The Pros & Cons of Red Dots & Lights On Your Carry Pistol 

One of the most famous and imo the best gun reviewer on RU-vid & the internet just said “who am I to give you advice on what you should carry n what works for you”. That shows how truly humble & down to earth honest outlaw is.

Well said. Any influencer or video reviewer who says the answer is either yes or no instead of telling you to try and find what works best for you is a bag of hot air not worthy of your clicks or time

"Who am I to give tactical advice?" THAT is the guy whose advice I seek: someone who has been thoughtful about his own informed choices and is willing to share those. Brother keeps the "honest" in Honest Outlaw.

Training with a red dot really helped me dial in my trigger manipulation. Even if you don't want to carry with an optic, they are a valuable training aid that will expose deficiencies in trigger press during dry fire practice. You can see that fine dot bounce around to a degree that your eyes just can't detect with only iron sights. A red dot will not instantly make you shoot better, but you will instantly see how much you are disturbing your sights while pulling the trigger.

Really appreciate you giving both sides of the “issue”

I'll be 58 this year; the eyes ain't what they once were, so I carry every day with a dot...I have lights (and holsters to fit them), but I really never have a need for a WML. Plus the flagging my son or dog thing. I'll tell you young folks, it's a effing drag at the range to change glasses to readers to see my front sight!

My preference is the same: handheld light and no red dot. (I'd also never badmouth anyone else's preference.) I have a hard enough time not printing without the extra bulk of those accessories.

I have worn glasses since I was 5. At 68 I have found that dots make a huge improvement in my accuracy and ability to aquire the target. YRMV. I really enjoy your work and have learned alot from you over the last few years. Thanks

This is why this channel is the best for civilians / everyday people. straight to the point, honest and tells you what you need to hear. sincere and no ego. I got a weapon light cause it was cheaper and didnt have a flashlight but no optic, dont feel like dropping 200$+ when I have night sights and can just train with them.

Sometimes I think all this kit would be overwhelming for the casual shooter. I'm a "21 foot" guy and am always about situational awareness and avoiding known trouble spots. Great content as always!

This is a solid, balanced examination of the pros and cons of both lights and red dots on handguns. At $400-500 extra, I bet that 90% of gun owners would benefit much more from spending that money on training and ammo to train with. When I carry IWB, I do *not* need to add weight or bulk to my firearm. A red dot, in particular, is a significant snag point IMHO. The chances of me needing my pistol for anything more than 10 yards out are slim. However, I am actively looking for a light to put on my night stand pistol. Big and heavy is fine there, and I don’t want to be fumbling for a light in addition to getting a solid grip on the pistol. Also, I carry a handheld light virtually 100% of the time and use it nearly everyday. Home defense rifles are a different story. You need both hands to shoot them. You need controllable light. They should have a light. And mine all have red dots or holographic sights.

Always appreciate your honesty. Good video

That was actually very helpful. Thank you.

You are absolutely the best at speaking the truth about so many topics, great video Honest Outlaw

I actually bought an O-light baldr mini after your video a few years back. The flashlight laser combo is pretty nice to have, especially as a person who does more things at night (2nd and 3rd shift worker for the last decade). As long as your laser is zeroed, if you can see the dot on the target it can make easier if you're having an issue aiming. I am fairly near sighted and lining up my irons from a firing position is difficult without glasses, like i would be if i was woken up to someone trying to enter for example. But the other thing people forget about is if you are using it in a self defense situation, a blinding light can be a deterrent in itself, that could possibly be used to de-escalate and keep you from needing to use lethal force, but with it being mounted it has the ability to if absolutely necessary. Granted pulling a gun should already be doing that, but it is extra reinforcement that gives you an advantage.

Really good unbiased analysis of both accessories.

perfect timing! just ordered both for my HCP today

Always bringing the honesty! Thanks Chris! 🙂

This is the best and most complete perspective on the subject. Very informative. Thank y’all!

Thank you Uncle Chris!

Have a good weekend Mr. & Mrs. Outlaw

Excellent points, spot on.

Great thought provoking video. I appreciate it. Take care!

Great video Thanks for your wisdom

Love your honesty

As long as you will actually carry, use whatever configuration you so choose, and can shoot well with. If you’re not going to carry it anyway, it doesn’t matter what bells and whistles you put on it. The gun you have on you daily, is exponentially better than the gun you leave at home.

This is why I love Honest outlaw and Hickok 45. They know what they're talking about, and take a balanced practical approach. Almost everything Ik about guns come from these 2 guys.

Im always running both, period.

Thanks Chris. Good video.

I really enjoy your videos. No bias, no bs, just strat up honesty.

It blows my mind that the whole CCW community, who carries even though there is almost zero chance of needing it, don't continue there own logic when it comes to carrying a light. You don't carry it to use it, you carry it so you have it on the off chance you need it. They make all kinds of small, quick detach pew lights that you can carry in a pocket so you don't even need a bigger holster. I promise you that you'll use that light a whole lot more than your CCW.

We can always count on a well thought out opinion from you. Thanks

Good info thanks for posting

Excellent points!

Your honesty is the reason we love you, sir!

I love your input, Chris. This is one of the many reasons why I value your opinion. They help me make wiser decisions based on my own circumstances.

Great video, especially when speaking about RDO.

So glad you made this video. I've developed a lot of respect for your opinion. You seem to think things through in detail, but you are humble enough to recognize the difference between facts and your own perception. I found this very useful.

I love the straight up no bs content you offer man. Best on RU-vid.

Great video and explanation 👍

Spot on! You just earned a new subscriber. I own them bare, own them equipped, and train with both. Situation, preference, and capacity for maintenance. System is everything!

Another great video thanks champ.

YAY! Thank you guys!

After listening to a bunch of “Yeses” and “Nos”, I came to the conclusion of No for both the red dot and light. Thank you Chris. 👍👍

Great video and the comment section is very entertaining on this topic so I’ll keep my opinion to myself.

Great video, i always make point of having it and not needing it. I feel better shooting red dots than irons now and i initially shot irons only w no red dot

Great Video. Right on!

I appreciate your no BS opinion and the fact you give pros and cons that are well thought out. Currently running slick with a P365 and feel confident I can take care of business. Practicing with a red dot and will upgrade at some point when I am comfortable with my skills with a red dot. i have been running irons sights for 40 years but I do feel I am better with the Dot. I have a pistol with both a dot and WML that is my home defense light and pull it out if needed. Keep up the great work!!!

Great video!

Terrific video. As others have said, the people who trust are those who present pros and cons, and never tell you their way is the only way. Thanks

Awesome video! KEEP ON ROCKING!

Yes! Finally someone brings up the point that you can have both a handheld and a WML. My carry gun has a light and I always carry a handheld as well.

Very helpful. Thanks

I just recently added a red dot to my carry good thing I kept that in mind when I got the holster red dot light setup attached

I was thinking about for my AIWB carry spend money in dot , light and holster after watch your video i can took easily my decision, thank you

Great video by the way!

Absolutely correct!!! Carry what you want what you train with but carry all the time

Honest Outlaw is Honest! Good video, I’m 73 and have a hard time with my old eyes and a red dot. In a fight, front sight. But like the man says, you do you.

After shooting with iron sights for 50 yrs I'm having difficulty with the Red dot I purchased. I'm going back to what I know. Great Video & Keep up the good work !

I'm right eye dominant or I should say I was after an injury so I put a red dot on my EDC to help pick up the target with my non dominant eye, after a bit of practice I was able to carry with confidence again .

I am an ARMY veteran (MP) & retired police officer. Also an avid shooter. So, I have a little bit of TKE to draw from. Chris is spot on with almost everything he has to say. & the light is great on the gun. But if you don’t want that, you should carry a light on you at the very least. The red dot makes a good shooter even better.

“P365xl-micro” haha that’s a pretty contradictory name lol. Love it

Im 50. Getting old. Literally just unboxed and an playing with my new holosun 407c. The optics cut slide will be here tomorrow. Im excited to practice with this.

Every carry/home defense/duty gun I have had a light on it. It’s a must for me and the added size of the holster is fine with me. Always have the tool you need to identify your target

After 2 years of contemplating, I'm now running a trl7 sub on my 365 xl. Had to wait weeks for the vedder light bearing holster to come in, and there's definitely extra real estate there that stabs my thigh carrying appendix. So Over $225 later just to have a light, thinking now about only running one for the home defense gun. Comfort does matter

I’m really glad he did a video on those had one “Holosun 507k-GR X2). I have the Raven Vanguard. I like it. It does get long on the lenses though. Got to clean it though with a Q tip fairly often.

Honest points.

Well said, good evaluation. I think Hackthorn(?) argument is train with the gun you have that will make you better, not more stuff. However, both are best 😊. Also, like LE people get lazy with training LE and people get lazy and start using the one light (WML). They start flagging with the WML. AND usually start ignoring Use of Force laws in their respective state. Good and realestic video. Love it.

I only own one pistol that is cut for a red dot and I still use iron sights. Just what I shot for decades so I never went that route. Like the idea of red dots but not feasible with the handguns I own. I do carry a light but I've never been big on WML's on pistols. All the shotguns and ARs have WML's though. Great video.

I carried a holosun k and tlr7a for over a year and this last week (ironically to the video) just sold both. I love my irons again, and love the light not poking into my right inner thigh. Just more failure points and I do not personally need them. They just make the aesthetics much better!

I put a Holosun 508t rdx2,a nightstick 550xl light and a Ndx stainless steel guide rod on my Springfield Echelon. Part on the reason I added all that stuff was a little more weight on that pistol. It definitely works. It’s like Im shooting a different pistol. Btw, the nightstick only cost $120 bucks. Very well made and works every time! Great video Honest Outlaw!

Thx for review!!!! I pack Mete MC 9 and have elite sc

Legitimately the best video on this subject. Only thing I would add is that not everyone lives in the same environment. Where I live, it gets VERY dark because we really don't have a ton of illumination around here, street lights are only on the main roads and in the center of town. We have black bear that have become very bold and have started chasing people as well as coyotes who have bitten people before. I don't mind a little extra bulk that helps with recoil behavior, and my carry setup is very compact even with an EPSc mounted on it.

Well said...

Bought Olight Baldr blue for my CZ P10F, its my nightstand gun. Happy with it, do I need it, only time will tell, but I have it if I need it! Brownells Caleb also responded to the Hackathorn debacle. As with you and Caleb.....best advice with a loaded weapon, is the low or high hold to illuminate the area.

Thanks for the insightful content!

Great video! A couple of additional thoughts from experience and a little teaching: Dot sights have their place. They give you a real edge in competition when you know where your targets are going to be, or, in accuracy shooting like Bullseye, they are essential. I'm reading comments that tell me people can be drawn to electronic sights for the wrong reasons. "Old eyes." What does that even mean? I'm 58 with a bit of farsightedness. Are you focusing on your front sight, for self-defense? Do you think the front sight is trying to kill you? You absolutely do not need a hard focus on your front sight to know your sights are aligned. You're just slowing yourself down, reducing your situational awareness, and shifting your mental focus away from what actually matters: the threat. I still hear instructors teaching the lollipop hold and hard focus on the front sight, for defense. These are very specific Bullseye target techniques, and they're obsolete even for that due to dot sights in competition. But these techniques were NEVER good for defense! Listen to any good exhibtion shooter whose name you've heard of. If they are using irons, they're not hard focusing on the front sight. Watch video of Jerry Miculek. You can tell from a distance that he's hard focusing on targets. Watch this very channel! You'll see the same thing. Yet, I keep hearing "hard focus on the front sight" in classes. People are being led astray by instructors who don't really know what they're doing. Then, there's gun fit. When I shop for a gun, I pick a safe spot, focus on it, and bring the gun up quickly. If the sights are not lined up and pointing at the spot I picked, I hand the gun back to the salesperson and I never give that gun another thought. It doesn't matter if OTHER people like it. (Not an option for cops issued a gun, but for the rest of us, why buy anything that slows you down and messes with you?) Every quality manufacturer offers a gun that will work, with different ideas of ergonomics. You're going to like one, or more of them. Don't be cheap. Things I learned from wild bird hunting and brought back to pistols: gun fit matters, focus on the target not the sight, use your peripheral vision, keep your situational awareness intact. Red dots can be a bulky distraction and extra point of failure, or a necessity, depending on what you're doing. But if you're drawn to an electronic sight because your gun doesn't point naturally for you, or because you learned old school target competition technique in the wrong context, I would strongly advise fixing the real problems before ever considering a dot sight. Until those fundamental issues are addressed, one can't make a good decision.

Love that Clint Legend poster

To mitigate the mounting point failure point of dots; aftermarket direct milled slides. Especially true of glocks, preferably with recoil/screw posts. Brownells rmr cut slides are my favorite, though it looks like they may be discontinued. Apply a bit of loctite (i like purple 222), torque to 15 inch/lb, let it sit for at least a day, and it has been good for thousands of rounds, and I can still co witness non-suppressor height sights with rear blade heights as low as .230 if the slide has a sufficiently low cut, such as the brownells.

Well said dude

I bought a $42.00 light. Works perfect. I’m good with steel 3 dot night sights. I do appreciate Your stuff. I bought My P-10C because of You. It was a great buy.

Love it. Straight with no chaser. 😎🤙🏽

My main carry is a Commander in 38 Super. No light, no red dot but tritium sights.. My secondary edc is a full size M&P9-4-1/4" With a Holosun P.I.D. light ( they fit holsters made for TLR1 Lights by the way). No dot on that pistol either. I do have a G19 with a direct milled dot, Holosun 507. And it has a Stream light tlr3 compact light. I wear it around the farm for whatever might need "dispatched" and I'm outside at night allot. Thing about irons and a light is the sights stand out heavy on a illuminated target. I can still see the tritium glow even with the light and it makes a quick to aim sight system. I love red dot optics (64 year old eyes) and use the on competition guns other than irons only classes.

The con of likelyhood to need a mounted light could be said about a handgun in general, but we all agree it's better to have one and not need it. Of course there's always compromises, we carry pistols because we can't carry rifles, we carry less than full size pistols for comfort and concealability, and so on. But adding a light isn't much of a comprise, depending on the gun you carry. With red dots, a simple prevetitive measure for the dot failing is tall iron sights that you can still use with a mounted red dot. Great video. It was the honest truth. And, I appreciate that about you.

Bro I just bought a Tisas PX9 Duty for 289 on PSA. Definitely a gun to look into, great bang for the buck and shoots very nicely!!

The issue I have always had with red dots even though I compete with them and love them, is the level of brightness they need to be at to not be washed out at night from your own flashlight or a potential threats flashlight. With an astigmatism the dot looks like a giant sunburst.

Right on tell us like it is. Love you both on the channel. I carry a WML on every single one of my pistols that are used for EDC. You can't see it you can't shoot it.

I think a weapon light is an absolutely great idea. I have one on any light I reasonably can. Not to mention most of them generally pop off pretty quick if you need to just use it as a hand held.

Gabe Suarez made a great video about the difference between “need” and “benefit”. A light and a dot will “benefit” you but you don’t “need” them. When talking about benefit you have to then consider the cost. If the benefit outweighs the cost for your specific situation then go for it. If not, then don’t. I personally carry a light with night sights but no dot. I can hit a 3x5 card from the holster at 25 yards in sub 2 seconds and a B-8 bullseye from the holster at 40 yards in sub 3 seconds with this setup. Of course everything closer is faster. I’m satisfied with that and don’t want the added bulk or failure point of a dot on my pistol. For me the cost of the dot isn’t worth the potential increased benefit. Maybe in 10 years when I need reading glasses I’ll sing a different song though.

I have a dot but not a light right now. I don't go out at night much but when I do I have a separate flashlight that I think should serve me well enough. My night stand one has both.

First like 12 seconds in I bought my p07 because of you! By far my favorite gun tuber

A man that says who am I to tell you XYX is a man that makes me stop and listen. I have made 3 firearm purchase’s from Honest Outlaws opinion, and A+ on each one.

Very Illuminating!!!

Im a big fan of WMLs on carry guns both for CC and open carry. I havent quite gotten into red dots on my handguns yet, but I do understand the advantages of it. Big fan of tritium night sights though.

I just carry a tac light and put i-dot sights on my shied plus :)

Red dot yes!!!! I can hit a man size target at 7yds without the dot on. I love the practical application of light, point it at the ground.... which in all reality the low ready is safer and more often taught.

Great video. Light or not is less of an issue for me. Red dot a different matter. Condo resident here, so very short sight lines. My view is iron sights are more than adequate enough. But I have two “bump in the night” go to pistols. One with a dot and one without. Don’t get me wrong, read dot is awesome at the range. But if push comes to shove going to grab my iron sight pistol first in a home defense scenario

This why you are known as the honest outlaw

I've never used my wml in self-defense, never needed the firearm it's attached to either, Lord willing and the river don't rise, I never will. Makes warm and fuzzy, that's enough for me. Don't do the dots, irons only. Great video

I work at night out on a highway construction sight. I carry light/red dot. Now my tooling around town or honey do list pistol is slick but my "Black Hawk Down" event pistol is loaded.