All Pistols Should Have Red Dots

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All Pistols Should Have Red Dots

November 24, 2024
By Jared Daub

All Pistols Should Have Red Dots

All Pistols Should Have Red Dots. I said what I said. Fight me. Let’s talk about it.

Red Dots are the New Standard for Pistols

For many years folks would resist the idea of having red dots on pistols. People were skeptical that they would hinder performance or would be frail. Maybe that was true for a small period of time, but they have now been proliferated and the proof of concept is well established. What’s strange is some people will still fight and resist adding a dot to their pistol. I think it might be worth driving through memory lane to remember where some of this resistance came from and why dots are the new standard on pistols.

“The missing piece was the support from manufacturers. Pistols NEEDED to come ready to mount red dots from the factory. The moment that happened, the entire landscape changed.”

Milled Slides Used to Be Abnormal / Rare\

Jared’s Glock 19 with SLR slide and HE508T Red Dot

I remember red dots really starting to pop up on instagram around 2015. There was a wave of new companies offering slide milling services for pistol slides. This created the possibility to mount popular red dots to nearly any slide. Few manufacturers offered a factory pistol slide that was ready to accommodate a red dot. For that reason, if you wanted a dot you’d need to send your factory slide out for milling. This added cost to your already expensive pistol and tied your slide up sometimes for months. No joke, some folks waited 2-3 months for their slide to be finished at the machine shop. Adding a red dot to a standard pistol slide was a fairly daunting task and it kept folks, like myself, from ever taking the plunge in the early years.

If you are relying on your pistol, losing your slide for a few weeks or months is really not an option. So many folks stuck with iron sights out of necessity. If you did not have the budget for multiple pistols, you really couldn’t afford to send your primary one out for a red dot.

Popularity and Commonality increasing

In the early years of micro dots being mounted to slides, they were met with much skepticism. Some notable questions surrounded whether red dots were durable enough, whether they presented training scars, and whether they were worth the money. The topic of durability was a valid one. Many early red dots were fragile and the functionality was not up to the level we have today. As more and more real world use cases came to fruition, and more content showed the durability of modern dots, more and more people began accepting them. Additionally, more and more people saw first hand the performance capabilities of red dots on pistols. This momentum was set into motion.

Manufacturers reacting to the need

The missing piece was the support from manufacturers. Pistols NEEDED to come ready to mount red dots from the factory. The moment that happened, the entire landscape changed. And boy, did they react. We started seeing all major manufacturers offering options that allowed seamless integration of a red dot. From M&P to the Glock MOS, to Companies like Zev, Polymer 80, SLR Rifle Works, and so many others, slides were now readily available. Even if you didn’t want to purchase another pistol, you could purchase a replacement slide, ready for a red dot. While this isn’t the case for all manufactures at this moment, we are seeing the trend where soon all pistols will likely accommodate a red dot of some sort.

Barriers have now been removed

Red Dots on pistols are here to stay and increase in their use. Because the barrier of entry is now ALMOST non-existent, it is easier than ever to get a dot onto your pistol. Additionally, the cost of modern, capable red dots has never been better. I think manufacturers should CONTINUE pushing towards this reality. I believe that all pistols should come capable of mounting a red dot to them.

Benefits of a red dot on a pistol

I was a VERY late adopter to a red dot on my pistols. For many years I trained with my Glock 19 with iron sights and I refused to put a red dot on it. This was due to several reasons. I was not willing to part with my slide for weeks or months. My Glock 19 was my only pistol, and I couldn’t afford to just go buy another pistol for the luxury of having a red dot. I also did not want to spend a ton of money on slide milling, and further, I guilted myself into believing that running a dot was a “cop out”. Many of you likely dealt with the same internal pressures. I believed that I should be able to run irons as good as anyone running a dot. This mindset limited growth.

I got my first taste of a red dot on a pistol with my Glock 22 (Converted to 9mm). Then I shot a friends Zev pistol. Later, I ordered a slide from SLR for my Glock 19. I slapped a holosun HE508T on the G19 and never looked back.

It was immediately clear to me the benefits the red dot provided. Speed, precision, ease of use, faster skill development, better ability to see how impacts affect hits, and more. It was insane seeing the difference going from iron sights to a dot. Sure, there was a learning curve. It was weird at first. Presenting the pistol and “finding” the dot was very challenging that first range day. But Dryfire quickly cleaned that all up. I really saw the benefit at further distances. Distances that I previously struggled to make hits I was now landing hits easily, consistently, and with more speed.

Additionally, if your eyesight is not as sharp as it once was, you may find a huge relief in switching to a red dot on your pistol. It may make training with your pistol possible again.

See the target, not the sights

Those distance shots became so much easier because you are looking THROUGH the red dot versus blocking the target with your sights. You are able to put shots exactly where you want while seeing the reaction /impacts on target at the exact same time. What a truly powerful tool.

Additionally, new shooters were able to pick up pistol shooting faster and with more confidence. When training someone on a pistol with irons, they need to understand aligning their sights elevation and windage properly. They need to understand where their focus lies. They hide the target with their sights and struggle through the learning process like all of us before them. Give them a pistol with a red dot and you’ll often find a faster learner. These are just my experiences. Part of learning a new skill is building confidence. Our mind plays games in our head, so the more we can break down these training barriers, the better.

Not a skill replacement, not a magic pill.

While many benefits do exist, and there is a HUGE argument for all pistols having dots, red dots are NOT a replacement for skill. Additionally, the benefits of red dots does not diminish the effectiveness of iron sights. I still believe iron sights are an effective means of aiming a pistol. Iron sights have been in existence longer than electronic optics, obviously. So they work, they can be used in quick shooting/fast scenarios. Red dots do not replace a good foundation of the fundamentals. They simply build on TOP of the skills you already have. But if you think adding a dot to a pistol will solve all of your shooting deficiencies, you’ll be in for a rude awakening.

I personally saw the benefits of a red dot immediately. You might struggle to get through the learning phase. Each person is different. What I will say is it is important to stay sharp with your iron sights as well. Add suppressor height sights if possible to your pistol as a backup. Continue shooting with irons as you train with your red dot. I see value in understanding both, and being capable with both.

Ultimately, a red dot on a concealed carry pistol is just a way to aim. It’s just another tool to consider. Maybe you love the idea, maybe you don’t. I’m curious: Are you currently running a red dot? If not, why? Do you see the mass proliferation of red dots as a benefit or a negative? I’d love to hear what you think. You can leave us a comment in our blogs and we’ll love to see them.