Has anyone put a red dot sight on a 1911? I need to do something as my eyes really don’t pick up the sights on my 1911. For that reason, it has remained in the safe for several years. I’d love to shoot it again. I talked to XS Sights. They said to get back to them after the first of the year. I’ve got XS Big Dots on a couple of pistols and they work pretty well for me. But, I’m thinking of trying a RDS. Looking for any experiences you may have had. Thanks!
RDS on 1911?
- Thread starter NoBite
- Start date
1) My experience
a) Glock 17 with rear sight replaced with some red dot I don't recall. Impossible to use. Finding the dot required perfect wrist-arm-eye alignment.
b) Glock 19 Gen 4 MOS with a Trijicon RMR mounted between suppressor height Trijicon night sights. Dot placed on the top edge of the front sight. Acquisition was reliable, unlike in "a". Speed to first shot was slightly reduced, but followup shots were really fast under recoil.
The RMR suffered from reliability problems. It would fade out periodically under recoil. It still did it after returning from Trijicon. It now lives on an AR-15.
2) Karl Rehn's Red Dot Study
http://blog.krtraining.com/red-dot-study-key-points/
There is quite a bit to digest there, but key points:
1) All participants shot better with iron sights. Even advanced shooters suffered a small performance loss.
2) Mount the optic between suppressor height sights. The sights act as an index and backup.
3) "Older eyes" did not actually benefit from the red dot. The opposite was true.
a) Glock 17 with rear sight replaced with some red dot I don't recall. Impossible to use. Finding the dot required perfect wrist-arm-eye alignment.
b) Glock 19 Gen 4 MOS with a Trijicon RMR mounted between suppressor height Trijicon night sights. Dot placed on the top edge of the front sight. Acquisition was reliable, unlike in "a". Speed to first shot was slightly reduced, but followup shots were really fast under recoil.
The RMR suffered from reliability problems. It would fade out periodically under recoil. It still did it after returning from Trijicon. It now lives on an AR-15.
2) Karl Rehn's Red Dot Study
http://blog.krtraining.com/red-dot-study-key-points/
There is quite a bit to digest there, but key points:
1) All participants shot better with iron sights. Even advanced shooters suffered a small performance loss.
2) Mount the optic between suppressor height sights. The sights act as an index and backup.
3) "Older eyes" did not actually benefit from the red dot. The opposite was true.
I disagree with most of above. I shoot Bullseye and Steel bowling pins. The folks with red dot sights do better.
Most of my hand guns have red dots. After a while, I can pick up the gun with my eyes shut, point it at the target and open my eyes. The dot is there. I have had dots fail, usually because a dead battery.
Once you learn to use a dot sight, you will shoot better. Its one focal plane.
Using the dot, you can look at the tarrget instead of the sight. Like throwing a ball (which I suck at) Look where the bullet is going.
I quit shooting Bullseye because the sights were blurry. Now with red dots, I am back in the game and my scores are better than ever.
None of my guns with dot sights have co witness sights. I don't want them. I don't need them, these guns are for games not personal defense. If I had an RDS on a defense gun, then maybe co witness sights, but probably laser grips.
Tube sights (ultradot) are easier to aquire at first.
David
Most of my hand guns have red dots. After a while, I can pick up the gun with my eyes shut, point it at the target and open my eyes. The dot is there. I have had dots fail, usually because a dead battery.
Once you learn to use a dot sight, you will shoot better. Its one focal plane.
Using the dot, you can look at the tarrget instead of the sight. Like throwing a ball (which I suck at) Look where the bullet is going.
I quit shooting Bullseye because the sights were blurry. Now with red dots, I am back in the game and my scores are better than ever.
None of my guns with dot sights have co witness sights. I don't want them. I don't need them, these guns are for games not personal defense. If I had an RDS on a defense gun, then maybe co witness sights, but probably laser grips.
Tube sights (ultradot) are easier to aquire at first.
David
First off, thanks to both of you for your thoughtful replies! Tomrkba, that is a lot of information!
I have a good friend, who is a bit younger than me, that has put a RDS on two of his pistols. He is a firearms instructor and has spent considerable time gaining proficiency with them. According to him it does take some retraining and a slightly different presentation, but transitioning is doable. I’ll buy that.
My question is specifically about putting a RDS on a 1911. I haven’t seen that done. I’ve looked at a few pistols designed to accept a RDS, but for now I’m curious to see if I can make my 1911 more shootable for my eyesight.
I have a good friend, who is a bit younger than me, that has put a RDS on two of his pistols. He is a firearms instructor and has spent considerable time gaining proficiency with them. According to him it does take some retraining and a slightly different presentation, but transitioning is doable. I’ll buy that.
My question is specifically about putting a RDS on a 1911. I haven’t seen that done. I’ve looked at a few pistols designed to accept a RDS, but for now I’m curious to see if I can make my 1911 more shootable for my eyesight.
GE-Minigun
New member
It can be done as David posted and I’ve shot a few, luckily for me I’m goo with glasses for now but I see the future coming to where I’ll need a red dot. I’ve shot 1911’s with Burris Fastfire, Bushnell, TRS-25, Vortex Razors and Aimpoints. If you’re shooting Bullseye, only recommendation I can make, get one that has adjustable brightness…you want the dot as faint as possible, so not to “flare”. One gun had a grip that had the scope mount built into it, couple had the slides drilled and tapped, one had what David posted and one had the frame drilled and tapped for the mount.
The gold cup in post 5 has an adapter that slides into the rear sight dovetail. No milling needed. Sight sits up higher, but is a $50.00 method to try your dot sight.
I have been using these for a couple years. It becomes second nature.
The gold cup is now milled for the SRO and has a Kart NM barrel.
David
I have been using these for a couple years. It becomes second nature.
The gold cup is now milled for the SRO and has a Kart NM barrel.
David