Pistol Reflex Sight

[MMH]

Beginning to think about getting a pistol reflex sight. How do most of these sights mount - a rail? What are the options for pistols that do not have a rail? Also, I would assume that if it does not mount on the rail, that mounting it on a pistol requires some gunsmithing, meaning that the sight cannot be easily be moved from one pistol to another (the way that a rifle scope on a picatiny rail can be).

[Hodgie]

Either you buy a pistol with a milled slide, you get your slide milled, or you get a rear dove tail mount and replace your rear site with it.

[TooBigToFit]

Either you buy a pistol with a milled slide, you get your slide milled, or you get a rear dove tail mount and replace your rear site with it.

Which, adding to what he said, I would recommend against the last option if at all possible, especially if you're new to using a red dot on a pistol. Unlike a rifle where you have a good consistent cheek weld, getting a good sight picture on a handgun can be trickier. Unless you have a rock solid presentation, you'll probably find yourself fishing for the dot for a while. Having iron sights that cowitness can help with getting things roughly into the right alignment where you can see the dot.

It drives me nuts when manufacturers release red dot ready handguns with sights that come off with the sight plate.

[Hodgie]

Which, adding to what he said, I would recommend against the last option if at all possible, especially if you're new to using a red dot on a pistol. Unlike a rifle where you have a good consistent cheek weld, getting a good sight picture on a handgun can be trickier. Unless you have a rock solid presentation, you'll probably find yourself fishing for the dot for a while. Having iron sights that cowitness can help with getting things roughly into the right alignment where you can see the dot.

It drives me nuts when manufacturers release red dot ready handguns with sights that come off with the sight plate.

Agreed, and that's my biggest complaint about my Canik TP9SFX.

[MMH]

Which, adding to what he said, I would recommend against the last option if at all possible, especially if you're new to using a red dot on a pistol. Unlike a rifle where you have a good consistent cheek weld, getting a good sight picture on a handgun can be trickier. Unless you have a rock solid presentation, you'll probably find yourself fishing for the dot for a while. Having iron sights that cowitness can help with getting things roughly into the right alignment where you can see the dot.

What you say makes a lot of sense. My concern is that it will be difficult for me to get used to the dot flying around & co-witnessing would help me calm that down. Does that dot fly around as bad as a laser sight? If so, what are the advantages?

While getting a pistol set up for a reflex may be the 'best' way to go, it is the most expensive. I have a lot of pistols and shoot most of them. Replacing them all (or even getting them gunsmithed (slide milled, etc.) will be expensive. I may have to try to figure out another option because my eyes (my ability to see things close w/o reading glasses) is only going to continue to get worse. Maybe something as simple as bigger sigths (wider front blade, rear notch, etc.). Will obscure more of the target, but will be able to see the sights better.

It sucks getting old...

[Ronin]

As with all things, you're going to have to practice. I find red dots on pistols to be difficult to get on target quickly without spending a good bit of time training myself to get used to not using the sights. I have a few target pistols that have red dot and reflex sights, but I don't have any interest in one on my carry guns.

[eagleclaw]

A couple months ago I got a Glock 19 milled and bought a reflex sight for it. I 'm not impressed. As already mentioned it takes time and practice to get used to it. I'm still not comfortable with it. Some so called experts say that one should get suppressor sights with it so it can co witness the dot even with the reflex sight on. My handgun already had Suppressor sights and I'm left wondering what's the point of the red dot if I could use the sights alone and shoot better. At this time I'm undecided whether this is the future of pistol sights or just a gimmick.

The Cons that I found
* It's expensive
* Adds weight, size, and may at time interfere with the slide function
* Takes addition training
* It's relatively new and over time could be a gimmick.
* Overall it*s more complicated compared to adding a red dot optic to a carbine.

PROS
* It may allow one to aim a handgun without corrective lens
* You could use the reflex sight on a carbine.

[TooBigToFit]

A couple months ago I got a Glock 19 milled and bought a reflex sight for it. I 'm not impressed. As already mentioned it takes time and practice to get used to it. I'm still not comfortable with it. Some so called experts say that one should get suppressor sights with it so it can co witness the dot even with the reflex sight on. My handgun already had Suppressor sights and I'm left wondering what's the point of the red dot if I could use the sights alone and shoot better. At this time I'm undecided whether this is the future of pistol sights or just a gimmick.

The Cons that I found
* It's expensive
* Adds weight, size, and may at time interfere with the slide function
* Takes addition training
* It's relatively new and over time could be a gimmick.
* Overall it*s more complicated compared to adding a red dot optic to a carbine.

PROS
* It may allow one to aim a handgun without corrective lens
* You could use the reflex sight on a carbine.

So the biggest benefits I think are moving the focal plane to the target instead of front sight, being able to shoot more precisely at longer distances, and easy sighting in low light and against dark targets.

It takes a lot of practice to get used to. Overall, I am still better with iron sights, but I can see the benefits.

[Emptymag]

Which, adding to what he said, I would recommend against the last option if at all possible, especially if you're new to using a red dot on a pistol. Unlike a rifle where you have a good consistent cheek weld, getting a good sight picture on a handgun can be trickier. Unless you have a rock solid presentation, you'll probably find yourself fishing for the dot for a while. Having iron sights that cowitness can help with getting things roughly into the right alignment where you can see the dot.

It drives me nuts when manufacturers release red dot ready handguns with sights that come off with the sight plate.

^^^

At the last group shoot, TooBigToFit let me shoot his handgun with the Nikon(?) reflex sight and he mentioned how it may take a second to "find" the dot.
Yup. It's strange.

[Hodgie]

While it’s challenging to make the conversion from standard sights to the red dot, it’s defiantly not a gimmick.