red dot plates vs cut help

[1911vm]

i would like to do a red dot started looking in to it . looks their are two options .cut the slide to what ever dot you want or cut it for plate were you can change plates if you want to try a different sight .  what are the pros and cons.  to me the biggest con of the plate that the sight will sit higher . Thanks for the input. 

[MikeBurgess]

My $.02 is dot height is a non issue, we are talking 1/8" for most of the plate systems, not enough to change much of anything. 

 

look at the upright Cmores and even most of the mini dots on frame mounts (open guns) the bore to dot offset is huge on those and zero matches have been lost due to it.

 

[1911vm]

how about things coming loose . more screws more problems ?  or am i just over thinking it. 

[clw42]

3 minutes ago, 1911vm said:

how about things coming loose . more screws more problems ?  or am i just over thinking it. 

 

I went with the plate system on my Shadow 2 for CO and I've had zero issues with things coming loose.  I opted for the plate purely so I wouldn't be tied to one optic or manufacturer.

[ClangClang]

Extra screws certainly are an additional failure point, but plenty of guns/vendors use the plate system (e.g.  CZ Custom, not to mention every optics-ready factory gun like Glock MOS, Walthers, Sig X5, the factory CZ Optics Ready options, etc) and on the whole, they work fine. And they offer more flexibility too. Once you mill a slide, you can never change it, and gun slides last basically forever, whereas electronics change every year or two.  I have both plate systems and direct milled options and don't find myself preferring one over the other.

[1911vm]

great info thanks. even Wilson came out with a new plate system. 

[jcc7x7]

58 minutes ago, MikeBurgess said:

My $.02 is dot height is a non issue, we are talking 1/8" for most of the plate systems, not enough to change much of anything. 

 

look at the upright Cmores and even most of the mini dots on frame mounts (open guns) the bore to dot offset is huge on those and zero matches have been lost due to it.

 

Shoot it you won't know the difference.

[ehowell12]

I had a dovetail plate mount on a CZ - it lasted about 5000 rounds, then the dot would jump when the hammer would fall (dovetail became loose). 

IMO, dovetail mounts are good for deciding on a dot that you like and that will survive a slide. Once you choose, mill it into the slide. I've got probably 35k through the CZ I mentioned, and all but the original 5k have been with a dot milled into the slide. Same dot too  

 

As previously mentioned, height over bore, in this magnitude,  does not matter at the end of the day. Most have trouble finding the dot coming from irons - dry fire some and that'll go away (sure, a lower dot is easier to find from irons without practice).

[1911vm]

so button line i am over thinking it. So all i need now is a slide for my CZ and of I go 

[jcc7x7]

1 hour ago, 1911vm said:

so button line i am over thinking it. So all i need now is a slide for my CZ and of I go 

Call Cajun GW and CZ custom 

One or both should be able to fix you up!

[1911vm]

I just paid CZC for a new build going to see if i can find an used one first

[SteelCityShooter]

8 hours ago, ClangClang said:

And they offer more flexibility too. Once you mill a slide, you can never change it, and gun slides last basically forever, whereas electronics change every year or two.  

This is the essential point.  As noted guns are a long term purchase but sights change on an almost weekly basis as new and improved models are developed.  Don't be wedded to one sight.

 

Another consideration.  If you do sell the gun, a slide with a versatile mounting system is far easier to sell than one limited to a single, possibly obsolete, sight model.

[tbarker13]

Biggest downside of the plate system is that you are mounting the optic on aluminum instead of steel.

And that really only comes into play - in my personal idiot experience - if you overtighten the screws into the aluminum plate. You run the risk of stripping out the screw holes.

Had an optic fly off my gun during a stage run after doing this.

Clearly it's manageable - with lots of people putting thousands of rounds through their guns with plate systems. If I had the option though, I'd rather mount the optic directly onto the slide and avoid the potential problem.