The evolution of gun sights – The journey from iron sights to Red dot sights

Having the perfect aim is an accomplishment only if shooters can hit the target speedily and outsmart others.  And to show their skills, they need proper gadgets and gun sights to assist them in bringing out the best in them. Gun sights have become the all-important accessories for shooters, and naturally, they depend on it quite heavily. From the very early days, iron sights were the only choice for aiming at targets when using firearms of any type but not anymore. Many sophisticated gun sights like the ones discussed on the website GunSights.org are now available that use advanced technology to makes it easier for shooters to aim with confidence and excel in their shooting skills.

View the surroundings

The most important requirement for achieving perfect aim is to allow shooters to have a clear view of the target that becomes brightly visible. But this can be a big problem in natural conditions when the light is insufficient. Inability to view the target is a big hindrance and shooters are at the mercy of the environment when trying to show their shooting skills. When you are using the gun for self-preservation, the light is just likely to be poor as it is good. Therefore, the need for better gun sights was conceived long ago that has resulted in the introduction of a plethora of advanced gun sights by replacing the iron gun sights that are simply in a class of its own.

One eye aiming

Aiming at targets with one eye used to be the norm when using iron gun sights and this posed a big challenge to shooters whose aiming options were limited. You never know the circumstances that will drive you to use a gun unless it is some planned exercise like a sporting event. When you are using the gun, it is as much important to keep an eye on the surroundings and be aware of what is going around as it is important to aim for the target. Inability to do it can land you in serious trouble especially when you are trying to defend yourself.

Most importantly, you must be able to get a natural view of the surroundings and the target which is only possible when you can aim while keeping both eyes opened. This is not possible by using iron sights because the technique relies on aligning the line of vision with the front iron sight and rear iron sight and the target which you must do by using only one eye.

Overcoming the limitations

To allow shooters with the best options in aiming correctly and shooting quickly without losing vision of the surroundings and without any concern for available light, gun experts and scientists joined hands to discover advanced gin sights by using advanced technology in electronics and optics. This led to the introduction ‘Red Dot’ sights that have enabled shooters to increase their effectiveness many more times. 

The ‘Red Dot’ sights have revolutionized the shooting arena that came as a blessing for the American Special Forces unit that first used it and proved its worth by saving many lives.