BH and red dot

Winelover

North Central Arkansas
Had mounted a Bushnell First Strike red dot on my 45 LC BH, that I picked up on sale, for a song ($68) a couple of years ago. MSRP is $143......coincidentally, there was a right up in in the June 2017 American Rifleman. They gave it high marks...... "it is durable, reliable and, best of all, affordable." POS in my opinion.

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I don't think it lasted 200 rounds of Ruger "only" loads. I suspected the elevation and windage settings were wandering. The last straw was when the lens developed a chip in the upper right edge, after the first shot, a few days ago.

The load:

RCBS 255 SWC PB (sized .452)
R/P yellow brass (on it's 24th reloading)
17.0 grains of 2400 (practice load....have used 19.0 for hunting)
CCI 250 Magnum primers

Anyway, with deer season, around the corner. I need a replacement red dot. I had an UltraDot, laying around and a set of Weaver rings. I'm not really a UltraDot fan but a decent red dot with 1" ring mounts are not very common. Used to be on a compound bow.

Mounted it and did the initial site in, yesterday.

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Shot off a camera tripod, inside my blind at around 60 yards. The first three shots, high left, were before adjusting the sight. The 4 minute dot, just about, covers the blackened bull. I'm not a long distance hand gunner. Have carbines for that, application.

See, Rick...I do, sometimes pay attention.;)
 

Rick

Moderator
Staff member
Once I figured out the only way I could align the sights anymore was via brail I also went to red dots on the revolvers. First thing I learned using red dots at least for me is that red dots are not for shooting groups. Yep, the dot covers up the whole black bulls eye making it impossible to repeat sight alignment from shot to shot. Getting on target is a big plus but I need to settle for short range groups just like you posted here. Getting old is not for sissies.
 

Brad

Benevolent Overlord and site owner
Staff member
For a field shooting position I would say it works. Certainly capable of handling a deer.
And yes, you do pay attention. Sometimes.
 

Brad

Benevolent Overlord and site owner
Staff member
Same reason I used one on my Marlin 45 Colt for hogs when I went to TX years back. Good in low light and excellent for fast target acquisition.
 

fiver

Well-Known Member
the low end red dots are built for 22lr's at best.
I tried a BSA on my 375 marlin.
it took me longer to install it than it lasted on the gun.
 

DHD

Active Member
I've moved from Bowen rear sights to red dot's on all of my Blackhawk's. As with rifles, you do get what you pay for in optics quality. Not trying to be a snob (well maybe an optics snob) but about the least expensive red dot on any of my BH's is a Burris Fastfire III. So far it has taken a pounding from heavy 45 Colt loads out of a 5 1/2" Bisley and keeps zero and has had no other issues. My Trijicon RMR's have a more perfect dot, but the Burris and a Vortex Venom have held up well.

FWIW, I use 3 moa dot's (+/-) on everything and have really been impressed with the accuracy potential of the RBH revolvers. Of course I take a lot of time in my casting and loading only quality ammo. I don't do any high volume shooting so don't load any blasting ammo.

I don't know your (OP) financial situation, but try a better quality red dot with the smaller sized dot and then see how much you like them for accuracy work. There is an individual on RugerForum.com that sells a smaller red dot mount for about $40 that I use exclusively as it is small and blends well with the topstrap.
 
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Winelover

North Central Arkansas
Don't even recommend them on 22's, especially those with reciprocating bolts. IE......Ruger 10-22's or the handgun that launched their empire. Both of my examples, I had to spot weld a bead as a stop to prevent scopes from walking forward......due to "jack hammer" effect. This was before Ruger went to Weaver style slotted bases. The old style "tip off" mounts. I can just imagine what happens to a scopes innards, with that constant hammering.

I'm spoiled when it comes to red dots. Been using them since the early 80's. Namely, Armson/Trijicon offerings. I started with an original OEG and in nothing flat, I had accumulated a half dozen of them. The MSRP was $160 but could be had for $99. No batteries, totally automatic and constantly on.....no fiddling. Recoil proof.......I mounted them on Ruger Redhawk (Keith loads), Blackhawk (Ruger only loads) Remington 1100 slug gun, two compound bows and a Ruger Mark II target. Sadly, Trijicon doesn't support (relamp) them. Consequently, I have a small fortune tied up in Warne and Leupold QD 1" rings.....resulting in my quest for replacements with 1" tubes.

Then I progressed to their Accu-point line of conventional scopes. Have two, a 3 x 9 on a 308W bolt gun and a 1 x 4 on a 338W Magnum. Both alive and well. Next up are two of their full size Reflex's....the original has a 1 MOA dot (Special Forces model) and a newer model with an amber chevron for an aiming point. Both are capable of fine accuracy, due to the very small dot or by using the very tip/apex of the chevron.

Recently, purchased a Sig 320 RX Compact. Comes standard with their Romeo 1 miniature reflex optic. Optics Planet sells the Romeo 1 for $299...without the base. Not inexpensive, by any means. Guess what? The optic is going back, Sig gives a lifetime warranty on them. Have about 1K rounds through the gun and have had the dot go out on numerous occasions, while practicing.
 

KHornet

Well-Known Member
More power to those of you who hand gun big game regardless of the sights. I will stick with
rifle, as my deer killing potential accuracy wise with a handgun would probably be a max of
20 yds. Regardless, I know my physical limitations, and try hard to stay within them. Sometimes
wonder why I carry a handgun when deer hunting, probably more habit than anything else.

Paul
 

Intheshop

Banned
To me Red Dots = low light and/or very fast acquisition.The ___(whatever those little light gathering plastic tubes are called) Fr sight on my BH,is just as good for me in good light and a much finer hold ability.2X Luepold on Python with a solid rest and O.K. light is much better at holding a tight sight pic.
 

Winelover

North Central Arkansas
First scope I mounted on my 6" Python was a 2X Luepold.....promptly replaced it with a red dot, when I realized that I couldn't see the cross hairs until way after the deer bedded down for the day.:rolleyes: Still laying around here, pretty much unused.
 

DHD

Active Member
Winelover,
You hit on the main issue with me regarding hunting with a scoped handgun. The only riflescope I hunt with (I hunt seldomly these days anyway) that doesn't have an illuminated reticle is a Kahles 3-12×56 with a heavy reticle. You can still see it past when you should be calling it a day. That scope is as big as a handgun so.....

I feel the newer tiny red dot's with no larger than a 3 MOA dot is my future for handguns. Battery life gets longer and longer and they seem to be able to take a beating. All I demand/expect is for them to illuminate the dot and maintain zero, nothing more or less. My need for the handguns to look good too is being handled with finely fitted and highly figured stocks/grips. Since they work so well, form follows function.
 

fiver

Well-Known Member
All I demand/expect is for them to illuminate the dot and maintain zero, nothing more or less. form follows function.
that's all I ask of pretty much anything.
I'm still not shocked when things built now days can't/won't do that.
price point my butt, just make it work, I will pay the extra 10.99$
 

DHD

Active Member
You and me both ($10.99)! My first mini red dot was the Fastfire III and the next was the Venom. Of the 2, I prefer the Venom due to the shape of the aperture. The last one I bought was the Trijicon RMR that I bought during the Cabelas closeout. Should have bought 2. I tend to go all in when I start a project and it seems that is happening now.
 

waco

Springfield, Oregon
Too bad Oregon has such strict hunting laws. It is illegal to hunt with any battery powered illuminated reticle here.
Rifle
Handgun
Shotgun
Bow
:(:mad::confused:
 

fiver

Well-Known Member
we have an any weapons season here, it's traditionally the rifle season.
if you wanna drop out of a tree with a knife in your teeth [shrug] or throw a spear, or use a 50 BMG of a bi-pod,, go for it.
they done that so you could use an AR or other 'assault type' rifle with a 20-50 rd magazine as a hunting rifle.

all you needed to 'transport' a handgun in your vehicle at any time of the year was a hunting license.
that one pre-dated the constitutional carry law which allows you to carry one pretty much wherever you want.
only now you can carry it on your person.
 

Intheshop

Banned
Oops,I generally work on accuracy FIRST,then go hunting.Red Dots in my hands aren't up to custom irons or a decent scope for getting required acc.Sorry for the interruption.
 

Full.lead.taco

Active Member
I've had good luck with the vortex red dots. The Venom is nice because the battery comes out from the top (you don't have to remove the sight just to get to the battery--and then have to rezero). The Sparc II is a nice optic for the price too. Both have lifetime warranties. I like my Ultradot as well, and it has held up extremely well over the years on multiple magnum revolvers.
 

Winelover

North Central Arkansas
Have a SPARC......it's OK but doesn't impress me. Battery gets low it won't come on. I've had the optic shut off while hunting, resting in my lap. I'm LH and when mounted on the BH.....it would come on in the Uncle Mike's shoulder holster when it shouldn't. Right now it's mounted on my 357 Rossi lever......just used for varmint control. I don't like manual switches or rheostats. Trijicon, spoiled me...no batteries, no switches, always on for instant use.