1911 Accessories: Red Dot Considerations

Most lists of 1911 accessories are going to list things like night sights, compensators, WMLs, upgrades to the grip, and perhaps slide upgrades.

But you know what should get more attention? Red dot sights.

Perhaps some lights don’t mention them because some 1911s make it a bit tough to mount one. Other platforms, like Glocks for instance, are designed so that it’s easier for shooters to add red dots at home.

But that doesn’t mean you can’t outfit a 1911 with a red dot, and there are plenty of good reasons to do so. Here are a few things you should know if you’re interested in an RDS.

What Is a Red Dot? What Are the Advantages of Using One?

A red dot is a type of optic that consists of a housing, an LED emitter that projects a spot of light (typically red, hence the name) onto a glass lens.

Red dot sights are remarkably easy to use, even for inexperienced shooters, and allow for reflexive shooting.

They are available in multiple sizes, weights, and configurations for shooters of all preferences.

All in all, red dot sights offer rapid target acquisition, instinctive shooting, and quicker, more accurate follow up shots than other types of sights, along with better low-light performance and fewer issues with parallax issues than other optics - but that will be explored next.

Why Red Dots Are Better Than Just Iron Sights

There are numerous advantages to red dot sights when compared to iron sights, although they are also better than other optics in some ways.

For one, a red dot sight does not require the shooter to line up front and rear sights; as a result, there is no “sight radius” and therefore there is no way that a misalignment of sights could incur a miss.

Red dot sights are also illuminated, so they work in the dark, unlike conventional iron sights.

The red dot is not visible from in front of the firearm outfitted with it, keeping the shooter’s position concealed.

Shooting over a red dot enables the shooter to keep both eyes open and focused on the target, allowing faster, more accurate shooting when compared to iron sights.

With respect to their advantages over other optics like scopes, red dot sights are free from the issue of parallax distortion. If you look through a scope at an angle, the reticle may appear over a portion of the target that does not correspond to where the gun is actually pointing, resulting in a miss.

Also, red dot sights allow for reflexive shooting from any position; when properly calibrated, if you can see the red dot, that is where the gun is actually pointing. This can result in accurate shooting from any angle or position.

Red Dot Color and Brightness Setting

Most red dot sights are red, as can be expected from the name, but many are also available in other colors, like green. Some can be toggled between different colors.

There are advantages and disadvantages to each of these different colors. For instance, red dots are better at night because red light does not photobleach the rhodopsin in your eye, preserving your night vision. Red light also consumes less power from a battery.

However, red light is hard to see in bright light and in sunlight, where green and blue dots perform better. They consume more energy, though.

Most red dot sights have multiple brightness settings so they can be set low in the dark or made brighter for use outdoors or during the day. Being able to adjust the brightness will also give you the ability to help control battery life.

Reticle Style and MOA

While there are many different styles of reticles that are available with some red dot sights, the most basic configuration is a single red dot.

Something that you need to pay attention to here, though, is the size of the dot, which is measured in MOA, or minutes of angle, which correspond to one inch of width at 100 yards.

The fewer MOA the reticle, the smaller the dot will appear, which will make precise shooting easier, especially at greater ranges at which a larger MOA dot would obstruct some of the target.

Other Considerations to Make Before Buying and Mounting

In addition to color, reticle style, brightness settings and dot size, here are some other things to consider before before getting a red dot sight for your 1911:

• Open vs. closed emitters styles: Closed emitters are more durable but they tend to weigh more.
• Durability: Some red dot sights are more durable than others; some are made with plastic housings but tough ones are made from anodized aluminum or even steel.
• Weight, size and footprint: Not all red dot sights will fit on your 1911 slide; also, some will add more weight than others.
• Battery life: Most red dot sights have a battery life of a year or longer but this is still something you should research.
• Cost: Red dot sights can range from very affordable to several hundreds, even a thousand dollars or more.
• Magnification: Most red dot sights are 1x magnification, but others may have a magnifying lens, be aware of this before buying.
• Holster compatibility: Since an RDS will change the profile of your 1911, make sure the sight you have your eye on will be compatible with the holster you use.
• Ease of use: At the end of the day, you want a red dot sight that is easy and intuitive to use, especially if you use the 1911 for home defense and not just for competition.

Explore These and Other 1911 Accessories Here

Here for 1911 accessories like red dot sights? We carry these and a whole lot of other accessories, including sights, weapon-mounted lights, grips, slides, magazines, and compensators. We even sell compensated barrels and pistol frames for customizing builds.

Take a look through our collection of 1911 accessories and get in touch with us at 610-250-3960 if you have any questions and we’ll help you out .