Thoughts on optics ready pistols

[Marine24]

I picked up a RM01 from Cabelas last week with the intent of mounting it on a FNX-45 and recently came across the Sig P226 RX, which has the milled slide and comes with their Romeo MRD. I've mounted MRD and scopes on handguns which includes a Model 41 with an Ultradot and a Browning Buckmark with a Primary Arms miniature red dot.

I know S&W and Glock have models with that capability but know just about any handgun is capable if you can mount a picatinny rail or find a base the fits where the rear sight is located.

Anyone else running a MRD on their pistols? Novelty or practical?

[Joe_K]

I had a RMR 06 at first then an Aimpoint T-2 on a Unity Tactical ATOM Slide until very recently.

Currently waiting on my OEM Gen 4 G.19 slide to get milled out for a Type 2 RMR 06 from the good folks over at Danger Lee Industries. Personally I find the use of red dots to allow me to be more accurate than irons at all distances. Still have to apply proper techniques to shoot fast and accurate.

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[Marine24]

Appreciate the insight, particularly the link to Danger Lee as someone who can do the milling.

I find the same with accuracy. My eyes just don't do as well with iron sights at distance and the red dot definitely improves on that.

[Joe_K]

They're running some good deals on their work. Well under $100 to mill out a slide. I have learned the hard way that the way an optic is attached to the slide has almost as much to do with optic longevity/reliability as the quality of the optic itself. Even the mild recoil of a 9x19 is enough to kill optics, shear mounting screws, loosen screws, and knock your zero way off.

I would at this point only reccomend two methods directly attached to a slide via milling, or the use of a Raven Concealment Balor mount.

The two primary out of the box factory solutions I have come across, S&W C.O.R.E., and the Glock MOS do not seem to be well thought out designs and have had mixed reviews with few extremely positive things to be said for them.

Heres hoping the new slide I get back will perform well and not have issues.

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[Marine24]

Good to know. I was always skeptical of the dovetail mount but your point is spot on. The mount is just like one on a rifle. If it isn't solid, doesn't matter how great of a scope you have.

[Erni]

Suarez International does red dots in a big way. No comment on the man or his persona.

[Joe_K]

Suarez International does red dots in a big way. No comment on the man or his persona.

I know they offer several options for mounting MDRS. I have no first hand experience. I personally choose to not do business with him for reasons other than the quality or lack thereof of his products.

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[Joe_K]

Heres a PDF of Aaron Cowan of Sage Dynamics White Paper on the usage of MRDS equipped handguns for Law Enforcement and Professional Duty Usage.

Great read, lots of data to nerd out on.

https://cloud.tapatalk.com/s/59b746cc...%20%281%29.pdf

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[hollohas]

I have a P320rx. I shot it quite a bit in practice and then in one 3-gun match and thought it was ok. Then I took it to a 3-day pistol class. I almost decided to put it away for irons after day one. I struggled with it. The damn red dot got in my head and I wasn't focusing on my fundamentals. But I pushed through and ended up being very happy with it afterwards. I think there are good applications for them. Competition use, folks with aging eyes, etc. For the everyday defensive shooter, I'm not so sure they make sense.

[Joe_K]

So far so good with the Slide milled our by Danger Lee Industries. Over 1,500 rounds of Federal and Remington 115 grain FMJ/TMJ and over 100 rounds of assorted 124grain +P Duty rounds through it and the dot is still there, bright, and holding zero.

The fit of the optic to the slide is excellent and I’m not worried about it going anywhere. If you have a good gun, good, optic, good mount, good training and practice, good ammo, with a good zero... then you’re good to go.

It costs more, and if you don’t start out with a solid setup you will spend twice as much fixing it, so do your research on everything and then buy once cry once, not like me and buy three times and cry twice.

To me the single biggest advantage of the Handgun mounted RDS is the ability to target/threat focus without losing anything as far as speed, accuracy, and precision are concerned. The second biggest advantage is the ease at effectively engaging targets past 20 yards.


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