A little data to consider about the effect that red-dots have on the kind of shooting performance measured by USPSA (which is a mix of speed and accuracy).
- In USPSA, Limited division is the most tricked-out, race-gun division that does not allow optical sights. It's filled with big double-stack 1911/2011 things with <2lb SAO triggers, magwells, thumb rests, and extended magazines. Everyone who is serious about it shoots .40 cal, because in Limited .40 cal means you are eligible for "major scoring." Major scoring means you get 5 points for an A, 4 points for a C*, and 2 points for a D.
- In USPSA, Carry Optics is a relatively new division that requires a Production-type gun (striker fired or DA/SA) and a slide-mounted optic (similar to the things people might use on carry guns). It's filled with CZ's and Tanfo DA/SA's, Sig 320's and Glock 34's, Canick's, etc. Also, it is only eligible for "minor scoring," and everyone shoots 9mm. In minor, you get the same 5 points for an A, but get only 3 points for a C, and just 1 point for a D. The guns also have a weight limit. Thus, not only are the triggers not as good as the Limited guns, the smaller absolute recoil of 9mm is somewhat offset by the lighter weight of the guns.
- Because of the scoring differences, if you have a Limited shooter and a Carry Optics shooter who shoot the same time and same hits, the Limited shooter will do better in the match because of the scoring advantage on non-perfect hits.**
Now let's look at the most recent USPSA nationals that combined Limited and Carry Optics shooters on the same courses of fire.
https://practiscore.com/results/new/93422 While JJ Racaza in Limited did edge out Max Michel in Carry Optics, Max was literally at 99.9% of JJ's hit factor score. In raw inputs, Max was faster (257 seconds versus 264 seconds), and had better hits (365 A's to 331 A's). And looking up and down the standings, it's a good mix of LTD and CO shooters. Both groups had outstanding shooters participating, so this is a relatively fair comparison in terms of shooting skill/talent.
What can we learn from this? Remember the major scoring advantage that the Limited shooters get. Despite that big advantage (and the other, more modest gear-based advantages they have), CO and LTD generate similar results. If you back out that scoring different, it is apparent that a red-dot on a handgun makes the best shooters in the world significantly better than they are without a red-dot. If that weren't the case, the other advantages of LTD would mean that CO wouldn't be competitive heads-up versus LTD (just as iron-sighted Production is not competitive heads-up against LTD).
If a red-dot makes world class competitors - most of whom made a big part of their career and livelihood shooting iron-sighted guns - better, why would it not make average shooters better? You may not like red-dots, or you may not want to use red-dots. That's fine. But it is objectively true that red-dots improve handgun shooting, particularly when it comes to combined speed and accuracy. That's a demonstrated
fact, not an opinion.
* B no longer exists, but was scored the same as a C anyway.
** USPSA isn't a game of perfect. Nobody who is competitive shoots all A-hits... it would take far too much time. Winning shooters will shoot more A's than anything else by a wide margin, but they will have a
lot of C hits and probably a few D's.