How to mount an optical sight on my 1911

[ForeverPA]

I desparately need an optical sight on my 1911. It's a Combat Commander with optical rails. What are my options? I am at a point to wanting to trade it in for somethign with factory sights if I have to.

[Gunsnwater]

What are optical rails? I know what tactical rails are. The gun doesn't have factory sights?

I'm going to answer like you have a normal 1911 with the tactical rail on the dust cover.

I had my frame drilled and tapped for a Cmore base and the iron sights removed and filled in. Horrible. Always hunt for the dot.

I have a similar arrangement on a usp45 that the mount uses the frame rails and the red dot is a huge tube. Great, never have to hunt the dot.

I have a S&W M&P with the plates and a leupold red dot. Hunting dot.

I have a S&W640-2 with crimson trace laser grip. That thing works!

My advise after a ton of money, go with crimson trace master series 1911 laser grips if your having age related eye trouble.

Red dots work but bulky big tubes that give you the impression of sticking your head in a trash can are the easy ones to pick up from the draw.

Activation of the laser by a button pushed by the natural grip of the gun is the only decent way to do it.

[chp1911]

Ok ,it is time to turn in your man card. There is no reason to put an optic on a 1911. Everyone knows that if you fire a 1911 in the general vicinity of your target that some thing bad will happen to said target. A body will lose a limb, a building that is struck will partially collapse, a paper target will vaporize, for Christ sake if you hit a vehicle it will explode and burst into flames. Just point it in the general direction of your intended target and pull the trigger ,even if you don't hit the target something will happen. JK.

[ForeverPA]

Ok ,it is time to turn in your man card. There is no reason to put an optic on a 1911..

If you wear reading glasses then the iron sights are useless. They front and rear all blend into one fuzzy, hazzy blob. Can the stock dovetail be used to mount a sight?

[ar15jules]

If you wear reading glasses then the iron sights are useless. They front and rear all blend into one fuzzy, hazzy blob. Can the stock dovetail be used to mount a sight?

Yes it can be used.

[ar15jules]

[chp1911]

If you wear reading glasses then the iron sights are useless. They front and rear all blend into one fuzzy, hazzy blob. Can the stock dovetail be used to mount a sight?

I don't have that problem,I took a handgun with me to my eye exam to have my optometrist make me a set of eyeglasses that i could use for shooting. I was lucky as it turned out that my reading glasses were the same as my shooting glasses.

Another thing to consider is having your optometrist grind your prescription vertically next to the nose piece of your glasses so that you do not have to tip your head back if you wear bifocals like i do.

[ForeverPA]

I don't have that problem,I took a handgun with me to my eye exam to have my optometrist make me a set of eyeglasses that i could use for shooting. I was lucky as it turned out that my reading glasses were the same as my shooting glasses.

Another thing to consider is having your optometrist grind your prescription vertically next to the nose piece of your glasses so that you do not have to tip your head back if you wear bifocals like i do.

I have heard of this solution. So they can make lenses that bring the rear sight, the front sight and the target all in sharp focus at the same time? I am not a physicist but I am sure some physics principle is being violated here. Doesn't hurt to ask though.

[Sgt.K]

I desparately need an optical sight on my 1911. It's a Combat Commander with optical rails. What are my options? I am at a point to wanting to trade it in for somethign with factory sights if I have to.

[ar15jules]

I shoot bullseye with a Les Baer Monolith Heavyweight. I have removed the rear sight from its dovetail and installed a Burris Fastfire III in its place using the appropriate mount for the dovetail. The Fastfire III is not as fast to acquire as a Trijicon RMR or Leupold Deltapoint, but at about half the cost, works fine with some practice. Again, I am shooting bullseye, so the need for quick acquisition is moot.