(01-29-2025, 02:33 PM)hkriflenut_aka_sasquatch Wrote: I've been running dots on pistols for a few years now. I'm easily more accurate with the dot, than without, especially as we push the distance out. I run a dot on my duty gun at work as a school security monkey. I've not been super active on here because I'm also in the police academy and just don't have much time these days. While we haven't gotten to the "fun" part of the academy yet, when we do finally make it to the range, I know over half of my classmates are planning on having dots on their guns, others are waiting till they get to a department to see if the department has recommendations or policies RE dots. Our firearms instructor has told us that we can use the dots after he verifies we can shoot with irons, which just means we've got to turn the dots off to begin with.
I switched up duty guns recently - going from the Glock 34 (great gun) to a Springfield Echelon. Once US Duty Gear releases their new Beretta holsters I'm tempted to make the jump back there, because the Beretta is still the gun I shoot the best with, consistently because of its superior ergonomics and trigger. I'll say the Echelon is a good gun, I really like some of the features baked into it. Jury is still out on the robustness of the optic mounting system, but overall I really like it, and I like how it lets me cowitness with standard irons vs suppressor sights.
Also working in healthcare security, I see a lot of cops. My non-scientific observations? In the Houston area its about 50-50 I see that have dots vs those that don't. There are still some that don't even run a WML. Most departments here are BYOG - bring your own gun - and there's a wide latitiude in what I see guys carry. Working the hospital last week, I saw a deputy with a Walther PDP, dot, Surefire, magwell, and extended mags. Another was toting a Staccato. Lots still toting Glocks and M&P's.
The instructors in my academy that are current LE almost all have dots and lights on their guns. Half of the retired officers teaching us have dots, even on the micro guns.
When I took active shooter training last year for work, the instructor (current HPD officer) had dots on all his guns, and on the sim-guns we used for the FoF part. I saw the dot on more shots I took than I didn't - and the times I didn't were when I was more focused on the badguy's hands than when I was looking thru the sight. Given the evolving threats police face, as well as Joe Citizen, I'm in the dot camp. While most shootings are still up close and personal affairs, we've seen a lot of body cams / dash cams of shootings are far, far longer distances in less than terrific conditions (lighting, weather) and the dot gives you an edge, so long as your shooting skills don't go to shit. When you'retaking shots at 30-50 yards with your pistol, and your backstop is potentially innocent people - take every edge you can get.
Never heard of the Echelon before, off to google
