I confess I am seriously underwhelmed with red dots on carry pistols. Probably just because I am a fat old man, grew up with irons or glass being the only choices. It seems like the red dot would complicate carrying the pistol, (more things sticking out), and you have to worry if your dot is going to work at that crucial, OMG moment...but modern stuff is probably good enough even for an old curmudgeon like me.
FWIW, I was slow on the uptake with RDS-equipped pistols... I shared some of your concerns plus I was hesitant to invest the money in something I wouldn't know worked until I'd made the leap ;-)
Things I've learned since making the leap:
01.
Acquisition with the dot is both faster and easier than irons - up close and, especially at distance.
02.
Tracking the dot during recoil can be a challenge but no more so than tracking irons IMO.
03.
The RMR does add a tiny bit to the carry footprint but I have had no issues with concealment carrying appendix.
04.
Reliability has been a non-issue with Trijicon RMRs. I change batteries well ahead of schedule and make no effort to turn the dots down or off.
05.
Some batteries are better than others. I've had best luck with Duracells. Energizers sourced in bulk from Amazon were, uh, weak.
06.
The RDS is an incredible training aid during dry fire. The dot is mercilessly unforgiving when you move the pistol during the trigger press ;-)
07.
With time you learn to live with "dot wobble". This is related to #6 - you will see movement in the dot when holding on target that you probably didn't notice with irons.
08.
Smaller dot sizes may not be ideal. You see more movement with them in my experience and they can be harder to pick up at speed.
09.
There absolutely is a learning curve. The red dot "is just there" when your presentation is right - it is less tolerant of a sloppy presentation.
10.
Cost can be a concern, especially for the CZ fan. I chose to have my P-07s milled because I wanted the lowest profile with irons that cowitness. Not cheap.
YMMV, of course.
I still shoot regularly with irons-only pistols - just to stay proficient - but I could not see going back to that by choice. The way I summarize for folks who are curious is that
an RDS doesn't really help you shoot better - it helps you see better - but that does enable you to focus
more on shooting and
less on seeing ;-) It may not hold true for
everyone but my shooting has improved tremendously as a result.
