Have you shot at human beings with irons while they're shooting back at you at the same time? ****ers do the damnedest things when they're trying not to be killed, things that make it hard to line up iron sights on their chests.
Now, if you
have shot at and killed live human beings who were shooting back at you using only irons, and
still feel that they are superior to the red dot sight, then I can respect the shit out of that. That would definitely make you a better man than me, and I'd never want to be on the receiving end of your muzzle in a gunfight and would feel sorry for those that find themselves in that position.
It's a LOT harder to make hits when it actually counts under stress with iron sights than with red dot sights. When it comes to fighting against other determined men with a carbine, not shooting paper, red dot sights are superior in every manner. At CQB distances on non- or slow-moving targets, the advantage of the RDS for the purpose of hitting a smelly, bearded muj ****er in the chest is mostly negligible.
Look, I like to shoot irons on occasion. And it feels
really good when I shoot a nice group at 100 yards with my folding backup irons, and then see the dude's nasty ass target next to me whose rounds are all over the place and was using a red dot, or even a magnified optic. It makes me crack a smile and think to myself,
Self, you are one badass mofo, and the Marine Corps trained you damn well on iron sights.
And it's obvious that you're an experienced shooter, so I don't doubt that you're as good with irons as you make out to be. However, the bottom line is that irons are great on a safe gun range here at home, but they suck balls in combat compared to a parallax free, both eyes open red dot sight that you simply have to place the dot where you want to hit. This is especially true to newer shooters that don't have a ton of experience. It takes a LOT longer to become extremely proficient with iron sights as you are than with a red dot sight. Recreational and Competition shooting are one thing, but when your life and the lives of your brothers-in-arms are on the line in the heat of battle, where you're out of breath and gasping for air from running several hundred yards, sweat pouring down your face, and you've got a dozen+ bad guys moving around at varying distances while shooting at you and your mates, you'll take a red dot over irons. It makes everything easier and is retard-proof. Hell, even a caveman could do it!
But what's with all the Pat Rogers hate, man? He used iron sights in combat a long time ago in Vietnam and for a very long time thereafter. Now he uses and advocates red dot sights over irons, just like pretty much every other very respected top-tier instructor out there. He prefers and recommends aimpoints over eotechs, just like the majority of other instructors, although there are some very experienced and well known instructors out there who advocate the eotech over the aimpoint. However the fact remains that they all advocate the RDS over iron sights when it comes to gunfights against bad guy(s), as well as training for those potential engagements.
To call him a "sales pitch instructor" is just plain bullshit and makes it appear that you personally have something against the man. Have you been to one of his classes and trained under him? Is that where you came to that conclusion? He's not going to run and advocate shitty gear to make a buck or get "shit for free." If he did, he would be called on it. And in his line of work, word-of-mouth advertising and your reputation are everything. To risk all that would be asinine.
But that's all just my opinion, and I'm defending a fellow Marine and brother-in-arms who's done quite a bit in service to this country. What can I say, we're all members of the Marine Corps Mafia and will have each other's backs for as long as we live. That's just how it goes.
Take care and Semper Fi,
-Paul
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