Who runs Irons only?

[FrankW]

Ran a class this weekend shooting out to 100 meters using iron sights with little issues. I was letting the lady work with the primary rifle (with a T1) while I worked the back up rifle... to be honest I was expecting way more trouble running irons than I experienced.

So here is my question... for more advanced shooting classes, what, other than speed to acquire my sight alignment/sight picture, will I be having?

I just want to get a feel for how much I need to get an optic for the back up rifle.

[RyanB]

Low light and odd positions. Irons are a poor choice for either.

[Symmetry]

Low light and odd positions. Irons are a poor choice for either.

Nail on the head.

[markm]

other than speed to acquire my sight alignment/sight picture, will I be having?

This is a myth perpetuated by fat, short, old east coast L.E. instructors with little man syndrome.

You snap your carbine up to your jaw and it doesn't matter... either the front sight post is there, or the dot is there.... or both if you have fixed BUIS.

The lighting and positional issues are valid points... speed is NOT in my experience.

[RyanB]

My experience has been that shooters with iron sights are slower but more accurate up close and both slower and less accurate at distance.

And sight radius matters a lot.

[markm]

My experience has been that shooters with iron sights are slower but more accurate up close and both slower and less accurate at distance.

That's a training issue. One shouldn't be any slower up close. And definitely should not be less accurate at distance.

And sight radius matters a lot.

Agreed. I can shoot a rifle radius MUCH further than a carbine or an RDS.

[RyanB]

My eyes aren't good enough to beat an RDS with irons but I shoot a lot better with a longer radius.

WRT speed, that's just my observation, taken after 4,000 rounds each by 24 guys in two solid weeks. The best iron sighted shooter I've ever seen was there, Del the Federal Fish cop in Yuma. He's the exception that proved the rule.

[markm]

I struggle when Moving and Shooting at a black target with irons in most light.

So in that instance, I think I'm quicker to get a hit with my aimpoint.

[theblackknight]

I still shoot irons BC rifle isn't really a priority $$ wise. For the limited shooting I do currently, it really only hurt at a match with swingers @ 100m were the same dark grey color as the dirt berm behind it, so it felt like I wish fishing in the dark with a front post focus.

Kyle Defoor didn a in depth article on his old blog about irons. Its great stuff on the subject.

sent from mah gun,using my sights

[tb-av]

Kyle Defoor didn a in depth article on his old blog about irons. Its great stuff on the subject.

When you say his old blog, is this something I could still read? I am horrible with iron sights. At 25 yards, I get so pissed off sometimes I grab my pistol just so I hit the target in a reasonably assured manner.

I feel like I'm looking at that front post through a pickle barrel and never know if it's in the same place from shot to shot.

I have really been hesitant to buy a RDS because I'm afraid I may have to resign to a scope and just shoot with one eye ( because of my eye dominance ). I was actually hoping a RDS was going to be a world of difference( and maybe I'll learn to shoot lefty ). Reading these replies seems like I may be in for bad surprise.

It is no fun for me to shoot with irons but I did want to conquer them to some degree before I moved on. I would like to read some papers on irons shooting.