OT--reflex sight on a 1911 ?

[Lobo]

Hi All,

I've come to a point where my eyes take a long time to focus on the sights of my Colt Combat Commander. I''m considering a reflex sight (red dot ??), but I have no feel for what makes a good one or not. I know the EOtech, and Leupold Deltapoint are getting good reviews, and also have fairly steep prices. On the other hand I see some of these sights priced at $50.....I have a vision of parts flying into space on recoil.

Surely, there's a middle ground of quality and price that will abide the cycling of the 1911 .45 ACP?!

Any input......experiences?

[centershot]

This is the trend for combat pistols, BBBUUUUUUTTTT, spend the money for a top quality sight!!! A semi-auto handgun WILL beat the snot out of an electronic sight!! IMHO, Aimpoint makes the best in the world! Check out this link:

http://www.warriortalk.com/forumdisplay ... f63993c0d2

Have fun!

Patrick

[awp101]

If they're still made, Doctor Optics had a good one that was small and had quite a following in the gaming world (IPSC or one of those). I had one set up for a Glock (it was part of a trade) but I had no Glock and didn't want to pay for another base to swap it onto something else. IIRC they were $$$ though.

Maybe something like the AO Sighting Systems large dots would work better?

[Pete44ru]

I had one of the first reflex sights on my 1911, the one Dr.Optics copied - the (discontinued) Tasco Optima, with the larger dot (I disremember the exact size at this remove).

While it worked very well, and seemed to hold up as well, I didn't care for the way it stood proud of the slide, seeming fragile to me (although it really wasn't).

Since I CCW, ILO open carry and/or shooting games, I removed it from the 1911 after a month or so, and mounted it atop the bolt of a .375 BB94.

I think, today, I would recommend the large white dot front sight that XS makes for auto handguns.

http://www.xssights.com/store/handgun.html



.

[Old No7]

Not a 1911, but still it's a semi-auto...

MkII for Postals 001.JPG

When I shot this in Maine's Bullseye Postal Matches, the consensus was that most shooters picked up 14 points (out of 300) -- versus iron sights -- when converting to a quality red-dot/reflex sight. For range use, you should be OK, but they do "stand proud" of the receiver as someone else has noted.

In this pix, you will see it's fairly easy to modify the top of a nylon holster to fit:

MkII Red Dot Holster.JPG

Tight groups!

Old No7

[rimrock]

Burris fastfire II and JPoint are 2 more good options for red dot on handguns

rimrock

[MrMurphy]

I've shot and abused all of the above and gotten feedback from professional level end-user types when I was still working in the business (for a manufacturer).

Of all the micro-sights the J point is good but requires rezeroing after battery replacement.

The new Trijicon RMR is basically the Jpoint on steroids and has both battery and nonbattery models. I wouldn't recommend anything but the RMR for carry and even then only with serious amounts of retraining, as some users I know who've switched to using an RMR on a suppressed pistol for quiet work in various places said finding the dot takes about as long as finding irons until you figure out where to hold the gun in relation to your head.

For combat type use i would suggest you use the XS Big Dot to begin with. I've had them on my carry piece for 10 years and at close range (and medium) they are very quick and VERY visible, nearly as much as an optic. The one time it went to guns "for real' as a civilian I had my G30 with Big Dot. The situation de-escalated by the time it cleared the holster, but having shot in those conditions with it before (night, medium visibility and multiple hard to see targets) it most likely would have done the job.

[AJMD429]

I'm not above trying a 'clone' sight on a .22 LR, even a semiauto pistol .22 LR, but I do think that the 1911 would be VERY hard on any sight that isn't tough as nails. So far, the 'weak link' with clone-type sights I've tried has been the battery compartment spontaneously opens up, the switch doesn't work reliably, or (the easiest to 'fix') the mounting screws strip their threads.

Two thoughts though:

• 1. I think the low mass of the Burris Fastfire-II would make it my first choice, and the price at $209 or so is very competitive for a BRAND NAME, well-warrantied electronic gizmo/sight. Plus it is compact enough that it almost looks 'normal' on a 1911, and though I've never prided myself on personally looking (or acting) normal, sometimes I like my guns not to be weirder than I am.
  
  2. The aluminum 'grip' type mounts that have a small rail, supported (above the slide) by a wrap-around 'replacement grip' that has an extention going up to support the rail, would perhaps be less 'shocking' to any sight, by attaching it essentially to the frame of the gun, vs. the rapidly-moving slide, and could offer an advantage, if you don't mind them.

Don't forget about other sighting options:

• 1. LASERS can be VERY compact - see the Crimson Trace grips, for instance. I have them on a 1911, and they provide a very visible 'dot' visible in all but extremely bright sunlight.
  
  2. Peep Sights or other 'aperture' type rear sights can work similarly on handguns as well as long-guns, providing a 'ghost-ring' type effect. Yes, they are 'different' than the sight picture you get on a long-gun, but they DO work once you get used to them. They most definitely are STURDY, too.

I've seen or have pictures of all of the above, if my descriptions are lacking; just PM me.

The Burris website does list a 1911 mount for the FastFire-II - http://www.burrisoptics.com/fastfire.html

Their website shows it on a non-1911 pistol, for an idea of its size:

Burris Fastfire Pic.jpg

(the 'screen' isn't yellow-looking like in the picture, though - just 'glass' basically)

[kimwcook]

One of our corporals had a Dr. Optic on his piece and loved it. It does sit proud and looks kinda out of place to me. But, if you can hit what you're aiming at isn't that what it's all about.

[awp101]

Maybe something like the AO Sighting Systems large dots would work better?

I think, today, I would recommend the large white dot front sight that XS makes for auto handguns.

http://www.xssights.com/store/handgun.html

XS! That's who I was trying to think of! DOH!