Anyone have a red dot on their FA?

[HHI 812]

Can't see the express sights very well, and considering getting rid of it in place of a red dot or standard sight? Your opinions appreciated.
Thanks,
Dennis
e-mail at dennis.madriaga@gmail.com

[benny]

I bought the trijicon/jp mount when i ordered my 97, but i haven't mounted a red dot yet.  my eyes aren't the best, but i have the express rear sight with the fiber optic front and the fo really helps out.  painted a white line down the back of the express and now i just have to dot the i.  i would replaces the front sight and give it a try before mounting the red dot...

[doghawg]

 I've put optics on two of them so far. It seems a shame to own such a fine firearm and not be able to do it justice because of my aging eyes. I also handgun deer hunt and during the prime time first and last half hour of daylight iron sights aren't much good.
 
 I posted a couple pics that will show up if your logged in. The 7 1/2 incher is at 25 yards and the 5 1/2" group is at 40. I bought the 5 1/2" gun for use with intentions to hunt with it as an iron sighted gun but ended up with the 30mm Ultradot. The deer was shot at 50 yds with a .475 BFR in the last few minutes of daylight. I wouldn't have attempted the shot without a red dot.

[doghawg]

 The deer pic.

[HHI 812]

Good shooting doghawg! And 2 Freedom Arms on top of that! I guess those red dots do work.

Benny, odd you bring up that front sight. I just called FA early this morning, about the base for the red dot. Got to talking with a John in the shop, and what he thought of the red dot? He said he has that fiber optic front blade and loves it. Said he got a elk at pretty long range with it. He got me hooked, and I ordered a blade right there and then. I will give it a go before I get into the red dot. A lot cheaper. I'm considering also just getting a scope base, to put a low powered scope to develop loads.

[WL44]

Before you take the plunge I just suggest you look them over on other guns, or just the sight in the store. Some find the parallax a problem. Most of the dots do have parallax (which is why centering the dot in the window is important). Dot flare also can be disturbing for some.

That said, I've been playing with a JP on a FA the last while....

[makilly]

I have a Trijicon red dot sight on a Model 97 5.5 in bbl. in .45 Long colt and it works great. I bought the mount from FA and mounted the sight on it. I have used this set up for about a year and have had zero problems. Aging eyes is the reason I went to the red dot and could not be more pleased. I have a Burris fast fire II mounted on a S&W 41, and have a lot of problems with flare, none on the Trijicon. Best regards, Makilly

[odoh]

I have an 83 w/a JP4 red dot and another w/a UltraDot MatchDot. Found the JP4 adjustments to be slightly difficult compared to the Ultra Match dot. Can't say that either of them has an inherent flare issue. I did experience flare issue w/an EO Tech I used to own. The factory tried to tell me that it was me. . I did eventually get a new optical prescription that addressed an astigmatism issue I have. . . .Sure enuff it was me.  Never the less, traded it off as the reticle was grainy and it gobbled the batteries.

The JP4 uses the FA base mount and the UD uses a Weigand weaver/picatinny type base mount. W/the JP4, the sight cover can be tethered to the holster so that it slips off as the gun is drawn. Another feature is available as an option that being the sight protector ~ Sort of pricey tho.

[HHI 812]

Odoh,

I should be receiving a Weigand base any day now. Considered the T'SOB, but cost was more than double. Have an Ultra-dot thats been collecting dust too.

What did you do to correct your vision? I've been having problems getting a clear dot on any red dot optics? If I correct my distance, I have a blurry front blade or hard to read. What I did last year, was have my optometerist have my left eye corrected for distance, and my right for computer screens. There has to be a way I can use these dot sights and see it clear, yet see game at a distance???

Dennis

[paul105]

I have a JPoint (Trijicon) that has been mounted on a FA97 .357 Mag, FA83 .454, and a FA83 .475.  I have 63 year old eyes -- distance no problem, but front sight clarity needs adjustment -- 1.25x to 1.5x.  Anyway, I've experienced dot flare with the JPoint under differnt sun positions and with differnt glasses -- it shouldn't but it drives me crazy.  I've had a love/hate relationship with this red dot ever since I bought it.  Offhand Performance for me depends upon the gun -- .454 works great -- the .357 and the .475 are problematic.  I think this is due to the different trigger pulls on these guns.  I shoot best with a 3.5 to 4 Lb trigger and the latter two guns are in the 2.0 lb range -- don't know why.

I have two 475s that are virtually identical except for trigger pull -- the one with the JPoint is 2.5Lbs, the open sighted one is maybe 3.5 - 4.0 lb -- I can consistently shoot the opent sighted gun much better offhand.  From a rest the JPoint gets the nod.
 

With that said, shooting the gun from a supported position these sights are great.

Paul

[paul105]

sorry, hit the wrong button

[HHI 812]

Hey guys, sorry for the stupid question, but what is dot flare? All I know, the red dots don't look like a dot. Only thing that did look good to my eyes is that little Leupold shortened scope optic. I think its a 1X power, and you can attach a battery to it to make it red or not. Other than that, all the red dots looks like a flaming match?

[WL44]

HHI, I think you gave a good description of "dot flare". The dot is not a solid ball, but a fuzzy dot almost like a bright star in the sky. If you wear spectacles you should find that this helps "pull the dot together". Those who are affected badly by headlights when night driving tend to see more flare in my experience.

If you can turn a dot down it helps, but the JP's etc are "self adjusting". In bright sunshine the dot can be much brighter than you would like for ultimate precision. I'm not suggesting they are bad, just saying.....

[benny]

dennis,

when i was ordering my gun john at fa told me the same thing about his set-up.  i think you'll like it...

[odoh]

The change in prescription to adjust for 'cylinder/axis' (?) seem to help w/the symmetry of the dot ~ to see it as 'round'. Have worn glasses all my life and when I started needing bifocals, is when I started to have difficulties w/irons. The dots seem to less of a problem and I'm thinking its because I only have to deal w/the single dot ~ intuitively, both eyes are remain open. Its worse for me if there is amplification as one eye is looking thru the electronic sight and the other eyes input to the brain is vastly different and causes some confusion. I see a lot of my friends getting the near/far surgery but I don't have any experience w/that myself. Yet

As for the automatic intensity adjustment, some are putting cello tape over the photo cell in the front of the device. Located in the front lower part just below the lense. Looks like a pin-hole. The FastFires have the same thing. Some want photo quality lense on their sights that really isn't needed but we carry over from scopes, ideas & preference as what we expect. I don't take pictures w/it, just put the dot where I want the bullet to go ~

[blksqurl]

i just went through that whole thing ,if your hunting at 100 yards or less the red dot isn't worth the weight plus if you get one you better get the best one you can afford or the adjustments wont hold up to the recoil they might for a while but ill bet a fullhouse 400 gr 475 on a steady diet will make even some of  the best dots fail go with the geen fiber front you wont be sorry.i had to put on a third ring and it still tried to eat the alum. base up.

[odoh]

That'll make the case for keeping the sights weight down. In the case of my JP4, on an 475L, its approx ˝oz and the sight protector is approx Ľoz for ľoz ttl. Haven't had many full charged loads thru it yet but at such a low mass, don't see it becoming a problem. The 475L is indeed a shaker/mover. As stock front blade will indicate as being so high the muzzle is sloping down ~ sure a strong hint.

[HAMMERHEAD]

I've had a Trijicon reflex sight (http://www.trijicon.com/user/parts/products1.cfm?PartID=116&back_row=0&categoryID=8) since 2000. Bought it used for $250. Thinking of mounting it to my 4-1/4" F/A 97 .357.
It's one heck of a sight, it's been on magnum revolvers, single shots and riles. Doesn't use batteries, the dot (triangle) is crisp and clear with a very sharp aiming point. It still works in total darkness even after 11 years +. No parallax error that I've encountered. Adjustable with a cartridge rim or coin. Spendy, but worth it in the long term, like the F/A's.

[Ron 1]

 i like my tru glo red/green dot  it adjusts in briteness  and it turns down low for twilight or predawn
it only cost me $40.00 two years ago and the battery life is good  as long as you remember to turn it off.
               rw