Red dot reflex on compact

R

Ralph Allen

New member
Anyone out there put a reflex style red dot on a compact 1911? My wife has a Springfield Armory compact LW 1911 in 9mm and wants a red dot for it.
Ralph
 
It can be done and is being done at one source tactical.
1911 series 70 style slides Deptapoint Pro installation

It completely transforms the pistol into a longer range tool. Increases accurate fire rate and increases confidence in your abilities. I have done it to two Glocks now. I can only imagine what a crisp 1911 trigger in single action will be able to achieve.

I do recommend the suppressor sights. Not because the red dots are likely to break but they allow you to take an existing sight picture and simply "drop" the dot in there. Once you get to that point then muscle memory will allow you to use just the dot without any "hunting" for it
 
Well one good reason to put it on a compact is it eliminates the sight alignment problems caused by a short sight radius. Plus the usual reasons a red dot beats iron sights in practical shooting.
 
She is left eye dominant and right handed. She shot a carbine I have with a red dot on it and was impressed. She has a hard time hitting targets with the iron sights on a consistent basis.
Ralph
 
If she has a hard time hitting the target with iron sights the last thing you want to do is give her a crutch. Either she wants to become a better shot or she doesn't. Some goofy dumb sight certainly isn't going to help her. :confused:
 
She is left eye dominant and right handed.
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So am I. It's more an issue with rifles than pistols. I actually shoot rifles left handed, but I can use my right if need be. With pistols the sights are in the middle of your eyes anyway and you've got both eyes open (or should try to at least). It's really just a matter of practice. For that matter it will always be easier for her to get hits with a carbine than a pistol.
 
Heck I am 76 and I have a hard time with fixed sites so I scope all of my rifles. Also I do have the same trouble with my hand guns but I shoot them a lot closer and can keep them good enough for self defense.
 
One of my nephews, refers to me (and others in my age group) as "geezers" On a recent family vacation we sort of had some revenge; he and his wife had to do the grocery shopping for seven of us.

I have had spinal issues since the early 1960's, under numerous Dr.s' care. Everyday, I hear/see comments by folks who bad mouth prescription pain medicines, suggesting physical therapy (among other things) as a solution. When the spine is falling apart or wearing out, PT worsens things. I can refer you to several of my former therapists for their professional opinions.

My heart doctor reminded me on Wednesday; I'm almost 80 (my heart is OK). My eyesight is 20/20. But, focusing on iron sights is tough. Especially as distance to targets increase. I have couple of S&W Models 422. I can't distinguish the black sights from a black target at distance as close as 10 feet. I took some of my wife's bright green nailpolish and put a drop on the front and the rear sights. Makes a world of difference.

That's is a sighting aid. Do those out there putting down reflex sights also think fiber optic, colored dots on sights, etc. should not be used?

Am I sensitive, yes! Too many people speak about subjects about which they have little, or no knowledge.
 
Fair enough.

If you do a Google search I'm sure you'll find examples, as well as on YouTube. There are factory options already milled for red dots but as I'm sure you know they're typically full sized pistols (I haven't looked into this for 1911s). If it's for concealed carry I'd again point to Google as there are a number of companies that you can send your slides to and have them do milling. Please be aware that changing the slide mass could potentially require some modifications to say the recoil spring weight, but certainly people do it. Given the narrow width of a 1911 slide I'd be curious how much overlap there would be for the red dot. She might also find a different pistol would work better for her.
 
Do those out there putting down reflex sights also think fiber optic, colored dots on sights, etc. should not be used?
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They don't require circuits and batteries.

I have one handgun, if you can call it that, with a red dot. Ruger Charger Take Down. But it's a play thing, not a serious SD pistol.
 
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They don't require circuits and batteries.
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Most red dots allow say suppressor height sights to work in conjunction with the red dot that way you'd have something to fall back on. At that point you still need to be proficient with iron sights, however.
 
Do those out there putting down reflex sights also think fiber optic, colored dots on sights, etc. should not be used?

Am I sensitive, yes! Too many people speak about subjects about which they have little, or no knowledge.
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Myself, I am all for anyone using whatever aid they need to help them as long as they learn the basics first. Becoming a decent shot is not easy, much like golf or playing pool, you have to put the time in.
 
If you have a problem using a red dot due to the electronic/battery issue check out the See All Sight. I have one on my 9mm carbine and absolutely love it.
 
Most red dots allow say suppressor height sights to work in conjunction with the red dot that way you'd have something to fall back on. At that point you still need to be proficient with iron sights, however.
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More importantly, in a SD situation, "falling back" requires precious time. Something you have very little of if being attacked. While you are looking for your little dot that isn't there, then looking for sights you aren't used to using, your attacker is already in action.
Having a handgun that you can effectively, and easily shoot quickly, and instinctively is a lot more important than ele tronic gimmicks and compe sating trick sights for when they fail.
 
Cheapshooter said:
More importantly, in a SD situation, "falling back" requires precious time. Something you have very little of if being attacked. While you are looking for your little dot that isn't there, then looking for sights you aren't used to using, your attacker is already in action.

Having a handgun that you can effectively, and easily shoot quickly, and instinctively is a lot more important than ele tronic gimmicks and compe sating trick sights for when they fail.
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I use red dots on my rifles as do many others, yet I see this concern of "electronic gimmicks" brought up a lot more with handguns and I'm not sure why. Red dots on rifles can be remarkably reliable. I'm not sure why the same can't be true of handgun red dots.

You mention the precious time lost. On a handgun you're talking bringing up the pistol a bit more. Is it ideal? Far from it and I could see it catching someone off guard (you'd have to train for it like other malfunction drills for pistols). But I do not have the eyesight limitations of others. Hunting for a front sight that to you is blurry can just as easily involve as much lost time as were to happen if the dot failed, and that is time that will be guaranteed to be lost every instance the pistol is used if that person has such a problem. Not using a device because it can fail is something I can understand, but at some point you have to weigh the odds of it failing against what that device buys you.

To me that's an individual decision. My comment earlier was that cross eye dominance in and of itself is not a barrier to using iron sights. I do see reasons for red dot sights on pistols, but I don't know much about this case.


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Hunting for a front sight that to you is blurry can just as easily involve as much lost time as were to happen if the dot failed,o
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Having a handgun that you can effectively, and easily shoot quickly, and instinctively
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The key word, instinctively. Where a lot of people like to make a big deal out of the lack of what they think are adequate sights on a Ruger LCR, I Consistantly make solid, center mass shots on a B27 target @ 10 yards without even seeing the sights! instinct shooting, and the LCP points so naturally for me that it's just like pointing my finger at what I want to hit. I experience similar minimal sight results with my other carry choices as well.
Yes, it is an individual choice, mine happens to come under the K.I.S.S. philosophy.
I don't recall if the OP actually mentioned that his wife was planning on using the reflex sighted compact handgun for CCW, or other SD purposes. Maybe she just likes it for a range gun. Something where time, and technological failure wouldn't have a great deal of negative effect.
 
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