I have used red dots on hand guns with pretty good success. I can shoot quite alot better with a red dot than open sights--- can't see the open sights very well any more. I don't like having to worry about batterys going dead but if you keep track of them you will do okay. One nice thing with the red dots is you can shoot with both eyes open.

There is another type of lighted site, Bushnell Hollo Sight. They are quite expensive but I have hadgood success with one on a 44 Mag pistol. I agree that they are best for 50 or 60 yds. but with practice you can get quite good out to 100 yds.