Do you miss irons?

This video documents Lena Miculek's return to major handgun competition after a 14-year hiatus at the IPSC Handgun Nationals. It showcases various stages, highlighting the challenges of iron sights, strong/weak hand shooting, and dynamic targets. Miculek emphasizes the mental aspect of competition, the importance of consistent practice, and learning from each stage, even when facing fear of failure.

This video documents the 2025 AK Masters competition, focusing on the shooter's experience using a 7.62x39mm AK platform with iron sights. It details the challenges of a speed-focused match with high round counts, the specific build of the AK used, and the shooter's strategic approach to various stages. Ultimately, the shooter achieves first place in the Iron Heavy division, demonstrating the capability of a near-stock AK in competitive shooting.

This discussion between Ben Stoeger and Andreas explores the significant differences between competing with red dot sights and iron sights in practical shooting disciplines like USPSA. Andreas, a long-time shooter who recently transitioned to red dots, highlights how the visual feedback from a red dot aids in fundamental shooting skills, particularly trigger control and gun stability. He notes that iron sights require more deliberate effort to extract similar information, especially as target distances increase. The conversation also touches on how equipment advancements and the prevalence of high-capacity magazines in competition have shifted the dynamics of stage strategy and shooter development.

This guide outlines strategies for a 2-gun competition based on Ian McCollum's experience. It covers techniques for engaging targets at various ranges with both the Beretta AR-70/90 rifle and Bernardelli P018S pistol, emphasizing iron sight proficiency, recoil control, and managing competition-specific challenges like malfunctions and time constraints. The insights are drawn from a renowned firearms historian, offering an analytical perspective on performance.

This guide, drawing on the expertise of Myles from Tactical Hyve, advises new competitors to start with their existing firearm. It details the considerations for choosing between iron sights and red dots, and the distinction between using stock guns for defensive practice versus specialized "race guns" for elite competition. The core recommendation is to prioritize participation and skill development over immediate gear acquisition.

This video explores the speed and accuracy differences between red dot sights and iron sights on Glock pistols during a timed shooting competition. The hosts, GHG Hussle and Chris, conduct multiple trials with their Glock 19 Gen 5 (equipped with a red dot) and Glock 19X (with iron sights), comparing their performance. While both hosts express a personal preference for iron sights, their timed results consistently show better performance with red dot optics, particularly in terms of speed and accuracy.

This video demonstrates a critical malfunction where the magazine drops during recoil, a common issue in competitive shooting. Ben Stoeger, a professional competitive shooter, highlights the importance of recognizing and addressing such failures. The guide provides steps to troubleshoot this specific problem, emphasizing safety and proper firearm handling.

This video demonstrates a critical safety incident: an uncommanded discharge of a Sig Sauer P320 during the re-holstering process. Expert analysis from Ben Stoeger highlights the visual evidence of the discharge originating from the holster, emphasizing the importance of constant vigilance and proper technique even when the firearm is supposedly "safe" in its holster. The incident underscores the need for thorough firearm inspection and immediate post-incident assessment.

Ben Stoeger, a professional shooting instructor, explains common misconceptions about red dot sights. He emphasizes that true proficiency comes from focusing on the target, not the dot itself. The guide details training methods, like occluding the optic, to develop this crucial skill, comparing it to the lifelong refinement needed for trigger control.

This comprehensive dry fire program, led by World Champion shooter Ben Stoeger, focuses on refining fundamental handgun skills. It includes a structured warm-up, detailed drills for draw stroke mechanics, efficient reloads (including strong and weak hand only), and positional shooting from kneeling. The program emphasizes precision and control, progressing to dynamic movements and transitions essential for competitive shooting.