Thinking about purchasing some red dot sights for your pistol? Wondering if they are worth it or not? Let's go over some Basic Red Dot 101 questions and answers, and then I will suggest a couple for you if you need a little guidance.

What Red Dot Sights Are and What They Are Not

A red dot sight
is somewhat like a scope. Instead of cross-hairs though, there is a small red (or green) dot in the center of the field of view. I say red or green because the color of the light can be changed in some models of pistol optics. The small dots are created by a tiny light source inside of the red dot unit itself. The dot, created by the light source, projects onto a transparent glass screen that is also located inside of the optic casing. There is usually no magnification with a red dot sight, as it's a lot like looking through a window at your target. You must look through the eyepiece to see the red dot in your "window". Red dot optics on a pistol make it easier to acquire a target rapidly. Compared to scopes, the bright red dot is easier to see than two vertical black posts, especially if your target is dark.

Burris Fast Fire III Red Dot Sight

So, that's what a red dot sight
is in a nutshell. A red dot laser sight is, in fact, not a sight at all. A red dot laser is simply a light that projects outward and, because of the way the light waves are arranged and restricted, the laser stays focused over a distance as a tiny point of light. There is nothing to look through with a laser as you would using an optic. When talking about a grip or mounted laser, simply aim your firearm near or at your target, see where the dot falls, and adjust accordingly. Because it can be difficult to see the laser until it shines on something, it's hard to see where the beam of light is tracking. Red dot sights can be used at night, and some are even equipped with night vision. Red dot sights are the quickest way to acquire a target, but red dot sights and lasers can co-exist. Both need sighting in. If you ask me for a number, I'm going to stick with my usual 25-30 yards for a pistol. However there are some that believe it should be closer to 10 yards. I look at it as extending the effective range of a pistol.

Are Red Dot Sights the Best Choice for Me?

Are red dot sights
the right choice for me? Well....yes and no. The reason that I say yes and no is because we are talking about red dot sights on a pistol. If your eyesight is starting to fail, like mine, and you can no longer achieve a clear front sight picture, you should definitely consider red dot sights as a tool for helping you maintain your shooting abilities. If you are consistently shooting accurately to 25 yards with your pistol though, you can probably save your money for another great accessory. Maybe you like to keep up with all of the latest firearms innovations and new technologies. Red dot sights make a great accessory if you are tuning up your pistol. Pistols with red dot sights do have a rather aggressive stance. If you just like collecting the latest gadgets, then this is a must-have for your cool tool collection. I mentioned above about extending your pistols' effective range. If you read my article on effective ranges, you know that I think anything past 30 yards may require a rifle. Pistols are for close encounters and close combat, however, if a threat is rapidly closing in from a far distance, you absolutely want to extend your pistol's effective range as far as you can to stop the threat. Red dot sights will not do everything for you however, you still need to practice with them. Some of the habits that you have developed in shooting iron sights will change as you learn to shoot with your red dot sights. There are red dot sights that are great for beginners, red dot sights that are great for competition shooting, and even red dot sights for advanced or advanced age shooters.

Trijicon RMR Dot Sight

Here are a few of the great red dot sights that Classic has to offer. Don't just take my word for it, check them all out. You'll easily be able to find a red dot sight for your needs. 1- BURRIS FAST FIRE III
- Light, small, and tough! Comes with an automatic brightness setting or choose your brightness level with three manual settings. It has windage and elevation adjustments and a rugged steel body that is waterproof and shockproof. You can mount this red dot sight on a pistol, rifle or shotgun. The Model III comes with a Picatinny mount. 2- Trijicon RMR 7.0
- This lightweight and battery-free sight contains optics and tritium. It is super easy and enables the shooter to quickly adjust windage and elevation with audible clicks. The RMR in the Trijicon model stands for Ruggedized Miniature Reflex, translated that means tough, little, red dot sight. 3- Leupold DeltaPoint Optics
, Pro Base Model - The Leupold Delta Point Optics is a lightweight aluminum sight. This sight features a waterproof design good for up to 66 yards, and an Auto-Brightness sensor that will adjust your reticle brightness to ensure that you have the best vision possible.

Leupold Delta Point Optics Reflex Sight

Summed Up

Red Dot Sights are great. We are not always good stewards of our optics, so just remember to turn your optics off after use and keep a check on your batteries. You will need to practice with your new red dot optics to adjust some muscle memory patterns from shooting iron sights, as there are slight differences between them, but you will build new muscle memory techniques for your new optics over time. Get comfortable with the sights so that they are there when you need them. Shop All Red Dot Sights
Shop All Reflex Sights