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Old August 22, 2011, 01:47 AM   #1
rauke
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Race Gun---Best Way to Mount Red Dot?

Would greatly appreciate advice from folks who have " been there, done that".

I'm thinking of putting a metal-framed race gun together, and need to solve an "engineering" issue.

To forestall any silliness, I will concede that the best place for the gun's red dot sight is in the "normal" position---above the slide(!)

Question is, which is the better way of putting it there? Mount the red dot directly on the moving slide, or use a bracket screwed to the frame, to put the red dot just above the moving slide?

The red dot I'm considering is one of the new Docter "window-type" units---very light weight and capable of absorbing enormous g-forces. I have seen this type of red dot mounted both ways, and I know either way will work.

This being a race gun, though, my primary consideration is accuracy. Which of the two set-ups has the greater accuracy potential?

Thanks in advance for sharing your expertise!
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Old August 22, 2011, 03:03 AM   #2
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Mount to the frame. If you mount it to the slide it will have a very short life.
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Old August 22, 2011, 06:46 AM   #3
WESHOOT2
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Friend shoots a compensated Glock M20 w/slide-mounted reddot in Open.
For years.
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Old August 22, 2011, 08:07 AM   #4
Eghad
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I have mine mounted to the slide on my FNP Tactical .45 The slide was milled out at the factory and the gun came with mounts for different sights. An idea whose time has come for shooters with less than optimal eyesight.
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Old August 22, 2011, 10:38 AM   #5
Hunter Customs
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This set-up works real well.

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Old August 22, 2011, 03:16 PM   #6
g.willikers
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It would seem that the best accuracy would be if the scope was mounted on the barrel.
Since that's not possible with a pistol like this,
The next best choice would be to mount it on what the barrel locks up in - the slide.
Especially with a small one that is reputed to be reliable there.
The older, big and heavy versions were mounted on the frame, otherwise the gun wouldn't cycle, if they were on the slide.
Although, slow fire and bullseye shooters did just that, not hindered by the sluggishness of the slide action.
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Old August 22, 2011, 04:57 PM   #7
rauke
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So far, 4 to 1 in favor of slide mounting...

Thank you all for your replies!

Personally, I like the clean lines that result when the red dot goes directly onto the slide. It has occured to me that using a bracket to frame-mount the sights might be more expensive, and also result in extra, unneeded weight.

Hunter Customs, if my project turns out any thing like your rig, I'll be happy.

G.willikers, what you say makes sense. The barrel does lock onto the slide, so that's probably the best way to go.

I'll make the necessary provisions, and see if I can give the younger shooters a run for their money. Should be good fun!
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Old August 24, 2011, 08:48 AM   #8
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rauke,
the gun in the picture does not belong to me, it's one I built for a customer of mine.
I've done several of the low mount reflex sights mounted directly to the slide and I've not had any negative feed back on them yet.
If you choose not to go with a slide mount you can do a mount like the ones in this picture.
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Old August 24, 2011, 09:27 AM   #9
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Rauke,

I shoot and build pistols for Bullseye, so not quite the same thing, but having tried both, I like the slide mounted sight better.

Often hard to get a good grip on the rear of the slide with the bridge frame in the way.

I usually use Ultra Dots or Pro Points and never had a problem with longetivity or reliability with any of the modern sights mounted either way.

Slide mounted sight effectively softens the recoil and will need a little more powder or a softer recoil spring.
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Old August 24, 2011, 09:57 PM   #10
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TSD combat systems makes a completely new slide for Glock G17 and G19, mounted with a Trijicon RMR,but i believe that they will mill any workable slide for one.
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Old August 25, 2011, 09:12 AM   #11
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I'm confronting this issue myself now. Anyone have any experience mounting a red dot or reflex sight on a CZ75?
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Old August 31, 2011, 03:20 PM   #12
rauke
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Thanks again for your replies!

Bob, those certainly are some real gems you've built there!

Tom-C, I'll be sure and take your remark about using more powder (or a softer recoil spring) on board.

Glockgrabber, I'll have to check with TSD to see if they can ship to this part of the world. It's going to be for a hi-cap 1911, by the way...in .45 acp.

DMMikey, good luck on your project---I'm sure that the options provided by Hunter Customs will work just as well (if not better) on a CZ-75. Have you decided if it's going to be a slide- or a frame-mount, yet?
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Old September 2, 2011, 12:07 AM   #13
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I'm leaning toward a frame mount, as some are available from CZ custom. I need to do more research on how difficult it is to mount. Still weighing whether to go to reflex mount (large dot size doesn't thrill me) or with a tube (better dot, but a lot more bulk.) Kind of on the back burner because of other projects at the moment. Frustrating, wish I had more time, just got the 75, and I want a lot more practice and need to smooth out that trigger with some use.
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Old September 2, 2011, 12:55 AM   #14
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I prefer the way it is mounted on a milled out slot on my FNP Tactical 45. I can still use the sights on the gun if the optic goes down.

but then again you said on a race gun....
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Old September 3, 2011, 05:34 PM   #15
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Quote:
Bob, those certainly are some real gems you've built there!
rauke,
Thanks for the kind words about the raceguns.
Good luck with your red-dot sight set-up.
Best Regards
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www.huntercustoms.com
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Old September 3, 2011, 05:39 PM   #16
Hunter Customs
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Quote:
I'm leaning toward a frame mount, as some are available from CZ custom. I need to do more research on how difficult it is to mount. Still weighing whether to go to reflex mount (large dot size doesn't thrill me) or with a tube (better dot, but a lot more bulk.) Kind of on the back burner because of other projects at the moment. Frustrating, wish I had more time, just got the 75, and I want a lot more practice and need to smooth out that trigger with some use.
DMMikey
If you decide to go with a frame mount and tube/can sight, I have some good used mounts and a very nice PD5 red-dot sight I can make you a deal on.
The PD5 can be adjusted to four different dot sizes, they are 4-8-12-16 MOA.
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