Optic on Shield Plus for CCW

[SavannahMan]

I thought I posted this a while ago but I don’t see it. I apologize if it posts twice.
I am looking at upgrading my Gen 1 Shield to a Shield Plus OR 3.1”. Also considering a Holosun 507k to keep my new carry gun similar to my HD gun.
Does anyone have +or- experience with optic on Shield Plus for CCW?
Also, are there + or - to alternating between guns with irons and an optic? For me the optic is easier to see, I find the dot, but I wonder about any inefficiency in bouncing between sight systems.
Thanks for any insights.

 

[NewLiberty]

I find optics to be much faster than irons, but still practice with both. However, for defensive guns, I prefer an optic, because it is faster, and works across a variety of lighting conditions.

If you are going to go with a 507K, do yourself a favor and look at the options with the ACSS Vulcan reticle. The 507K with the Vulcan is currently my EDC choice (although on a Glock 48 MOS, not a Shield plus). The Vulcan reticle eliminates the problems associated with needing to find the dot on the draw/follow up shots. If your initial sight picture through the window is off, the big circle lets you immediately correct.

 

[SavannahMan]

thanks NewLiberty. i checked out the Vulcan reticle online. Very cool. i have been using the circle and dot on my HD gun. When i go to the store tomorrow I’ll see if the ascc mode works with that view or only the triangle. thanks again.

 

[357 shooter]

I tried a Sig Romeo Zero and a 6MOA Holosun 407K on my Shield Plus. The Holosun is far and away the better sight in every way unless one had to have the smaller 3MOA of the the Sig Zero.

Neither sight would adjust to point of bullet impact shooting 4" high at 25 feet and 12" at 25 yards with elevation down as far as it would go. Both sights worked fine on a Sig P322 ,P365X and Glock 43X.

Emailed Smith customer service and they said since the open sights work fine contact Sig and Holosun. Absurd , can't see what the optics cut has to do with the open sights. Tried an angled shim and was finally able to zero the Holosun on the Shield Plus.

 

[Marshal Tom]

Hi, I have just recently gotten into the red dot sight world. I put my Shield -1 up for sale and purchased a Sig 365 X Macro and a Holosun 507K with ACSS. It is my first gun with a dot. I shoot and train with some extremely experienced long time LE firearms instructors and NRA instructors. Two have gone to the dot exclusively and say not to bounce back and forth but to stay with one platform. The other one has not gone that direction and is one of the most accomplished shooter with open sights that I have ever seen. I am currently going back and forth between the two systems, shooting a couple of different handguns and I think that my shooting is suffering for it! Another LE instructor friend of their's went to a dot exclusively and dedicated a whole year to it without putting backup irons on his gun. All now say that they would never go back to irons. I will say that at this point, I think I'm getting to the point where I shoot more accurately with the 407K but I am still slower attaining my sight picture. I think that eventually, I will go to a dot on everything and that is from someone who has shot open sights for over 50yrs.

 

[URIT]

I've been extremely interested in Leupold's DeltaPoint Micro Red Dot sight for the Shield for a variety of reasons, which I believe you'd benefit from investigating this option.

 

[Doug M.]

Based on age related vision deterioration, I am moving more and more to RDS for serious firearms. I have one on my 2 rifles that can be equipped that way, one set aside for my eventual Marlin 1894, one on my Mossberg 590, and 2 pistols w/RDS. The only real exception on pistols I carry is the older ones that have XS Big Dots.

There is a training curve to the RDS. I had to fudge a couple to get the mounting to a low enough height to be functional. The Acro on my G17 was more expensive than I planned, but the H2 was just too high to find quickly.

 

[drycreek]

I have a Crimson Trace on my EDC, which is a Shield Plus. After using and carrying it for about a year now, I won’t go back to irons. I have a retina problem in my right eye and the dot is much more accurate for me. I liked it so much that I also put a Holosun 507 on my M&P 10mm.

 

[USMCshooter]

I haven't went red dot yet as I've heard that they don't work well with astigmatism. Haven't had the opportunity to try one either. Anyone have more/better info on this?

 

[RobzGuns]

I put the Holosun EPS Carry on my Shield+. It basically has glass on both ends, to keep out dust & debris.
It works well, but with Decades of Point and Shoot behind me, I haven't really warmed up to the 'Red Dot Advantage'.

 

[NewLiberty]

I haven't went red dot yet as I've heard that they don't work well with astigmatism. Haven't had the opportunity to try one either. Anyone have more/better info on this?

This is generally true, as the dot will appear as a "cluster" for those with astigmatism.

For rifles when a customer brings this up, I usually suggest a prism optic, which gives many of the benefits of a red dot, but won't have the same issues.

However, I'm not aware of any other options for handgun optics.

 

[357 shooter]

I haven't went red dot yet as I've heard that they don't work well with astigmatism. Haven't had the opportunity to try one either. Anyone have more/better info on this?

I have astigmatism and my prescription glasses help as does not having the dot overly bright. My Holosun 407K 6MOA I can get a nice perfectly round dot while wearing my glasses. My smaller dot sights used for target shooting a little more sensitive to the brightness setting to eliminate the starry dot.

Even with astigmatism I still shoot far and away better with a dot than with open sights especially as the distance increases. At 60 years old and shooting handguns for 36 years I fired my best ever 50 yard revolver target last weekend with a 617 and Vortex Venom red dot.

 

[SavannahMan]

I purchased the Shield Plus and the Holosun 507k ACSS as suggested above by NewLiberty. NOW I’m waiting for the mounting plate to arrive tomorrow, but I have been comparing my 507k on my 365xl and the new ACSS. The 507k is perfect with my astigmatism. The ACSS center dot is a little distorted but not so much that it reduces my confidence and I really like the dynamic centering of the big circle. YT Reviews by Mr guns n gear and honest outlaw helped with my decision. Thanks for all the comments.

 

[NewLiberty]

I hope it suits your needs well.

It took less than a box of ammo for me to adapt to having the ACSS reticle with the big circle, and getting on target with it is much faster than my previous red dot, which just had a dot. It's a pretty ingenious setup.

With how the patent is owned for the reticle, Holosun is probably the only company that will be using it for a while, but it really is what a pistol red dot reticle should be.

 

[SoCalDep]

I think you made a good choice. The Shield Plus is a good gun and the 507K is a great optic. I don’t have any with the ACSS Vulcan reticle and my experience is limited since I shoot almost exclusively dot-only. That said I have well over a dozen Holosun optics and a fair amount of time with a circle-only or circle-dot reticle.

I think the big ring on the ACSS is pretty cool. I don’t use it because I’ve been using dots long enough that I don’t need the extra brain input that the big circle gives, but for someone learning I think it’s the optic equivalent of training wheels and when we learn to do things sometimes training wheels make us learn a lot faster. As adults we get mad at the thought of “training wheels” but it is in many cases the way to go to actually become proficient.

Your Shield will probably have a slide manufactured with the proper optic cut so that your optic will work right.

I’m pissed off at S&W for ever making Shield slides with the messed up sloped cut. It’s why other posters in this thread couldn’t get their optic zeroed correctly. They have supposedly fixed this but I have a “newer” purchased slide (It was gifted and purchased several months ago) that I’ll have to sent out to have fixed because (so I’ve heard) S&W won’t.

 

[Mike-AK]

I put the Holosun EPS Carry on my Shield+.

+1 on the EPS Carry. I’ve got one with a 6 MOA green dot on my Equalizer and I love it.

 

[357 shooter]

I’m pissed off at S&W for ever making Shield slides with the messed up sloped cut. It’s why other posters in this thread couldn’t get their optic zeroed correctly. They have supposedly fixed this but I have a “newer” purchased slide (It was gifted and purchased several months ago) that I’ll have to sent out to have fixed because (so I’ve heard) S&W won’t.

To manufacture a defective product and not stand behind it and make it right is why Smith has lost me as a customer for good. To choose to blame 2 different sight manufacturers is even more asinine.

 

[Marshal Tom]

As I previously posted, I have a 507K ACSS on my Sig 365 X Macro and really like it. I have recently been working with it without the ACSS turned on and am getting better at the presentations. I just purchased a Canik Mete mc that comes with a very nice mounting system and fully co witnessed sights. they are also now producing their own RDS in 3 moa that mounts directly onto the slide with no mounting plate. It also has shake awake. It's the size of a Shield but with full ambi controls, interchangeable backstops and a great trigger out of the box. I am very impressed with it so far. Being a lefty, I have been trying so sell of my guns without ambi controls and switch over. None of the Shields have had that feature.

 

[Hiwood]

I guess I am going to be the old school contrarian here. I assume your Shield Plus is for CCW use. There is no question that red dots are the current fad and all the "cool kids" are using them. True, they have advantages at longer ranges but for the defensive pistol which is typically employed at under 20' they certainly are not needed. As Pat Rogers said " the mission drives the equipment" At close range they are not faster, more accurate and in fact have certain liabilities. I will stay with iron sights on my Shield for the ruggedness & simplicity and low profile they offer. Now I'm prepared for the comments of the red dot crowd whose heads are exploding!

 

[Doug M.]

Not exploding at all, just a different experience. I used to have good vision when corrected. Now, along with other parts my body, age is impacting how well I can adjust my view to address shooting with the level of precision I think is appropriate. Most of my serious handguns have XS Big Dot sights or an RDS. The transition to RDS is not a trivial adjustment and until one has enough reps in, that dot can be hard to find in a hurry.

15 years ago I did not care about things like red dots on a pistol (my AR and shotgun have RDS). Adjusting around physical reality has changed that.