Mounting plate vs milling slide for RDS

[mitommy]

Looking at pros / cons of mounting a Red Dot Sight (RDS) on a plate that installs in the rear dovetail vs having the slide milled. If I go the mounting plate route, I’m inclined to go with EGW. I’used other EGW products and found them to be well made and high quality. Here is what I’m looking at:
https://www.egwguns.com/pistol-and-r...dot/?brand=737

The plus is that it doesn’t alter the firearm, it doesn’t require taking my pistol out of service for milling & refinishing. The only con I can think of is it basically puts the sight in a cantilevered position from the dove tail. That is why I think a good manufacturer is important. 

Milling: pros- a solid mount to slide. Con - shield hast to ne cut & refinished. Milling is for a specific RDS, this might make changing later difficult or require reworking. 

I’m not sure of cost of milling & refinishing, but the mounting plate is about $50 (it has to be better quality than the $17 one on Amazon)

Thoughts / comments / suggestions ??

[Racinready300ex]

Both work if done correctly. Some other things to consider

 

The plate in the dove tail will put the sight pretty high. Some people get hung up on this, I don't really think it's a big deal, but I shot open with a frame mounted c-more slide ride. That's tall, and I didn't have issue with it.

 

Milling, check primary machine. They typically have a fast turn around so your gun isn't out of operation long. 

 

My CO set ups are milled, but I had a egw plate on my limited gun for a little while just to play around with it. I may do it again for occasional IDPA use. 

[mitommy]

I’ve been told that dots on dovetail plates take more of a beating, leading to early failure. I don’t understand how that could be the case. Has anyone found that to be an issue?

[Racinready300ex]

2 hours ago, mitommy said:

I’ve been told that dots on dovetail plates take more of a beating, leading to early failure. I don’t understand how that could be the case. Has anyone found that to be an issue?

 

I've heard plates are better, and that plates are worse. I've also heard that milling the slide so the dot body takes the force is better and I've heard it's worse and you should let the screws take all the abuse. 

 

My conclusion, dots fail. I've broken a RTs2, a SRO and a 407c-v2 so far. I'd guess it took me 15k rounds to do it. If you plan to shoot majors have a 2nd gun, or at least a 2nd slide with another dot already sighted in and ready to go. 

[Packageman]

Would using the dovetail would that make optic sit higher on gun?

 

[BlackLion]

On 1/23/2021 at 7:05 PM, Packageman said:

Would using the dovetail would that make optic sit higher on gun?

 

Yes.