Articles
Future of Defensive Pistol Sights
Part 2: Testing and Evaluation
by Mike Seeklander
Photos by Author
Posted: August 2, 2012
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| Testing began when I received the Bowie Tactical mounted Trijicon RMR on my M&P. I highly suggest using someone with a depth of knowledge about this subject if you plan to get a gun modified for a red dot sight. |
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| Test pistol was an S&W M&P. Second slide has RMR mounted on it. I used one frame and a second slide to ensure trigger pull and feel were exactly the same. |
I stated the premise of this two-part article in Part 1: “I think that the future of sighting systems for handguns (both medium-frame carry and duty pistols) are small, lightweight red dot sights (RDS).”
Also in Part 1, I introduced you to (as far as I can find) the “father of RDSs” on fighting handguns, David Bowie. David runs Bowie Tactical Concepts and was going to be an integral part of my testing and evaluation of a system on a handgun. David agreed to set up my Smith & Wesson M&P with a Trijicon RMR (Ruggedized Miniature Reflex) RDS, with all the features I recommended in Part 1. While this article is not about setting up the gun, I can’t tell you how important it is to have a qualified gunsmith mount and set up your gun to avoid future problems. The slide milling alone is a critical part of the process, and you want to avoid the cheap mounts that cause the sight to sit up too high on the gun. My recommendation? Give David Bowie a call at Bowie Tactical and your worries will be over.
There’s only one way to find out how the RDS compares to a gun with standard sights, and that is to shoot them side by side in the same context and drills. My choice for a base pistol was a Smith & Wesson M&P, because I shoot those guns extensively. I have two guns, one with standard Warren Tactical sights and one with the Trijicon RMR RDS. To further minimize any possible advantages, I decided to do my testing with the slides from both guns mounted on one frame. This should ensure that the grip and trigger feel exactly the same, and that neither gun would have an advantage due to trigger pull. I chose to do the test from a standard belt-mounted holster, a Safariland Model 5188, which is a laminate holster that would accommodate the gun with either slide on it. I decided to also test the RDS handgun from a concealed holster to see if there were any snagging issues associated with the RMR mounted on the slide.
Potential Advantages
My testing would validate or invalidate my previous claims about the potential advantages of a red dot sight on a handgun:
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| The gun nearly fits in my carry holster. The large rear sight and RMR hit the top of the Safariland Model 18, which will have to be relieved slightly. I expect all major manufacturers to make a holster that will accommodate RDS systems in the near future. |
- A red dot is much simpler to use. When shooters who have never shot with one are exposed to it, the comment I often hear is, “This is so easy!”
- The cross-over of the dot when using two weapons systems. Imagine a guy like a SWAT officer, who primarily uses a rifle but has to transition to a handgun for close quarters work or if the rifle fails. With a red dot sight, the user transitions from red dot to red dot, and there is no focus shift to a front sight.
Four Tests
If the statements above are to be validated, then testing must reflect the key points I made. My test was a simple shooting test, but I approached it with regard to the points above. My plan was to shoot the two slides on one frame through the following tests, then compare the results as well as my experience.
Modified X-Drill Test
The X-Drill is a two target drill that requires target acquisitions to varying target areas, such as the head and body. This drill allows me to test whether or not shooting with the red dot is faster, since I have to refocus my eyes from the target to the sights several times. The X-Drill was done at the standard distance of 10 yards as follows: Set up two targets at 10 yards, with three yards between them (label them T1 and T2). On the start signal, draw and fire two shots to T1 body, T2 head, T1 head, and T2 body. This test was done for time and I noted my draw times and acquisition times to compare between the RDS and iron sight set-ups.
New Shooter Test
I wanted to see if the RDS is in fact easier for a new shooter to use. For this test, I had a volunteer run a plate rack test that consisted of knocking down six 8” plates from 10 yards. This shows if the RDS has the advantage for a new shooter, and also simulates a situation where it might be beneficial to keep the focal point on the target to verify a hit more quickly.
Rifle/Handgun Transition Test
This is a simple drill to see if transitioning to the RDS is any faster than transitioning with iron sights. For this test, I simulated a target/distance that would require the use of a hard focus on the sights to hit the target. This test was done by setting up a rifle with one round in the chamber and an empty magazine. Transition was done as soon as the dead trigger was recognized, and the split time between the rifle shot and first handgun shot was measured and compared between the guns.
One-Handed Manipulation Test
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| How I would manipulate the slide in certain cases with a standard gun and iron sight (such as the Dawson “charger” sight). How does this work with the RMR on my gun, and does it damage the sight? |
This was important to me because I wanted to see if the RMR would stand up to the rigorous process of working the slide off a belt or obstacle. I shot a series of drills where I was forced to reload the gun as well as clear malfunctions with one hand. This allowed me to use the RMR as my “hook” when working the slide. After the drills, I re-evaluated the sight for damage and to see if it were still zeroed. With the gun set up like Bowie Tactical did it, even if the optic failed, I could use my back-up iron sights.
Let the testing begin!
Test Results
After shooting all the tests with both guns, here are the results. All figures are averages and measured in seconds.
Drill / Test |
RMR Optic Gun |
Iron-Sighted Gun |
| Draw at 5 yards | .90 | .90 |
| Draw at 10 yards | 1.10 | 1.30 |
| Modified X | 3.75 | 3.80 |
| Rifle/Handgun Transition Test | 1.40 | 1.44 |
| One-Handed Manipulation Test | 100% success, no problems and a bonus of having a large surface to hook and work the slide from. |
N/A |
My testing showed the results I had expected. Even though I rarely shoot handguns with optic sights, I have had extensive experience competing with them in the past. This made it very easy to adjust to the RMR sighted pistol, whereas a less experienced person might have had more difficulty. The new shooter on this particular test was Steve Aryan, Director of Training at the U.S. Shooting Academy and an extremely good shooter. Here is what Steve had to say about the RDS optic-equipped handgun.
New Shooter Feedback
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| Most shooters not accustomed to shooting RDS handguns will fail to get their eye low and in line with the scope, often searching for the dot. The trick is to index the gun as if it had hard iron sights, and the dot will be right there. The red dot might disappear in the top portion of the scope if the user makes the mistake of looking slightly high over the gun. |
“Using a dot is something I am very familiar with on a rifle. However, on a handgun, I have little to no real experience with it. When Mike gave me the ‘Bowie edition’ M&P, I extended the gun out and tried to find the dot with little success. I did it again and again and it didn’t get better, because I was extending the gun with the goal of finding the dot rather than extending the gun like I normally do and the dot just simply appearing because of the natural presentation. After I figured that out, it made finding the dot quickly a breeze.
“Target transitions were also faster and easier to do. Tracking the dot is so much easier than tracking a set of irons. Imagine if the front sight post didn’t require itself to be aligned with the rear sight post. As long as you could see your front sight post, the bullet would land right where it was. That’s what you have with the RDS system. As long as you see the dot, that’s where the bullet is going to go. I found that to be a huge advantage over my iron sights. After spending a week with the RDS-equipped M&P, my conclusions are:
- The RDS is a great addition to the iron sights but not a replacement. Just like a rifle, you need to add an ‘optic failure’ drill into your training regimen.
- Choosing an RDS that’s sturdy and can hold up to one-handed manipulations is not questionable. I found the RMR to be one of the best choices on the market today.
- Choosing a holster that fits the RDS-equipped weapon is important. Not all holsters fit such a setup. I found my Raven Concealment holsters fit perfectly without any modification.
- As a new RDS shooter, I found not looking for the dot harder. Most of my students who had an opportunity to fire this M&P also found themselves looking for the dot rather than extending the weapon out. Once they got over that, they loved it.
In the end, I adapted to the sight very quickly!”
Conclusions
RDS-sighted handguns offer a huge benefit to the defensive shooter, whether they be in law enforcement, the military, or a concealed carry holder. I think the system offers significant benefit if the right scope is picked and would prioritize those benefits in this order:
| 1. | An RDS-sighted handgun offers the shooter the ability to use what human development makes natural, a threat-based focus. When under stress, this may be a huge benefit, since there will be no need to bring the focus back to a set of front and rear sights to get a hit on a target that requires it. Those who are of the age at which their vision will not allow a good sight picture will appreciate this sight even more. During testing, I was reminded how I could keep a clear focus on the threat target | |
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Red dot offers the ability to focus clearly on the threat, with a strong awareness of where the red dot is at all times. Red dot is in the upper right corner of the scope, and yet you can still tell that the dot is in the center of the chest, all while visually focusing on the threat. This is a huge advantage, since the human vision system is hard-wired to focus on the threat when under stress. | |
| while maintaining awareness of where the dot was if the handgun were somewhat in front of my face. This can be an advantage in cases where you are still assessing the person during the decision-making process, and would allow for a quicker first shot once the decision to shoot has been made. | |||||
| 2. | An RDS-sighted handgun gave me a speed advantage when shooting it, and with some training I am sure it would with any user. The dot is simply an easier way to aim and align the gun. There is no focusing back and forth to find the sights and ensure they are aligned. Simply find the dot, line it up with the target area, and press the trigger. The time differences can be seen in the results chart, especially during the draw at 10 yards. I was able to go faster because I did not |
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I began testing with the RDS-sighted handgun. These were my first four shots all timed at less than one second (with a laminate holster, unconcealed). The red dot was surprisingly easy to pick up. | |
| have to bring my visual focus back to the front sight, which took several tenths of a second. Competition shooters have long known the huge advantage of using a dot scope in handgun matches. The sport was divided into divisions once the dot scope made its way onto handguns in the late 1990s. There soon became an open (optic sights) division, and a limited (iron sights) division, because iron sights simply cannot compete with optic sights in those situations. About the only place they are even is at extreme close ranges where the shooter doesn’t really need a dot or sights to hit the target. | |||||
| 3. | An RDS-sighted handgun offers the same sight picture and visual focus that most defensive shooters would see when using a rifle with an optic on it. This may lead to more commonality in what the user sees when transferring from one gun to the other for a malfunction, etc. I have found it very hard to bring my focus from threat-based when using an optic back to the front sight on a handgun when necessary. There is a dramatic visual focus shift, and an RDS-sighted handgun eliminates this. |
| 4. | An RDS-sighted handgun offers some unique side benefits, such as an increased learning curve for new shooters and additional visual feedback for experienced shooters. A new shooter may have to learn to extend the gun and find the dot, but once they do, they have an easier time shooting a red dot than iron sights. During my testing, I was reminded how the red dot is a unique feedback tool and that it allows you to see more of the gun movement than you normally would with iron sights because of its brightness. Long ago, professional shooter Todd Jarrett told me that using an open gun might improve my shooting due to the feedback the dot gave. This may allow you to get more visual feedback from your training drills and improve faster. |
As you can see, there are some direct benefits to using a gun set up like mine. After much testing and evaluation, I stand by my initial statement that RDS-sighted handguns are the way of the future. I wish this was an original idea, but the truth is that David Bowie, Gabe Suarez (and a bunch of folks on his Warrior Talk forum), and many others since the late 1990s have been developing the concept of using a red dot on a fighting handgun.
Until recently, I would have hesitated to try simply because I did not think the sighting systems were up to it. I have not tested all available RDS systems, but can tell you the Trijicon RMR is up to the task, and I can honestly say: “Red-dot sights are the future of defensive handguns!”
Notes
- Recommended Reference: Warrior Talk forum article about shooting red dot-sighted handguns.
- Special thanks to David Bowie for the advice and work on the handgun used in this article and support for this project!
- Special thanks to Trijicon for their help with this project.
15 Comments
Very interesting. I did not see how the sight either interfered with, or did not interfer with, clearing all 3 types of malfunctions. Looks like it might get in the way and rip the hand running the slide.
Good article on the benefits of a red dot sight, but I did not see any mention of concealment issues. To the civilian being able to effectively conceal your weapon but still bring it into use as quickly as possible if needed is critical. I admit to never having tried to conceal a pistol with a dot sight, but since my carry piece is a full size M+P the extra bulk would seem likely to make it more difficult to prevent printing and could create a greater potential to snag in an emergency draw. Some discussion of these issues would be appreciated.
Yea. that's nice and all,but how many of us average working stiffs can afford this "advancement"? The RMR itself costs between $500 and $600. ARE YOU FREAKIN' kiddin'me? I don't pay that much for a firearm. My handgun budget is in the $300 to $400 range. This article is absurd to the common working man. Not all of us have your kind of money Mr. Seeklander and it offends me that you think most of us out here can just add a red dot optic and pay a smith for mounting it. Just let me run out and pick one of those up tomorrow while I'm out and about. Other than that,I respect and enjoy your knowledge on personal defense and gunfighting.
Whatt if the red dot opic fails when most needed, there needs to be a battlefield back up sight.
I rated this article as PERFECT, for what it is - information about RD sights. Now, how are RD sights better/different to RD spring-guide rods? I may be missing a point (price?), but I really do not find one better than the other. If I were to give any advantage, I would prefer the latter, because is better protected (inside the gun), you can place the "dot" on target if the gun is nowhere within eyesight, and it does not detract from the basic gun lines (it still looks "purty").
It has been my experience that this type of sight, (either rifle or pistol) becomes useless if backlit, especially in dark conditions with artificial light behind. (Sun/lights reflect off the glass). Additionally, they can fog up when going from outdoors, (cold) to indoors (warm). Mike, can you research my concerns and report back?
Ferndo, I carry a Glock 19 with the RMR every day AIWB. With the proper holster it is not an issue. Holster makers like Dale Fricke have a set up that protects the RMR (not that it really need protection) and does not print any more than when I did not have the RMR installed. I have used the gun and holster set up in many training classes and have yet to have an issue with it hanging up on clothing or anything utilizing proper draw techniques. SicSemper, regarding the dot failing, it is an electronic device and could have a potential to failure, however from testing that I have seen it is not a common occurrence. Trijicon suggests changing the battery once a year. As a fail safe if you look closely at Mike's gun there are Back Up Iron Sights installed. They are supressor height ones so when you look through the reticle you can index with them. On Mike's gun he opted to put the sight in front of the RMR, on mine I have them behind. I believe it is personal choice. I also use night sights with mine while others just use plain black. I find that when I bring the gun up, and quickly check the sights, the dot is right there. The dot really shines at distances greater than 10 yards, you just put the dot where you want the bullet to go. I have seen guys make shots from 100 yards out no problem. Over at warrior talk forums there is pages and pages of discussion regarding the benefit of the RMR. It is worth reading if you are truly interested in learning more. Great article Mike.
Batteries have a way of dying when you need them most and I wouldn't trust my life to a button battery. You also didn't mention that under extreme stress it is sometimes hard to find that little red dot unless you are holding the gun just right.
The ome time I shot a handgun with a RDS it was slightly raining. As sonn as I drew the gun I realized the RDS was wet and I could see nothing. This pretty much convinced me I didn't want this type of site on my defensive side arm.. Thoughts?
I have never used a gun of any kind with RMR sites. I don't even know of anyone that I know that has one. The price is just to high for any of us. I once had a pistol with a scope on it but it did not make my shooting any better...
Hey readers, I will respond to your comments in one message. - Concealment, this was actually not an issue, as the RDS did not effect the thickness or length of the gun. Had I installed the sight on my M&P 9C, it would be just as concealable as my gun without it. - Cost, to the ready who was offended, I apologize but was certainly not telling you to run out and buy a RMR. Each person has a different financial situation. My only goal was to research the concept and give information! -As far as a dot failing, yes that is a key consideration. It is why no one would carry one without back up iron sights. If you read part 1 and 2 again you will see I thoroughly address this, and have a back up iron sight on my gun. - Marty, as far as the sight being backlight and having issues there, I will let you know what I find! Thanks for reading the article, and please feel free to email at mikeseeklander@shooting-performance.com at any time!
Mike, thanks for a pretty thorough article on the subject of RDS's. I'd also like to say that in communicating with David Bowie about possibly installing the sight on a 1911, I found him very informative, as well as generous with his time. I've got to say though, I'm amazed at some of the negative feedback. The intention of the article was to convey information about some technology that SOME might find beneficial. If you don't like it- don't use it. If you can't afford it- don't buy. Simple. Again, thanks...
Sevens- You are exactly right, my intent is to provoke thought and provide information! For years the competitive guys have had to separate divisions because red dots dominate over iron sights, and I think in some cases there might be great applications for defensive uses. Thanks for reading the article!
Over the past 30+ months we have been experimenting with small slide mounted RDS and find they can be quite useful as discussed in the article–especially for officers over 40 years of age who are beginning to exhibit vision degradation, when shooting at moving targets or while shooting on the move, in dim lighting or when using NODS, and when shooting at longer ranges. There are several options to mount a small RDS on duty/CCW handguns; the easiest method is to drift out the standard rear sight and simply add a dove-tail adapter allowing the RDS to bolt on to the side–although this method has proven less efficacious. The lowest profile method and the one that fosters the most natural shooting position is to permanently mil the slide to allow the RDS to sit lower and allow a more natural shooting position. There are several great gunsmiths offering direct milling including David Bowie, Doug Holloway, and Mark Housel; the outstanding Unity Tactical mount is the most versatile mount we have used so far. Keep in mind that several vendors are offering or are about to offer pistols with the slides pre-milled from the factory for RDS mounting. We found it takes a lot of dry firing/drawing and several thousand live rounds to become proficient with a handgun equipped with a slide mounted RDS. I am still not as quite as fast using the RDS, however, I am substantially more accurate with the RDS, especially at longer ranges. In addition, the RDS allows me to remain fully focused on the threat and not have to transition back to the front sight prior to firing–this is a major advantage for LE and civilian self-defense. For most CONUS CCW and LE duty/carry use, I still prefer the RMR02--works well and good holsters are available for RMR equipped pistols. For a dedicated training pistol, the RMR07 is nice, as the dot can be turned off to practice using the BIS. We are also experimenting with smaller 2-4 MOA dots. With the advent of the Unity Tactical mount, the micro-Aimpoint is now a viable and effective option for folks operating in adverse conditions--swimming, surf zone, dusty environments, snow/sleet/heavy rain, etc... Only downside is the lack of duty holsters for pistols with the micro-Aimpoint.
how much would this sight coast