A FIRST FOR ME - NEED A RECOMMENDATION ON OPTICS FOR 1911

[chief38]

Last evening I shot a Centerfire Pistol Match for the first time in 20 years. The last time I used my Series 70 Gold Cup NM competitively, most guys used iron sights and that is still how my Pistol is (Factory GC sights).

Some of the guys at the Match recommended I get a Burris Fastfire -3 but truthfully I know virtually nothing about red dot sights (I feel like a Dinosaur on this). One thing I found out this morning is that since my Series 70 Gold Cup does NOT have a Dovetail Notch (the modern ones do) I immediately have a problem with a mount. I called the only Company who supposedly makes one (Amerigun USA) and left a message for them to call me since they are out at Shot Show now.

If anyone here has a Series 70 GC (actually from the 1970's) and has installed a Red Dot sight, I'd certainly appreciate some advise on this. Is the Burris Fastfire 3 a worthy optic or is something else a better choice? Please note, I am not interested in permanently altering the gun by drilling holes or milling out anything.

Last night I shot the 30 round slow, timed and rapid fire 50 foot bullseye match with my iron sight Gold Cup and did OK, but I was the only one there with iron sights and was obviously at a disadvantage - especially when having to fire 2 strings of 5 rounds in 10 seconds. If I do continue this style of Bullseye Shooting at Matches I will either need a Red Dot sight or another 1911, hopefully i can retrofit one onto my old Series 70.

 

[Kanewpadle]

Chief, I did a little research a while back about red dot sights. The general consensus was that there was no one size fits all. Some people were able to use a red dot immediately with no problems. Others took quite a bit of practice. A few of these folks just went out and bought what their buddies recommended instead of doing some research or shooting guns with red dots if they could.

I'm no expert by any means but I do know that you will have to consider several different options before you even buy a mount for your gun. Decide which red dot first and then see if the no drill mount will work. Some of the options will include, MOA, color of dot, dot size, brightness settings....... and more.

 

[chief38]

I did receive a return call from the owner of Amerigun about 10 minutes ago and he told me they will custom make me a Mount for the Fastfire 3 that requires no drilling, no milling and no alteration of the Slide. He told me they are about 4 - 5 weeks out on production, but the Mount would be a precise and professional job. They apparently are a family owned and operated gun machining Company and they also sell the major brands of Red Dot sighs also - so it would be a one stop shop. No FFL involved either as they only need the upper half of the Gold Cup. He said they would bore sight it so all I'd have to do is fine sight it to my eyes.

The good part is that I could also reinstall the original sight should I ever want to with the simple removal of the original roll pin. So I am contemplating doing this - I am also looking for someone who actually has one of these sights so I can try it before buying the set up.

Still opened to suggestions of anyone else has some. Again, even though I'm a seasoned shooter for 50+ years, Red Dots are all new to me.

 

[TOM BECKWITH]

Not sure this will help. I have bi-focals which work great for reading and driving - but could not see my computer screen clearly. Asked for a prescription that would give me focus for the computer. I find that I can also get focus on my pistol sights (little fuzzy on the target itself). Might consider tat approach?

 

[chief38]

Not sure this will help. I have bi-focals which work great for reading and driving - but could not see my computer screen clearly. Asked for a prescription that would give me focus for the computer. I find that I can also get focus on my pistol sights (little fuzzy on the target itself). Might consider tat approach?

My Eye Dr. is a friend and he let me come in after hours so I could bring in a gun to use to select lenses. What we came up with are a pair of glasses that are perfect for pistol shooting only! Useless for reading, driving and watching TV, but great for target shooting.

It was just trial and error, but persistence paid off. Never tried them on the computer but I don't really need them for that purpose.

The iron sights on my Colt GC are not fuzzy (with my glasses), it's just that shooting 5 rounds in 10 seconds (rapid fire) is hard to do accurately with the iron sights. When the targets turn toward us it takes about a second for them to stabilize, so I really only have 9 seconds for the 5 shots. Tie that together with shooting with one hand bullseye style and I believe I'd do better with the Red Dot. I NEVER thought I'd say that - I MUST be getting old!

 

[Mdclinks]

You could go to a LGS and try to get your hands on a Sig Sauer pistol in the RX model(come with a mini red dot/reflex sight from factory) and see if you like the idea. Springfield has the XDM with a Vortex Venom sitting on to of them but they are harder to find it seems.

 

[Tony C.]

I had a Burris Fastfire 3 installed on the slide of my .45 ACP Colt 1911 70 series bullseye pistol a few years ago, after a few hundred rounds its not able to hold zero, and I'm not shooting heavy loads, may be I got a bad one, it now sit on a .22 pistol and it works OK.

I also tried the Vortex Venom and Viper, I have 4 of them on various target pistols due to my ageing eyes are getting hard to focus on the iron sight, they all seems to works better then the Burris, none has any issues. Also I think Burris sell a sight base for Fastfire sight that has different base to fit various makes of 1911 sight slots, Vortex sights will fit them as well.

You may also want to consider the Bushnell TRS 25 or UltraDot red dot sight, no need to drill or alter your pistol if you use a grip mount, I personally prefer the Ultradot due to its 30mm tube size and the dot is clear and round, unlike some cheap RD the dot is fuzzy, but it will added a few oz. of weight to your pistol.

 

[OIF2]

I've used Ultadots for bullseye and have several. My preferred electronic sight.
Bob

 

[chief38]

Tony C.

That is great info! I WILL definitely make sure others in my Club are not having the same issue with that particular sight. If they are I will look into the others you recommended. From what I understand, it's key to have a rock solid mount.

 

[H Richard]

I recommend you talk to all the club members you shoot with and possibly try their guns with a variety of sights. If not for thr red dot I wouldn't have been shooting my bullseye league the past 10 years. I have gone thriugh several types of sights, and hzve had a Burris FF3 the lasr three years. Keep in mind red dot come in different size dots. The 3 minute dot works fine indoor, but can be difficult to see in bright daylight. The FF3 has a manual brightness control (which you want). A FF 2 has a "auto" brightness thar some like, plus has a 4 minute dot. Try and .ook at them all and ask questions.

Would appreciate a PM on contact inf of that company making the 70 GC no drill mounts.

Please excuse the typing my computer js in the shop, znd i'm using my tablet.

 

[stu1ritter]

Chief, I'll also vouch for UltraDot. This Curtis built 1911 probably has 60,000 rounds through it, all UltraDot sighted. They just don't break. But, I have another question. At least this is my experience. I eventually stopped using the dot and went back to iron sights and a good glasses Rx that worked for the front sight. Remember the basics in Bullseye shooting, you develop a platform that the gun rests on. Ever shoot a rapid fire Leg match with issued ball ammo? You don't see the target after the first round due to the smoke cloud. You are shooting from muscle memory, the gun on your platform and sight alignment. That's the rapid fire skill. Not so much seeing the target at all, but rather the sights. I found, with the dot, that I could not stop my eye from wandering between the dot and the target, oftentimes, catching it half way between. I think this is a big drawback to the dot and please to remember, very high scores have been fired with iron sights. With iron sights I know full well when my eye is not on the front sight!!

Stu

 

[Tony C.]

Here is a link to the Burris RD sight mounts that will also fit Vortex sights;

FastFire™ Mounts | Burris Optics

Here is a link for the 1911 grip mount @ Brownell if you don't want to have the slide or frame drilled:

AIMTECH 1911 GRIP SCOPE MOUNT | Brownells

Like others has suggested, have a close look other shooters RD equipped pistols before you decided, Ultradot is an excellent sight, the dot size can be adjusted from 2-8 moa on some models, the down side is several oz. of weight is added to the pistol and if its mount on the slide like the picture in previous posts, you'll either need to up the powder charge or use a lighter recoil spring.

3 moa dot seems a bit on the small side to my liking for bullseye shooting, I prefer at least 5 moa, also unlike shooting iron sight, you FOCUS on the target when shoot with RD, not the dot.

Hope this help, good luck.