Revolver red-dot questions:

[Lucky]

My eyes are wonky with asigmatism, and I don't want laser surgery yet. So with contact lenses in iron sights sometimes aren't as good as they could be.

With a .44magnum Redhawk I'm planning on using a Weigand 5.5" no-drill/tap mount:


But advice on optics is getting confusing. True or false, a handgun scope, even low magnification, will be bulkier, slower to draw and fire, than one with a red-dot mounted?

If true, as I've garnered so far, then which red-dot?

And then, which holster, for wilderness carry, of such a revolver?

 

[earplug]

Curious if a Lazer sight would work for you. Your factory sights will still be usable.
I'm assuming your using it for protection? I have seen some good and fast shooting using a Crimson Trace set up.
I use a Ultra Dot for Bullseye shooting. To slow and bulky for carry for me.
Most action pistol shooters use a reflex type sight and A open type holster.

 

[Lucky]

I've got a laser on a 9mm, and it's fun. But I'd like a red-dot revolver. Plus I'm not sure how a laser would show up on a bear or whatnot, laser grips are large investments non-transferrable between guns, and I'm planning to get hand-fitted wood stocks made.

 

[Walkalong]

I have a couple of Ultra Dot L/T's on guns. They work great and are not bulky.

 

[Virginian]

To address your original question, a red dot should be considerably faster than a scope. The dot will appear in the same plane as the target without you having to focus anything differently. There is also a funny phenomenon that works in these applications. If your right eye (assuming you are right handed/right eye dominant) sees the red dot, and your left eye sees the target, and your eyes "place" the red dot on the target, the bullet will hit the "point of aim". I believe this is called the occluded sight phenomenon. I heard about it many years ago when I had a red dot sight on my shotgun ( I was really into long range waterfowling). I blocked the tube of the red dot behind the lens, and shot a 23 at trap, with my left eye seeing the target and my right eye not able to see anything but the red dot. I am a huge fan of red dot sights if you want to put shots relatively precisely in a hurry. I do not have much experience with laser sights, but the experience I have had it was hard for me to pick up the beam in bright daylight at any significant range.

 

[Lucky]

Thanks guys. I saw a previous thread about Ultradots and in the doctor-optic size little reflex sites yea a lifetimes warranty for $200 sounds great. But about carrrying them, people use those 'ghost' holsters for competition and I'd be thinking about something with retention.

Would I be best to just mount the dot right back over the cylinder, and cut a slot out of the holsters for it, and carry it with the little rubber cover on?

Otherwise if you get something like a micro aimpoint it would seem easier to work with a holster, though I suspect it would look worse.

 

[Virginian]

I would think you could use a B-Square mount with a tube type and cut out an Uncle Mikes to fit, and the thumbsnap strap would still retain the handgun, or buy a custom holster. Shoulder holsters for scoped handguns would work too.

 

[Lucky]

Could you elaborate on custom holsters? Where I am the only custom holsters maker I knew of was a time-zone away, and people haven't received items from him for 10 years or so. I am sort-of close to Montana though.

Also I can't practice drawing from shoulder-holsters at my range, and their reasoning is sound.

 

[Deer Hunter]

Try a Millet red dot, they work wonderful and are cheaper than the ultradot.

 

[Lucky]

I saw that earlier searching, and looks great, even the toupee But it reminds me of the Terminator a bit too much.

 

[Deer Hunter]

I didn't think Ahhnald had a hairpiece in that movie....