BFR red dot mounts?

[Markbo]

I know Weigand makes a longish picatinny rail that MR sells as well. Does anyone make one that is short with a base tbat fits only in the sight channel? That seems lime a much better alternative for red dot mounting.

As far as I can tell Leo, Acog, Burris, etc - nobody makes a small mount for their sights for the BFR. I want to mount a small reflex sight and my BFR is only 5".

[odfairfaxsub]

Talk to 44 man. I forget what he uses but he likes using micro sites

[bobthenailer]

I have reduced the length of several longer than needed pistol mounts for red dot mounting on my pistols! I usually shorten to the length of the front of the guns frame or one pitticany slot longer !

[44man]

I like the factory base and leave it long because I use Ultra Dots and use the front extension to put the front ring on. I use three on the .500, one against the front of the turret, one on the extension and the rear in the center of the tube.
Don't put a ring directly over glass.
Weigand has a good one. You need a strong system and a very expensive reflex to hold up with the large calibers. Most of those little ones have a poor mount to the base and break screws. I called Bushnell and was told NO for my .475.
I had trouble with the base coming loose so I steel bedded the base to the top strap and epoxied the screws in.
I have ruined so many dots and scopes on my SBH with heavy boolits I went to the straight 30 MM, 4 min dot Ultra Dots. My SBH has a 10-1/2" barrel too. Tried a Match Dot on a friends and every time I changed the picture, the POI changed. The Ultra Dot reflex only has one brittle screw and it can snap just snugging it.
The Acog should work but the price is scary.

[Markbo]

Hmmmmm.... yeah I was hoping for a reflex type like the Burris Fastfire, Trijicon RMR, etc over the tube type like the Ultradot. I have one actually with the multiple reticles, but on a Ruger MK II. I was hoping to keep a full open field of view on my .475 BFR. I just can't see the sights well enough anymore.

Anyway, as far as mounts the MR or Weigand is about it, huh? I may have to take a file to one to snuggle it down all the way in the rear sight channel. :smile:

[44man]

You will get used to the red dot fast. Soon you can pick up the dot fast and they do have a good FOV.
I know the reflex is smaller so someone here should be able to tell you what can hold up to the recoil. I think the sights themselves are tough, I just would not trust one screw to hold to the base.

[bobthenailer]

FME go with the single dot size, tube style red dot sight on heavy recoiling handguns !and use 3 rings if possible ?
I currently have over 20 tube style and 8 reflex style red dot sights on handguns & rifles. each style has a nitch.

[44man]

Anyway, as far as mounts the MR or Weigand is about it, huh? I may have to take a file to one to snuggle it down all the way in the rear sight channel. :smile:
No, they fit perfectly. If you have an early BFR, they need drilled and tapped but later ones come drilled with a base.
Never buy a base with only a screw at the rear sight hole and a barrel clamp. I put a Burris or Loopy base on my SBH years ago before Weigand had the bases and it is a pain too. Rings are too close together as are Ruger rings on a SRH, etc. Some dot sights have turrets too large to fit between the rings. The straight Ultra Dot will fit but the Match Dot will not. My SBH has the twist in rings. I need an extension ring in front. I sheared one and got a free replacement. Funny to shear a ring but the recoil from a revolver is WAY more then a rifle. When a .44 does that, don't even think about a .475!129386
Here are three of mine. I made the base for the 45-70, none were made when I bought it. Notice the extension ring on the top .44 and three rings on the .500 JRH.

[ole 5 hole group]

Today's micro red dots will take about anything you can take relative to recoil. A couple years ago that wasn't always the case.

I have two Leupold Deltapoint w/7.5 MOA delta and one Aimpoint Micro w/2 MOA dot. I prefer the deltapoint, as it has a large heads up display and when using the tip of the delta as the aiming point it would be comparable to a half minute or less dot IMO.

Your Burris Fastfire or Trijicon RMR would be good choices and will stand-up to whatever you have in mind.

I've used mine on a 44 Mag, 45 Colt, 45 ACP on a 1911, 454 Casull, 500 Smith and 500 JRH and I've experienced no breakage or movement with either of my red dots.

The 1911 has a milled slide and I've had a deltapoint on that for a couple of years and it's never failed me and the POI has never changed and it will average maybe 150 rounds per week with mostly target loads but when I practice and shoot hunting/defensive loads I push those 230 gold dots @ 970 fps and the 265 cast @ 1,004fps - can't get much better than that.

[44man]

Good to hear but how about a 330 gr at 1316 fps from the .44, a 420 gr from the .475 at 1329 fps or a 440 at 1350 fps from the .500 JRH.
I do not worry about the scope itself, only how they are held in place. Yet I have pulled glass out in cheap red dots and shattered scopes with a .44. Last was a Swift after reading two pages about how strong they are. I never even got sighted before the scope was a mass of broken glass. The replacement is on my .22. Tasco and Millet red dots were junk. A Burris scope had such a soft tube, the .44 ate it.
I have a real old Loopy scope that has been on every revolver without any problem and a Tasco scope that could be dropped from the moon but I hate the thick cross hairs.
If anything says "made in China" it will never be bought again. Japan or USA ONLY.
But I bought a big Burris rifle scope 6X20 or something and it was not good. I could not focus it, it was dark,
Sent it back and it was better but not right. I sold it and bought a Loopy, will never part with it. Burris does have some good stuff and ideas but I am still scared.
I used old Weavers on everything but they went away and I bought a new one. It broke. Redfield was not good and went away for a while but I don't know about new Redfield's.
I have $50 Bushnell scopes that work. but Simmons scares me.
B&L was top dog for many years and had a great scope mount so you could adjust the mount and change one scope to every rifle. It slipped into cone adjustments. Never lost zero because the scopes had no internal adjustments. My Balvar 24 was the best varmint scope ever made. Adjustments were on huge rings.
Unertil scopes would shoot but were not sealed and cross hairs would rust until you had mountains to aim with. I still have replacement cross wires.
The most light your eye can use is 5mm so the best scope will have that much for dim conditions but a long eye relief has the light scatter before it reaches your eye. So does turning up the power on a variable lose the exit pupil. Pistol scopes in dim light can lose all of the light and look like a black hole. One power is best, two is border line and four is out of the question when it is dim out. Your eye is too far away to make use of the exit pupil. The light is gone!
A good rifle scope depends on the objective lens diameter and the close eye relief. You can almost see in the dark. A 50mm is better for dim light conditions. Not to be when your eye is far away. Early morning or late evening means you can't see the cross hairs let alone the deer through the scope on your pistol.
I know scopes so don't blow smoke saying your 12x works unless you have full sun and a rest.

[44man]

Notice those things touted are on low recoil guns. Be careful. But it is your money, not mine.

[ole 5 hole group]

Not sure just what low recoiling handguns you're referring to Jim, but anything on a 1911 frame takes a little beating over time and the 44 Mag, 45 Colt and 454 will get your attention as will the 500 Smith & JRH when you run them up to speed.

Over the last couple years I've maybe shot 100 rounds of the heavy 44 mag rounds with the red dot on top and about the same with the 45 Colt, 454, 500 Smith and JRH. I don't shoot those loads on a regular basis, as I just keep my hand in the game and really dislike self-inflicted abuse to my hand and trigger finger.

You haven't seen much luck over the years with your glass but red dots have come into their own the last couple of years and will hold up to whatever you want to shoot. I personally know a half dozen guys running red dots and they aren't experiencing any problems except sticker shock at some of the more high end red dots.


Some people seem to be able to break about anything, while others using the same equipment, don't seem to break anything. I seldom break stuff but I do lose a little blood every now and again with over the top loads on some of these calibers (over the top means above & beyond loading manuals max loads) when trigger finger meets trigger guard and hammer spur meets thumb webbing etc. I have yet to have the barrel touch any part of my body but I have sent a barrel past my left ear at Mach Mucho and that won't happen again any time soon.;)

[44man]

I am good at breaking things for sure and figured those light weight reflex things would be good because they have less inertia. Many report good results and I am always interested in results as long as that "sticker shock" is not reached. Even the Ultra Dot's are much more then when I started buying them. When a scope costs more then the gun, I spin.
I do not over load anything but everything I shoot all year are deer loads with pretty heavy boolits.
When I went to heavy .44 boolits I sheared three grip frame screws right off because I forgot to check how tight they were.
Then I found the front grip frame screws on BFR's were too short and stripped. I made my own to reach all the way to the inside of the frame, threads in the frame were not damaged, just the tip of the short screws. I told MR about it and I believe they fixed that problem. I now use red Loc-Tite on them.
I do shoot with a lot of recoil.
One other thing I thought of is weather, rain and snow on the little reflex sights. They are more exposed. I use the front extension on my dots to keep stuff off the glass as well as a ring placement. Once I was using the little torque wrench on a Bushnell dot ring and heard a "snap." The front glass shattered and is why I say to keep rings away from glass.
I was buying better rings then those that come with the Ultra Dot's, Warne, etc. Then I found three of the rings that come with them will hold anything. I suggest buying an extra ring set so you can use three. They really do work fine.
I use a little rubber strap wrench on the extensions so they are tight. I use the tool to take apart Millet and Bushnell red dots to steel bed the front prisms back in, the Chinese glue sucks. They do not fold metal over the glass. Neither are sealed but you will not get an Ultra Dot apart, lifetime warranty anyway. Never had a problem other then loose screws in the switch, they fixed it quick for me. Those screws came loose in Millet's and I have a spanner so I was able to fix them.

[ole 5 hole group]

The red dots have a cover for the front and the hood covers the rear lens but I haven't used them in a rain down pour. A light rain/mist and snow I've been out in but the small droplets aren't any more of a problem than carbon blow-back from some powders.

My 1911 with 231 powder will really speckle the front lens on the deltapoint when using target loads, so I switched over to VV N310/N320 and it's not as bad - still needs to be cleaned every now & again. You notice the crud on the lens but it really doesn't hamper your shooting.

I would think they would be pretty well water proof but in any case, if they aren't just call the factory and send it back - I would think all major companies would repair or replace without charge.

You're holding up better than I am, as both wrists now ache just a tad most of the day and shooting heavy recoiling handguns just adds to the discomfort but I'm of the opinion that everyone who has been involved with heavy recoiling handguns for a good portion of their lives just ignore the discomfort they know is coming and just concentrate on a firm grip, the front sight and straight back trigger pull. The majority of my shooting isn't with full-bore loads, it's becoming less "enjoyable" with each passing year but my hat is off to ya if you're still enjoying that "thump".

After the last shot one can complain if they are wearing a little lace that day - otherwise just message your hands with a smile, as no one cares to listen to idiots shooting hand-cannons for enjoyment. You do know we are a dying breed of highly dedicated fools, addicted to the smell of gunpowder?;)

[44man]

I don't know! I grew up with the .357 and .44 mag from 1956, FT Ruger. Then many S&W's and more Rugers. But today we have so many heavy calibers way over a .44. But the size and weight of them still makes them shoot-able. Gun weight is important as is barrel length. We have revolvers today that not many years ago would have made a good man cry and say it could not be done. I think we are a tougher breed then back then.
Still some I refuse to shoot, a .50 Alaskan with a shiny Bisley grip???? A .500 Linebaugh in a 2" barrel???? I am not insane! I do not like any rifle that has the barrel go up 90*. My 12# BPCR with heavy boolits and BP can blacken a shoulder, fun stops.
No, I do NOT like recoil unless it can be controlled. Some revolvers no matter how big are OK, just don't go crazy. Once you get pain, you have too much.
I helped a friend build a rail system around a basement entrance. Just using the drill made me sore, much more then a revolver does. The drill made my wrist sore.

[Whiterabbit]

The weigand is not the same as the mr base

the wegand base nestles intk the rear sight pocket. The MR does not.


either can be cut to length and shaped with a file if needed.

the weigand is DC'd. I dont know if the ruger weigatinny fits.

good luck.

[44man]

I bought Weigand bases for several Ruger's and they were perfect. Just had to drill and tap the top straps. But either will work.