In today’s modern society, there are a million different choices of red dots, LPVO’s and countless other optics to choose from. With an endless amount of choice when picking out an optic, most people don’t even consider running iron sights anymore as their main set up. There’s still a rather large market for back up iron sights in the AR15 market but the majority won’t use them. I think it’s strange that younger shooters my age will purchase a set of expensive iron sights but not train or even zero them.

Why Iron Sights Are Important

I get a fair bit of questions when it comes to iron sights. In the past, I’ve gotten questions about why someone should know how to use iron sights when there are countless options for optics on the market today. The reality is that things happen whether it’s at the range or in the real world. Sometimes optics break or the batteries die and you forgot the spare batteries at home, whatever the case, things happen and sometimes optics aren’t always reliable. Having the ability to switch over to irons and proficiently make hits on target is really a benefit while making you more capable.

Now don’t get me wrong, red dot and modern optics make life easier when shooting at distance or quickly transitioning between targets. Having irons on your gun gives you a very effective safety net in case unfortunate events occur. Iron sights are definitely a viable option when shooting at close to medium ranges. One of the biggest benefits to iron sights is how low profile they are compared to optics. Typically iron sights are the lowest profile system available since there are only the front and rear sight on top of the rifle instead of an optic with mounts and other devices. Running an iron sight only set up makes the weapon lightweight and usually more streamlined.

Running Different Iron Sights

It’s important to try out different iron sights to see what you like best. There are a number of different styles of sights depending on the make and model of the firearm. A great example of this was last weekend when I went to a training facility with a few friends. We decided to train with our Pistol Caliber Carbines to get more practice on them. I ran the Heckler and Koch SP5K and I recently took off the Trijicon RMR. Unfortunately, I didn’t put another optic onto the SP5K so I was forced to run the iron sights. After a full day of running the iron sights in various drills, I really didn’t mind the HK’s iron sights. It was refreshing to shoot irons for the cleaner sight picture than having a large optic on the gun.

I think it’s really refreshing to get back into the basics of shooting. People get too wrapped up in optics and tend to forget to enjoy the fun in shooting iron sights. They are extremely practical and require little to no maintenance compared to battery-powered optics. Let me know what you guys think about running iron sights in the comments below. If you have questions feel free to message me on my Instagram @fridgeoperator. Stay safe out there!

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