Originally posted by jljones:
quote:
Originally posted by Gort:
quote:
Originally posted by jljones:
Big dots are marginally better than no sights at all.
Thank you for you ropinion. However I find that hard to believe, That is the comment stating: "marginally better than no sights at all." again I thank you for your opinion.
Welcome to the forum.
Sights perform three basic functions.
They allow you to aim.
They provide feedback on your trigger control/and grip.
They tell you how fast you can shoot (accurately).
Big dot sights are big game sights that someone, somewhere decided it would be a good idea to put on a pistol. The rear sight blade has no lateral limits. Without these limits, it limits the potential for using the sights.
1- Aiming only allows you a course sight picture. With virtually all striker fired pistols, you can use the rear of the slide in the same fashion. Hence, marginally better than no sights at all. As Bruce Gray once said “They are great sights for distances that sights really aren’t needed”.
2- the absence of lateral limits really hinders your ability to track your sights under recoil. Ideally, you want to be able to watch the sight rise and fall out of the rear notch. Even defined “U” notch style sights can be difficult. With a defined rear sight, you can adjust your grip pressure to allow the sight to track more straight up and down. This when coupled with sight tracking exercises allows your performance to be quantified to enhance the quality of performance. Without it, you’re left to guess work. Again, using modified target focus and the rear of the slide gets you there. Again, Big Dots by their design are only marginally better.
3- speed control. I’ve heard it attributed to Jerry Miculek that the sights are your gas pedal. The theory behind that is that the sights riding and falling out of the notch tell you you’re ready to press off the next accurate shot at speed. Without the definition of a defined rear sight you wind up in the same boat as the first two points.
If you made a continuum, it would be using the back of the slide, Big Dots, traditional high vis (like Trijicon HDs), standard sights, and MRDS. You really don’t hit a distinct advantage until you hit HDs. I would put competitive sights like Scott Warrens with a fiber optic front in a dead heat with HDs.
Someone I’m sure will post the old 200 yard (or whatever it was) Big Dot sight video that’s out there at some point. But, I’ll argue that someone with good trigger control can accomplish the same thing utilizing the rear of the slide with a little warm up. It’s a parlor truck.
For a while, ghost ring rear sights were all the rage of “innovation”. They came and went out of favor because they have the same failings as big dots. I have a set of big dots on a Smith J frame, and I’d really just rather have the standard J frame sights.
So, yes, big dots are marginally better than no sights at all.
