Trade-in/up or mill - optic-cut for 9mm 2.0C

I have 2 2.0Cs (4" 9mm) - one high round count for IDPA and training classes and the other for carry.

I'm starting to get the itch to try a red-dot and considering a few options.

1) Send the slide on the high-round count pistol out for milling. Seems like the lowest initial investment, but I have to commit to a single footprint for the mount with milling, right? Any particular mounting option becoming the "standard"?
2) Sell the high-round count pistol and buy a new optics ready version. I get the flat trigger upgrade plus the multi-footprint mounting plate. Gut math to me feels that even after consignment fees (will sell via LGS to not have to bother with low-ballers, tire kickers, etc.), that if I am patient and wait for a sale/rebate that this might be a lower total cost that option 1.
3) Sell nothing and buy a new one. While my heart likes this option, I'm running out of safe room and I still need to buy the optic. As much as I want to, I just can't go with this option.

From the above, I'm close to talking myself into option 2 but wanted to get some input on my thought process and see if there are any other options that did not make my list.

Thanks

When possible, I like to avoid having to use a mounting plate for a pistol optic. One less potential failure point, and generally you can get the optic lower.

If you choose the optic you want, and have the slide milled for that cut. The downside is then you will then be limited to that footprint, or will need to use an adapter plate.

Holosun SCS. I am predicting this will become the standard.

Buy a(nother OR...) bigger safe and all your real problems are solved!

Cheers!

P.S. Just buy the new optic-ready one: you'll find out if you like it OR can sell it later with no problem if you don't.

I had a HellCat that was not Red Dot ready. I found another Hellcat with a Shield Red Dot on it and was able to trade my old pistol in on it for $75. The pistol shows a little wear on the slide. Also no plate
The cost to have the slide milled plus all the other things added was over $200. And you still have an old pistol!

Equus said:

Holosun SCS. I am predicting this will become the standard.

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Hopefully, for civilian EDCs, iron sights will remain the standard.

ISCS Yoda said:

Hopefully, for civilian EDCs, iron sights will remain the standard.

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I don’t believe the subject of this thread was about milling a slide for iron sights.

2 of my M&P 2.0's are optics ready, and my 2.0 45 had to be milled by Nameless arms for a 407k, and I prefer it over the others.

Fits tight to the slide with zero play, and sits lower.

The other 2 I have that are optics ready have had no issues as of yet with the 9mm having 2000 rds on it, and the 10mm having 1050 on it, but I like and trust a milled slide that fits the optic more.

Like I said I have had no problems with the optics ready slides but from here on out I will be getting my slides milled to whatever particular optic I will be using, because I do read about quite a few problems with universal optic ready slides that use plates.

I have started to go in that direction so I have been selling off guns that are not optics ready and aquiring ones that are. Just yesterday a purchased a wonderful little Canik Mete mc9.It's the size of a Shield with a 12 and 15rd mag included, optics ready with full ambi controls. I'm a lefty so I have also been trying to go to guns with ambi controls. It has a great out of the box trigger, a light rail and interchangeable backstraps. They also started producing their own small red dots for it and the interesting thing is that it mounts so low that it completely co-witnesses with the original sights, no mounting plate required. I also have a Sig 365 X Macro with a Holosun 507K X2 mounted on it.Canik apparently designed their mounting system to be very tight and secure. Several of my fellow shooters have sent their slides out for specific milling for the sight that they were mounting with ver good results. Some require mounting plates and some do not. Each to their own

option 4) buy a mounting plate that installs where the rear sight is and mount the red dot to it. If you decide you like using a red dot you can THEN send it out to be cut.

I agree that you want a red dot sight that goes directly to the slide without an adapter plate. Out of 20 handguns I have two with red dot sights and I may get some more but I'm not in a hurry because I still like shooting iron sights. I love the circle with dot reticle on the Holosun, and also the "shake to wake", and side loading battery compartment. Buy a gun with factory milled slot, you can always sell other guns for a decent price even in a slow market like we have now.

Update:
Was at the range/LGS today and discussed my plan. The gear junkie behind the counter recommended a local group that does slide work, milling, etc. Said they are primarily a glock shop but gave me their number, so I may be going to a milled cut for the Holosun style of bases instead of the trading up plan.

Have it milled for the factory mounting plates. You can buy the one you need from S&W. Use the correct screws and they won't fail. And remember, a screw needs 3 complete threads to fasten correctly. Expose 4-5 to be on the safe side.

I have a lot of optic equipped pistols. Enough that I don’t know the exact number, but it’s a lot. I use and teach with the factory Glock MOS, S&W CORE, Optic Ready, and ACRO direct, Staccato, Springfield Prodigy, a couple aftermarket manufacturers (Agency Syndicate and Unity ATOM) and I have some milled stuff done by Agency Arms as well as Maple Leaf.

Both milling and factory have their advantages, so I’ll give my thoughts, but you really can’t go wrong with your decision.

If you decide to mill, you’ll get the most secure mounting option (assuming it’s done right). You limit your choices of optics, but if you’re not one to switch optics a lot it isn’t a big deal. Having used a ton of optics and being involved in the industry a lot I’d submit that all of the optics have similar attributes and the minutiae of what is best has a lot of “noise” in the debate. I say that because if you make a choice of milling for a good optic your pistol will work well.

If you go plate system via factory or aftermarket like the Agency AOS you get options at the expense of (a little) better guarantee of function (in terms of mounting).

I agree that milling for a specific optic is best if you know that optic is what you will use. I think the factory options work well when mounted correctly and I have a lot of experience and would be happy to debate that with... anyone and everyone. The Glock MOS works great if you know how to mount it. The S&W system works great (even better). The vast majority of my optic pistols have factory plate systems (many with aftermarket plates) and they have lots of rounds through them. Some have tens of thousands of rounds. I also have had the opportunity to watch and officially track how optic equipped pistols function over around a five year period. If someone thinks it sucks they read it somewhere and don’t have experience, they suck, or their experience is insufficient to make an objective determination.

So with that I think both options are valid. Were it my decision, another option is always something I’d justify, so I’d go with the buy another gun option. That said, milling is going to be less expensive. My 5” tan M&P got milled for an EPS by Maple Leaf for something less than $200 and it was SUPER well done.

The biggest issue is to learn to use the optic correctly. Training is best but just like the act of buying a firearm in the first place - go America - we get to decide what to do and there’s that “in the mean time” or the budget issues or whatever... There are ways to learn the right way on your own through dry and live fire and once you decide your equipment option if you have questions regarding how to build skill I have a bit of experience and would be more than happy to provide information if you ever want to PM.

I just went through this, although I had the add on of moving up to the Metal full size (what a sweet firearm) from my 2.0 compact, but I really don't have a use case for it. I really like my compact and it has a low round count. The numbers worked out in favor of the milling so I went with Jagerwerks and the 507C optic cut. Take a look at their order page. You can send them the slide and everything else and they will assemble and laser align everything for you. Going to be a tough wait.

why can Glock sell their MOS pistols with metal plates, or $20 for a set online from Glock, but S&W uses plastic plates, and a single aftermarket one starts at at least $30 for a janky one? Kind of embarassing S&W would do this.

Anyway, I'd buy a new optics-ready 2.0, and sell your old one when the new one is fully up and running. Unless you are dealing with something like a Sig P226/229 or HK USP or Smith 3rd gen, then I'd mill.

UPDATE: I went with the milling option. 3.5 week turn around from Alpha Omega Armament (Alpha Omega Armament – Guns, Ammo, Freedom). Milled for a Holosun 507C. Went to the range and got zero'd in. The dot started getting lose after about 20 rounds. A couple of drops of LocTite is not a real issue. The milling was spot on and the cerakote I chose is virtually indistinguishable from the factory finish.

I am pleased. The math on selling and buying v. getting milled ended up about $30 in favor of milling and I get a direct milled mounting instead of an adjustable plate that balances flexibility with durability. I think I made the right choice, but without going down both paths, who knows.

Thanks to everyone for helping me think through this project!

Now for a bunch of dry fire practice so that I can stop having to chase the dot on presentation.

No milling needed, Leupold Deltapoint micro. Just knock out the rear sight and mount. I have one on my 2.0 5" FDE. LOVE IT. Might take a little getting used to though. Not the traditional Red Dot. You can use it just above or right on the front sight. Kinda like a co-witness but not. With the other red dots you use the dot independent of the iron sights and in case the dot goes down you use the sights. With Leupold, if the dot goes down, you have 2 dots that act as the rear sight.

Dahak said:

UPDATE: I went with the milling option. 3.5 week turn around from Alpha Omega Armament (Alpha Omega Armament – Guns, Ammo, Freedom). Milled for a Holosun 507C. Went to the range and got zero'd in. The dot started getting lose after about 20 rounds. A couple of drops of LocTite is not a real issue. The milling was spot on and the cerakote I chose is virtually indistinguishable from the factory finish.

I am pleased. The math on selling and buying v. getting milled ended up about $30 in favor of milling and I get a direct milled mounting instead of an adjustable plate that balances flexibility with durability. I think I made the right choice, but without going down both paths, who knows.

Thanks to everyone for helping me think through this project!

Now for a bunch of dry fire practice so that I can stop having to chase the dot on presentation.

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I agree you made the right choice. It will take some getting used to. Work on your presentation, draw, ready up, ect: It takes around a thousand repetitions to create muscle memory.

When I first got into dots on my pistols it was a bit of a learning curve. Everything was great at first when I just brought it to the range the first few times and just “Target shot” with it. When I wanted to start to get more fancy with it as stated above, drawing etc. etc. I started to lose the dot sometimes and started getting a little bit frustrated.

You know why? My presentation sucked, and everyone does this and the iron sights hide it pretty good but when you start to use a dot on top of your pistol it opens up a whole new world, and exposes all your flaws. This is why most have a hard time switching over to dot on their pistols and a lot of them don't want to admit it sometimes.

Just stick with it and you're gonna get it, and you're gonna love it, and you're never gonna wanna go back.

Racer X said:

why can Glock sell their MOS pistols with metal plates, or $20 for a set online from Glock, but S&W uses plastic plates, and a single aftermarket one starts at at least $30 for a janky one? Kind of embarassing S&W would do this.

Anyway, I'd buy a new optics-ready 2.0, and sell your old one when the new one is fully up and running. Unless you are dealing with something like a Sig P226/229 or HK USP or Smith 3rd gen, then I'd mill.

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Because their metal plates are terrible. Come warped, or later break. They are not quality metal plates like aftermarket ones. S&W’s system is better even with plastic plates.