Why iron more accuracy than red-dot ?

[newbie1234]

When I mount the Bushnell TRS-25 to my SW22A1, I shoot free hand better with iron than red-dot. Here what I did.
- Mount TRS-25 to SW22A1, zero the red dot on bench rest. (I zero 10 rds in 1" group).
- Shoot 40 rds free hand, it seems that the bullet went every where.
- Remove the Red dot and shoot with iron 60 rds free hand.
I got better grouping with iron than red dot, if this is the case then what the heck I need the red dot for . I also feel that I can shoot faster with red dot than iron.
OR I must did something wrong.

Note: indoor range, target 13 yards away, the target is 3" diameter, on the left is iron and on the right is red dot, ammo is Fed American Eagle (and you have to add on old age eyes and hands).

[steelholder]

Simple, the red dot is bigger than the tiny pin iron sight resulting in tighter groups.

[mycrstuff]

The iron sights are at the end of the barrel. With a longer front sight radius you notice the slightest movement of your barrel. Since the red dot is on the back of the barrel you won't notice if the front of the barrel moves. A good example is to take a stick and wave it. The front seems to move but the back doesn't.

[TKM]

You are using the wrong red dot. Or using the red dot wrong.

[russ69]

Head position. Iron sights demand you have your head in the same spot. Red dots have parallax errors. However at 13 yards, it's not very much.

[sbo80]

There's also a patience factor. I find with irons I take more time because there's lining up the sights, then the target. With a dot, and both eyes open, the target looks so good right away I tend to just yank on the trigger and let it rip. You (and I) just need more practice. Also +1 on head position, it really needs to be exactly the same every time. I'm going to get a co-witness mount and shoot some with the dot and irons up, to get better used to the finding that spot.

[newbie1234]

..... You (and I) just need more practice.....

You bet, I had yearly membership and about full closet of ammo (order online on last year)

[alpha_romeo_XV]

The TRS-25 has a 3 MOA red dot against an orange target not the best for contrast. Black iron sight against the orange is a good contrast.
Try a target color with more contrast to red dot and see if that helps.

Since with my vision Rx I can't see both the front sight on a pistol and target clearly, a red dot works much better for me now. But for my S&W22A I went with a holographic type where you can change color and reticles. These red dots are cheap and hold up fine to rim fire use.

[mshill]

Parallax. I have a TRS-25 and it ended up on my HD shotgun simply because the parallax is just too much for anything smaller than a human torso.

[RNE228]

Try some smaller groups; 5 or 10 rounds. Too many shots and it is hard to see how accurate you are. Personally, I would use smaller black/white targets, and 5 round groups to establish accuracy.

Are you shooting with a sling? Turkey neck/cheek weld? How high is the butt in the pocket on your shoulder? Concentrating on NPOA?

Personally, I learned a LOT a couple years back at Appleseed. I totally shot offhand wrong. I significantly shrunk my groups, even with a basic 10/22, Tech Sights, and terrible eyesight(bifocals etc).

I highly recommend Appleseed. Even after 45 years of shooting, I learned a lot, and am much more accurate standing/seated/prone.

If not Appleseed, there are lots of resources books, online etc.

[alpha_romeo_XV]

S&W 22A1 is a semiauto handgun. sling, cheek weld etc. not part of the equation. With the long eye relief using a red dot on a handgun your eye is so far back and distances so limited that parallax isn't much of an issue. I've let people try mine that got frustrated because they couldn't find the red dot with their eye easy enough.
The biggest accuracy knob I find with a handgun and red dot scope is whether you're using a sandbag rest, two hand hold or single hand hold. Depending on type of scored match the options are limited per their format/rules.

[RNE228]

Ahh, I mistook thread for using a rifle; picture helped

S&W 22A1 is a semiauto handgun. sling, cheek weld etc. not part of the equation.

[victorr]

A red dot on hand guns, in my humble experience, is not meant for bullseye-type shooting. Head position - as someone already mentioned - is the main culprit. I've never beat my groups with irons sights using a red dot (even 3.25 moa) when shooting pistol. Rifle is another story : )

[newbie1234]

.... Head position - as someone already mentioned - is the main culprit......

"Head position" it's a totally NEW to me, this is something that I never know before, oh well , it is not too late to learn something. Thanks for all the replies.

Somebody mention about the "black dot" target, hmm, due to my old age eyes I see better on RED target than a black one. On the black dot target, the target and the black front sight look the same to me .

[Carcassonne]

When I mount the Bushnell TRS-25 to my SW22A1, I shoot free hand better with iron than red-dot.

...

Iron sights are better if you have good eyesight. If not, then a red dot may be better. If you are under 40 and you can shoot well, you should try to be profitiant with iron sights.

I tell a lot of younger people that iron sights on an AR rifle are better, but most don't want to believe me. They like their red dot sights. I guess it makes them look like an operator.


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