Sight research

[robfrommaine]

I'm looking into buying a scope sight for my Mk. III to use this winter for indoor target shooting. The club I joined participates in Postal League competitions. One member encouraged me to check it out and I thought I would. Done a bit of research on the red dot style, but not a lot.

Any recommendations/advice greatly appreciated.

Thanks

P.S. Being 54, my eyes ain't what they used to be. My distance vision is fine but, like a lot of people I use reading glasses. Not sure how that figures into the mix when looking into scope sights.

 

[blume357]

That problem with your eyes should not be a problem since the eye relief on any type of handgun scope/optic is going to be your arm's length.

The first thing you need to decide is whether you want some type of optic that gives you a sighting reticle but no increase in power...like most of the red dots out there.

If you start going with an optic that has some power... 2-3 is probably it and as with all things, you get what you pay for. Then again, you might want to go with a cheap low cost one to start, just to see how it feels and if this will work for you.

I've had a number of scopes and red dots on my MKIII but I tend to go back to basic sights... even though I did put high visibility 'iron / fiber optic) sights on mine.

 

[contender]

Red dot types of sights are excellent for quicker sighting on a target, AND allowing you to make good shots. Especially for aging eyes. (I'll turn 53 next week.) The smaller the MOA of the dot, the easier it will be to see the smaller targets or the center of a bullseye. We use several types of sights around here. Red dots, lasers, fiber optics, and plain post & notch types. It all depends upon what will work for you.

 

[robfrommaine]

Thank you for your advice, blume357 & contender. I think I need to shoot more w/ the stock sights first and get used to the new thumb rest grip, and then make to move prob. to a red dot.

As Vince Lombardi said, "Perfect practice makes perfect."

 

[Kevin]

I'd also vote in favor of a red dot. It wouldn't be as heavy as a scope, plus indoors it would be easier to see than a reticle of a scope. I've had a bushnell scope and an ultra dot, which was no e but not sure if it's worth then money. I have read good things about burris. I'm mostly impressed with how light weight and compact they are, such as the fast fire.

 

[Kevin]

Sorry, Bushnell red dot, not a scope. It was the model where you could change from a dot to a plus sign or a circle as well as change the size. 4 to 6 or 8 perhaps.

 

[robfrommaine]

Thanks, Kevin. Yeah, I'll be looking for something light. I don't want to make my Mk. III any heavier. It feels like a cannon compared to my SR9c, LOL. I went to opticsplanet.com. They have a HUGE selection of red dots, priced from stupidly low to insanely high. I'll be doing some homework on this one.

 

[Sal1950]

I've got a Tasco red dot on mine and I love it. I'm 61 and my eyes have the same issues as most of us over 50 and a red dot just makes it easy and fun.
My Tasco is a "stupidly cheap" one but look at the reviews on it at OpiticsPlanet or MidwayUSA, 4 1/2 - 5 stars by loads of owners. For about $35 to get your feet wet you can't go wrong. Bought mine just to see if I would like it before spending any serious money but after shooting with it for a while I haven't found anything I don't like about it enough to upgrade.
A little bulky and heavy but the weight is way back in the gun just over the grip so it doesn't contribute to a muzzle heavy feel and you hardly notice it.
Sal

 

[Rumrunner]

I just put a Bushnell TRS-25 on my MK III 22/45. I had to come back to work early so I haven't shot it yet, but I also have one on my Mossberg Turkey gun that I shoot slugs with. Been impressed with it so far, and the one on my 22/45 feels great. The other red dot that I have a couple of is the UltraDot. I have them on my Redhawk 44 and my Mini-14. I love the UltraDots, but am starting to go with the smaller and lighter Bushnell TRS-25.
My 58 year old vision sucks at distance but is good up close. This make using sights a PITA. When I shoot my scoped rifles I usually dont use my glasses. When I shoot my pistols with scopes I usually use them, and when I use red dots I have to have them on to see a fine dot. Otherwise I see a red starfish pattern.

 

[robfrommaine]

Great info - thanks, guys. Heck, I just spent $36 for two boxes of CCI "green tag" comp. ammo. If I can get a red dot sight for about the same? Sounds like a good deal to me!

I don't know if "green tag" .22lr shoots any better than their standard stuff. It should, it costs twice as much!

 

[tiger955]

Like Sal I have a cheap Tasco red dot I bought just to see if I would like it. It looks kind of clumsy and awkward on my Mark III target but does not affect the feel or balance of the gun. I have to say, it does work well, I just have to get used to turning it off when I am done shooting. The zero magnification is a plus on a handgun in my book.
I had a 2.5 power scope on a TC Contender a while back and it was hard to shoot without a good rest. The slightest bump or tremor and those crosshairs were jumping all over the place.

 

[Coop]

I have been using a $30.00 BSA red dot sight (RD30) on my Mark II Target pistol in my basement 10 meter range for about 6 years now. I have an older Mark II that was not drilled and tapped for a scope. I acquired a "no gunsmith" Weaver rail right grip panel (Aimtech??) for my Mark II. Works real good. Left grip panel has a thumbrest.

Coop

PS: BTW, I am 68 years old with very terrible eyesight. The red dot sight is terrific. At 10 meters I can put ten shots into a 3/4" diameter orange dot sticky on a paper plate. I use the #5 setting on the BSA red dot sight.