Red Dot Optic slide cut

[danglin]

With my failing eyes, I want to try a RD optic for my main carry, the Smith & Wesson M&P 9 M2.0 9mm 3.6" Compact : #11688.
Glock has a slide cut service in house, but the milling for S&W handguns seems to be from various aftermarket machine shops.

Has anyone used one of these or are there shops in particular that are known to do good work?
Looking for first hand experiences.
Search function didn't show very much

 

[Jsmith1]

I did get to handle a factory cut 2.0 compact at a lgs the other day. It was very hard to pass on it. It had full front serrations and tall sights. Maybe that is the easier solution. Who can't use another gun?

 

[WR Moore]

Check out Bowie Tactical Concepts. Add a dotcom. Ask about getting supressor sights sighted in. Mine shoots high with the irons, but I've got a milling machine to solve that issue.

The RDS does make worlds of difference in shot placement in 20+ yard shooting. Down in the 5 yard world of actual engagements, it's kind of a wash. It's also going to require lots of practice to get the optic lined up with your eye quickly.

I'll warn you, the RDS adds considerable bulk and makes holster purchase and concealment something of a problem. Many available holsters are aimed at the competition crowd and while they meet the rules, they're not really real world concealable, they don't pull the gun butt into the body.

IMHO. given your carry piece, it does seem a bit much. Yes, there are small RDSs, but that's also what you need to look through to see your target. It does need to have some size.

 

[Turq]

My eyes are also bad. I have a 4" 1911 and a Shield 2.0 9mm, with red dots on them. My Kimber 1911 was purchased with the optic included. For my Shield I sent the slide to be milled at SAS Tactical. He did a good job, the prices were good but the turnaround time was kind of long. He let's you know that upfront. Hopefully you have a back up. Also on the Shield there is not enough room to co-witness, so he had to mill out the the rear dove tail. That shouldn't be a problem for the compact.

I won't carry without a red dot anymore, no looking back for me. No use carrying if you're not going to hit what you need to. For my 1911 I got a Dara holster and it works fine. For my Shield I took a dremel to my Alien Gear IWB and it also works great. The compact M&P now has an optic ready option, which I am very interested in. Good luck

 

[VikingDude]

Why not sell the M&P you have now and buy a new one that already is optics ready from S&W? I would rather go that route instead of getting someone to mill the slide since you will loose the factory warranty.

 

[Doug M.]

Try Mark at L&M Precision. There are not as many folks doing slide cuts for RDS for the S&Ws as there are for Glocks, but they are out there.

 

[danglin]

Why not sell the M&P you have now and buy a new one that already is optics ready from S&W? I would rather go that route instead of getting someone to mill the slide since you will loose the factory warranty.

I only know of the recently announced Compact M&P 2.0 with the 4 inch barrel. #13143. Are there others? I guess there are a couple Performance Series models also.

Thanks

David

 

[CB3]

Generic factory slide cuts made for a variety of red dot footprints are a downgrading compromise to start your project. Choose your red dot; have the slide properly milled; it will be secure, low, and provide you with the confidence you need to carry your gun outfitted with the best.

 

[sandog]

Check out Velocity Engineering. They are known for AR triggers but have a slick looking, no mill base for a RDS that goes in the rear sight dovetail.
I'd provide a link but my mouse just bit the dust and I'm having trouble trying to copy and paste.

 

[WR Moore]

Tried a dovetail mount. They're way high and there's no practical way to get backup iron sights. OK for range toy, not for serious use.

 

[VikingDude]

I only know of the recently announced Compact M&P 2.0 with the 4 inch barrel. #13143. Are there others? I guess there are a couple Performance Series models also.

Thanks

David

No, they just have compact with 4” barrel that are optics ready.

 

[sandog]

Tried a dovetail mount. They're way high and there's no practical way to get backup iron sights. OK for range toy, not for serious use.

That's how I look upon dot equipped pistols, fine for the range or competition, but not for "serious" use.
I prefer a green laser over any dot.
Way faster and easier to get on target, heck you don't even have to have the pistol brought up to eye level to be able to see where the bullet will go.

 

[CB3]

That's how I look upon dot equipped pistols, fine for the range or competition, but not for "serious" use.
I prefer a green laser over any dot.
Way faster and easier to get on target, heck you don't even have to have the pistol brought up to eye level to be able to see where the bullet will go.

You’re entitled to your opinion, but it is not based on facts.

Red dots on pistols (and carbines) are in use by your own military branch, special forces, police departments, SWAT teams, tactical trainers, and many, many others who take shooting at people very seriously. Lasers have their place too. However, dismissing red dots as not for serious use says more about your understanding of red dots than about their usefulness, or lack thereof.

This thread should not devolve into a laser vs RDS discussion, but invalidating RDS use generally would be an uphill battle if you opened another thread.

 

[sandog]

Well, you'll notice I never said that an RDS on a pistol is not a viable option for some, and in use with people that carry everyday in harms way.
I merely said that I don't prefer a dot on a pistol.
I do have them on several carbines.

Agreed that a dovetail mount will sit up higher. By sitting on the slide, inside of being milled down into it, it will be a good 3/16" higher.

But I can see where someone who wanted to try a dovetail mount to see if they'd like it an RDS on their pistol could do so by paying the $50, and have a mount that they could do themselves without sending their gun off to a company that does milling, and altering their gun permanently.
If they like the RDS and decide to go ahead and mill the slide they could always sell the dovetail adapter and get some of that $50 back.

I can see the attraction of a no-gunsmith-needed mount for someone who wants to try out an RDS on their pistol.

I think a pistol RDS is not for me from trying one, for others they might work fine.
I bought a Ruger MK IV pistol last year and it came with a top rail.
First thing i did was put one of my FastFires on it.
I found there was a delay in picking up the dot, if the pistol was canted a bit, it took me a couple seconds to locate it.

Someone mentioned that a tube style dot is easier to acquire the dot quickly so I tried a cheap Tasco I had.
The tube was a little better, but I ended up taking the dot off altogether.
i found moving the dot out further on the rail was easier to acquire than having it clear to the back.

I don't have an issue with a dot on my carbines, most of them have a dot.
I shoulder it and get my cheek on the stock, and I'm looking right through the screen at the dot, no delay or having to shift the gun around.
Maybe I'm too old and set in my ways, but I find the green laser to be much faster, for me.

 

[Doug M.]

The relatively slight difference in height for different mounting options can make a huge difference in the presentation. I had an Aimpoint Micro on a Glock 17, and the first shot time was awful. After I got my 4" Shield with RDS, I saw the difference the height made, and spent the money to change to an Acro on the Glock. While the dovetail mount will allow some primitive idea of what could happen, it is not really a valid test for serious use.

 

[Regulator]

Red Dot plus Green Laser

No reason why you can't have both a red dot and the green laser, thus giving you the best of both worlds. I 've had that setup on a H&K VP9SK for years and just picked up a S&W M&P 2.0 Compact 9mm, optic ready, and I'm going to rig it out the same way. Gives the weapon a little more bulk, but not much. I don't find the slight added bulk a problem at all and the added versatility of the gun is a definite plus. I'm 88, and I find that my eyeballs need a little assist from time to time. Works for me. Good shooting, guys!