Iron Sights vs. Red Dot PMRDS

Iron Sight Pistols Versus Pistol-Mounted Red Dot Sights (PMRDS)

Although it may be considered bad form for a writer to state his conclusions on a subject at the beginning of an article, I choose to say a few things right up front. First, I do not own pistol-m ounted red dot sights (PMRDS ). Second, I have not subjected PMRDS to any meaningful testing whatsoever and have no intention at this time to purchase PMRDS. Third, I am also not opposed to the use of the PMRDS by concealed carriers.

The Significance of Close-Range

For the most part, violent criminals and other threats dictate the distance at which a typical concealed carrier can expect to fire his or her handgun in self-defense. According to information provided to students by respected Rangemaster firearms trainer, Tom Givens, during his outstanding three-day firearms , the average distances between an armed criminal attacker and his or her intended (and armed) victim involving gunfire are as follows:

• Federal Bureau of Investigation (1989-1994): 6 to 10 feet
• Drug Enforcement Administration (2007 report): 14.6 feet
• Rangemaster Students (62 incidents through 2015): 6 to15 feet

To put this into perspective, an average car is about 16 f eet long. In my opinion, PMRDS offer no meaningful advantages over iron sights (assuming it is a highly visible iron front sight like the Ameriglo Pro-Glo Tritium front sight with orange or green outlines) at these distances for most shooters – even those who struggle with presbyopia (farsightedness).

Furthermore, the use of PMRDS may very well put poorly trained concealed carriers at a disadvantage. This is simply because they have not invested the time to learn some of the nuances of properly aligning the PMRDS quickly and effectively. The average concealed carrier may not be trained well enough to effectively use PMRDS in a true life-or-death self-defense situation. For this reason, t hey may find themselves unable to locate the dot and then position it on their attacker under extreme stress.

Self-Chosen Comparison Test : Iron Sights vs. PMRDS

Frankly, I was not willing to conduct a comparison test by investing money into either milling the slide of my Gen 5 Glock 19 or buying an aftermarket slide already set up for a PMRDS – much less spend the kind of coin it would take to purchase a high-quality electronic red dot sight like the Trijicon RMR, which is considered one of the best pistol sights in the industry.

That said, I was more than willing to call my longtime friend, Hany Mahmoud, and coerce him into testing my theories using his time, guns and ammunition.

About Hany Mahmoud

Hany is a firearms instructor at the Tarrant County College Police Academy in Fort Worth, Texas. He has a master’s degree in criminal justice and is well-known for his law enforcement and private-sector teaching abilities.

He is also well-known for his outstanding shooting skills (as evidenced by his third-place overall win in the 2019 Tactical Conference competition in a division that included shooters such as Wayne Dobbs, Gabe White, Spencer Keepers and Massad Ayoob).

Hany has been a Texas peace officer for 20 years and has served in various capacities, including chief deputy, firearms training officer and commander of a multi-precinct Special Response Team in one of the most populated counties in Texas.

Two Iron Sights vs. Red Dot Tests

As a full-time firearms instructor, Hany shoots thousands upon thousands of handgun rounds every year. He is no one-trick pony wedded to a specific type of handgun or sighting system. I asked him to shoot two nearly identical Glock 17s side-by-side, specifying that they both have similar triggers and identical ammunition. The major difference between the two handguns is that one has iron sights and the other a PMRDS (in this case, a Trijicon RMR).

I even went so far as to specify two tests that I identified would be helpful in comparison. These included the “Half Test” and the “Super Test.”

1. The Larry Vickers Half Test (“Half Test”) shot on a B-8 bullseye target at five yards. In this test, the shooter must fire ten rounds from the holster in five seconds. A score of 90 or above is considered very good. The Half Test is a variation of Vickers’ in which the B-8 target is set up 10 yards away. The shooter is required to start from low ready. At the signal, the shooter fires ten shots inside a par time of ten seconds. Vickers considers a score of 90 or above as passing.
2. The 15-yard stage of the Hardwire Tactical Super Test (“Super Test”) also shot on a B-8 bullseye target. In this test, the shooter must fire ten rounds from the holster in fifteen seconds. A score of 90 or above is considered very good. I like this test because it’s fast, easy to score and it’s an effective demonstration of trigger control capability.

Conclusion Questions for These Tests

Hany and I agreed in advance that this would not be an exhaustive test to conclude which sighting system was superior. Instead, I told Hany that I wanted to know the following:

• What was the total score on each drill?
• What was the time of each drill?
• What were his impressions as to the pros and cons of each sighting system at both 5 and 15 yards?

Test Results

Glock 17 with Dawson black rear sight and fiber-optic front sight:

• Half Test: Score of 100 in 3.38 seconds
• Super Test: Score of 92 in 11.58 seconds

Glock 17 with Agency Arms slide and Trijicon RMR:

• Half Test: Score of 100 in 3.72 seconds
• Super Test: Score of 99 in 13.10 seconds

Hany said he felt he had performed close to the best of his ability on all four stages and experienced no called flyers or bobbles. He then commented that these tests simply confirmed what he had already come to believe: At short distances, there was no advantage to the PMRDS and it was slightly harder for him to track while shooting at high speed. At the longer distances, there was a decided advantage in favor of the PMRDS. He emphasized that it was significantly easier to make slight sight corrections just before pressing the trigger with the dot than with the iron sights.

Conclusions on the PMRDS for Concealed Carriers

My thoughts on the PMRDS for concealed carriers? Thanks to the excellent features of some of the new pistol-mounted red dot sight models coming out , such as the Trijicon SRO and Aimpoint ACRO , I believe there will soon be something for everyone. Though it’s my opinion that concealed carriers should think long and hard about proactively engaging an active shooter in public, the distances at which such an encounter is more likely to take place favor the use of a PMRDS.

It should be noted that there is a distinct learning curve for using a pistol-mounted red dot sight. Even experienced shooters can find themselves searching for the red dot when they bring the pistol up to the shooting plane (a more-or-less imaginary straight line between the eye and the desired target).

My Personal Experience with PMRDS

I recently picked up my business partner’s Glock 19 , which had a Trijicon RMR. I then shot the Five-Yard Roundup drill. This particular drill was c reated by retired marine, Justin Dyal.

In this drill, all shooting takes place at five yards ; each stage is shot within 2.5 seconds. The target is the repair center of a B8 bullseye that is used for 25-yard timed and rapid fire. I found myself outside my comfort zone on some of the rapid-fire stages.

Advocates of the PMRDS might correctly point out that I lack formal training with that sighting system. This is exactly my point: Concealed carriers unable or unwilling to invest in formal training and follow this up with regular practice are likely to experience the same thing as I did.

One huge positive that favors the PMRDS is that it may be the only way to go for some concealed carriers who have significant vision issues.

There are also other real-world encounters where PMRDS shine. To learn which scenarios in which a PMRDS might be helpful check out this article I wrote after attending the 23^rd annual Rangemaster Tactical Conference in Carrollton, Texas. I identified a couple of instances in which PMRDS might be of significant value, such as in low-light areas when near groups and other persons. These include lowly lit restaurants, fireworks shows, movie theaters and churches that frequently incorporate videos in their services.

I think it is entirely up to the concealed carrier to decide whether iron sights or pistol-mounted red dot sights are right for them. At the risk of being redundant, I strongly feel that at the distances where most deadly force encounters occur, using a PMRDS requires significant practice before it can be used as effectively as highly visible iron sights. Most concealed carriers who want to go this route are best advised to receive training under a qualified instructor.

---

 

ABOUT STEVE MOSES Steve is a longtime defensive weapons instructor based out of Texas, who has spent more than two decades training hundreds of men and women of all ages on how to better prepare to defend themselves and their loved ones. Steve has completed over 80 private-sector and law-enforcement-only defensive weapons and tactics classes, and has trained civilian and law-enforcement officers in six states. Moses is a reserve deputy, former member of a multi-precinct Special Response Team, competitive shooter, martial artist and author of numerous articles for SWAT Magazine and other publications. A licensed Texas Level 4 Personal Security Officer and Instructor, Steve was Shift Lead on a mega-church security detail for seven years, and he has provided close protection for several former foreign Heads of State. Currently, Steve is an instructor at Relson Gracie Jiu Jitsu/Krav Maga in Tyler, Texas, as well as Director of Training at Palisade Training Group, LLC.