Pistol Mounted Red Dot (Taurus G3 TORO)

[Murgatroy]

So, for some reason lately I have gotten heavily into modifying my guns. I have been a stranger around here for a while, but I still lurk. 

 

I have had a burning desire for a pistol mounted optic, and well, I didn't have a pistol for one. I didn't know if I would like it or not, so I didn't want to drop a whole lot of money into it. I am a Glock guy, I have several G19s and I think it is the greatest carry pistol of all time. But I just can't find a 19 MOS, and didn't feel like dropping $300 for a new slide. Which lead me to the new Taurus G3 TORO. At $350 out the door, it seemed a no brainer. It is a copy cat of the Glock 19, takes Glock sights, fits my Glock holsters... And well, it comes with an optic mount.

 

Now I am falling down a rabbit hole of optics. I am still wanting to stay cheap, and frankly all of the options out there are rather intimidating. Right now I am leaning very heavily toward the CTS-1550 with a set of suppressor height sights for co-witness. This puts me into the gun total for about $500, which means if I don't like it, I can easily recoup my losses.

 

I have watched at least ten hours of videos discussing optics and the specific firearm. So is there advice from the group think on dos and don'ts?

 

And just because I felt bad buying the Taurus, I bought a Glock 19 too. Which might seem counterintuitive, but it made sense to me. 

 

[Snaveba]

For the price of the Taurus, Optic and Glock 19, you could have been into a P365XL with a nice optic.

However I might be biased as I like SIGs and don’t really like Glocks. 

[Moped]

I’ve been eying the G3 optic ready. Looks like a nice pistol. I have a G2 that I really like. However, I’ve also been looking at the XDs with a Crimson Trace optic, for $483

https://www.budsgunshop.com/product_info.php/products_id/130709/sprgfld+xds+mod2+osp+wct+33+9mm

Edited July 5, 2021 by Moped

[Murgatroy]

2 minutes ago, Moped said:

I’ve been eying the G3 optic ready. Looks like a nice pistol. I have a G2 that I really like. However, I’ve also been looking at the XDs with a Crimson Trace optic, for $483

https://www.budsgunshop.com/product_info.php/products_id/130709/sprgfld+xds+mod2+osp+wct+33+9mm

Shoot Point Blank had it for $379 in the case, the website showed it at $349 and I got a 5% discount because of my membership level. Here in Kentucky that just about cancelled tax. For $350, I am not unimpressed. Looks like that XDS has the CTS-1550 on it, which is $113 on Amazon. Making it give or take the same cost as the G3 with the same optic.

[Murgatroy]

50 minutes ago, Snaveba said:

For the price of the Taurus, Optic and Glock 19, you could have been into a P365XL with a nice optic.

However I might be biased as I like SIGs and don’t really like Glocks. 

The irony is not lost on me. Nor the fact that had I spent time looking I could have found a Glock 19 MOS, or hell just got the XD-M Elite OSP. But I am a Glock fanboi. I have multiple Gen 3 Glock 19s, dozens of magazines and holsters and that is what I carry. The Taurus G3 is a pretty good copy of the Gen 5 G19. Size is nearly the same, takedown is nearly the same and it fits half of my holsters. I walked out of the store for under $800, so I am pleased with myself.

 

[Murgatroy]

Went to the range this afternoon, 200 rounds down the pipe. One ammunition related malfunction. The RO came over and was teasing me and asked me how I could tell I was shooting any good if I just kept putting the bullets through the same hole. Parts will be in later this week to tear it down and build it up. So far I am still not unimpressed.

 

[Moped]

6 hours ago, Murgatroy said:

Went to the range this afternoon, 200 rounds down the pipe. One ammunition related malfunction. The RO came over and was teasing me and asked me how I could tell I was shooting any good if I just kept putting the bullets through the same hole. Parts will be in later this week to tear it down and build it up. So far I am still not unimpressed.

 

What are you doing to it, besides the adding the CTS-1550?

[Murgatroy]

55 minutes ago, Moped said:

What are you doing to it, besides the adding the CTS-1550?

I actually changed my mind on the optic. I am going with and ADE RD3-009, I have suppressor height Ameriglo Sights coming as well. I grabbed a few extra 17rd magazines this evening before the range. Lakeline makes a threaded barrel and +3 mag plates, so I am grabbing those too.

 

[JustEd]

My eyes are old and the idea of a red dot was enticing. Have three now and am indifferent about their usefulness. At the range I like them. However, for self defense it takes a lot of practice at first to get the red dot right on target from a draw. It Can work,, but takes practice.

Two negatives for me are, moisture can cause the battery not to make proper contact, my SIG Romeo 1 pro is prone to occasional drift and there is the phenomenon of ”chasing the dot.”  Oh right, that’s three...

[FrankD]

Why not get the slide milled on one of your existing 19s and throw a holosun 507 on it?  

[Murgatroy]

2 hours ago, FrankD said:

Why not get the slide milled on one of your existing 19s and throw a holosun 507 on it?  

I carry my 19s. They are unaltered as from the factory. Just something that was beat into me for years. I know it is a hot button subject, but I carry an unaltered stock gun.

[Murgatroy]

Got some parts in. Not impressed with the ADE optic. I knew better buying it, but it was like $40 cheaper, and well, I am cheap. It is personal preference, but I bought suppressor height sights, and well, they don't cowitness.  Ease of use seems to be alright, I have been reading a bunch of stuff from Massad Ayoob about them and following some of his methods I can find the dot fast and easy, Focus on the target, bring the dot in on it. I will take it to the range this weekend and see how it does.

[Murgatroy]

[Murgatroy]

[Moped]

On 7/7/2021 at 7:12 PM, Murgatroy said:

How far away was this?

[Murgatroy]

10 hours ago, Moped said:

How far away was this?

Seven or Ten yards, I can't recall, but if I had to guess it would be seven.