Red Dot Sight opinions

[Hickok]

68 year old eyes, and pistol sights are a little bit "fuzzy", but not too bad.

I have a Sig M17/P320 that is factory cut for a Red Dot / reflex sight. Thinking of either getting the Sig Romeo 1 Pro or a Leupold Delta sight for the pistol.

I shoot hanging steel targets at our range set from 12 yards out to 50 yards. Just for fun, no competition.

I have an assortment of semi-auto pistols I plink with, just wondering your all thoughts on using red dots.

[GhostHawk]

My wife first shot a Red Dot sight on my Hipoint .40sw carbine. At 7 yards she cut the center inch out of a 2" shoot and see stick on target. I mean the center was GONE. No hits outside of that 1" ring.

She turned to me, with a smile from ear to ear. She had 2 comments.

A Do they make that carbine in a caliber that won't bump her shoulder so hard?

B Can I put one of those sights on her Ruger MkIII 22/45?

First answer was yes, and a month later she had a 9mm. She was wicked dangerous with that thing. Ohh perfectly safe for anyone she liked. But hell on wheels if you were a threat to her family.

B took a while, as her 22/45 was an early model, not drilled and tapped for scope base.
But eventually I found one in matt black that had the rail. Gave it to her for her birthday.

I took her old Mk III and eventually found a dovetail mount which works well.

Both of those Rugers will put 10 quickly aimed shots into a pop bottle cap at 20 feet and not hit the sides.

Since then about half of my herd have gotten Red Dot sights. The other half wear scopes.

My Mosin's sit with iron sights and mostly sit in the safe. There is more fun stuff to shoot.

[NSB]

I’ve owned/own dozens of different red dot sights over the last thirty year years. I’ve also had cataract surgery on both eyes. I’ve found the Sig Romeo to have one of the clearest, roundest, dots on any of them. For the price point, they are hard to beat. I use other brands on most of my guns simply because they’re easier to mount. Your gun is set up for the Sig, so I’d suggest that should be your first choice based on my experience. Others may have choices based on what they use, but as I said, Sig is a stand-out for dot “roundness” and clarity. Good luck.

[Bigslug]

Sig's optics are pretty widely regarded as flimsy. The Leupold Delta Point is a bit behind the times - cumbersome adjustments, short battery life, really tall deck. Holosun, Trijicon, or Aimpoint would be my picks.

If you can't shift focal distance from far to near anymore without rolling up on your bifocals/progressives, that's pretty much what a red dot saves you from - the dots are clear within a 20/20 distance-corrected vision range. Focus on target, superimpose dot, go to work.

[winelover]

Been using red dot sights on almost all my pistols, PPC's and bows, since the early 80's. At that time, I used Armson OEG's (distributed by Trijicon), until they were discontinued. They were chosen because they were full automatic. No batteries, no on/off switch or rheostats to adjust. Could be used in almost no light. Military grade and relatively inexpensive. Was paying between $100-160 each. Had a half dozen on assorted hunting arms. Tritium element had a ten year shelf life. Re-lamping ran about $30, plus shipping. Most lasted over ten years between re-lamping. Most of mine were re-lamped, once. Sadly, Trijicon quit supporting them.

Then it was a scramble to find replacement red dots that would work in one inch rings. At that time, most red dots were moving to 30mm tubes. Only quality red dot, with one inch tubes were Ultra Dot. Purchased a couple, but I was spoiled with the fully automatic features of the Armson, and never completely satisfied.

The PPC's were changed over to Trijicon's early full size reflexes for fully automatic operation. Pity that Trijicon didn't offer any one inch tube red dots.

Since then, I tried several other red dot offerings. Most were found lacking. The only ones that offered most of the features I wanted, were the Sig Romeo line. Namely, the Romeo 1 and the Romeo 5, which have the shake awake feature.

My first introduction to the Romeo 1, was when I purchased the Sig P-320 RX Compact. Factory installed Romeo 1 with suppressor height night sights that co-witness. Mainly used as my house gun, batteries lasted about four years, in the constant on position.

After that, I purchased a Romeo 5 for my X-bow. Have since accumulated two others for PPC's.

BTW, there are some that are a fan of the Bushnell TRS-25 red dot sight. Mainly, because of the price point. I bought one to try. Dot is far from round and the rheostat is very hard to turn. It just sits, unused in my safe.

Winelover

[ioon44]

I use the Trijicon RMR with 9 moa Green dot, no battery's and works day or night.

[contender1]

As I've been aging,, and my eyes tell me my sights are too fuzzy,, I began using red dots on various guns. Plus,, I have been shooting USPSA competition since 1998,, so I see most brands & models. USPSA shooters that are very active can really put a red dot through it's paces,, and if it won't work,, they won't use them.
I also own a gun range & I'm a certified RO,, and have worked many, many big matches over the decades. Plus,, I handgun hunt & have a lot of serious discussions with folks who use red dots afield. And I own red dots from UltraDot, Leupold, Burris, C-More, Tru-Glo, Vortex, & even an old Tasco. I've owned Aimpoints, and (1) Sig.
In short,, tons of experience with them.

Of the (2) models you've mentioned,, the Delta has proven to be the more reliable option. The Romeo 1 isn't as highly regarded as the Delta.

But I'll share my personal choice. I too own a Sig M17/320. I use it in competition. I'm using a Burris FastFire III on mine. Their no BS warranty has also been a good reason to consider Burris. Years ago,, I had a FFII,, and it quit. I sent it in,, and they repaired it. It sat in the safe for (3) years,, still in the box. I went to use it,, and it wouldn't come on. Burris replaced it with a FFIII. No questions. I currently have 4 Burris FFIII's.

[Petander]

Here is my dry fire practise setup.

I'm training my brain for now, to NOT look at the dot nor "aim" through the "lens".
Santa may bring me a proper Dot sight,this is just a chinese lookalike. Mount is not proper either here.

After couple of weeks of dry fire every now and then with the taped sight, my presentation is much better already. A dot really opens a can of worms at first. But it will be right there after a while,quick.

My reason is the usual: eyes are still ok but I figured I better learn the dot sooner,not later.

(I have had sone scopes on revolvers and a Bushnell Holosight on a 22 Ruger in the 90's, should have kept that gun... Aimpoints on rifles, illum dot scopes in general... but this dot thing on a pistol is different. Must unlearn irons.)

https://i.postimg.cc/BZRsnybt/IMG-20231205-103016-939-3.jpg

[imashooter2]

My experience with micro dots is limited to the Burris Fast Fire 3. I got an 8 MOA dot to shoot speed steel with. I never could get used to tracking the sight on a slide mount. Slow fire bullseye type shooting, it was great. FWIW, I have a CMORE Railway on a 15-22 and an EOTECH 512 on a 9mm AR. Rifles make it easy to track the dot at speed.

[Petander]

I never could get used to tracking the sight on a slide mount.

I hear you. We should focus on the target,not the dot. Slide mounted sights also add weight to the worst possible place,adding to muzzle flip.

Frame mounted sight behaves all differently - I have a Tanfoglio with tapped holes for a frame mount... Thinking... this whole dot thing can get seriously out of hands. Again,here you see a chinese toy sight for dry firing only.

https://i.postimg.cc/nVg0Dp0t/IMG-20231207-200632-131-2.jpg

[Petander]

Santa decided it's Aimpoint P2 in my case. Right there on the eye,quickly. I compared a few different dots. Highly personal I guess. Glock 19 gen 5 here.

Aimpoint has very neutral glass - Trijicon RMR has some magnification,a "fisheye" picture and blue tint. Most probably on purpose but I prefer neutral. Plus the obvious closed emitter.


https://i.postimg.cc/Gm7yqQp0/IMG-20231214-151744-814-2.jpg

[Half Dog]

I had a problem with glare, decided to use fiber optics.

[M-Tecs]

The best value for the money in my opinion is Holosun. https://holosun.com/

I use these https://holosun.com/products/reflex-sight/507.html

[20:1]

68 year old eyes, and pistol sights are a little bit "fuzzy", but not too bad.

I have a Sig M17/P320 that is factory cut for a Red Dot / reflex sight. Thinking of either getting the Sig Romeo 1 Pro or a Leupold Delta sight for the pistol.

I shoot hanging steel targets at our range set from 12 yards out to 50 yards. Just for fun, no competition.

I have an assortment of semi-auto pistols I plink with, just wondering your all thoughts on using red dots.

Check with SIG to see what will actually fit your slide cut. I went to great lengths to avoid SIGs Romeo 1 on my P320, I hope the Pro does indeed deal with the original sights shortcomings. I wanted an RMR footprint and had to buy an aftermarket slide to get away from it at the time. A friend had purchased a P320 RXP and had a miserable time with issues, especially battery life. Mine is a Holosun 507, I bought it because I just couldn't swing the cost of a Trijicon, and the Holosuns were working out well in the field. It's still on there, and it still works.

[Iron369]

I put red dots on all my pistols any more. I’ll never buy another one that’s not been optics cut outside of a specific gun. It takes some adjusting, but it’s worth it to me. I try to stick with the same optic with different pistols so I don’t have to think about what dot I have and if it’s on when I draw. I have a few others, but really like the holosun 407c/507c. Picture is a family portrait of 9mm Glocks with 407’s https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20231214/6b772a28a6f845fa6945d5b933b29e4d.jpg

[Petander]

My shop had no Holosuns in stock so I could not check. I admit being biased against chinese sights... And I have/ have had problem free Aimpoints in different guns since 90's. But this G19 MOS cut can take a Holosun 507 without any mounting plate so that is a plus. I sure will check them whenever they come.

These boxy looking closed Aimpoint things can be dropped in snow without problems. I shoot in snow for half of the year. Good to have options.

[Iron369]

My shop had no Holosuns in stock so I could not check. I admit being biased against chinese sights... And I have/ have had problem free Aimpoints in different guns since 90's. But this G19 MOS cut can take a Holosun 507 without any mounting plate so that is a plus. I sure will check them whenever they come.

These boxy looking closed things can be dropped in snow without problems. Good to have options.

I definitely understand not wanting to buy Chinese optics, but a lot of American made pistol options are not very reliable. (The rmr and sro seem to be pretty bomb proof) And if you have many pistols to outfit with optics, the most American optics are pretty pricey.
The g19c isn’t MOS. I had the slide milled for the optic

[Petander]

The g19c isn’t MOS. I had the slide milled for the optic

I see - my gen 5 19 is a MOS. Aimpoint uses a proper looking steel plate mount made by B&T. Not MIM. But direct milled mount is of course the best.

[schutzen-jager]

should all red dot sight be used with both eyes open ?

[winelover]

Not necessarily. Have Armson OEG's (sold by Trijicon) that you have to use both eyes because you couldn't look though the one inch tube. It's referred to the Biondon Principal.

Winelover

[Anchorite]

Holosuns appear to enjoy an excellent reputation. I have not taken the plunge just yet, but likely will in 2024. I’m seriously considering one of those XD elite models from Springfield Armory, but they come with another brand of sight.

[Anchorite]

That’s the idea. Focus on the target and not your front sight.

[Petander]

That’s the idea. Focus on the target and not your front sight.

Yes. And that gets easier every year because the front sight is disappearing anyway...

I re-learned to shoot everything with both eyes open in the 90's. A wide vision,no tension on face and a better view of what's going on. Yes even hi power scoped rifles.

[schutzen-jager]

Yes. And that gets easier every year because the front sight is disappearing anyway...

I re-learned to shoot everything with both eyes open in the 90's. A wide vision,no tension on face and a better view of what's going on. Yes even hi power scoped rifles.

me also, but now going on 8 decades i no longer can -