom on it. I was slow to pick up the dot and my astigmatism didn't help either. 3 trips to the range to try and make myself love it and it was dumped like a prude on prom night. :D
 
And what happens when the red dot fails? The Shield offering doesn't have suppressor-height sights so that's a negative right out of the box.
 
A Shield doesn't benefit from an optic because you can't hit anything beyond 10' with it anyway. :p;)

I'd LOVE to have an optic for my G34 that I use in competition. Cuz ah cain't see for sh.........t!! But alas, IDPA doesn't allow it.

I'm fortunate to be able to point shoot at short distances and just look over the top of the barrel up to 7yds. Beyond that I really need the sights... or I'm gonna have to use my "Runfu". And I'm old, and slow. So I have a Big Dot sight but I'm struggling with it at 25yds.

My EDC weapons will not have an optic on them, because of the above, and well, I'm cheap. :)
Hey, don't be dissen on the Shield's, they can hit lots of things beyond 10', ya just have to throw them hard enough... :confused:

Seriously, my Shield is good out to 20'-25', don't really practice beyond that because it's a self defense gun, not a target gun... And if I'm 20'-25' from a threat, I'm going to do a Yosemite Sam and retreat....
 
Me too. I practice point shooting at 7 yards with my focus on the target.
I do as far as 15 yards, not because I will shoot that far in a defensive scenario, but to tighten up my groups close in. I would consider myself competent with what I carry. I am not going to win a competition that way with other shooters, but I hope if I need to I can win the competition for my life. I do have red dots on some guns, but it is nothing I would use on a CC gun.
 
I do as far as 15 yards, not because I will shoot that far in a defensive scenario, but to tighten up my groups close in. I would consider myself competent with what I carry. I am not going to win a competition that way with other shooters, but I hope if I need to I can win the competition for my life. I do have red dots on some guns, but it is nothing I would use on a CC gun.

I've done farther as well, but I really work on 7 yards because, well, hard to claim "defense" much past that distance. :)
 
And what happens when the red dot fails? The Shield offering doesn't have suppressor-height sights so that's a negative right out of the box.

Don't quote me on this because I haven't seen one in person. But this appears to be S&W's homegrown optic. And in one of the pictures they have up on their website, it appears as if the optic has a notch in it that allows you to use the included rear sights to sight through the optic. It doesn't appear to need suppressor sights.
 
Don't quote me on this because I haven't seen one in person. But this appears to be S&W's homegrown optic. And in one of the pictures they have up on their website, it appears as if the optic has a notch in it that allows you to use the included rear sights to sight through the optic. It doesn't appear to need suppressor sights.

Interesting. We'll have to wait and see I guess. For over $800 MSRP it better be a good one. Better than their knives and flashlights anyway. ;)
 
Don't quote me on this because I haven't seen one in person. But this appears to be S&W's homegrown optic. And in one of the pictures they have up on their website, it appears as if the optic has a notch in it that allows you to use the included rear sights to sight through the optic. It doesn't appear to need suppressor sights.

I went back and looked. I see that notch now. Well, I'll not repeat myself on the pricing. :)
 

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