Help – Handgun Optical sight

Ok to follow up on my post on the 9MM handgun. What is the best choice in a optical sight. I have some issues with my eyesight and accurately shooting open sights. I have tried several different things to help and gotten better, but I think a optical sight is my best option to get the best accuracy possible. I shot a handgun recently with a optical sight ( Trijicon ) and really liked it. Doing some research I’ve kind of narrowed my choice down to 3 models. As of now my choice order is:

Leupold Deltapoint Pro – From research this one seems to have the best glass, a slightly bigger view, and a Auto on/off function. I really like the idea of this feature. I’m not a big fan of the cost

Burris Fastfire. Like most Burris this seems to get great reviews and is a fair amount less cost than the Leupold

Vortex Venom – This one seems to best the best bang for the buck option

Does anyone here have any experience with any of these models or any other models that they care to share?

One last thing – What size MOA dot do your prefer? Most you need to chose a size – some give you the option to change.

Is this going to be a CC gun, if so look into availability for holsters for the chosen gun with each sight.
I am not familar with mounting them to handguns myself, may want to consider that also.

Vortex venom would be my choice. Not sure what gun your planning on putting it on but check out vedder holsters. They make a lot of holsters for red dots. I have a couple of there holsters and there very nice

Trijicon RMR and make sure it’s the type 2. This is the gold standard.

I forget the exact MOA but look at the @3 MOA dot and the @6 MOA dot.

You should get 3-4 years on a battery and these are combat proven red dots.

These things hold their monetary value, are super easy to sell, and you can pass them down to your grandkids. The others you listed can’t do this.

All the top kydex holster companies make the cut outs for these.

mark-bruzek wrote:

Is this going to be a CC gun, if so look into availability for holsters for the chosen gun with each sight.
I am not familar with mounting them to handguns myself, may want to consider that also.

It most likely will become a carry gun. I’ve started looking into holsters for the Set up. There seems to be a fair # of options available. Seems more and more people are cc with guns with optical sights so the holster companies are doing a good job keeping up with it.

Coletrain27 wrote:

Vortex venom would be my choice. Not sure what gun your planning on putting it on but check out vedder holsters. They make a lot of holsters for red dots. I have a couple of there holsters and there very nice

Vedder is one of the companies that I am looking at for a holster. They make the Lighttuck IWB for the hellcat with Optical. I’m also looking at Crossbreed, Blade tec. and Alien gear

Gary wrote:

Trijicon RMR and make sure it’s the type 2. This is the gold standard.

I forget the exact MOA but look at the @3 MOA dot and the @6 MOA dot.

You should get 3-4 years on a battery and these are combat proven red dots.

These things hold their monetary value, are super easy to sell, and you can pass them down to your grandkids. The others you listed can’t do this.

All the top kydex holster companies make the cut outs for these.

Trijicon was also on my list. Like you said they have a Rep. of holding up well over time. The one gun I shot with a optic had the Trijicon on it. I’m not sure if it was a Type 2 or not. To me the glass clarity was not Great compared to others I looked at. It may be because of what version it was, or how old it was. I’ll have to look again at a new one out of the box.

I have a Vortex Venom on a Glock 34 that I have used pretty hard for a year now. I got a really good deal on it. I think it was on sale for $180. The Trijicon RMR is the industry standard like Gary said. If you want the best, buy that. If I was going to be carrying it, I would only use a RMR.

I told myself I would use that Vortex Venom until it breaks and then buy a Trijicon. The Venom is still chugging along just fine.

I will also second the Vedder holsters. I just got a Light Tuck with a Streamlight TLR-1. FIts perfect and is really comfortable. It prints less than my old blade tech without the light.

The red dot is projected on the glass of the RMR. By making the glass tinted it uses less energy to project. So the glass is tinted only to increase the life of the battery which is a very good thing.

I have a type 1 turned down very low for night and battery lasts years. But I started to change it out every year on my birthday cause it’s easy to forget to change it.

Type 1’s were originally designed for rifles and a few had issues in the battery mount on pistols getting beaten up on the slide. Red dot would flicker or go out sometimes because it would mess up battery connection. A buddy fixed mine and I’ve had no more flicker issues in many years.

I’ve never actually shot a type 2 but they were redesigned to better take the abuse of being mounted on a pistol slide and supposedly fixed the battery connection issues that I experienced with mine.

That being said, I personally wouldn’t hesitate to buy another type 1 tomorrow.

If you have an astigmatism it could absolutely rule out some red dot sights. Each manufacturers dots could look way different depending on your eyes. Just have to really look through each one and see how your eyes see it before you buy.

Good luck!

I’ll toss the Holosun 507k into the mix, seems to be consensus best of the budget minded optics. I’m leaning towards that one when I get my G48 MOS.

tornadochaser wrote:

I’ll toss the Holosun 507k into the mix, seems to be consensus best of the budget minded optics. I’m leaning towards that one when I get my G48 MOS.

Next time I can find one available, I’m planning on picking up a Canik TP9 SC Elite for another carry option (LOVE my TP9SA ModII) and will be putting one of these Holosuns on top.

Can’t go wrong with the polymer framed striker fired pistols.

I’d be interested in these other red dots for a shotgun Turkey hunting. I’m old and so are my eyes. Please update in the future if possible.

A red dot allows you to focus on the turkey instead of focusing on the bead.

Same thing with a pistol. With open sights focus on the front sight post and target blurry. Red dot focus on the target.

I need both eyes open and focus on what I’m trying to aim at.

Red dots on pistols are good cause you will turn into an old man like me one day. Might as well start when your younger.

There were no many options back in the day for red dots on pistols. Looks like there are many options available today.

I like to buy USA when I can. Not judging anyone just me.

RMR is like a TUCR ice rod for me. I have no need to look anywhere else. Trijicon has been very good to me over the years. Just like John and the whole crew at TUCR.