Red dot on Handgun

[Kwikvette]

So I made the jump and purchased a Trijicon RMR06 with my new FNX Tactical. Obligatory picture -



Before you begin the flaming, this picture was taken in Texas. It's now apart while my non-threaded barrel is being shipped.

I've read and heard that a red dot can help with those that shoot cross-eye dominant. Whether that's true or not, we'll see.

Anyway, here's my first range report where I dumped a 15-round magazine at 12 yards.



My main question is; what kind of sight picture should I have with the RMR on? Should the red dot sit atop the front sight tip? At what distance should I sight in the red dot if I'm shooting between 7-20 yards constantly?

[ChuckDizzle]

I'm not an expert, but from personal experience I found that fairly close to the irons is a good thing for speed of pick up.

My friend put a similar set up on one of his Sigs and any speed one hoped to have with the pistol was pretty much gone using the red dot until we started using the irons to get on target and the dot for precision.

[Seaweed02]

Wow

Man that is some great shooting. I have got to try out an RMR sometime on one of my guns. What did that set up cost you?

[Revoman]

Once you get used to the dot sight, it will become second nature to be able to acquire a target with your dominant hand/eye. It'll take a lot more practice to attain that same sight using your non dominant hand/eye however.

If you're shooting at up to 20 yards, a good medium might be 15 yards sight in. There isn't that much difference between those yardages to make that much difference in the out come.

[hermosabeach]

I pick up the irons first... once I have the irons, then I use the dot only...

unlike a rifle where it is easy to have the dot and the front sight on top of each other... the pistol with a red dot is slower for me as I see all the little movement in the dot....


I also followed the Jim Grover / Kelly McCann method of exaggerating my count 2 way up... I want to pivot my elbow and have the sights near my line of sight....

past 10 yards, precision is way easier for most than with Iron Sights...

[Kwikvette]

I'm not an expert, but from personal experience I found that fairly close to the irons is a good thing for speed of pick up.

My friend put a similar set up on one of his Sigs and any speed one hoped to have with the pistol was pretty much gone using the red dot until we started using the irons to get on target and the dot for precision.

I guess I'm looking to become a bit more precise in my shooting at longer ranges as well as provide quicker follow-up shots.

Man that is some great shooting. I have got to try out an RMR sometime on one of my guns. What did that set up cost you?

Thanks!

The shooting was done without the RMR. Pistol cost me $1,136 OTD and the RMR cost me under $700 OTD.

Once you get used to the dot sight, it will become second nature to be able to acquire a target with your dominant hand/eye. It'll take a lot more practice to attain that same sight using your non dominant hand/eye however.

If you're shooting at up to 20 yards, a good medium might be 15 yards sight in. There isn't that much difference between those yardages to make that much difference in the out come.

I'm hoping to put some serious range time in with this FNX when I get the chance. Just want to get everything dialed in beforehand.

[hermosabeach]

https://youtu.be/CGbcJmVXn3M?t=70

[Kwikvette]

I pick up the irons first... once I have the irons, then I use the dot only...

unlike a rifle where it is easy to have the dot and the front sight on top of each other... the pistol with a red dot is slower for me as I see all the little movement in the dot....


I also followed the Jim Grover / Kelly McCann method of exaggerating my count 2 way up... I want to pivot my elbow and have the sights near my line of sight....

past 10 yards, precision is way easier for most than with Iron Sights...

https://youtu.be/CGbcJmVXn3M?t=70

At work now though so I'll watch it at home.

[9mmepiphany]

My main question is; what kind of sight picture should I have with the RMR on? Should the red dot sit atop the front sight tip?

If you want to optimize the efficiency of using the RMR, you shouldn't be aligning it with the sight frame or your iron sights at all. That is the main advantage of the RMR.

You use it just as you would use a red dot on a carbine. Look at the target and place the dot where you want the bullet to go

At what distance should I sight in the red dot if I'm shooting between 7-20 yards constantly?

With those distance limits, I'd zero my sights at 15 yards

[Kwikvette]

If you want to optimize the efficiency of using the RMR, you shouldn't be aligning it with the sight frame or your iron sights at all. That is the main advantage of the RMR.

You use it just as you would use a red dot on a carbine. Look at the target and place the dot where you want the bullet to go

See that's where I find the issue...or maybe I'm overthinking it.

My sight picture consists of perfect sight alignment, and placing the dot from my front sight tip on top of the target where I plan to land a shot.

The RMR allows me to co-witness. If you're stating that my red dot should not rest in the same position as my front sight tip, then it only allows me to sight the red dot above. In that case, when I wish to aim at a target I should aim with my red dot above my intended target knowing my POI will be slightly below that?

[rlewpolar]

Red dot on Handgun

See that's where I find the issue...or maybe I'm overthinking it.



My sight picture consists of perfect sight alignment, and placing the dot from my front sight tip on top of the target where I plan to land a shot.



The RMR allows me to co-witness. If you're stating that my red dot should not rest in the same position as my front sight tip, then it only allows me to sight the red dot above. In that case, when I wish to aim at a target I should aim with my red dot above my intended target knowing my POI will be slightly below that?

I have the same set up on a couple of Sigs.

Just ignore the iron sights. Sight in the red dot from a rest. I sighted in at 15 yds.

The red dot may or may not rest right at the tip of the front sight when it is properly sighted in. My red dot actually hovers way above the irons but that's because suppressor sights I used provide a 1/3 cowitness.

The point is, don't adjust the red dot to the irons. Pretend the irons are not there when sighting in your red dot. Where it is in relation to the irons is irrelevant.

When you have properly zero'd your red dot, it may very well be right on the tip of your front sight however. But don't start screwing with your adjustments to force it there before you have sighted in by live firing.

Also, as someone else has mentioned, the actual way you will be using your irons from here on in is to quickly align them which will bring the red dot into view. Then just focus on the red dot to make the shot.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Kwikvette]

I have the same set up on a couple of Sigs.

Just ignore the iron sights. Sight in the red dot from a rest. I sighted in at 15 yds.

The red dot may or may not rest right at the tip of the front sight when it is properly sighted in. My red dot actually hovers way above the irons but that's because suppressor sights I used provide a 1/3 cowitness.

The point is, don't adjust the red dot to the irons. Pretend the irons are not there when sighting in your red dot. Where it is in relation to the irons is irrelevant.

When you have properly zero'd your red dot, it may very well be right on the tip of your front sight however. But don't start screwing with your adjustments to force it there before you have sighted in by live firing.

Also, as someone else has mentioned, the actual way you will be using your irons from here on in is to quickly align them which will bring the red dot into view. Then just focus on the red dot to make the shot.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Makes sense, thanks!

It'll be awhile until my barrel arrives, received a message that it's on back order.

Will post a range report once I get back out.

[9mmepiphany]

See that's where I find the issue...or maybe I'm overthinking it.

My sight picture consists of perfect sight alignment, and placing the dot from my front sight tip on top of the target where I plan to land a shot. That is the advantage of the red dot, your eye doesn't have to be in the perfect relationship to it

The RMR allows me to co-witness. If you're stating that my red dot should not rest in the same position as my front sight tip, then it only allows me to sight the red dot above. In that case, when I wish to aim at a target I should aim with my red dot above my intended target knowing my POI will be slightly below that?

You're overthinking it.

The relationship between how the sights line up and where the red dot is is fluid depending on the relationship between your eye and the iron sights.

If you sight in the red dot correctly...by shooting it from a rest...wherever the dot is will be where your shot will land, given a correct trigger press.

If you are using a sight picture where you cover the intended POI with the dot on your front sight blade, your POI variance is so large you'd likely never really notice much divergence...since you can't see your intended POI anyway.

If you learn to bisect your target with the top of your front sight blade, you'll have a lot more consistent POI...and you can sight in your red dot to strike the same POA.

Placing your red dot above the intended POI is something better saved for compensating for the offset of the sights to the bore line of an AR

[Kwikvette]

You're overthinking it.

The relationship between how the sights line up and where the red dot is is fluid depending on the relationship between your eye and the iron sights.

If you sight in the red dot correctly...by shooting it from a rest...wherever the dot is will be where your shot will land, given a correct trigger press.

If you are using a sight picture where you cover the intended POI with the dot on your front sight blade, your POI variance is so large you'd likely never really notice much divergence...since you can't see your intended POI anyway.

If you learn to bisect your target with the top of your front sight blade, you'll have a lot more consistent POI...and you can sight in your red dot to strike the same POA.

Placing your red dot above the intended POI is something better saved for compensating for the offset of the sights to the bore line of an AR

Understood what you said but that just created a little more overthinking on my part

One, I've never ever shot a handgun from a rest so that'll be different. All shooting, recreational and military, were done from a standing position.

I never considered the variance provided by the fact that I use the front sight tip dot but maybe that would explain why I'm unable to group as well as others? I consider the shooting displayed above as "average"...you tell me.

The reason why I asked about placing the red dot directly above the front sight tip is because I'm assuming that factory sights are already zeroed in properly. Knowing this, I also assume I can readily sight in my red dot prior to a live fire but you've explained otherwise.

[CouchOperator]

Once you become more proficient with the RMR you wont notice the irons. Zero the RMR as its own seperate sighting system. Most irons on pistols are "close enough", but not as exact as an RMR can be especially when considering elevation adjustments. When i had RMR guns i had blacked out ameriglo sights, and would present from the holster during dry fire in a dark room at night to get used to seeing the dot, not the irons. Most people wouldnt accept a rifle with non-adjustable sights. Why is the opposite true of pistols? Zero it at about 25 yards and you'll be golden.