First and foremost, does someone have a readily available list (or pictures) of current production pistols that have successfully had Red dots mounted to them ? I have seen Glock, M&P and a few pictures of Sig 226/229s floating around the internet.  Does anyone know if the H&K VP9, H&K P series or even a CZ-P01 could have an RMR or Aimpoint mounted to them ?

Anyways, I am really looking to venture into the realm of red dot mounted pistols.  I have a spare Glock sitting around, unfortunately Glock never did satisfy all the criteria I require for a pistol, short of the overall size and bore axis.  The grip never fit my hand correctly, and I'm not comfortable carrying AIWB with a striker fired & hammerless pistol. However I'm looking to give a red dot a try and the Glock with an ATOM mount appears to be the best option, particularly in terms of resale value.  Provided it works out, I will have to do a grip reduction on the Glock, and perhaps it will become my Nightstand / End of world handgun.  The other option I have considered is an M&PC with a safety, this is something that I may consider carrying AIWB.    

So my real question is, what can I expect when comparing the Aimpoint Micro VS Trijicon RMR on a Glock with ATOM mount ?   I already own the Aim point Micro and will be giving that optic the shot initially.  Also, is there a common consensus as to which Trijicon RMR is best suited for pistol usage?

The RMR hands down is better suited on a handgun.

My suggestion would be to keep your Glock if it's a 19 and get an RMR put on if you really want a dot. Use a Kydex holster that clicks the gun into place. No way for the gun to go off. As for the grip, consider one of those grip forces.

For the VP9, P30 - contact Mark Housel at L&M Precision. The man has done quite a few guns for me, and he is an artisan of steel. The guy is a gentleman, and a scholar, and has done amazing work. If it can be done, Mark will do it; if it can't be done, Mark will figure out a way to do it.

The ATOM mount is, IMHO, the best mounting solution. Buy an ATOM slide, and you can change out between Aimpoint Micro or RMR, simply by unscrewing a screw.

I personally think the T1 is too big for a G19, but would be fine for a G17/22. I think the T1 Micro is also going to be more durable, however, the mass added by that thing is crazy.

I think the RMR is the best solution for a red dot on a pistol.

The RM07 is my preferred RMR, due to being able to put it in auto adjust mode, or manually adjust it when using a tac light. It also has nightvision modes as well, or you can hold both buttons for 3 seconds, and shut it off completely, to save battery life, or practice iron sights.

The RM06 is the same way, but with a smaller 3.25 MOA dot. I find that this dot is too small, and doesn't work with my astigmatism......for whatever reason, the 6.5 MOA dot on the RM07 is perfectly round, and doesn't look like a blob......its also easier to pick up, IMHO.

Whichever route you go, whether its T1 or RMR, make sure if you go with an RMR, you get the adjustable LED version. Trust me - I've had the dual-illuminated RM05, auto LED RM02, and the adjustable LED versions......I finally found the adjustable LED RM07 to be perfect for me.

A few pics -

Unity Tactical ATOM slide in FDE on my G19 -

IMG_20141009_174127 by The One and Only "B"!, on Flickr


Surefire X300 Ultra shined at a matte surface.....you can't tell from the pic, but the dot is still visible, despite the 500 lumens shining off the flag at 3 feet away. Brightness is turned all the way up on the RM07.

IMG_20141026_000401 by The One and Only "B"!, on Flickr

X300 Ultra shined at a glossy, white wall at 5 feet away - dot is still easily visible, due to being able to turn up the brightness.

IMG_20141026_000837 by The One and Only "B"!, on Flickr

Reasons NOT to use the aimpoint for pistol duty (outside of competition or range toy):
-backup sight usage is rare and not very effective if so
-good luck concealing that
-poor index point for point shooting
-poor total field of vision at an angle
-you think holster selection sucks for RMR based pistols, everything will be custom...and bulky
-learning curve will suck

Reasons TO use it:
-quality piece that can go back on rifle when needed without compromise
-no emitter and water issues to potentially obscure dot that a simple wipe of the glass can't fix
-you already have it

Reasons NOT to use the RMR
-water and the emitter don't play well together so use in rain and snow has mixed results for some if open carry use is high.  The unit is water resistant for an hour to a depth of 66ft when you use the sealing plate.  But it uses a projection based set-up to get the dot on the glass.
-cost: investment in the RMR, another slide or mill work and  suppressor back up sights for proper co-witness
-astigmatism: not everyone who has this vision issue can deal with the blooming, regardless of model used

Reasons TO use the RMR:
-smallest and most efficient package compared to Aimpoint
-proven- the most used RDS on handguns across the board in this concept.  Nothing else compares in longevity or durability thus far.
-vision- those with less than perfect vision have said this has been one of the best investments to compliment aging eyes and glasses/contacts
-co-witness: smaller learning curve when installed with suppressor sights mounted in stock locations.  More natural presentation and should you remove the RMR for service or in the slim chance it fails, nothin has changed for sights usage to shortened radius or not having them.
-reference points- even if you can't see the dot in a hurry, you will hit what is in the field of view.  its been called a screen or window of death by some.  Like wise the curve in the top and the edges make for easy indexing points in point shooting.
-single handed function- works great as a charging handle during one handed manipulation.  Charging off a boot, belt/holster, etc. the RMR offers a great leverage point
-dry fire practice: you can definitely notice trigger control by watching the dot bounce if you don't already have a SERT pistol or similar training tool.  It's helped me with my trigger control and translated to my efficiency with shooting my other non-RMR equipped pistols.

I too would vote for Mark at L&M to do any slide work, with the suppressor sights mounted in the factory location, he built my G19.  He's been doing these set-ups longer than anyone else in it's current form.
http://www.landmprecisiongunworks.com/


The RMR is not for everyone, so I always recommend trying to rent a FNX-45 with an RMR or finding someone who has a RMR'd Glock, XD, etc you are considering to try first.