To the (red) point

Red dots on long guns are a standard feature that is essential. However, in recent times, there has also been a trend to mount red dot sights on the slide of handguns. At IWA 2015, for example, Glock handguns with slides featuring pre-made slots for red dots could be seen. This concept has sparked strong controversies. Shooting instructor Gabe Suarez is one of the pioneers of this concept, which has been promoted by SUAREZ INTERNATIONAL since 2009. Today, we at SPARTANAT present a provocative text by Gabe Suarez (pictured above), explaining why he believes that this type of sighting will prevail, but may not be for everyone. We are happy to open the text for discussion:

Red dots on handguns are not for everyone

You heard...errr...read that right.

Just like a professorship at a university, the pulling power of an ox or muscles like a bull, having good taste in clothing (and women), reciting poems and ballads, speaking foreign languages, presenting in front of large audiences, and all those other things that are special and not so common... are simply not for everyone.

But for those who have set both their self-image and their own standards in a way that they want to do things that are not so common, whether it's in one of the above areas or in looking a terrorist in the eye at the other end of the room, ... for those people, the concept of a red dot on a handgun fits. Some arguments that are frequently raised against red dots:

• Engagement distances are so short and only point shooting is used

Well, that's not the case. If it were, just the bare slide would suffice. Instead, many people use a large bright dot on the front sight. If the engagement distance is short, a red dot won't change much for someone. But if precision is required, and all you've practiced is raising and lowering elbows and ducking, you might want to consider being someone else before the lights go out.

• It's expensive

Yes, that's true. Not everyone can afford it. We get it. And if you say that, you're not being mean, just honest. Unfortunately, nowadays, things that you can't afford are often portrayed as inferior or impractical. That's the case with cars, watches, good wine...and also with firearms.

• It's a passing fad

The Suarez Group began advancing the current concept of red dots on handguns in 2009. So, it's hardly a short-lived fad. Similar claims have been made about things like red dots on rifles, the "plastic pistol" Glock, cell phones, and airplanes.

• It's unwieldy and large

Well, it's certainly bulkier than an S&W J-Frame. But who really wants a J-Frame when it really matters? Often, this argument is made by people who can't even carry a pistol in their waistband. Again, we come back to honesty. If someone tells me they're too fat to carry a gun that doesn't fit in their pocket, that's okay. I would ask that person if they plan to change that, and if so, I would show them the way. For free, of course.

• Red dots are unreliable

There are plenty of horror stories about plane crashes. But that doesn't mean I'll take the car for my next trip to Hawaii. Anything created by human hands can also be destroyed, no matter what it is. The higher the quality, the less likely it is to break. And the better red dots come with a guarantee that if something happens, they can be repaired. And the fact that something can break is why we still have iron sights on the handgun alongside the red dot. Just to be on the safe side.

In ten years, handguns without red dots will be as rare as rifles without them today. And for those who settle for average and follow the concept of "good enough," they will still be debating why you shouldn't have a red dot on your handgun.

More from Gabe Suarez on SPARTANAT: "The Night Belongs to You"

SUAREZ GROUP on the web: www.suarezinternational.com

SUAREZ GROUP on Facebook: www.facebook.com/TheSuarezGroup

Red Dot Slides and Equipment from SUAREZ: www.onesourcetactical.com