CO-WITNESSING PISTOL SIGHTS AND RED DOTS?

So....what is supposed to look like?

The irons and the red dot are supposed to work INDEPENDENTLY of one another and NOT together. Where most people get it wrong is they try to use both concurrently as if the dot was an addition to the sight picture. If the irons fell off you would still be able to shoot and hit, and if the dot fell off you would still be able to shoot and hit.

Some people have the irons so low that there is no way on earth they could possibly use them when the dot is attached.

The irons, properly installed are tall enough to be used independently of the red dot. How you see it in the images is how they are best used. Those who disagree with the concept simply do not know what they do not know.

The irons are used to -

1). Train the eye to find the dot faster. It helps if they are both - dot and irons zeroed to the same POI

2). Help verify that the dot has not lost zero. Without irons to verify during a weapon check a shooter will never know if something has shifted until he takes the first shot.

3). Ascertains the dot is still zeroed if the dot must be removed for administrative reasons and then replaced.

4). Serves as an immediate action visual shift if the dot is lost or malfunctions.

THE DOT IS NOT USED WITH THE IRONS IN APPLICATION

THE IRONS ARE IGNORED WHEN THE DOT IS BEING USED AND ONLY SOUGHT VISUALLY IF THE DOT IS LOST VISUALLY

Where the dot sits on the front sight post is a matter of YOUR vision, YOUR ammunition choices, and YOUR shooting style. As long as you note where on the post the dot sits, and it is WINDAGE CENTERED, your cowitness set up will work fine.

Again...

THE DOT IS NOT USED WITH THE IRONS IN APPLICATION

THE IRONS ARE VISUALLY IGNORED WHEN THE DOT IS PRESENT

THE IRONS ARE ONLY SOUGHT VISUALLY IF THE DOT IS LOST VISUALLY

Comments

[steve]

Very informative article. I have a Glock 34 gen4 MOS with the Vortex Viper Red Dot. I ignorantly just had a .350 inch front Trijicon "iron" night sight with NO rear sight what so ever! I was only using the front iron sight, sighted in just below the Red Dot's,dot itself just to help me acquire the red dot's dot faster. It's not my EDC, just a targeter. I guess now I have to figure out what Height Rear Iron Sight to put on. Any suggestions on how I may find out what height rear sight to get?

[steve]

Informative article. I was only using a FRONT iron sight. No rear iron at all. I was just using the Front Iron to help me find the Dot of the red dot faster.It helps. But now I found out that it only helped 1/2 way!
Maybe you can help me with any suggestions on what rear sight Height to get.
I have a gen4 Glock 34 MOS. I have a Vortex Viper on it's gasket on plate #1
The front sight is a Trijicon .350 inches. It's sight is just below the dot, as you have pictured in your article. But now the question;
Any ideas as to what height rear sight I should get?

[Andre]

Curious . If the POI is supposed to be the same on the irons and red-dot. If I understood correctly, shouldn't the dot and the irond then line up? In the the pic the irons line up BELOW the red dot