Will this work? Ruger MK.IV & Burris FF3

[CatSnoutSoup]

I am not sure if I will be able to get to the range before next weekend and that will be the deciding test of whether this was a good idea.

In the mean time let me ask, do you think this will work out?

I got a Ruger Mark IV Hunter as an xmas gift from my wife, and I had a small pile of Amazon gift cards which I used to acquirer a Burris FastFire 3 red dot reflex sight (3 MOA).

Now Burris makes a mount that can replace the rear sight in the Ruger dovetail but naturally that commits you to the red dot exclusively and if it is down for service so is the gun.

Instead of the dovetail mount I decided to go with the picatinny mount that came with the FF3 and I installed a Tandemkross "Shadow" picatinny rail on the Ruger. The end result -- if the red dot is removed the iron sights can be used over the Tademkross rail and that was my objective.

However, I am beginning to wonder if the red dot is simply mounted too high above the bore to allow for adjustment. I will ultimately find out at the range, but in dry firing it here in my work room the dot seems high above what I perceive as the point of alignment for the bore and adjustment seems minimal.

What do you guys think? Anyone have a configuration like this?

I have red dots on a couple rifles but this is the first time I have tried to put one on a pistol and the first time I have used one of these small reflex versions.

P.S.> Props to Tademkross for promising to correct the billing concerning a shipping error, I would recommend them based on that good customer service.

 

[Lennypeters]

Your setup should work just fine. Bullseye shooters have been using red dot sights on pistols since they became available. I am considering a setup just like yours because the Burris weighs a lot less than most conventional tube type red dots. A little less than an ounce including the mount vs over 4 ounces. The only bad thing I have heard is if the glass screen the dot projects on to gets wet the dot is lost. So no shooting in the rain. I am interesting in hearing how you like it when you have had a chance to try it.

 

[BrianWilson]

I used one a 1911 for steel for a season and loved it. Worked great. The C-more has better dot clarity, but other than that the FF3 blows it away. Only thing I see on your set up is the higher the sight sits from the bore the more pronounced the difference between the point of aim and the point of impact will be. For fixed distance Bullseye once sighted in this would not be an issue. Were you to shoot different distances, particularity at smaller targets you may find yourself having to hold high or low.

If you do go to put the dovetail mount in be sure to put the screws into the mounting holes before tapping the mount in. If not the mount is so soft the hole on that side can deform to the point that the screw will not fit in. Ask me how I know this.

 

[gusto411]

I have the same setup on my Ruger Mark III Hunter and it works great! I don’t have to adjust between 50ft and 75ft, so I think that dot to barrel alignment is good.
Although I’m using the rail that came with the gun (Not Tandem), which looks thinner, putting the dot lower/closer to the barrel.

 

[TC McQuade]

Ruger included a rail and tapped holes with my Ruger Mark III Bull Barrel fun to shoot and very accurate

 

[peterk123]

I use a bushnell tube style and had to shim the rear of the rail with one layer of gorilla duct tape. Once I did that, I had plenty of adjustment.

 

[groundscrapers]

you need to check out these....

https://outerimpact.com/shop/red-dot-adaptermount-ruger-mark-ii-iii-2245-works-many-red-dots/

http://2ht1mik98ka4dogie28vqc4y.wpe...s/2016/06/ruger_RMR_2245_featured-670x446.jpg

 

[nstassel]

I did that with a Burris on my mark 3. I ultimately used the dovetail base bc I thought it was pointless to use the picatinny base with the sights.

 

[liketorace]

I have used both a Volquartsen rail as well as the Outer Impact with Burris FastFire 3s. For reference info, I also have a few Trijicon RMRs on a rifle, shotgun and lever. On Ruger Mk II through Mk IVs, I am very happy with the FastFires. They are no less accurate than the 1 MOA RMRs at 50’. They do not seem as tough as the RMR, but I am not in the rain with my .22 target pistol or shooting in stupidly cold weather at the range in the winter like I have done (sparingly) with the RMR.

Edit: But, to answer the OP’s question, a higher rail (like the OP’s) is no less accurate as long as the sight is sighted-in for the distance one is shooting. In most cases, the farther the sight/dot is vertically away from the bore, the greater the difference between POA and POI on distances other than what is sighted-in.

Here’s the setup on my Mk IV Hunter: