Red Dot durability on Semi Auto Pistols

[Atrox88]

I have been hesitant to add a red dot to my recoil/locked breech semi auto pistols. It doesn't make sense to me that the electronics can withstand the continued pounding. But alas, a whole lot of people are running them and I figured this would be the place to ask about your experiences. I feel that I can access the target quicker with iron sites but never having tried a red dot on a recoil/locked breech high power semi auto pistol I can't say that statement to be true.

I edited because right after posting this I saw a video showing an optic blowing off a pistol.

 

[LeftyRed]

Not a flaw of the optics if it’s poorly mounted. But I’m sure JustinO knows how to mount a RDS. Sometimes things happen: screws aren’t properly heat treated, not torqued correct, or making due with this instead of the proper that.

 

[jak67429]

it's not the recoil that kills electronic sights mounted on a slide. it is the slide changing direction twice and stopping abruptly twice every shot. That said I watch a lot of competitors go through thousands of rounds a week with micro dots mounted on the slide. If you buy a good quality sight, make sure it is mounted correctly, torqued correctly and has the right screws and use lock tight. It should last.

 

[1942bull]

If I were to desire a red dot sight on a 9mm, I would buy a gun with a red dot mounted by the manufacturer, because I would want the warranty protection in case things went south. The manufacturer could not do the blame fame with the sight maker. But that is academic because I am not going to a red dot. My reason — it increases the overall height of any gun it is mounted on, and that is the major factor in printing. Sine I carry everyday I just prefer easier concealment.

 

[The Glockodile]

I edited because right after posting this I saw a video showing an optic blowing off a pistol.

Sight: Hunnderds of dollerz!

Mounting Screws: ACE Hardware shelf, 25 cents for a bag of twenny...

Beware of mounting hardware that doesn't have any traceable pedigree.

 

[kje54]

I have been hesitant to add a red dot to my recoil/locked breech semi auto pistols. It doesn't make sense to me that the electronics can withstand the continued pounding. But alas, a whole lot of people are running them and I figured this would be the place to ask about your experiences. I feel that I can access the target quicker with iron sites but never having tried a red dot on a recoil/locked breech high power semi auto pistol I can't say that statement to be true.

I edited because right after posting this I saw a video showing an optic blowing off a pistol.

Can't help you, I have no interest of any kind in red dots or any type of scope mounted on a sidearm be it a pistol or revolver with the only exception being an AR pistol.

 

[LiveLife]

This posted in case you get an AR "pistol".

I was sold on red dot durability after watching videos like this.

Torture test starts at 1:30 with red dot being banged on car hood. "Axe/hammer" test at 2:15. Really hard axe/hammer test at 3:45. Even shot at by shotgun at 6:00 Will red dots be able to withstand "handgun" recoil? I think so.

 

[a2x4bbl]

Red dots on semi auto pistols do not have to be mounted on the slide , there are a multitude of frame mounts for many pistols . Also I would not be so quick to think your better with open sights until you spend some real time with a red dot . On to slide mounts .
Most pistols (not all ) that come from the factory optics ready use a plate . 2 screws hold the plate to the slide ( usually 5 or 6 threads into steel ) and 2 screws hold the sight to the plate (3 threads , tops, into aluminum) . Different plates for different sights . If you go this route ( which I don’t recommend ) buy a plate from C+H precision. There plate is still aluminum but there version doubles the threads in the aluminum ( the plate is not double thickness ) and the fit is second to none . I clean threads with degreaser , air dry and the use blue lock tite . The advantage to this style is the choices in red dots but at the cost of added complexity . Having the slide milled to one style of red dot ( in my opinion ) is the way to go . The red dot sits lower (no plate ) and 2 screws into steel . Once you exceed 1 1/2 times the thread diameter in thread depth ( in steel ) you have surpassed the strength of the screw . I have Burris Fastfire 3’s and Trijicon RMR’s and SRO’s . The RMR does have to have a sealing plate . The SRO and Burris does not .Thousands of rounds . Zero problems.

 

[9mmepiphany]

I feel that I can access the target quicker with iron sites but never having tried a red dot on a recoil/locked breech high power semi auto pistol I can't say that statement to be true.

You'll never really know until you try out a red dot sight (RDS). And I don't mean a few shots, but really give it a chance...maybe 6 months.

In Action Pistol competition, RDS almost universally result in bot increase speed for sight acquisition and increased accuracy and distances get longer.

There is a learning curve when switching over to a RDS. You have to avoid looking for the dot and putting it on target, but rather looking at the target and seeing the dot appear

 

[briansmithwins]

Electronics can be designed to withstand much higher accelerations than a recoiling pistol slide can generate. Radar proximity fuses were made in WWII that survived being blown out of cannon barrels.

That said, the cheapest bottom feeder chicom optics aren't going to survive being on a pistol slide. You need to spend to get the better quality optics in this application.

As far as speed goes, red dots on pistols really emphasize any flaws in grip or presentation. From the little I've played around with a slide mounted optic I was just slightly faster (~0.1 second) with the optic than with irons after a couple hours of shooting my first time. I'd expect to improve with more practice.

Where I noticed a really substantial improvement was shooting at distance for accuracy instead of speed. It was real, notably easier to get a good group at 30 yards with the pistol than I remember Irons ever being.

BSW

 

[JohnKSa]

Another really big improvement you'll see with a red dot is when you reach the age when iron pistol sights start to get fuzzy...

 

[Alte Schule]

I’ve had this Burris Fastfire III on my PMR 30 for five years now. It really improved my accuracy especially past 30 feet

Only problem I have with the Burris is the screw that holds the battery in place comes loose every 500 rounds or so. An easy fix.

 

[Atrox88]

Another really big improvement you'll see with a red dot is when you reach the age when iron pistol sights start to get fuzzy...

I'm already there. 68 wearing tri-focals, have cataracts, and have recently been diagnosed with macular degeneration. Iron sights have been a real struggle for a few years but I get it done.

 

[Craig_AR]

I first tried a Bushnell RDS on a 10/22 to see how it worked as a sight. I liked it. So I added one to my AR. Continued to like it. Thought about it for handgun, but had the same worry about slide impact. Other threads here on THR convinced me to try it. I now have two (one Bushnell, one Holosun), both on M&P 2.0 Compacts. They do make it quicker to acquire target, and more accurately, BUT it takes an extended training period to get used to focusing on the target instead of the front sight.
Several national level advance trainers believe in RDS on semi-auto handguns as the future of self defense and LEO handguns: John Correia (Active Self Protection), Scott Jedlinski (Modern Samurai Project), Brian Hill (The Complete Combatant), John Lovell (Warrior Poet Society).
On the other hand, probably the premier national trainer, Tom Givens (Rangemaster), is not a fan. He considers them not ready for prime time. To make matters worse, I had one fly off my slide (broken screws) during a Rangemaster class with Tom standing next to me! I have co-witnessed iron sights on both M&Ps, so as the RDS hit my ball cap I just kept firing using the iron sights. My experience reinforced his opinion but also made me VERY glad I had co-witnessed iron on the guns.
I had a talk with my machinist gunsmith and he remounted the sight. We were both concerned that the screws and loc-tite had not been done right the first time (a different gunsmith).
I have only been shooting the M&P with RDS for 8 months, and so less than a thousand rounds so far. Nonetheless, I am sold on the value, especially as my astigmatic 7 decade eyes just are not as sharp as once upon a time.

Craig