What do we know about reflex sights?

[hunt4570]

   Just picked up a PMR30 22mag auto and I'm thinking about putting a reflex sight on it.Problem is I don't know much about them.the gun is pretty small so I need a light one..looking at the Burris Fast Fire II (25 grams) and the Jpoint (14 grams), both in that $200-$250 range.
  Anyone have any experience with these or others? Things to look for, or things to run from? Do these really hold up on a slide going Mach 3 or do they fall apart?
   
 

[LanceR]

When you ask what we know about reflex sights I'm unsure whether you mean just these particular sights or in general. 

Reflex sights are named that since they are intended to be used reflexively with both eyes open.  Under most conditions they are the fastest available sighting system in terms of how quickly you can pick up the reticle and superimpose it on the target.  They don't care about eye relief.  Better ones are remarkably robust.

As a retired Army Master Marksmanship Trainer I have a lot of experience with the higher end tactical reflex sights but with that said I have zero experience with either of these sights.  Burris has a good technical staff and a call to them and will get you an answer to your question. 

I never saw a tactical pistol with a slide mounted sight and I can't ever remember seeing a competitive pistol with a slide mounted reflex (or optical) sight.  Many pistols have some form of side mount available that mounts the sight over the bore line without attaching it to the slide.  Some mount to the frame. some go under the left side grip and some replace the left side grip and there are some mounts I'm sure I never saw.

I suspect that in addition to scope durability issues putting the sight on the slide will cause no end of failures to extract, eject and feed along with a very good chance of the action not locking correctly due to the additional weight slowing the slide down in both directions.

In addition to contacting the sight makers I'd contact the pistol maker for guidance.

Good luck with whatever you choose.

Lance

[hunt4570]

Thanks.Kel Tec actually make a base to mount the Burris sight to the slide, and I've seen those who have done this so I'm thinking it works...
  Kind of wondering If I should, some rant about how well it works...acuracy ,ect. The sights on the gun are fixed in the rear, and in a dovetail in the front so it is moveable up there but not the easiest most precise thing to do. the gun shoots 4-5 inches low and about the same to the left at 25 yards so I was thinking an easier aim setting device would be nice..

[Bigeasy]

Hunt-
 
I have a Fastfire ll mounted on the slide (rear sight dovetail) of a .45 acp 1911.  It has held up fine with about 800 rounds of hardball with the sight mounted.  The Fastfire is available with mounts to match the rear sight dovetail for quite a few different handguns.  As was suggested earlier, it may or may not effect the recoil impulse / slide function of a rimfire, so I would check with Kel Tek.
 
Larry

[hunt4570]

Kel Tec says it will work as long as you dont use low power/cheap ammo...  How do you like the FFII on your gun..good target aquisition? Good accuracy? Are you overall pleased with its performance? Does it maintain zero once you sighted it in, or do you have to adjust it periodically?I'm guessing if it holds up to your 45, I'll not bother to ask that question.. 

[Bigeasy]

I actually have two of them.  The other is mounted on an AR-15.  Both have worked out well, holding zero, with a 4 inch dot that does not "over power" the target.  The auto brightness works well.  The sight comes with a set of zero dials similar to what is on a scope, but I just mounted the sights, seen where they were hitting, the adjusted by trial and error.  The adjustments have separate locks that keep the zero from changing.  The only feature I don't like is having to take the sight off to change the battery, but battery life s excellent as long as you turn the sight off when done, and don't store it with the sight turned on, in sleep mode.  The top of the line Aimpoints and EOTECH's are a little better made, but no where as small and lite as the Fastfire, and not designed for slide mounting.  For me, speed and accuracy are improved over iron sights.
 
Larry

[hunt4570]

Thanks Larry..thats what I was hoping to hear..the 4 MOA sight seems real big to me, but nobody seems bothered with it, and thats at 100 yds, with this 22 pistol I'll not be shooting that far anyway..