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Have You Installed A Reflex Sight On Your Pistol?

Posted: Sun Dec 06, 2015 4:39 pm
by Abraham
I think I want to do this to my EDC, but if I do, I'll then run into holster problems - I think, but maybe a dremel tool could over come my problem, maybe...

I read recently in a "Guns and Ammo" article that said essentially target acquisition is much faster and more accurate using these things.

Have any of you "Gunsels" used one of these optics and if so, what'd you think?

Good/Bad?

Thanks!

Re: Have You Installed A Reflex Sight On Your Pistol?

Posted: Sun Dec 06, 2015 7:30 pm
by Charles L. Cotton
I'm interested in hearing from folks with real world experience. A good friend carried a Commander with a one, but I can't recall if it was an RMR or something else. He loved it.

Chas.

Re: Have You Installed A Reflex Sight On Your Pistol?

Posted: Sun Dec 06, 2015 9:29 pm
by bnc
The custom kydex holster makers are probably your best best. Just taking a quick look at some websites, Raven Concealment and 4 Corners Concealment already have options for pistol optics. Bravo Concealment doesn't, but it probably wouldn't hurt to ask.

I've never shot a pistol with anything but normal sights, but I've been intrigued by an RMR. Since they are used in competition I assume that they work pretty well. I could see them not causing any additional difficulties for concealment with proper gear setup.

Re: Have You Installed A Reflex Sight On Your Pistol?

Posted: Sun Dec 06, 2015 10:06 pm
by Bitter Clinger
I have a Trijcon RMR on my FNH FX. 45

It's clearly not an EDC, it's a range / battle pistol.

Target acquisition is rapid, both day and night. Much faster than obtaining normal sight picture / sight alignment.

Easy to place repeatable hits on steel dueling tree at 50 yds. The full length bbl (5.3") doesn't hurt. :drool:

Re: Have You Installed A Reflex Sight On Your Pistol?

Posted: Sun Dec 06, 2015 10:46 pm
by TVegas
Bitter Clinger wrote:I have a Trijcon RMR on my FNH FX. 45

It's clearly not an EDC, it's a range / battle pistol.

Target acquisition is rapid, both day and night. Much faster than obtaining normal sight picture / sight alignment.

Easy to place repeatable hits on steel dueling tree at 50 yds. The full length bbl (5.3") doesn't hurt. :drool:
How do you think the RMR would do for EDC? On a smaller gun obviously!

Re: Have You Installed A Reflex Sight On Your Pistol?

Posted: Mon Dec 07, 2015 6:36 am
by Bitter Clinger
I use a Kydex OWB strong side hip holster for the FNX w/ RMR. Absolutely perfect fit. I see no reason not to use RMR for EDC. Makes it marginally more difficult to conceal but I have seen it done sucessfully.

Re: Have You Installed A Reflex Sight On Your Pistol?

Posted: Mon Dec 07, 2015 7:14 am
by Glockster
Charles L. Cotton wrote:I'm interested in hearing from folks with real world experience. A good friend carried a Commander with a one, but I can't recall if it was an RMR or something else. He loved it.

Chas.
I'm also interested in hearing more from folks having added one to their handgun of choice - is this something that anyone can reasonably do? Do you need a gunsmith?

Re: Have You Installed A Reflex Sight On Your Pistol?

Posted: Mon Dec 07, 2015 8:41 am
by Bitter Clinger
The FNX comes from the factory with the slide machined to accept an optic. No smithing required.

S&W & Glock also have models designed for mounting optics.

Re: Have You Installed A Reflex Sight On Your Pistol?

Posted: Mon Dec 07, 2015 10:08 am
by CleverNickname
I had my Glock 34's slide* milled a couple years ago, and I put an RMR on it. I've shot it in various pistol competitions and I love it. It does have a little bit of a learning curve, but now I've found I'm about the same speed as before, but more accurate. Also I still shoot other pistols with juat irons a lot, I imagine I'd be better with the red dot if I shot it more.

I'm currently planning on converting my two carry Glock 19's to similar RMR setups. Holster availability is not a problem, though it's still not as wide as non-red-dot holsters. For kydex you can always make some modifications with a dremel yourself. If you have your factory slide cut for optics then you need to have a gunsmith do it. If you buy an aftermarket slide (several brands are available for Glocks, don't know about other manufacturers), then you just need to be familiar with detail stripping a Glock, as aftermarket slides typically don't have any internal parts included or installed.

* For various reasons I replaced the G34 with a Glock 17, but the G17 is set up pretty much the same as the G34. if anyone is interested in an optics-ready G34 I have it listed in the classifieds here.

Re: Have You Installed A Reflex Sight On Your Pistol?

Posted: Mon Dec 07, 2015 10:14 am
by VMI77
Bitter Clinger wrote:I use a Kydex OWB strong side hip holster for the FNX w/ RMR. Absolutely perfect fit. I see no reason not to use RMR for EDC. Makes it marginally more difficult to conceal but I have seen it done sucessfully.
Do you keep it on all the time when carrying? How is battery life?

Re: Have You Installed A Reflex Sight On Your Pistol?

Posted: Mon Dec 07, 2015 10:22 am
by Bitter Clinger
VMI77 wrote:
Bitter Clinger wrote:I use a Kydex OWB strong side hip holster for the FNX w/ RMR. Absolutely perfect fit. I see no reason not to use RMR for EDC. Makes it marginally more difficult to conceal but I have seen it done sucessfully.
Do you keep it on all the time when carrying? How is battery life?
Trijicon is tritium. No batteries reqi'd. https://www.trijicon.com/na_en/products ... ?pid=RM08A

Re: Have You Installed A Reflex Sight On Your Pistol?

Posted: Mon Dec 07, 2015 10:27 am
by VMI77
Bitter Clinger wrote:
VMI77 wrote:
Bitter Clinger wrote:I use a Kydex OWB strong side hip holster for the FNX w/ RMR. Absolutely perfect fit. I see no reason not to use RMR for EDC. Makes it marginally more difficult to conceal but I have seen it done sucessfully.
Do you keep it on all the time when carrying? How is battery life?
Trijicon is tritium. No batteries reqi'd. https://www.trijicon.com/na_en/products ... ?pid=RM08A
Good for how long....15 years or is it longer? It's $480 on Amazon Prime without a mount.

Edited to add this comment from Amazon
5.0 out of 5 stars The best optic you could buy, February 14, 2014
By
alexander platz
Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: Trijicon RMR 12.9 MOA Dual-Illuminated Triangle Sight (Sports)
This RMR is great! I have it on my M&P pro CORE in .40 the large green triangle aids in quick sight acquisition. I zeroed it at 7 yds for the round to hit at the tip of the triangle by doing this I can hit a 2" circle out to 15 yds and a 4" circle at 25 yds.
The great thing about 12.9 moa triangle as well on the pistol if your into ballistics, the round doesn't drop out of that triangle until it gets to about 138 yds. I practice from 3 yds all the way out to 150 yds with my pistol. And have no problem hitting a 14" steel gong at 150 yds. Also, this is on my EDC pistol and people ask me all the time if it gets in the way or adds to the overall bulk of the pistol. My answer is I don't even know it's there. I am just under 6' and weigh 189 lbs and have never had an issue concealing a full size pistol. And i dress in regular cloths no fishing jackets or trench coats. Just jeans or shorts and a t shirt.
OTOH, only 47% rate it 5 stars. It's got about 40% 3 stars and below due to the reticle washing out under certain lighting conditions. 24% give it one or two stars.

Re: Have You Installed A Reflex Sight On Your Pistol?

Posted: Mon Dec 07, 2015 11:50 am
by Abraham
CleverNickname,

Who did the milling of the slide and if you don't mind, what did it cost?

Thanks!

Re: Have You Installed A Reflex Sight On Your Pistol?

Posted: Mon Dec 07, 2015 11:57 am
by MadMonkey
I had an FNX-45T up until a few weeks ago. The first optic I installed was a dual-illuminated RMR and I really disliked it... unless I was in bright daylight, the triangle was never bright enough. If you were in a dark room aiming into light, you couldn't see it at all.

I installed a Burris Fastfire III and it was much, much better. Quick acquisition and VERY fast transitioning, and followup shots were much improved as well. I could clear a plate rack at 25 yards with the red dot as fast as I could at 10 yards with irons. Steel torsos were easy to hit at 100yds as well.

I used an OTG (Off the Grid Concepts) custom Kydex holster for it.