pistol red dots?

T

Tengu Joker

Joined
Dec 6, 2005
Messages
258
Anyone here uses them? Any reviews ? The only brand I've heard of is Docter ( Kelly McCann uses one on his glock) but are there others? Any info will be appreciated. . .
 
I bought a used Glock 19 from someone with a mounted Optima 2000. It's very similar to the Docter, but older (discontinued) and plastic. I think it's fantastic: makes me want to put a mini red-dot on all my handguns.

optima.jpg

These days there are a bunch of similar red-dots out there such as the
Burris FastFire and the
RDP-II
And I believe there are more if you search around.

Military Morons has good things to say about the FastFire:
I've used the FastFire on other weapons and it's my current favourite of the MRDs I own, which are the Docter and the discontinued Optima. It costs less than the Docter and has a glass window, which provides better clarity than plastic ones like the Optima. While it automatically adjusts the dot intensity based on ambient light conditions, I like the fact that it also has an on-off switch, unlike the Docter.
Click to expand...
http://www.militarymorons.com/weapons/ar.optics2.html
http://www.militarymorons.com/weapons/ar.optics.html

Last time I checked Docters were hard to find, but maybe that has changed.
 
A lot depends on the type of handgun, if you want to use a standard holster with it, what type of mount you want to use...

I have used a myriad of red dots on handguns through my shooting career, everything from basic tube types to the Bushnell Halos and the little Burris. They all worked well for different circumstances. Currently the only dot I have an a handgun is on my Bianchi Cup 38 Super, it is a tube type with built in adjustments to compensate for the lead needed on the mover. On handguns I am to the point where I like fiber optic sights better for the most part.

If you are looking at replacing the rear sight I would probably suggest the Bushnell, mounts for just about everything are available.
 
I really was just looking as a " that's pretty cool" kinda thing, maybe a future drain on the discretionary fund. Quick question, do you have to change your point of aim or are they mounted low enough for "normal" aiming? If not could I get them milled into the slide?
 
Mine is on a mount but at the very most I'd say the dot's height-over-bore is an inch: not a big deal. I just zero for preferred distance and aim normally. Yes though, you can get a slide milled. There are some pictures of what people call 'melted' slides on this page showing the dot in the slide: http://www.jprifles.com/1.6.1.php

http://www.gramsengineering.com/ offers this slide modification service, though you have to call as the site is out of date. Many other outfits do as well, I just know that a buddy used them and got good results.
 
Tengu Joker said:
I really was just looking as a " that's pretty cool" kinda thing, maybe a future drain on the discretionary fund. Quick question, do you have to change your point of aim or are they mounted low enough for "normal" aiming? If not could I get them milled into the slide?
Click to expand...

You will likely regret bothering to do this unless you are a serious games shooter. (in which case, go directly to the last line here)

You will easily change your perspective of aiming just from it allowing you this additional angle of view for such a device. That is the point, after all.

You do not have to precisely align the sights to your eyes with a red dot. You can put the dot on the target and still move your head all around- the dot will stay just where the gun was pointed.

There are hundreds of ways to spend any number of dollars on your Glock, but putting a red dot on it doesn't seem to be high on most people's lists.

Go nuts...absolutely Nuckin Futz.... http://www.ccfraceframes.com/video/CCFRaceFramesPresentation.mpg I have one, and they are the shiznitz.
 
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The Burris simply replaces the rear sight, you push it out, tighten the mount in the sight slot and then put the dot on the mount.

mount...this mounts on the slide in the rear sight groove...

SCP-410326.jpg


This goes on the mount....

BUR300230.jpg


the entire unit sits low enough you won't have to change grip much maybe have to hold your head a bit more erect but you will get use to it very quickly.
 
I think Shooting Times has an entire article re: red dots this month. It is after all a sight. If it helps you shoot more accurately, go for it. If not try something else. The ones I've seen are sweet. I guess it depends on the application.
 
I tried one for a while on a 1911. Interesting, but the lack of back up irons bothered me, so I put it on a LaRue scope ring as a short range back up to glass.
 
They are limited in applications tho I have seen the size shrink over the years, almost to the point of them being useful on a CCW firearm. Some years ago someone made a flip up red dot. When you drew the gun from the holster the dot viewing part would flip up and turn the dot on. I haven't seen anything like this for years now but it seemed to be a good idea.
 
I wouldn't at this time because no one has one available that is CCW friendly. By this I mean there is no way to easily and reliably turn one on while drawing the firearm. If there were a pressure switch made to turn one on and off that could be placed in an area that would would make turning it on easy and had an automatic turn off when placed back in the holster I would consider it. Of course placing your life in the hands of a battery is allows iffy. Would be nice to see a pistol version of the ACOG tritium reflex site so battery life would not be an issue.
 
The Docter-type units just adjust to lighting conditions. Under a cover garment they would shut-down to nearly off (like if you had the cover on). Battery life is many months under such conditions. If you just got in the habit of changing the battery every couple months you'd be fine. Turning it on during the draw would never be an issue since it's always on.

This is excluding the Burris which has the on/off switch which I guess you could accidentally switch off while carrying.

Carry in my state is not shall-issue but I have taken a number of defensive pistol courses with my Optima G19 and the thing is just as easy to carry as an iron-sight version.

If you're that worried about batteries, the JPoint version has a rear cut to act as a backup rear iron. To be honest I'm not sure why more makers don't incorporate this or at least make a mount that does something similar.

I can't honestly answer what I would do for CCW since I can't do it in my home state, but I don't see why the above units aren't CCW friendly. There is the good point of battery worries (as with anything battery-powered) and possible electronic failure (again, the standard fear with anything like this) but besides that I don't see any CCW issues.
 
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