Open Red Dot Sights for Browning Buckmark

fishhead1 · January 16, 2013, 10:44 PM

Decided I would like to try an open "red dot" type sight on my Browning Buckmark Bullseye target pistol (7 1/4" fluted barrel) that I purchased a couple of years ago. It appears that Browning makes just such a sight specifically for their Buckmark pistol that retails for about $50 on various sites. However, I've read a few "reviews" concerning this particular sight that were not very complimentary to say the least.
Therefore, I was wondering if anyone had any other recommendations they could make on similar sights of this type ("reasonably" priced) for consideration. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

scottl · January 16, 2013, 11:38 PM

I've got the Browning sight.I have no complaints or problems with it.

Dashunde · January 17, 2013, 12:47 AM

Burris FastFire... I love it, shooting shouldnt be this easy

Mine...

Stringfellow · January 17, 2013, 01:10 AM

I have a $30 NCStar reflex on mine--from Amazon. It has been a heck of a lot of fun--more so than I ever thought it would be. The only gripe I have, is that I need to keep adjusting it to keep it on target maybe every hundred rounds or so--no matter how hard I tighten the adjustment screws.

For perceptive, NCStar supposedly does the OEM manufacturing for some otherwise identical scopes that cost 2 and 3 times the price.

Unless you are some sort of serious competitor, or unless your life depended on the scope/Browning combo, I can't see spending more money on something else.

alex0535 · January 17, 2013, 01:55 AM

2nd on the Burris Fastfire, its a little bit more expensive but as far as quality its money well spent. I have the Fastfire III and its strong enough to hold up to the recoil of any gun we own. It is waterproof enough to be submerged underwater. The automatic light adjustment works great bright enough for bright sunlight and dim enough to still have pinpoint accuracy in a dark room. Came with a nice little cover that could be left on for something like a Buckmark. It weighs 0.9oz, the 3moa dot is very visible. Very low profile.

Paid about $225 for it. I can't think of anything bad to say about it, I wish the mounts for specific firearms were less pricey but mine will mount to anything with a picatinny rail.

m_liebst · January 17, 2013, 10:00 PM

Get the Burris FF3 if you want high quality for a reasonable price. Don't have a Buckmark, but if I had one, I'd put this sight on it. Low profile/ Fast aquisition of targets!

it has 4 settings for brightness and holds POI for thousands of rounds.
Haven't needed to fiddle with it since I set it the first time about 6 months ago. Probably put a few thousand rounds through it with the FF3.

i think they all come with a picattiny adapter, but I'm thinking about ordering MK adapter for mine soon.

mxsailor803 · January 17, 2013, 10:13 PM

I like the burris ff as well but i've also had decent results from Truglo's.

BillyJack3 · January 17, 2013, 10:19 PM

I tried one not too long ago. It was just way to hard to find the dot at first draw. I was much faster at target acquisition with the iron sights.

k511 · January 17, 2013, 10:26 PM

another vote for the Burris here....have two of the FF2 and a FF3...i reccomend the FF3 but both are very nice, paid 200 for the FF3 and 150 for a FF2 and 100 for the other FF2 from the bargin cave @ cabelas

BrokenBottles · January 17, 2013, 11:51 PM

My friend has some BSA that he got at big5 for like 40-50 bucks and he really likes it. He's a cheap skate too so he would have sold it or returned it if it didn't work as well as he wanted it too out of the box

NoSecondBest · January 18, 2013, 12:00 AM

I have a Burris FastFire3, an Optima, and several "tube" red dots. I don't see any advantage to the open dot sights and I do see several disadvantages. However, it's a personal choice. The cheap dot sights are a waste of money. The quality sucks and they don't hold up. Plastic lenses, parrallex, and poor adjustment. I'm talking about the $50 and under stuff. Even the stuff for around a hundred is pretty borderline. I have a couple of cheaper Bushnell's that work OK but they don't hold up well. They either fail early or hang in there fairly well but the failure rate is too high. Fortunately, Bushnell takes care of this under warranty.

fishhead1 · January 18, 2013, 04:11 PM

Thanks for the fast feedback, guys.

January 16, 2013, 10:44 PM	#1
fishhead1 Senior Member Join Date: December 21, 2009 Location: Florida Posts: 134	Open Red Dot Sights for Browning Buckmark Decided I would like to try an open "red dot" type sight on my Browning Buckmark Bullseye target pistol (7 1/4" fluted barrel) that I purchased a couple of years ago. It appears that Browning makes just such a sight specifically for their Buckmark pistol that retails for about $50 on various sites. However, I've read a few "reviews" concerning this particular sight that were not very complimentary to say the least. Therefore, I was wondering if anyone had any other recommendations they could make on similar sights of this type ("reasonably" priced) for consideration. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

January 17, 2013, 01:10 AM	#4
Stringfellow Senior Member Join Date: November 29, 2009 Posts: 215	I have a $30 NCStar reflex on mine--from Amazon. It has been a heck of a lot of fun--more so than I ever thought it would be. The only gripe I have, is that I need to keep adjusting it to keep it on target maybe every hundred rounds or so--no matter how hard I tighten the adjustment screws. For perceptive, NCStar supposedly does the OEM manufacturing for some otherwise identical scopes that cost 2 and 3 times the price. Unless you are some sort of serious competitor, or unless your life depended on the scope/Browning combo, I can't see spending more money on something else. __________________ Well-armed Liberal

January 17, 2013, 10:00 PM	#6
m_liebst Senior Member Join Date: February 2, 2011 Location: San Francisco Posts: 301	Get the Burris FF3 if you want high quality for a reasonable price. Don't have a Buckmark, but if I had one, I'd put this sight on it. Low profile/ Fast aquisition of targets! it has 4 settings for brightness and holds POI for thousands of rounds. Haven't needed to fiddle with it since I set it the first time about 6 months ago. Probably put a few thousand rounds through it with the FF3. i think they all come with a picattiny adapter, but I'm thinking about ordering MK adapter for mine soon. Last edited by m_liebst; January 17, 2013 at 10:06 PM.

January 17, 2013, 11:51 PM	#10
BrokenBottles Senior Member Join Date: September 16, 2010 Location: The worst Lancaster in the U.S. Posts: 119	My friend has some BSA that he got at big5 for like 40-50 bucks and he really likes it. He's a cheap skate too so he would have sold it or returned it if it didn't work as well as he wanted it too out of the box __________________ "Lube the hell out of your Llama. Run it wet and it should be a decent pistol."

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January 16, 2013, 11:38 PM	#2
scottl Senior Member Join Date: January 17, 2007 Location: Morehead,Ky Posts: 752	I've got the Browning sight.I have no complaints or problems with it.

January 17, 2013, 12:47 AM	#3
Dashunde Senior Member Join Date: December 22, 2004 Posts: 2,018	Burris FastFire... I love it, shooting shouldnt be this easy Mine...

January 17, 2013, 01:55 AM	#5
alex0535 Senior Member Join Date: November 4, 2012 Location: Georgia Posts: 908	2nd on the Burris Fastfire, its a little bit more expensive but as far as quality its money well spent. I have the Fastfire III and its strong enough to hold up to the recoil of any gun we own. It is waterproof enough to be submerged underwater. The automatic light adjustment works great bright enough for bright sunlight and dim enough to still have pinpoint accuracy in a dark room. Came with a nice little cover that could be left on for something like a Buckmark. It weighs 0.9oz, the 3moa dot is very visible. Very low profile. Paid about $225 for it. I can't think of anything bad to say about it, I wish the mounts for specific firearms were less pricey but mine will mount to anything with a picatinny rail.

January 17, 2013, 10:13 PM	#7
mxsailor803 Senior Member Join Date: February 8, 2010 Location: SC Posts: 1,344	I like the burris ff as well but i've also had decent results from Truglo's.

January 17, 2013, 10:19 PM	#8
BillyJack3 Senior Member Join Date: May 2, 2012 Posts: 423	I tried one not too long ago. It was just way to hard to find the dot at first draw. I was much faster at target acquisition with the iron sights.

January 17, 2013, 10:26 PM	#9
k511 Senior Member Join Date: December 1, 2010 Location: Oregon Posts: 461	another vote for the Burris here....have two of the FF2 and a FF3...i reccomend the FF3 but both are very nice, paid 200 for the FF3 and 150 for a FF2 and 100 for the other FF2 from the bargin cave @ cabelas

January 18, 2013, 12:00 AM	#11
NoSecondBest Senior Member Join Date: December 7, 2009 Location: Western New York Posts: 2,736	I have a Burris FastFire3, an Optima, and several "tube" red dots. I don't see any advantage to the open dot sights and I do see several disadvantages. However, it's a personal choice. The cheap dot sights are a waste of money. The quality sucks and they don't hold up. Plastic lenses, parrallex, and poor adjustment. I'm talking about the $50 and under stuff. Even the stuff for around a hundred is pretty borderline. I have a couple of cheaper Bushnell's that work OK but they don't hold up well. They either fail early or hang in there fairly well but the failure rate is too high. Fortunately, Bushnell takes care of this under warranty.

January 18, 2013, 04:11 PM	#12
fishhead1 Senior Member Join Date: December 21, 2009 Location: Florida Posts: 134	Thanks for the fast feedback, guys.