Get a red dot, they said. It’ll fix your problems, they said…
And it does. Really. You have to learn how to use a pistol all over again…
…and there are obvious issues, none that aren’t worth the price of admission. But one thing they don’t mention?
Look, whatever gun I’ve anointed as my main babe and principal squeeze, I wear that puppy every waking hour of every day. More if you count old-man naps in my chair. In a far less than antiseptic environment. Do you know how hard it is to clean lint off the recessed glass of a pistol optic, after it’s been cemented there by calcium from kitchen sink or yard hose splash? It’s like part of the daily procedure now, just before the morning walkie with Tobie right behind me shooting Expectation Rays out of his eyes.
Next time I’m going to try one of those optics that look like little boxes, with everything sealed up inside and nothing but outside on the outside.
I wonder what old Jeff Cooper would have thought about these things?
Sounds like you need to go back to having a flap on your holster…
Have you ever heard of SeeAll tritium sights? I have a Mk 2 on a Ruger 1022 Takedown and I found that after a little getting used to the sight it works really well. The best part is there are no batteries. The tritium means it can be used in any light condition. All you have to do is align the top of the triangle under the target and fire away.
https://www.seeallsights.com/products/mk3-tritium-pistol-sight-plate-system
I really thought about going with an M12 holster but the optic doesn’t even fit in one and if it did it wouldn’t be protected. So I would basically need a custom builder willing to make me a flap holster for this particular gun with the optic. It all gets kind of complicated.
Tree Mike
I have both types of dot sights. The ones with the recessed glass, have a piece of micro fiber cloth stuffed into the void. It takes almost no time to extract, but it saves your glass from sand etching from frequent cleanings. When I do clean them, I start out with a damp micro fiber, then progress to a dry one, light on rubbing pressure. I have 5 year old Chyynah made red/green dot site (on my 10/22) that I can still see through with no “fogged” glass. It’s cheaper and easier than anything else I’ve tried. Ideally, a purpose made rubber plug would be great.
My sight came with a cover which I haven’t used because the one I put on my .44 also had a cover that I did use at first and it was a pain in the neck. So maybe I should try the cover again and see which poison I dislike least.
Mike: I haven’t heard of those before. Of course there’s a lot of commercial products I don’t hear about until they’re passe.
Make a little cover for the glass, tie it to your belt, and adjust it so it falls off without tangling when you draw your pistol. Stiff leather soaked in melted wax and formed over the sight, and then glue in a glasses cleaning cloth, is one possibility.
Have you considered asking the holster folks I linked when you were looking for one if they could make a custom one for your rig?
I use a Safariland holster that has a little flap that covers the optic: https://www.commanderzero.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/20240617_1851595003937737029492374-768×901.jpg
Ans I went with the enclosed optic (Trijicon RMR) for exactly the reasons you are experiencing: https://www.commanderzero.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/20240617_1838294582478950264022410-1200×1024.jpg
MM: I bought a holster from that site. Works great, too. Didn’t talk to them about a custom rig, wouldn’t have been in my range.
Joel,
You can shoot that sight completely occluded! Your computer (brain) will take care of it. Grab a piece of masking tape, put it over the front of your rds. Make your sight picture, and you will see the dot, and your target. So. Not to worry. Dusty doesn’t mean non-op.
Are you SURE a custom would not be in your range?
The Interwebs work in mysterious ways…
Technically I suppose this one is custom, in that there were beaucoup options right down to the brand of the optic. But there was no talk of really custom features: Like given my experience with how beaten up the optic on my revolver is after less than two years I definitely would have wanted to cover the optic like on the holster Commander Zero showed.
But otherwise I have no complaint with the holster I bought from them; the fit is perfect for an Arex Delta Gen 2 L.
Again, it would not hurt to ask them about a TRUE custom…
A little research seems to show that many Glock 19 holsters will fit the Arex. Specifically, the Safariland I showed will, according to the folks in Reddit, fit the Arex w RDS (red dot sight). Drawback is that holster is kinda spendy but you can find them used on eBay. My experience with that holster is that it is nothing short of awesome. It has a lock on it to secure the gun in the holster so if you take a tumble your gun doesnt slide out and get lost. The red dot is protected, and the holster will accommodate a Surefire light or a light that has a similar profile (I like the Olights).
All this to say, there’s a high likelihood that if you buy a holster designed for a Glock17/19/23/22, it should fit. However, if possible, try before you buy, or buy from a place with a good return policy.