Been wanting to try on optic on a handgun since I gave up years ago trying to use a 'conventional' scope on my Mod 29, just too much material to hold up there, also difficult to acquire the target plus damn hard to regain the target quickly after each shot.
So...enter the lightweight low profile red dot optics. Did a bunch of research and not wanting to spend big bucks on an experiment, I opted ( no pun intended...) for the Vortex Venom 3 mil Red Dot. The price was reasonable, warranty outstanding, ( hope I don't need to test that option ), and the ability to mount it on either my P226 or 320 using the C-More system was a plus. No drilling and taping the slide required. Easy to go back to the iron sights if I want to.
My eyes have aged since I last used deadly force on paper and I was finding the 'rear/front/target' focus choice, looking thru bi-focal lenses, to be annoying at best. Keeping the rear/front sight picture in focus and allowing the target to turn into a blurry blob was the best I could do. Now with the red dot I can look thru the 'top' portion of my glasses, ( distance focus ) and the 3 mil dot is perfect for 25yds. Haven't tried it at 50 yet...but with the corresponding larger target the larger dot shouldn't be a problem.
Anyway, for those who might consider this setup, there were some modifications req'd to the C-More mount to accept the Vortex optic. I should have photographed the process but didn't think of it at the time. Plus I wasn't sure how it would go, if it would even work, until I finished it. The 'dovetail adapter' is a very tight fit as stock but a little help with a triangle file and some 200 grit paper relieved enough material that a few taps with the plastic tipped hammer set it in the centre of the rear dovetail. Then the 'slide adapter' sits almost perfectly, matching the contour of the slide, over the dovetail adapter. The metal 'slide adapter plate' that sits on top of that has 2 raised 'bosses' that are there to facilitate the alignment of a STS Red Dot optic, but there is no accommodation for them on the underside of the Vortex optic. So I removed them allowing the Vortex to sit flush on the plate. I then used half of the 3M double sided adhesive strip provided to go between the slide and the 'slide adapter' to go where the 'bosses' had been, helping to secure the Vortex to the 'slide adapter plate'. There are 2 hex head screws that mount the Vortex to the 'dovetail adapter' very securely but the tape just made a little added insurance.
Here are a few pics of the finished product...
With the protective cover on...
So...enter the lightweight low profile red dot optics. Did a bunch of research and not wanting to spend big bucks on an experiment, I opted ( no pun intended...) for the Vortex Venom 3 mil Red Dot. The price was reasonable, warranty outstanding, ( hope I don't need to test that option ), and the ability to mount it on either my P226 or 320 using the C-More system was a plus. No drilling and taping the slide required. Easy to go back to the iron sights if I want to.
My eyes have aged since I last used deadly force on paper and I was finding the 'rear/front/target' focus choice, looking thru bi-focal lenses, to be annoying at best. Keeping the rear/front sight picture in focus and allowing the target to turn into a blurry blob was the best I could do. Now with the red dot I can look thru the 'top' portion of my glasses, ( distance focus ) and the 3 mil dot is perfect for 25yds. Haven't tried it at 50 yet...but with the corresponding larger target the larger dot shouldn't be a problem.
Anyway, for those who might consider this setup, there were some modifications req'd to the C-More mount to accept the Vortex optic. I should have photographed the process but didn't think of it at the time. Plus I wasn't sure how it would go, if it would even work, until I finished it. The 'dovetail adapter' is a very tight fit as stock but a little help with a triangle file and some 200 grit paper relieved enough material that a few taps with the plastic tipped hammer set it in the centre of the rear dovetail. Then the 'slide adapter' sits almost perfectly, matching the contour of the slide, over the dovetail adapter. The metal 'slide adapter plate' that sits on top of that has 2 raised 'bosses' that are there to facilitate the alignment of a STS Red Dot optic, but there is no accommodation for them on the underside of the Vortex optic. So I removed them allowing the Vortex to sit flush on the plate. I then used half of the 3M double sided adhesive strip provided to go between the slide and the 'slide adapter' to go where the 'bosses' had been, helping to secure the Vortex to the 'slide adapter plate'. There are 2 hex head screws that mount the Vortex to the 'dovetail adapter' very securely but the tape just made a little added insurance.
Here are a few pics of the finished product...
With the protective cover on...
