Proper iron sight - optic sight mounting for Carry Optics

[Guy Neill]

I do not presently shoot Carry Optics, but think it may be interesting, so I have casually been looking at some of the guns.  I do feel actual carry guns will see more and more use of optics as well.

 

Wandering around the SHOT Show a couple of weeks ago, I noticed two philosophies in mounting the optics on the pistols.

 

There were those that had the sights set up so that you could use the iron sights through the optics - I suppose in case the red dot died.  Then there were those that the optic sight blocked the iron sights, so that the iron sights could only be used when the optic sight was removed.

 

Personally, being able to use the iron sights whiteout the need to remove the optics seems the better way.

 

Am I missing something here?  Is there any advantage to having the optic sigh block the iron sights?

 

Just wondering about people's thoughts on it.

 

Thanks.

 

 

[ChuckS]

The co-witnessed sights are for backup. Defensive gun? Fine. Game gun? IMHO, it's dumb to give up field of view on every shot for something that *might* happen.

[N3WWN]

Suppressor-height sights also require a holster that is set up for such tall sights. 

 

Some holsters may be set up like this, but many are not.  That would mean purchasing a new holster that is legal in Carry Optics.

[jcc7x7]

My carry gun has back up irons.

My co guns have nothing but the optic. Frt sight removed also

[MikeBurgess]

I get that slide mounted sights die more often than frame mounted ones but you don't see a open guns with backup sights, probably because by the time yo figure out the sight is dead is the reason you cant find the dot your stage is already shot.

I also think for many shooters that are moving from Iron sighted divisions having sights on their gun makes it harder for them to learn to target focus and shoot the dot, they tend to want to use the sights to find the dot and then end up looking at the gun not the target.

On a defensive gun for me they are not a good idea either as without reading glasses they are mostly useless anyway and in a fast paced defensive situation you need to be using the sighting system that you are comfortable with and expecting to be there, if that is a dot then you will likely spend way too long looking for the dot if it is not there before deciding to attempt to find the sights. 

[Eli_a]

I got a Glock 19 with an RMR setup for HD & ccw that I have suppressor height sights that cowitness in case the rmr dies on me. 
 

My CO gun, a legion, does not. I think it gets in the way for a competition gun. 
 

[Silent]

Competition gun, don’t put backup irons on it. 
 

Defensive gun, check out Sage Dynamics on YouTube. He has great videos on red dots for defensive guns. Including Going in detail about backup irons. 

[zzt]

Iron sights are useless to me, because I cannot focus on them.  Even if I could I would not want them on a defensive pistol, because they block view.  On a competition pistol, it is red dot only.