Red Dot Sights / 1911

[ptrickamp222]

I am thinking of taking a Springer 1911 Custom SS 5in. and adding Red Dot sights for shooting plates. I do not know much about Red dot sights. What do you recommend and why. What reticle do you use and why. I am looking for fast acquisition and ease of use. Also are slide mount or frame mount the best option? Thanks for input. Pistol now has Novaks sights.

Edited April 30, 2007 by ptrickamp222

[kmca]

I have been shooting steel challenge for a while and I started USPSA a few months ago, so take my reply for what you think it's worth.

I started using a Millet (frame mount/10 minute dot)it broke and they don't make a replacement. I tried a Doctor (slide mount/8 minute dot) for a while but I found I lost the dot too frequently. I tried a Tasco PDP3CMP (frame mount/10 minute dot) for a while For the last year I've been trying to use a C-More (frame mount/10 minute dot) but I find it takes me longer to find the dot after the draw. Soooo, I'm back to the Tasco PDP3's on both my open gun and my rimfire. I suppose it could be, that I index off of the tube.

My shooting buddy started with a Bushnell Holosite, tried to use a C-More also but is now back to using a the Bushnell.

I guess what I'm trying to say is, pick one and try it. Chances are, if you try different red dots, you'll end up with the one you started with. You'll have to make the decision on your own.

Good luck,

Keith

[G-ManBart]

I think the answers you get will be as different as the people writing them. Right now you'll see more C-More sights at USPSA matches than anything else, but there are people using slide mounted sights or the tube style sights with good results. They all have their own advantages so it sort of depends on what looks right to your eye. They take a while to get used to so that you can draw and find the dot right where you expect it, but that's not a huge hurdle to overcome....some dry firing at home will solve it quickly enough.

I'm not sure about all the red dots out there, but the C-More is probably the easiest to change the dot size on as it's a module that can be replaced...you'll see a lot of them either 6moa or 8moa....the farther and smaller the targets, the better the smaller dot works. Your best bet might be to go to a match and ask people if they'd let you look through their sights and see what seems best to you...can't imagine anyone turning you down on that one.

[ptrickamp222]

Thanks for the info. I''ve been looking at the C-more's last nite and like that you can change the dot quickly. Also thinking that I purchased a quik change kit for 9mm a few weeks back for my Dillon 550. How can one purchase a 9mm open gun. Do certain pistol Co. make these or are they all custom jobs from top companies or pistol smiths. I take that a open gun is one that is lightened slide, compensator & red dot sights etc. Thanks for any input

[kmca]

I thought I'd warn you. Even though you can change the dot size modules on a C-More very quickly, you'll have to re-zero it every time you change.

[G-ManBart]

Thanks for the info. I''ve been looking at the C-more's last nite and like that you can change the dot quickly. Also thinking that I purchased a quik change kit for 9mm a few weeks back for my Dillon 550. How can one purchase a 9mm open gun. Do certain pistol Co. make these or are they all custom jobs from top companies or pistol smiths. I take that a open gun is one that is lightened slide, compensator & red dot sights etc. Thanks for any input

Yes, many Open guns have lightened slides and they're almost always going to have a compensator and a red dot sight, but there's no rule saying you have to have any of those things.

Open guns can be purchased from a variety of sources. You can buy factory guns like the STI Trubor or Grandmaster or EAA Gold Team (it would need a mount and scope) or go the custom route. Several of the sponsors here offer great Open guns that are as good as you'll find pretty much anywhere...names like Bedell/Shooters Connection, Brazos Custom etc. Most of them have sort of standard packages as well as full custom builds available. They will work with you to figure out what you need and go from there.

The one caution I'd mention is that Open guns come in many flavors and what works for one person won't be the best for someone else. So, it's really hard to start out buying a full custom gun if you don't have much experience with them. If you go to a local match you can ask around and talk to the people there and see what they're using and why. Often people will let you shoot their gun so you'll have an idea of what the differences are. Shoot a couple, talk to some of our sponsors and you stand a good chance of winding up with a great gun!

[ptrickamp222]

Thanks again for all the input. How do I find the sponsors you are mentioning and do they have web sites?

[G-ManBart]

Thanks again for all the input. How do I find the sponsors you are mentioning and do they have web sites?

Scroll down to the Dealers Forum and you'll see links for the supporting dealers. I think most, if not all, have websites. There are quite a few to choose from and I doubt you could go wrong with any of them!

[mda]

Thanks again for all the input. How do I find the sponsors you are mentioning and do they have web sites?

Check out the Dealers forum section toward the bottom. You should also use the search function as most of your questions have be asked and answered many times. New Customs open gun can be very expensive ($2500 to $3500) so you might look for a used Open gun (see classified section). As Gman stated, go the matches and talk with those that shoot open, most will be more than happy to answer your questions, let you look through the scopes, and some will even insist you shoot a few rounds.

[jostein jensen]

New Customs open gun can be very expensive ($2500 to $3500) so you might look for a used Open gun (see classified section).

I'd say from $2500 to $5000 depending on what you want and from where.