A red dot optic mounted on a pistol lives a rough life. every time the pistol is fired, it take a lot of Gs of acceleration. It's also subject to any abuse the gun is subject to. This is especially true for a CCW gun.

This brings up the question of how long this type of optic can be expected to survive. For a range / race gun, this might be not that big a deal. If it dies, just replace it. If you're competing, you might want to have a spare available. But for a CCW gun, when you need it it has to work. If you smart, you have back up irons. But still you want it to be working essentially all the time. So for a CCW gun, is this something that should be replaced prophylactically on a set schedule (either time or rounds fired.)

What are people doing in this regard, and what has been the experience with the reliability of these optics?

 

3 years and 20,000 rounds later, Had a Tru Glo pop out of my front site of my Glock 19, Simmons in Bessemer Alabama who did the install replaced it free of charge, gotta love those guys!

 

True Glo? This is a Tritium fiber iron sight, correct? I'm talking about electro-optical red dots (RMR, Delta Point, etc.) Different animal, and likely more delicate.

3 years and 20,000 rounds later, Had a Tru Glo pop out of my front site of my Glock 19, Simmons in Bessemer Alabama who did the install replaced it free of charge, gotta love those guys!

 

I have Trijicon RMR's and the oldest and most used is about 6 years old. It is on my EDC Glock 19 and all I have ever done is change batteries. I have several other RMR's with the newest being about 4 years old, they are on back ups so have not been shot all that much but only battery changes on them, also. If you RMR malfunctions, just send it to Trijicon, they will make it right for you. I am not sure about any of the cheap red dots because I do not have any. If mounted on a gun I may be betting my life on, buying cheap does not make sense to me.

 

After tons of research I went with the Trijicon RMR.

 

Smart move.

 

Tried 2 on a rifle, and both went back due to tiny eye box. Having red dots on a slide is even more nonsense in my book, let alone on a carry gun.

Another issue with them: get some dirt or lint on the light source and you'll need a few to figure out what's going on. Enough time to be 6 feet under at the end. No thank you.

 

Not sure about nonsense, but there really are a few additional things to consider when using a dot. Pistol or carbine is irrelevant. It’s another failure point that you need to honestly consider and decide if the juice is worth the squeeze. Shoot long enough and poop will break. I’ve lost front sights off of 1911’s, HK’s and Glocks. Cracked extractors, broken springs, cracked feed lips... It’s why you do a detail strip every few months and do a detailed inspection of parts and pieces. To try and minimize the possibility of your gun going belly up at the worst possible time. Same goes for optics. When you swap batteries you do a detail inspection of the optic. Dents, chips, cracks, bent contacts, compressed seals, corrosion signs on contacts, weak contact legs, contacts that have lost spring force...

I have carried a dot for a bit now. RMR to be specific. For me the and my eye sight, the RMR is perfect. No focal place shifts means I can see target and sights which means I’m faster on target and more accurate. My eyes just don’t do the quick focal shifts anymore. Heck with my contacts near focus is impossible. So seeing sights is out. With glasses I’m hunting for the right zone to either see the target or sights. Very slow.

I’ve had lint build up on my lens, but not on the emitter... yet. The RMR has a pretty hidden emitter so lint may not be an issue. Water might though. Never had it mess with me, but then I’ve yet to shoot in a torrential downpour. Aimpoint has a solution to that dilemma now, so I assume others will follow suit.

 

I have taken 2 day classes in pretty decent rain with an RMR 1 equipped glock 17 carried in OWB holsters (not covered), and trained in the rain frequently with RMR 1 and 2 equipped glock 17's and a 19 (I live in one of the rainiest spots in the US). Its just not a big deal in my experience. YMMV.