Red-dot sight on my 586-8

[AZDuncan]

At 70+ years of age, my vision has deteriorated, and although it still corrects to 20-20 with bifocal glasses, I find it difficult to focus on the front sights of my S&W 625-8 and 586-8 revolvers. I recently got prescription shooting glasses with the left lens focused to infinity and right (my dominant eye) focused to 28 inches. They help by bringing the front sight into focus. But without bifocal lenses I can no longer read fine print or do fine work (e.g., adjust sights) at the shooting range.

Today I found a better solution when I installed and sighted in a Vortex Venom Red-Dot sight on my 586. I mounted the Venom to the 586 using a black Allchim mini STS mount. I would have preferred to use a Raptor Engineering mount, but they do not come in black, which I wanted to go with my classic blued revolver.

The Venom red dot works fine with my bifocal glasses. I can focus on near and distant targets, and still see the red dot clearly. A huge improvement.

With the Venom dot installed today I easily shot my best ever 25-yard groups with the 586. Gotta recommend that others with similar vision issues give this a try.

 

[rbmorse]

I've got a JPoint on my 986. Agree with your assessment.

 

[zogger]

Thanks for the post! I am looking into putting a Venom on my 325 Thunder Ranch and was considering various mounts. The Allchim mount looks like what I want.

 

[Teep]

I went down that road a year ago, also over 70. The Venom is a wonderful solution to being able to shoot accurately again. Now if someone would just start making K and L frame holsters for the small red dot sights.

 

[zogger]

BTW-Did you get the 3 MOA or the 6 MOA sight?

 

[AZDuncan]

Three MOA, and it's working fine for me. Most of my shooting is at paper targets from 10 to 25 yards.

 

[H Richard]

For outdoor use I'd recommend the larger dot. The 3 MOA is fine for indoor use. Without a dot I would have had to give up competition shooting many years ago.

 

[zogger]

AZDUNCAN:

What grips do you have on that 586? They look like some Altamonts.

 

[Teep]

For outdoor use I'd recommend the larger dot. The 3 MOA is fine for indoor use. Without a dot I would have had to give up competition shooting many years ago.

I like the small dots, the smaller the better, as I use the handguns for hunting. I wish someone made the smaller reflex sights with variable dot sizes, I would love a 1 or 2 mil dot for early morning or late evening hunting.

 

[AZDuncan]

AZDUNCAN:

What grips do you have on that 586? They look like some Altamonts.

The Classic Series 586 has a square butt grip frame and comes with these wood grips, which I'm told are very close to the original design.

 

[zogger]

The Classic Series 586 has a square butt grip frame and comes with these wood grips, which I'm told are very close to the original design.

Thanks! I will post when I get the red dot and some new grips on my 325TR.

 

[bangbig]

I like the small dots, the smaller the better, as I use the handguns for hunting. I wish someone made the smaller reflex sights with variable dot sizes, I would love a 1 or 2 mil dot for early morning or late evening hunting.

Same here. My Venom on lowest setting with the 3mil appears larger and brighter than the 4mil on my Ultradot Matchdot on half power. The 2 mil on the Matchdot is perfect for hunting and target. But dang that's a big honkin' optic!

 

[gwpercle]

They may not look great atop a revolver but if you are over 60 they work like a charm. I had given up shooting because I could no longer see the rear , front and target like I used too. But a 1 inch tube Millitt Red Dot SP-1, mounted on a pistol put me right back in the shooting game. The little compact sights they have now were not invented back then...those are so cool and aren't near as bulky.
If you're having trouble seeing the iron sights , the red dot is just the ticket .
Gary

 

[shakyshoot]

Same here. My Venom on lowest setting with the 3mil appears larger and brighter than the 4mil on my Ultradot Matchdot on half power. The 2 mil on the Matchdot is perfect for hunting and target. But dang that's a big honkin' optic!

I just put a Matchdot2 on my Volquartsen Scorpion, and was happy to see that I actually have to turn the brightness up to 4 or 5. Most dots I use the 1 setting and still wish I could turn in down. That was my main beef with the Bushnell TRS-25, which has been great for about 25K rounds of .22. I like a small, dim dot. The low setting on the Fastfire III I have on my Range Officer is pretty good too. The Venom I usually wish I could turn down a bit.

 

[Teep]

Thanks for the information on the Venom vs. FastFire III. I was planning on another Venom for the 617 but I really would like a dimmer dot. I will look into the FastFire III, be expensive if I have to switch out the Venom on the 686 though. I also have a Bushnell TRS-25 on my 617 and find the dot too bright except in bright sunlight, it needs to be replaced soon. Also it is much easier to find the dot in the Venom than the TRS-25.

 

[AZDuncan]

Regarding dot brightness with the Vortex Venom -- The Venom has two brightness modes. Auto and Manual. Auto increases/decreases brightness depending on ambient lighting. In manual mode you can turn brightness way down. You select the mode on startup. Three blinks of the dot give you auto mode. Stop at two blinks and you are in manual mode. Then use the up/down arrows to adjust brightness.

 

[Teep]

Regarding dot brightness with the Vortex Venom -- The Venom has two brightness modes. Auto and Manual. Auto increases/decreases brightness depending on ambient lighting. In manual mode you can turn brightness way down. You select the mode on startup. Three blinks of the dot give you auto mode. Stop at two blinks and you are in manual mode. Then use the up/down arrows to adjust brightness.

I always keep it in the manual mode but still find it too bright of early mornings and late evenings. I have an old Bushnell multi-dot on an airgun I use to shoot mice of the night and it will go very dim and has a very small dot also but in all other features it really sucks, poi changes with the dot type and will not repeat settings; for $100 I expected better.