Reflex sight

[dastardly-D]

Hoping I'm in the right area to be asking this question ? My carry gun is a S&W Shield that I keep IWB about 2:00 position. I could use some help/advice on whether or not to install something like a Burris reflex sight on it for quicker and more accurate shooting ? If any of you have any experience with a reflex on a carry gun, please don't be shy ? I don't want to shell out a couple hundred $ for a paper-weight. Thanks !

 

[BCRider]

For a defensive use? How are you going to ensure the battery is up to the job if needed? Or would it use a grip activated switch?

There's another issue too. In a strong backlight situation the dot can be very washed out and almost not visible. This is why in matches reflex sight users take a sighting picture before loading and holstering so they can see just how bad the dot view will be before the clock starts.

 

[Zaydok Allen]

I don't like reflex sights on a carry gun personally. It makes what is supposed to be a concealable gun much larger, and there is more snag potential.

Lots of folks like them though for carry.

 

[strambo]

It seems like the very best of them are up to the task, Trijicon RMR and the Leupold Delta Point. I wouldn't trust anything less than those on a carry gun, the cycling of the slide is pretty brutal on a sight.

Here is a a pretty good article: http://www.gunsandammo.com/optics/mini-red-dot-sights-concealed-carry/

 

[dastardly-D]

Thank you guys for the comments so far and the reference to the article. I really would like some more comments from folks who have some actual experience with a reflex pistol sight, no disrespect intended to others ideas . I'm getting older and my speed is down so this is why I could use some help. I don't have a problem carrying anything only 1 inch wide concealed , I've been doing that for the last 40 years under my 38 inch belly. More helpful comments wanted please ?

 

[g.willikers]

There are some very small versions that would be suitable.
But there's a drawback to them.
The dot can disappear off screen if the gun isn't aimed well, often without a clue as to where it went.
On the other hand they kind of force you into presenting the gun well to the target, making a good practice tool.
So, they take some getting used to.

 

[kBob]

what g.willikers said.

My first use of a old Doctor red dot on a 1911-ish pistol was at a plate match with a borrowed gun. I had difficulty finding the dot.

-kBob

 

[wally]

My first use of a old Doctor red dot on a 1911-ish pistol was at a plate match with a borrowed gun. I had difficulty finding the dot.

Like anything different you need to work on the presentation. As my eyes continue to get worse with age all my range guns wear Trijicon RMRs or Burris Fastfires and a few J-points from my initial experiments with red dots on pistols.

For carry I go with the Trijicon RMR dual illumination as I don't want to depend on batteries in any way.

Here is mine:

And the sight picture:

This is how you use them -- you focus on the target and look through the dot. The "halo" around the dot is the flower I was aiming at.

Its the reason they dominate in CQB as I don't care who you are, its damn hard to focus on the front sight instead of the threat when the bullets might be flying both ways!

During the "final" sight in with my carry ammo it put 5 shots into 2" at 25 yards off sandbags. I'm very happy with its performance shooting steel plates.

 

[dastardly-D]

Very nice Wally, very nice ! The Burris is what I'm thinking of.

 

[wally]

The Burris is what I'm thinking of

I'm very happy with my Fastfires, especially the Fastfire III.

But I'd worry about being able to turn them on under stress during the draw -- you need to press a rubber coated button about 1/4" diameter on the left side. The older models had a slide switch in about the same position that was really easy to unintentionally turn off when racking the slide, but would likely be easier to swipe on as you make your grip.

The other major difference is the III has a top mounted battery where the older ones you had to remove the sight from the mount to change the battery with the attendant possibility of POA/POI shifts, although this has not been an issue for me, I much prefer the top mount battery.

I had one of my first ones fail, and Burris honored their "No BS Warranty" quickly and without hassle.

 

[dastardly-D]

Reflex

.......Wally.......Somehow I forgot that the thing must be turned on . I have a Aim Point Pro on my flat top AR that you turn on at the start of your business day and the battery is super long lasting= years . I don't know why I thought a Burris reflex wouldn't be likewise ? I guess I have to '' rethink '' my idea of a quick sighting arrangement . Any other ideas out there ?

 

[strambo]

The Delta Point turns on with motion and the RMR Led has battery life to stay on for a year or so or the RMR dual illumination tritium/fiber option.

 

[wally]

RMR Led has battery life to stay on for a year or so

The battery life specification on the Fastfire III claims 10000 hours which would be about a year. I'd assume this is on the "auto" setting where it adjusts brightness to ambient light so it'd be nearly off when under your cover garment.

I usually use mine in very bright sunlight and use the full on setting, battery life seems good, but I turn it off when I'm done shooting.

The J-Point only had this auto mode and no on/off switch. A plastic cover made it "dark" and turned it "off". Battery life in my safe has been at least a year. The idea is there is a slot for a lanyard so the cover would be pulled off as you draw -- I've never played with using it this way. The J-Point worked well and is perhaps the smallest, but the POA/POI adjustments are inferior.

 

[dastardly-D]

Reflex

.....Well Wally, I like the Burris again. The point about the automatic adjustment and long battery life are strong selling points to me. Do you carry iwb and is it any more of a hassle ? Is it worth it for a quicker target acquisition in your opinion ? What all did you have to do to have it fit your Shield ? Roughly how much $ and where ? I know, I'm asking a lot but I hope you bear with me ?

 

[wally]

Yes that is an IWB holster, I carry it about 4 o'clock just behind the "love handles"
I used to mostly appendix carry so it has taken some getting used to and required larger waist pants.

The Burris mounts are different but work the same as the Trijicon. You drive out the rear sight (left to right if I remember correctly, it seems to have a slight taper) being careful to not lose the little spring loaded plunger underneath (for the striker block) Then you install the sight base making sure the plunger and spring are in correctly, then tighten the set screws and install the optic to the adapter plate that replaced the rear sight.

Its pretty easy. I used the "depth" indicator on my callipers to be sure the plate was centered on the slide before locking things down.

 

[dastardly-D]

Reflex

Sounds good Wally . I'm going to find one of those sights mounted on a pistol somewhere and check it out firsthand before dropping money on it though . I thank you guys for being so helpful !