How do you Mount a Dot Scope on a pistol?

[gungate]

I would like to put a "dot" scope probably Sig or Vortex on either my Baby Eagle or H&K USP Tactical. How is this accomplished? Does this require milling of the slide? I also would not mind putting one on my Sig P938 but I am not seeing any way to do that. Any help appreciated!

 

[jeh]

If the slide is not made to take a pistol RDS, it will need to be milled to fit the dot of your choice (different sights have different footprints), or you could also buy a new slide that already has the milling done to it. Example, my P320 is not precut and would require milling. My P365x Macro came with a slide that was precut, so it was as easy as taking the cover off the slide and installing the sight.

 

[Jake4now]

Before I was ready to commit to milling my slide or buying a new gun, I tried out a dovetail mount. It is a platform that fits in the rear sight dovetail. Relatively cheap and not very sturdy. I didn't keep it long, but it helped me to determine if I liked the idea of RDS or not. I got mine from Amazon.

 

[smokey]

A dot scope? Are you talking about a micro red dot like this?

 

[gungate]

A dot scope? Are you talking about a micro red dot like this?
View attachment 409025

Yes, exactly. Micro.

 

[USAF05]

A dot scope? Are you talking about a micro red dot like this?
View attachment 409025

that serial number is amazing

 

[AliasNeo07]

Yes, exactly. Micro.

Most new defensive pistols come optics ready so you don't have to do anything other than put the optic on and screw it down. If you're looking to do it to a gun you currently have, and it's not cut for an optic, yes, you would have to send your slide out to a company to have it milled. There are many companies that offer these services. But some of them can be quite costly and it's almost worth it to just buy a new handgun sometimes.

 

[gungate]

Most new defensive pistols come optics ready so you don't have to do anything other than put the optic on and screw it down. If you're looking to do it to a gun you currently have, and it's not cut for an optic, yes, you would have to send your slide out to a company to have it milled. There are many companies that offer these services. But some of them can be quite costly and it's almost worth it to just buy a new handgun sometimes.

This will be for my H&K USP most likely since I cannot see the factory sights at all in low light. I think the below will work I am just not sure if I need to get the H&K mount or if the scope will fit out of the box.

H&K factory red dot mount

HKP HK USP Red Dot Pistol Mount - Black

Red Dot Pistol Mount - HK USP Full Size

hkparts.net

Vortex Venom Red Dot

Venom Red Dot

Venom Red Dot

vortexoptics.com

Instructions for Venom

https://vortexoptics.com/amfile/file/download/file/hB0sgEz3Wxxsnja3WoS74UKqZyTlhrLF/product/4771/

 

[Archeryrob]

Before I was ready to commit to milling my slide or buying a new gun, I tried out a dovetail mount. It is a platform that fits in the rear sight dovetail. Relatively cheap and not very sturdy. I didn't keep it long, but it helped me to determine if I liked the idea of RDS or not. I got mine from Amazon.

I did this too on a G17 and it started moving around and I was not happy with it. Better to buy the slide made for it.

 

[alucard0822]

Thing is IMO not all pistols are great with a dot. They can add substantial bulk to that 938 and some other really small compacts. A slide with a rounded or narrow top might have enough of the sight base sticking out of a cutout to be really snag prone and ugly. There are also some that have things like passive safeties high in the slide, and can't be cut all that deep for a dot. In many cases for a couple hundred to a cut a slide or several hundred for a cut replacement slide, you might be close enough to the cost of a new optics ready pistol that it would be better to go that route.

The sight height also matters, higher mounts and the plate that goes in the rear sight dovetail are goofy, and slow IMO. I do like sights that co-witness low in the window and a really low profile sight. I really like the built-in rear sight on the Shield dots, but a low mount ahead of factory sight notches is good too, provided it can be co-witnessed with suppressor height sights or better yet, standard height sights. Dots also vary quite a bit in quality and clarity. I have a couple Sig Romeo zeros, and for $100 for base, or $140 for the elite with glass lens they were OK for the money, but not worth it after about a $50 price increase lately. Lots of blueish tint, and they got a little wild with the silicone glue around the lens. Lots of choices out now, I've been happy with the glass lens Shield arms dots, clean clear lens, thin tough surround and bright dot with auto brightness(no buttons on it) that just stays on for a couple years on most models.

 

[gungate]

We'll see how it goes with the H&K. It will readily accept a RDS. I ordered the Venom and that H&K mount. I probably would not eff up my P938 slide having it milled. The baby eagle also would need to be milled so that one is out too.

I agree buying a carry gun designed for a RDS is the best thing.

 

[AliasNeo07]

This will be for my H&K USP most likely since I cannot see the factory sights at all in low light. I think the below will work I am just not sure if I need to get the H&K mount or if the scope will fit out of the box.

H&K factory red dot mount

HKP HK USP Red Dot Pistol Mount - Black

Red Dot Pistol Mount - HK USP Full Size

hkparts.net

Vortex Venom Red Dot

Venom Red Dot

Venom Red Dot

vortexoptics.com

Instructions for Venom

https://vortexoptics.com/amfile/file/download/file/hB0sgEz3Wxxsnja3WoS74UKqZyTlhrLF/product/4771/

That's way cool. A mounting plate that uses the dovetail for your rear sight instead of having to get your slide milled. That's brilliant I've never seen that before.

Should be easy enough to install with a universal rear sight pusher. I have one if you want to borrow it.

 

[FrankZ]

I thought about milling and just bought 2 new Glocks that were MOS.

I didn't want anything made in China so I went with Shield for the optics.

 

[gungate]

That's way cool. A mounting plate that uses the dovetail for your rear sight instead of having to get your slide milled. That's brilliant I've never seen that before.

Should be easy enough to install with a universal rear sight pusher. I have one if you want to borrow it.

I was just looking at the sight pushers. Seems way better than beating it out with a punch. Which one do you have? This looks like something I would want in my toolbox anyway so I may just buy one.

 

[AliasNeo07]

I was just looking at the sight pushers. Seems way better than beating it out with a punch. Which one do you have? This looks like something I would want in my toolbox anyway so I may just buy one.

This is the best I have found. It's not cheap but depending on how many times you need to swap sights out, it pays for itself. Fit and finish and machining are all outstanding. You buy this, and then you buy a shoe for each of the types of gun you need. So for example I have shoes for FNX45, Glock, one for the P365 family, etc. The shoes are all $15 each.

MGW Sight Pro Universal Sight Installation Tool

The MGW Sight Pro Universal Installation Tool is designed to remove, install and adjust front and rear dovetail sights on...

www.midwayusa.com

But this will also allow you to do the front sight.

Gets pricey, but I generally change the sights whenever I buy new gun so it's paid for itself by now. Plus changing them for friends, etc, it's good to have in the toolbox like you said.

There may be cheaper ones out there but I think this is sort of like the gold standard.

 

[gungate]

This is the best I have found. It's not cheap but depending on how many times you need to swap sights out, it pays for itself. Fit and finish and machining are all outstanding. You buy this, and then you buy a shoe for each of the types of gun you need. So for example I have shoes for FNX45, Glock, one for the P365 family, etc. The shoes are all $15 each.

MGW Sight Pro Universal Sight Installation Tool

The MGW Sight Pro Universal Installation Tool is designed to remove, install and adjust front and rear dovetail sights on...

www.midwayusa.com

But this will also allow you to do the front sight.

Gets pricey, but I generally change the sights whenever I buy new gun so it's paid for itself by now. Plus changing them for friends, etc, it's good to have in the toolbox like you said.

There may be cheaper ones out there but I think this is sort of like the gold standard.

Damn yeah I bet that is the best one. I was looking at the $40 ones. I'll doubt I will use it more than a handful of times.

 

[Parry]

That's way cool. A mounting plate that uses the dovetail for your rear sight instead of having to get your slide milled. That's brilliant I've never seen that before.

Should be easy enough to install with a universal rear sight pusher. I have one if you want to borrow it.

I have a mounting plate (DPP) that uses the dovetail of the rear sight of one of my Glocks. While some may think it is not ideal or somewhat goofy, I don't mind it and it works for that particular gun (G19). I don't carry it and I only use it at the range or a back up to many back ups for the home. It is only slightly higher (1/4" or less). After zero-ing it, it has not budged since. Just use the blue loctite.

Now if you want to carry it every day and you depend on it as part of your job (LEO, security, or other), then I would get it milled.

 

[gungate]

Ok I read a few bad reviews on the Vortex so I canceled it. I got the Leupold instead. It gets great reviews and, well, it's a Leupold.

My big concern is will it fit in the hk mount? I sure hope so.

https://www.opticsplanet.com/leupold-deltapoint-pro-matte-7-5-moa-delta-dot-sight.html

 

[Parry]

@gungate : Nice pick. Hopefully you used the discount code: WLS9 which will get you 9% off your order at Optics Planet.

 

[gungate]

@gungate : Nice pick. Hopefully you used the discount code: WLS9 which will get you 9% off your order at Optics Planet.

F!