Reflex type red dot sight on a hunting revolver?

[Silvercreek Farmer]

Anyone running a reflex type red dot on a hunting revolver? I'm pushing 40 and I can already tell my eyes are going down hill. I've considered scoping a revolver in the past, but don't really care for the added bulk, and I think the crosshairs wobbling about on offhand shots might lead to trigger jerking. I looked through a couple of reflex sights for the first time today, and thought they looked pretty good. I held on a few small spots in the rafters and felt like I had a pretty good sight picture. They were even smaller than I thought they were from Internet photos. I figure it would also eliminate any sight radius considerations. It be pretty cool to take a little short barreled revolver and pop a cotton tail at 50 yards! Any thoughts? I notice they come in several different dot sizes and brightness adjustments. Do you have a favorite?

[hc18flyer]

I put a Burris Fast Fire 3 on my Blackhawk .45 Colt. I haven't harvested any game yet, but works well for my 60 year old eyes. I can shoot without my glasses too, which is a plus. I had an opportunity to take a small fork whitetail at 10 yards, but I was holding out for a full sized doe. I really like mine, hc18flyer

[mattw]

Have been using a red dot on my 41 mag since the first reasonably priced 1" tubes. 53 now and will never give it up. Also use one on my deer slug gun, has worked at 175 yards. It is 2 MOA.

[winelover]

I'm sold on them. Started off with full size Trijicons.............now they have much smaller ones. I picked up a inexpensive Bushnell reflex and put that on a 45 LC BH. Didn't last 100 rounds, before the lens shattered.

Recently, bought a Sig 320 RX Compact with the factory installed, miniature reflex. Cat's meow, IMO.

Winelover

[GhostHawk]

I have a pair of 60$ Truglo's on my pair of Ruger Mk III 22/45's.

Both 2.5 dot, I tend to keep them turned down as low as possible for indoor shooting.

Both on a decent day will put 10 rounds in a pop bottle top without touching the sides at 20 feet. Have not tried them much farther out.

But I have slowly been converting everything to either scope or Red Dot.

My favorite is the 2x Red Dot, like a small scope, but smaller, shorter, lighter.
Gives me some magnification, and is very quick to acquire target. I have I think 4 of them now, all mounted. Everything from .44mag, SKS, to .30-30.

[pmer]

I put a Burris Fast Fire 3 on a Marlin 45-70 for a hog hunt in upper Michigan. It worked great but the only trouble I had was that it was snowing. As snow accumulated on top of the site the holographic image would disappear from the glass. Had to keep the snow off of it.

[White Oak]

Aging eyes is a problem with me also. I can focus on either the target or the sight, but not both at the same time. The Red dot has solved this for me. My hunting revolver has a Burris Fast Fire III. It has held up well so far.
231605

[NSB]

I've been using red dot sights on almost all of my handguns for around twenty-five years now. I've also put a couple of different rifles I've owned. The reflex sights work well, but so do the tube/tin can style red dots. Of all the reflex sights, I consider the Burris FF3 (and even the FF2) to be the best value for the money. I've never had one fail, and they have a lifetime warranty if they ever did. Their price point puts them in the "affordable" range. I've owned more expensive red dots, but I can't state that they worked any better or did any more. I shot major competition for years with handguns and I've probably owned over two dozen red dots during the time I've used them. As stated above, the snow can accumulate on the reflex type sights, but the Burris comes with a small cover that can be quickly removed. I myself have used both types of sights for hunting, and I'd give a slight edge to the tin can types for hunting. Dot acquisition is quicker and they can be fitted with lens covers like a scope. They also can be had at a very affordable price and several come with a lifetime guarantee. I prefer the UltraDot series sights based on quality, and features. To date, I've harvested almost seventy deer with various handguns over the last forty+ years and most were with red dot sighted handguns. Over fifty of them were with the .357mag and most of those were topped with tin can style red dots. I've had the Burris FF2&3 on some 44mags and a 45-70 rifle. No problem holding zero or simply holding up. Good luck, I think you're making the right move going to a red dot sight for hunting.
Note: it will take more than a red dot to hit those cottentails at 50 yards. You still have to do all the good things that have to be done with any handgun. Good luck.

[ShooterAZ]

I have a number of Fastfire 3's mounted on pistols, and a couple on rifles. I'm sold on the mini-sights. The are solid performers, both at the range and in the field.

[Three44s]

My RH in 44 Mag and I can kill golf balls at a rate of 80% at 35 yds with a Bushnel Holosight (civilian version of the EoTech) with the plain dot reticle with an improvised rest (slumped over the front tire of a tractor).

I like a low intensity setting on the dot to reduce flares around the edges for better target definition and accuracy.

The “tin can” or tube type red dots are somewhat limiting in field of view, especially the 1” diameter. As such I like the heads up display of the reflex sights better with their very wide field. The downside is that there is a learning curve with rapidly acquiring the dot. The key is to work with it and you will train yourself to acquire it instantly.

The other downside is no magnification on reflex versions and many of the “tin cans” for that matter. This is why our military favors the option of a flip in and out magnifier in conjunction with their EoTech sights.

Best regards

Three44s

[blazing lead]

I have a vortex venom 3 MOA dot mounted on one of my pistols and like it a lot. It's a good MRO for the money IMO (about 3k rounds through it so far with no problems and a lifetime warranty just in case). It took me a little to get over the learning curve from shooting iron sights for so many years and as others have said its by no means magic, the fundamentals still apply a great deal.

231608

Aimpoint has the Acro p-1 closed emitter type red dot that I would like to try. (Shown above next to RMR for size comparison.) They are a little pricey (High $500 to mid $ 600 dollar range). But I'm hoping as time and technology evolve or other makers start getting products out there similar in concept to this the price point might come down some. MRO's are becoming a lot more popular.

[bobthenailer]

I have been using tube style red dot sights since the first Aimpoints came out, first for Bullseye competition , now most of my handguns have tube style RDS or MRDS on them ! I use them for competition pratice/plinking and hunting! I also have 3 rifles with them on.
IMO there a God send for old and even young eyes !

[Larry Gibson]

Plus another for the Fastfire's. I've had one on my Ruger .41 Bisley for quite a few years now and have had no problems with it. I D&T'd the top strap for a thin flat bottomed Weaver base so the regular sights are still there if needed......they haven't been so far. I also have an Eotech which gave excellent service on my M16A2 in Iraq. It's now on my shooter. I also recently picked up a Fastfire III and have it on a Series 70 M1911 45 ACP.

Both mine have the 3 moa dot but the new FF IIIs have several settings now which gives a large dot, medium and small dot. I like the auto setting because it automatically adjusts the brightness to the light conditions. The FFs also have a lifetime, for who ever has the sight, no questions guarantee.

231609

[Sheriff]

I have 3 of the Burris FF's, one on a 10' Contender, .357: one on a 1911, .460 Rowland conversion and one on a Ruger Bisley, NMBH, .45 Colt. I've grown fond of them on my hunting pistols.

[Wheelguns 1961]

I have a vortex venom on a bisley blackhawk. I love it. I started wearing glasses when I was 43yo. The red dots are nice. I like a smaller dot 3moa or less. The batteries last over a year if you remember to turn them off. I used a weigand no drill mini mount.

[Rick R]

231609

This! Ruger needs to offer a revolver answer to Glock’s “MOS” system. I have shot MRDS on several handguns and once you get thru the learning curve they become little rifles. My eyesight still allows me to shoot irons well but when that becomes a problem I’ll move up to a red dot.

FWIW You might want to check out Max Prasac’s Book of Hunting Revolvers. He is a big proponent of RDS on his hunting guns.

[RU shooter]

And another vote for the fastfire 3 , my dad just put one on his GP100 and the difference for him was Day and night he is in his mid 70's and it really made the pistol usable for him again .

[robinsroost]

I have two, a holographic sight on my Ruger Hunter MKIII and a Millet 1" tube on my SBH Hunter .44, both with 3moa dots. A 3moa dot covers a 3" circle at 100 yards, further than I would shoot at a deer, with the .44 or a squirrel, with the .22. They are great for aging eyes, fast target acquisition, no parallax, only one aiming point and if you keep both eyes open, you see the dot with both eyes...………..robin

[mattw]

I should correct my post... all of mine are the 1" or 2" tubes or cans. I do not find them an interference when shooting, but I do shoot both eyes open. I find them so easy to work with on moving deer and such.

[murf205]

Kudos to Burris for building the FF's. A shooting partner of mine has one on a 7.5" SRH in 454 that has had over 500 FULL throttle 300 and 325 gr loads through it and the Burris FF 3 has held its zero with a death grip. I'm still using a 2x Leupold scope on my SRH but if I was going to put an aftermarket sight on another handgun, it would most certainly be a RDS, for simplicity and durability.

[6pt-sika]

I’ve got a Bushnell 2-6x on my Contender 44 Mag just because that’s what came with it when I bought it and it works okay . I’ve got a Leupold 2x on my blued RedHawk and I like it as well . However I have a brand spanking new unfired Kimber 1911 6” in 10mm I’m thinking very seriously about putting the Leupold Deltapoint on .

[Larry Gibson]

My old Colt Series 70 with FF III on it. I might mill the top of the slide eventually for the FF III. That will lower the sight about 3/8".

231696

[BigboreShooter]

I have a Burris Fastfire III and a Vortex Venom. I can live with both,but my choice on my next will be the Vortex! Wider range of brightness adjustment,auto shutoff, the new Vortex lifetime warranty.
Midway has a $40 rebate/coupon right now till the end of the year.

BigBoreShooter

[GSSP]

I run the Trijicon RMR RM08G with the green triangle on my 5-1/2" Bisley in 45 Colt. I run my own 285 gr WFN LBT at 1155 fps with a decent charge of H110. Recoil will get your attention but the RMR has never had an issue. I will say that the Dual Illumination of the RM08G can be a bit challenging in the twilight hours but the infinite tip of the triangular reticle leads to very precise bullet placement.

https://i.postimg.cc/hhFn51M1/1892-Bisley-45-Colt.jpg (https://postimg.cc/2Lxgqvs1)

[GSSP]

I forgot to add, I've got RMR's on other handguns as well. When my family goes shooting together the most sought after is my Browning Buckmark with another Dual Illuminated RM08G with the green triangle. It makes hitting with the little auto feel like cheating.

https://i.postimg.cc/F1t1ddVr/Buckmark-RMR.jpg (https://postimg.cc/JHqRShFv)

My other, again an RMR, but this time the RM09 with the 1 moa red dot; the Adjustable LED. This sits on my beloved Ed Brown Special Forces which sits on my right hip every day I leave my house.

https://i.postimg.cc/sXXVjyWT/EB-w-RMR-right-w-flash.jpg (https://postimg.cc/2qspGs2W)

[Silvercreek Farmer]

Thanks everyone! Ordered a FF3 and a Raptor base for my Smith 69.