Hey! Contemplating whether to choose a red dot or a laser sight? Well, you are not the only one. We know it can be tricky to choose between two sighting options, and we are here to facilitate you. This article will help you save time as it will save you the hassle of going through various websites and dealing with annoying ads and pop-ups. With our experience and comprehensive research, we will assist you in choosing what might be the best option for you, red dots or laser sights. Is there a difference between the two? There is a huge debate on which is better. While both options may sound convincing, there are always pros and cons to them and something that gives one option an advantage over the other. By the end of this article, you will be able to decide which one of them is a desirable option for you, so let’s get into it right away!
Red Dot Sights
Due to the advancement of technology, red dots have now become smaller and more compact in size, and adding one to your handgun will help you immensely with the accuracy of your shots and will make shooting easier overall. They are sights that provide no magnification and hence cannot be called scopes.
Mounting options
A lot of guns are not compatible with red dots. So, unless guns are made explicitly for red dots, you will have to send your slide and get it custom-built to fit a red dot into it. People might find the mounting of the red dot a bit expensive.
Some shooters prefer to still have their iron sights mounted on their weapon in case something terrible happens to their red dot or laser. It might be hard doing that, along with a red dot. Also, for red dots, you might need a suppressor height sight to co-witness and see through the window.
Accuracy
Red dots are visible and can be seen at distances up to 45 feet. It provides excellent accuracy. Lasers and red dots will be equally accurate depending on your abilities and how you pick them up. It offers good target acquisition.
However, one has to be mindful of the fact that for whatever distance your sight is zeroed for if the target is closer than that distance. Shots will hit lower than the point of aim, and similarly, if the sight is being used for a distance greater than what it has been zeroed for, then the point of impact will be higher than the point of aim.
Red dots are always on
One of the most significant advantages of red dots is that they will always be on. Once you pull the gun from the Hollister, it will automatically be on. If you want to use light along with your red dot, you always have the option to turn that on. It gives the shooter quick control and helps with speed because one does not have to press a button or something to turn it on.
Age and Astigmatism
Elderly people or those who have astigmatism have a hard time focusing on tiny objects. With red dots, since the dots are big and can be seen properly, people with such problems might feel an inclination towards buying a red dot since even the tiniest red dot covers 1 inch on the target at one hundred yards.
Practice
Using a red dot needs a bit of practice, and one needs to get used to it to be able to shoot accurately compared to lasers. If you have been using iron sights and are now switching to red dot sights, you might find it completely different.
Battery
Red dot sights use a battery to operate and mostly have batteries that last a long time, but if the battery dies, your red dot will not work.
Magnification
Red dots usually provide no magnification, which might be a turn-off for some shooters.
Precision
In comparison to scopes, red dots are less precise. As we said, even the tiniest red dot will cover one inch of the target at one hundred yards.
Range And Brightness
Over more extensive ranges, red dots are an ideal option for shooting; however, they are not preferred for close-range shooting. In bright light, the red dot will still be visible, and over long distances, one can still see the dot.
Most red dots have adjustable brightness options.
Pros
- Red dots are ideal to use at greater distances and provide good accuracy and target acquisition.
- They are compact and small in size.
- They are on as soon as it is pulled out of the holster, so the shooter does not need to go the extra mile to press a button to turn it on.
- Excellent and ideal for aged users.
- Bright light and sunlight do not affect the brightness of the dot.
Cons
- They provide no magnification.
- They require to be zeroed.
- They are not ideal for close-range shooting.
- They are not as precise.
- Needs a bit of practice to use and get used to it.
- Red dots tend to interfere with the shooter’s line of sight.
Laser Sights
Laser sights are recently becoming more popular in use. When mounted on a weapon and turned on, the beam of light falls in a straight line, pointing out where precisely the bullet will impact the target, and the dot can be seen on the target. They come in both green as well as red colors.
Mounting Options
Unlike the red dots, the handgun slides do not need to be custom-built to accommodate a laser sight. Also, lasers do not interfere with the user’s line of sight and do not need any sort of suppressor height sight to be able to co-witness. Also, lasers do not require a person to get a new holster to accommodate them and can be used alongside the iron sights.
Accuracy
Lasers and red dots provide pretty much the same accuracy considering the shooter’s expertise and ability and the distance they are shooting at. The follow-up after the shots are easy and can shoot at the target in any position, unlike the red dots.
Activation
Unlike the red dots, laser sights need to be turned on when pulled out of the holster, which some shooters do not like, affecting the speed.
Precision
Laser sights provide precise aim at the target since the dot is small and can easily focus on the target. The point of aim and the point of impact are the same with lasers because the laser follows a straight pathway where the bullet will exactly impact.
Battery
Laser sights are powered by batteries, and they tend to drain out faster than red dot batteries. So one must be mindful of that while buying a laser sight.
Effective Range
Lasers are helpful and provide excellent accuracy at short ranges, but they might not be ideal for greater distances. The effective range of laser sight is 10 feet, which is the perfect range for shooting with lasers.
Brightness
Laser sights and brightness do not work well together, which significantly affects the range of the laser sight. Bright light and sunlight will significantly affect the brightness of the laser beam and will make it harder to see in such situations. However, in low-brightness situations, it is effective, good to use, and can be seen easily.
Practice
Contrary to the red dot, sight lasers are beginner friendly and do not require much practice to use them.
Pros
- One of the biggest advantages of laser sights is their precise aim.
- They are pocket friendly.
- They Do not need a new holster to accommodate them. They also do not need to customize the handgun slides to mount them.
- Small, compact, and lightweight.
- Need no expertise or much practice to use.
- It can be used to acquire the target at any position and does not interfere with the shooter’s line of sight.
Cons
- Bright light and sunlight dim the laser and make it hard to see the dot on the target.
- They are powered by batteries that drain quicker than red dots.
- They are not effective for long ranges.
- They need to be turned on when pulled out of the holster.
- Less accurate in comparison to red dots.
Red Dot Vs. Laser Sights Comparison
| Red Dot | Laser Sight |
| Best for shooting over long distances | Better for shooting at shorter distances |
| Provides greater accuracy | less accurate than the red dot |
| They are not as precise | Provides greater precision |
| Red dots are always on once they are taken out of the holster | Laser sights need to be turned on after taking out of the holster |
| Red dots tend to interfere with the shooter’s line of sight | Does not interfere with the shooter’s line of sight |
| Suitable to use in sunlight and brightly lit environments | Bright lights and blazing sunlight makes them harder to see |
| Both are powered by batteries but the battery for red dots last longer | The batteries for laser sights tend to drain out quicker |
| Red dot sights require a bit of practice | laser sights are beginner friendly and do not require much practice |
| You will need to look through a glass window in order to fix the dot at the target | You just need to pick up the gun and shoot since you do not need to look through anything |
| The shooter is required to lift the gun at eye level to look through the window to shoot, which might make it harder to shoot in a few positions | With laser sights you can shoot in pretty much any position. |
Final Verdict
These aiming devices have some key differences that separate one from the other. But there is no right or wrong answer, the final choice ultimately depends on the preference of the shooter. With red dots, you need to look through a window to see the dot and point it at the target, while with laser sights, you just have to point the gun at the target and aim. This is one of the advantages of lasers over red dots. On the other hand, red dots are more accurate and can be used over greater distances. The brightness of the dot is not affected by bright light or in blazing sunlight. In this situation, the red dot is superior to the laser sight. While one is beginner friendly, the other needs a bit of practice, one must be turned on, and one is always on once pulled out of the holster. The preferences for these may vary from user to user. If accuracy and long-range shooting are your preferences, then go for a red dot, and if efficiency and precision are your goals, then you should definitely go for laser sights. Both these options will take your shooting game to the next level. Happy shooting!
FAQs
Which one of them is more pocket friendly?
you can find different red dots at different prices considering the quality and the brand, and you can also find lasers at different prices. But keeping in mind that one needs to customize the slides of a handgun in order to accommodate a red dot or buy a gun that is specifically compatible with red dots, some people might find red dots a bit pricier than laser sights.
Do you have any options for using a light alongside your red dots?
yes, once you draw your weapon, the red dot will always be on; however, if you want to use a light with your red dot, you can turn it on. Red dots come with that option.
