I had just been looking at the Redfield Accelerator when Nick wrote about the Meopta Meosight III red dot. He mentioned the accelerator a few times in comparison and I liked what I saw and read. Then Christmas came and I got a gift card for Fisherman’s Marine and Supply. I go there a bit too often as they always seem to have powder, primers, and ammo. So the day after Christmas I was off to the store and picked one up . . .
First impression out of the box was good. I like the topside battery access.
I like that it auto shuts off after five hours. The dot, being six MOA, isn’t overly large when held at arms length.
Then I went to mount it on my 22/45. Hmmm. It comes with a “mount base” that is somehow attached to the empty dovetail on a slide.
After scratching my head, I looked at Redfield’s web site for some help. Zilch. They have this to say:
Adapter Plate
Included adapter plate allows mounting on most popular reflex sight mounts (sold separately).
Sold separately. Just not sold by them, apparently. The pistol came with a weaver style base, and the red dot came with an additional cross slot base. I really didn’t want to mount it that high, so back to Redfield’s web site contact page. E-mail sent.
I got back on the interwebz and exercise my best Google fu. Nothing. I did find that JP Enterprises makes what I need, but it appears to be proprietary to their red dot. And I don’t feel like blowing 40 bucks to find out it won’t work. E-mail sent.
Until I can get an answer from Redfield, (hello?), I guess I’ll mount it up high.
At the range, the sight didn’t have any issues. The adjustments were easy with the provided tiny hex key. You just have to remember to loosen the lock screws. I zeroed it for the .22 ammo I have the most of. With 80 minutes of adjustment for windage and elevation, there is plenty of room to play.
The sight window is 22mm wide and 15mm tall. It appears to have some “bending” issues on the outer edges, but if you’re looking to the outer edges, you’re probably not seeing the red dot. And speaking of that dot, with four illumination settings, I had no problem seeing it. And since I wear reading glasses, having this on a pistol held at arm’s length is a good thing. I can shoot without my readers on.
Turning it on and off is easy with a rubber-coated button on the left side. When you first turn it on, it auto selects the brightness level depending on ambient light.
The same button is used to change the brightness settings. The brightness decreases a notch with each push. There is no clicking with the push of the button, just a mushy push. So, like a woman, it’s difficult to know if you are pushing it right unless you see results.
One nice feature not mentioned in the Meopta review is a low battery indicator. In the photo above, it’s the hole looking on left just below the tiny Phillips screw head. The manual states that when it starts blinking red, you will have several hours before the unit goes dark.
Another annoyance is the included over. It doesn’t fit. At least not well. It looks like most of the tops Courtney Stodden wears.
If I push down any more, that bulge on the left above the low battery indicator will probably turn into a crack.
Now, since Tyler found that really cool tool for tearing down my pistol, I can finally clean my gat properly for the first time. And if I can get someone at Redfield to answer an email about that mysterious base so I can mount this beast about a half an inch lower, I’ll be really happy.
Specifications: Redfield Accelerator Red Dot
Actual Magnification: 1X
Weight: 1 ounce for just the sight and battery
Elevation Adjustment Range: 80 MOA
Windage Adjustment Range: 80 MOA
Price: $199 at most retailers, $175 through Amazon
Ratings (out of five stars):
Build Quality * * *
While everything works, the non-fitting protective cover is a bummer.
Optical Clarity * * * *
No issues here. A little slop with some glue around the edges gets a one star markdown.
Adjustment & Controls * * * *
Easy enough to use. I am worried about losing that tiny hex key, though. “Clicks” on the button would be nice.
Overall * * *
Having only one mounting option kind of blows. Especially when their own printed material and their web site shows a nice, sweet, low profile mount. Very importantly, it’s waterproof. That’s a good thing where annual rainfall here is measured in feet.
I did click on the “Courtney” link twice. Does that qualify as paying attention?
I’d like to buy something like this for one of my pistols, but when you mentioned a “bulge” in the materials…it didnt exactly inspire confidence…I’ll pass on this.
You’re going to pass on an inexpensive red dot… because the cover doesn’t fit?
You could spend 5$ on an aftermarket cover, or pay 20$ more for a different sight.. For me, the cover isn’t really a deal breaker. The littlen part that lets me target stuff is the main concern, and everything I have read about this little sucker has been pretty good. Save for some issues with the battery compartment, but a little strip or shim of foam fixes that.
Nice review, Tom. I especially liked the part where you didn’t review an RMR. I like more affordable stuff.
It uses the jpoint or fastfire mounts according to the manual. Mine works well with the fastfire mount on a mkIii.
Sounds like the standard Chinese made POS you can get for $50. What does this thing have that a PrimaryArms MRDS or a Burris FastFire doesn’t?
I had high hopes for the counterstrike I had. but that was just a waste of time, the buttons were stiff without any click and the brightness settings were wonky and didn’t seem to work well. Almost every time I tried to turn it off the dot would just change to green. instead of wasting more time trying to make it work I took the hour and a half drive back to cabelas the next weekend and got an eotech 517 that just happened to be on a early blackfriday sale for $360.
Call Leopold direct for the mounts.
Strike Industries is supposedly making a red-dot mounting plate for the Ruger 22/45. They displayed a version for Glocks this past shot show. The mounting plate is compatible with multiple manufacturers.
I’m not seeing a compelling reason to choose this over the Burris FastFire3. The click adjustments on the FF3 are worth every penny of the price difference.
That chick was the best reference you could make? She’s allegedly 19 but I want to see the real birth certificate, she looks like a used up 40.
Also, bargain price red dot is exactly what you got
I bought a Redfield Accelerator after Christmas with a P226 mount for a Burris Fastfire. To use the mount, I have to drift out my rear night sight and install a dovetail plate to mount the sight. I don’t have a sight pusher, so I will need a gunsmith to do the work.
I have been using the Accelerator on a Sig bridge mount that attaches to the rail and holds the optic above the slide. The problem is that the axis is too high, so it is accurate only at the distance it was zeroed at. Additionally, picking up the red dot is hard at arms length. One almost has to use the iron sights to line up the target and then switch to the red dot.
My old eyes can hardly see the target at 25 yds when focusing on the front sight, so my shooting has improved at longer distances. I’m just not ready to dedicate a P226 slide to this sight.
You (or your local hardware store) don’t have a brass punch/drift?
“So, like a woman, it’s difficult to know if you are pushing it right unless you see results.”
Another of Farrago’s _____ writers….
I own one of these sights and have it mounted on top of a scope on my rifle as a back up sight. It works great. It uses a FastFire mount for pistols. Not hard to find the info for what mount you need if you just call the number on the box, that’s what I did amd got the info from Resfield no problem. I plan on mounting another one on my Glock soon amd on my 7.62×39 AR. Great sight. I have no complaints.
I disagree, read:
https://vita552.wordpress.com/2013/05/04/jpoint-handgun-mounts-jpoint-mount-adapter-for-novak-fixed-sight-cut/ – Brittanie