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Anyone familiar with the Shield SMSc Optic on the Hellcat RDP?

CamGun3

CamGun3

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Today after entering an indoor range for the first time I had issues trying to see the dot on a well lit target even at only 24'. I have had the Hellcat RDP for 3.5 months and fired about 300-400 rounds in an open outdoor range with only some viewing problems. I have had about 9 handguns since 2021, seven with red-dots and one with a green dot. The MOA is extremely small on this optic and was wondering is there any kind of upgrade or adjustment that can enlarge the current optic to a higher MOA like about 2.5-3?

I thought I was better off having Springfield equip the complete package but now I am sorry I didn't purchase my own optic separately. Having this size MOA and expecting to use this for self defense, being an RDP, makes it hard to pick up the sight vs. iron sights.
 
Sorry, i'm sure someone will come around shortly that could answer your question. I do not believe having an optic on a self defense is a good idea. Maybe ok on target or hunting gun but will not trust my life to a battery!
 
nmedge said:
Sorry, i'm sure someone will come around shortly that could answer your question. I do not believe having an optic on a self defense is a good idea. Maybe ok on target or hunting gun but will not trust my life to a battery!
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Yea, about the battery thing, I don’t trust them either, I have been looking at the Ruger RediDot myself, no battery, uses fiber optic rods for the dot, then your iron sights in dark, yea I know, someone will say what good is it in the dark, well my sites are Trinium so thats how I would get around the dot… just me
 
Some optics come with the ability to use different dot styles, not sure if the SMSC does. You can look up the manual to see if it’s an option. Otherwise you need a new dot.

Do you have it set on automatic brightness adjust? I never use this feature because I have yet to see a dot do this well in varying lighting situations. Might set it to one of the brightest levels.

I thought the SMSC only came in 4 MOA or 8 MOA. Maybe swap batteries and see if that does anything for you.

If also fails contact shield or get a new dot.

The gun still fires with a dead red dot battery, most use co-witness irons or bottom third, but I can still get solid hits using just the window at SD distances :). I will keep my dot and train accordingly lol.
 
Thanks everyone for the comments.

The iron sights are the glow type and do co-witness with the red dot. If the MOA were at least a 3 or 4, I'd have no issue picking up the target in bright lights. This all came about when I went to an indoor range for the first time. The thinking of a smaller dot will mean more accuracy but at a compromise.

This is the first I have owned with such a small MOA.

I will now try the company directly. I just thought Springfield would know about all the products it assembles as a package. Normally I would piece it together on my own. The only disappointment is paying $300-400 more for the RDp complete and pretty much finding the red dot and comp may not be worth the value or achieve a benefit

After spending so much time and expense on the sighting-in of this handgun, I am trying to stay away from changing the battery as you have to remove the optic.
 
I did check the SMSC quick guide and it states “The SHIELD Mini Sight Compact uses a 3V Lithium battery type CR2032 which under average use can last 1 to 3 years. Replacement is required when the intensity of the dot appears greatly diminished against a bright background.”

Might of come with a bad battery is all but hopefully shield or Springfield can answer your question more directly.
 
PacNWvike said:
I did check the SMSC quick guide and it states “The SHIELD Mini Sight Compact uses a 3V Lithium battery type CR2032 which under average use can last 1 to 3 years. Replacement is required when the intensity of the dot appears greatly diminished against a bright background.”

Might of come with a bad battery is all but hopefully shield or Springfield can answer your question more directly.
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Thanks for the research. I just emailed them in the UK and printed the manual out again. I have a feeling you are correct. This model is available with a 4 and 8 MOA. I am assuming this one came with the 4 MOA which should be bigger on a target than what I am seeing now. In theory, if I have to remove and replace the battery, it should sit back in the same place due to the way it locks into the slide.
 
I have several guns set up like yours including the Hellcat Pro, I have had a few similar issues rel to the battery, it lasts a long time but who knows how long it was in there in the warehouse... also personally I am moving to all Green Dots, it appears that research is showing that the human eye does green better than red... Holosun.
 
I agree. I have one green dot on a Walther PDP. It is a bigger MOA, I think it comes as part of that technology right now, and is much easier to see especially in full light. There is not much green light from the sun to compete with :) I expect to change the battery and cross my fingers with the alignment being as finally sighted in yesterday.
 
To All:
All is now well. I have found the answer to my issue and realized it just before receiving a reply from Shield.

This Shield SMSc has a 4MOA. An 8MOA is available for target practice. To update would cost $115 + shipping.
I have already changed the battery which was not the problem. It registered a 3.05v and the new one I replaced with was a 3.15v, with naturally no real change. It appears the removal-install made no change to the point of impact when dry fire testing.

Yes, it is a variable dot that cannot be adjusted or overridden. In the case of the indoor range, the cubical was naturally unlit with just surrounding ambient light while the range target area was intensely bright. This causes the red dot to lower brightness. Had I been outdoors, this would have been both naturally bright around me and the target and I would not notice any issue.

Lesson learned. I hope this information helps others.
 
xdman said:
Thats one of the main reasons I love a 6 dot, it’s big and bold.
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It’s why I like a green Holosun reticle. It’s big but it’s the doughnut of death so you have a 2 MOA dot in the center of a 32 MOA circle.
 
That's what I have on my range gun. I only use the dot, not the donut, as it seems to add clutter to the target for me. As an optic-preferred shooter, the SMSc is preferred on my RDP as it is on all the time as a carry gun and if needed, is also a co-witness.
 
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