{"id":789,"date":"2023-02-08T21:35:38","date_gmt":"2023-02-08T21:35:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gunowner-news.com\/?p=789"},"modified":"2023-02-08T21:35:38","modified_gmt":"2023-02-08T21:35:38","slug":"ayoob-how-to-find-the-red-dot-on-your-edc","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gunowner-news.com\/?p=789","title":{"rendered":"Ayoob: How to Find the Red Dot on Your EDC"},"content":{"rendered":"


\n<\/p>\n

\n

By Massad Ayoob<\/a><\/p>\n

T<\/span>he ever-popular red dot sight \u2014 also known as a \u201ccarry optic\u201d \u2014 on service pistols and concealable self-defense handguns is easily one of the hottest trends today. But trends can create controversy, and new equipment always requires new approaches.<\/p>\n

\n<\/picture>
As more people transition to reflex-style sights, finding the red dot is more important than ever. Renowned firearms trainer Massad Ayoob helps us in this endeavor. Image:\u00a0Gail\u00a0Pepin<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

For shooters new to the concept, it\u2019s not as easy to learn to run as is a red dot sight on a long gun. The stabilizing point of buttstock-to-shoulder and the cheekweld on the comb of the stock, all in line with the optical sight, are absent with an optic-sighted handgun. Hence, it requires a little bit more effort to master.<\/p>\n

My primary occupation is that of firearms\/deadly force instructor and, like anyone else in the business, I can tell you stories of the new carry optic shooter wiggling his or her head around behind the pistol when they should be shooting because they haven\u2019t been able to find that darn red dot.<\/p>\n

\"using\n<\/picture>
Both \u201ciron sights\u201d and red dots can get the job done. However, red dot sights offer significant benefits for many people But, you should know how to use them in a defensive context. Image:\u00a0Scott\u00a0Conditt<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

In the firearms training world, I feel that carry optics have triggered a controversy on the level of the old \u201crevolver versus autoloader,\u201d \u201c9mm versus .45<\/a>\u201d and \u201cWeaver stance<\/a> versus Isosceles stance<\/a>\u201d debates. Ego gets invested in one concept or another, and the next thing you know it becomes acrimonious. The fact is, the revolver and the auto pistol each have pros and cons, as does each caliber of firearm, and so does each shooting stance. The same is true of methods for teaching the use of carry optics.<\/p>\n

Old School Adaptations<\/h2>\n

When I started shooting optical-sighted handguns in competition in the 1980s, what I found worked best for me was a technique I came to call a Bridge Index. I dubbed it thusly because it was a bridge between the body position index of \u201cpoint-shooting\u201d and the visual index of aimed fire. If I brought my head to my arm or shoulder and found a spot where that brought my eye in line with iron sights, it got the draw-to-the-shot just a little bit faster, and worked great with a red dot sight.<\/p>\n

\"bridge\n<\/picture>
By bringing the jaw to the bicep of the locked gun arm, the author automatically gets the red dot between the right eye and the target. Image:\u00a0Gail\u00a0Pepin<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

For me, normally right-handed and right eye dominant, the side of the lower mandible against the bicep was the index point. Shooting cross-dominant, right-handed but left master eye or vice-versa, chin to bicep did the trick. These days, with carry optics, I\u2019ve found it to be a very effective quick fix for the new adopter who is having trouble \u201ccatching the dot.\u201d<\/p>\n

Tim Chandler is a rising star in the training business (you can see about studying with him here<\/a>, here<\/a> and here<\/a>.) He remarked, \u201cMas\u2019 point about using the cheek to bicep with locked-out arms actually seems to work as an \u2018I can\u2019t find my dot\u2019 quick fix if they tend to go to full lockout on their arms habitually. (Lots of people do.) Frankly, it works better than one would expect in unconventional positions, too.\u201d<\/p>\n

Chasing The Irons<\/h2>\n

Because a defensive firearm is life-saving emergency rescue equipment and red dots are battery-operated and can fail, I think we\u2019d all agree that carry optics demand BUIS (back-up iron sights) that can co-witness with the optic, such as you will find on the Hellcat series of pistols from Springfield Armory<\/a>. Simply co-witnessing the irons and the red dot allows the shooter, particularly one who has been shooting iron sights a long time, to take his familiar iron-sight aim. With this system, he or she will find the red dot quickly and simply go on from there.<\/p>\n

\"shooters\n<\/picture>
Scott Jedlinski (closest to camera) shows his mastery of carry optics and speed shooting at the Polite Society match at the Rangemaster Tactical Conference, 2022. Image:\u00a0Gail\u00a0Pepin<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

However, as always, there are \u201ccons\u201d to go with the \u201cpros.\u201d For my Bridge Index, some body shapes (short, thick necks and\/or very broad shoulders, for example) simply don\u2019t allow it. Moreover, it requires at least the gun arm to be locked straight out while shooting, and some gunners can\u2019t do that because of arm injuries or simply won\u2019t because of personal preference.<\/p>\n

\"massad\n<\/picture>
Particularly useful if you shoot with bent elbows is to \u201cline up the back of the slide with your nose.\u201d The pistol is Springfield Armory Hellcat Pro with Shield optic. Image:\u00a0Gail\u00a0Pepin<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

A downside of the \u201cfind the irons\u201d approach is that one is really taking two sight indices instead of one, and no matter how fast you can do that it\u2019s very slightly slower than the single dot index, assuming that you can in fact find the dot by itself very quickly.<\/p>\n

Head Forward and Down<\/h2>\n

Most of the time when the shooter can\u2019t find the dot, it\u2019s hiding above his field of view. Bringing the head forward and down is one way to find it. Some people fear they\u2019ll be struck by lightning from the Shooting Gods if they do so, for in the marksmanship manuals It Is Written that thou must never bring thine eyes to the sights, but rather, thou shalt always keep the head erect and raise the sights to thine eyes. Whatever your feelings on this topic, I suggest giving it a try if you haven\u2019t been able to catch the dot. You might just be pleasantly surprised at the results.<\/p>\n

Other Approaches<\/h2>\n

Some experienced red dot users not only don\u2019t use the BUIS to find the dot, but are dead-set against the practice. One who doesn\u2019t care for it is a master shooter who has reasons to go by his initials, GJM, even when he wrote a guest chapter for one of my books.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"ayoob\n<\/picture>
Drawing to a high ready like this will, for many shooters, hasten the eye\u2019s acquisition of the red dot. The downside is some ranges forbid the muzzle to be pointed above the backstop. Image:\u00a0Gail\u00a0Pepin<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Here\u2019s his take on teaching new shooters to \u201cfind the dot\u201d:<\/p>\n

\n

The advice I recently gave to a friend transitioning to the red dot was to shoot the first 500 or 1,000 rounds with the red dot on a slide that had no back-up iron sights. This forces you to learn the presentation without the crutch of the iron sights. Anytime you present the pistol and the dot is not there, stop and figure out what is wrong with your presentation and fix it.<\/p>\n

I believe going without reserve sights accelerates the learning curve on acquiring the dot. Without reserve sights, it is also useful to turn off the dot and shoot with just index and determine what level of accuracy is possible without seeing the dot in case the dot or your index fails.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

\n
\n\t\t\t\t\"\"\/<\/p>\n

Live The Armory Life.<\/strong> The latest content straight to your inbox plus an automatic entry to each of our monthly gun\u00a0giveaways!<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

The Four P\u2019s<\/h2>\n

Scott Jedlinksi is one of the leading instructors in pistol shooting in general today, and red dot sight shooting in particular. He favors a presentation of the gun that begins with the muzzle in a high-ready where it can catch the eye early. He describes his method as The Four P\u2019s: present, prep, pinkie, press.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"four\n<\/picture>
The author demonstrates Scott Jedlinski\u2019s \u201c4P\u201d concept. The first step is\u00a0\u201cPresent\u201d\u00a0<\/em>with the muzzle in high ready. Image:\u00a0Gail\u00a0Pepin<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

To be specific, the gun comes up a bit muzzle high in the \u201cpresent\u201d stage. As the target and sight picture are acquired, he \u201cpreps\u201d the trigger with about 80% of an intended press. (Remember, this is draw-to-the-shot, not a precautionary draw or a draw-to-gunpoint.)<\/p>\n

\"four\n<\/picture>
The second P is for\u00a0Prepping\u00a0<\/em>the trigger by taking up the slack as you are extending the pistol toward the target. Image:\u00a0Gail\u00a0Pepin<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

When Scott says \u201cpinkie\u201d, he means he wants that bottom finger to tighten up at the bottom of the grip frame, pulling the muzzle down and better guaranteeing the eye finds the dot.<\/p>\n

\"four\n<\/picture>
The\u00a0Pinkie\u00a0<\/em>finger tightens at the bottom of the grip, pulling the muzzle (and red dot) down into line with the eye. Image:\u00a0Gail\u00a0Pepin<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cPress\u201d, in this context, means applying the last few pounds of trigger pressure to launch the bullet.<\/p>\n

\"four\n<\/picture>
Pressing<\/em>\u00a0the trigger is the final step. If you\u2019ve done everything correctly, your shot should be on target. Image:\u00a0Gail\u00a0Pepin<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

You can catch Jedlinski\u2019s excellent lecture in much greater detail below:<\/p>\n