idea to keep Holosun SCS charged

[Jayne]

The holosun SCS is the only optic I'm aware of that fits an MOS glock without a plate and co-witnesses with stock height sights. If I'm wrong, someone link to the alternatives!

Anyway, the SCS has a non-replaceable battery, it recharges via solar only. The theory is that it runs on solar and recharges enough just during normal use so you 'don't have to worry about it'. I dunno, I worry. I looked at the charge rate tables in the manual and it won't recharge at indoor light levels, it wants 10k LUX or more. Some users have said they just 'toss it on a window ledge every so often'. That's weak, and I don't want to have to store my gun on a window ledge.

Someone suggested they use a solar watch charger to keep theirs topped up, so I found on for $14 on amazon. Has two settings, 20k and 40k LUX so even if those are like chinese lumens and totally exaggerated it should still meet the 10k requirement.

With the square face adapter on, the G34 sits upside down right on the charger with the panel centered in the light.

Time will tell, but... it's a light. I can see it's on. If the SCS isn't a total scam, this should do the trick.

 

[Slacker]

Now your grock has its own tanning bed.
Better frog lube it.

 

[barf]

A solar only optic seems like a bad idea for a carry gun. Especially if it lives on your nightstand at night. I couldn’t sleep with that light on next to my bed.

Is this a carry gun or just one that doesn’t leave the safe much?

 

[Jayne]

Is this a carry gun or just one that doesn’t leave the safe much?

practice and matches only, if it dies on me the only casualty is my ego.

 

[DrScaryGuy]

does an IR led charge it? if so, you could flood it and never see it. i wouldn't recommend flooding your bedroom with UV though.

 

[IrishCannon]

IMO, the SCS is the answer to a question that shouldn't be asked, "How can I add an optic without spending a measly extra $100 on blacked out sights and a plate to something that could save my life?"

The only argument I've ever heard for the SCS is from people that don't want to buy sights and a plate.

I'm not saying this is you as I'm sure your competent enough to work on your Glock, but as you said I'd worry too. I carry concealed, and when I'm not, it's in an ALS with an optic cover. IDK how it would ever charge.

 

[Jayne]

The only argument I've ever heard for the SCS is from people that don't want to buy sights and a plate.

An interestingly narrow take. "being cheap" or "lazy" is a fine answer, but often there is more to it than that.

 

[Carolinatlc]

I stuck one on my G19 MOS to replace a 508T with plate and go back to regular sights instead of suppressor sights. I like it much better for carry in the SCS configuration.

 

[IrishCannon]

Those two things never crossed my mind, and I want one.

A) Walther will send free plates, so that is a non-issue.
B) What does “buying sights“ have to do with a RDS? (from my perspective, if I’m putting an optic on a pistol, I don’t care if the pistol has sights).

The reason I want one is the dot sits lower, and it looks cool, with the matching slide cuts.

View attachment 709775

To (B), some people are required for their job to have co-witness backup irons.

 

[IrishCannon]

An interestingly narrow take. "being cheap" or "lazy" is a fine answer, but often there is more to it than that.

Isn't the primary selling point of this optic that you don't have to buy new irons to co-witness, no plate, and no batteries? IDK why anyone would opt for it otherwise. The reason you said you were worried is exactly why I'd never feel comfortable with one.

 

[Jayne]

IDK why anyone would opt for it otherwise.

exactly, so your opening statement in the form of a question contains a judgement of 'for a measly $100 xyz' implying that the SCS only exists to get around that measly cost. a statement something more along the lines of "seems like a lot of downsides. what's the advantage vs a plate and suppressor sights?" suggests curiosity and invites discussion.

but hey, it's the internet.

 

[Stout]

I have one and do nothing special at all to keep it charged, it's always on when I look.

I recall a YouTube video from a guy who left it in a gun bag for a good long time, and it was fine when he took it out. I don't remember who did the video though.

 

[Derek8404]

IMO, the SCS is the answer to a question that shouldn't be asked, "How can I add an optic without spending a measly extra $100 on blacked out sights and a plate to something that could save my life?"

The only argument I've ever heard for the SCS is from people that don't want to buy sights and a plate.

I'm not saying this is you as I'm sure your competent enough to work on your Glock, but as you said I'd worry too. I carry concealed, and when I'm not, it's in an ALS with an optic cover. IDK how it would ever charge.

I’m not sure I’m convinced on the solar only charging battery for duty/concealed carry use but I’m not following your points on the sights or plate.

You don’t need to buy aftermarket sights because this optic is supposed to co witness with your standard sights already on your gun, and not having to use a plate is a good thing. Optic, direct to slide is the most robust, reliable way to mount a RDS to a pistol. Not having to use a plate eliminates a potential failure point.

 

[IrishCannon]

I’m not sure I’m convinced on the solar only charging battery for duty/concealed carry use but I’m not following your points on the sights or plate.

You don’t need to buy aftermarket sights because this optic is supposed to co witness with your standard sights already on your gun, and not having to use a plate is a good thing. Optic, direct to slide is the most robust, reliable way to mount a RDS to a pistol. Not having to use a plate eliminates a potential failure point.

No issues with point two, but to the first...this was originally designed for Glocks. Glocks come standard with plastic sights. If someone is okay with running plastic then IDK if there is hope for them. Maybe that's their problem, maybe it's Glock for shipping their blasters with them in the first place, IDK.

...now an SCS-T...that's a conversation to be had. Even then, I'm in the "Nay" category. I like my batteries.

You all have to understand I'm a cynic. If I wear suspenders, I also have a belt in case the suspenders snap.

 

[Blades]

I left my Glock with SCS in a bag for about a month then started carrying it. It's on my daily carry now. It's been bright and worked well Saturday at the match I shot. Do I trust it 100%? Of course not but I don't trust my Glock 100%. I still carry it with the SCS. If it fails I'll have backup "Amish" sights.

 

[Derek8404]

No issues with point two, but to the first...this was originally designed for Glocks. Glocks come standard with plastic sights. If someone is okay with running plastic then IDK if there is hope for them. Maybe that's their problem, maybe it's Glock for shipping their blasters with them in the first place, IDK.

...now an SCS-T...that's a conversation to be had. Even then, I'm in the "Nay" category. I like my batteries.

You all have to understand I'm a cynic. If I wear suspenders, I also have a belt in case the suspenders snap.

Those plastic sights should be replaced whether you’re running an optic or not.

 

[IrishCannon]

Those plastic sights should be replaced whether you’re running an optic or not.

Precisely; however, I've never seen anyone with an SCS have anything other than plastic sights on their Glock. Not saying that's the norm, just what I've seen.

 

[Jayne]

Precisely; however, I've never seen anyone with an SCS have anything other than plastic sights on their Glock. Not saying that's the norm, just what I've seen.

We must run in different circles, I've only seen 3 of them setup in real life and none were with the OEM sights.

 

[Jayne]

Hasn't the plastic-vs-metal thing been settled back about twenty years ago?

Why are we supposed to be anti-plastic-sights on a plastic gun?

It's the 9mm vs 45 debate of the plastic gun world.

My reasoning for being anti-OEM sights on a glock has nothing to do with them being plastic and everything to do with the width of the front blade. With the 'ball and bucket' you have to be able to actually see the ball and bucket to get them aligned. If your eyesight isn't all that, or the lighting isn't so good or any host of other things you can't line them up that way. That leaves you with going for 'equal light equal height' using the outline of the front blade and the rear notch. The OEM front essentially fills the rear notch (especially on the shorter slides where the front is closer and therefore appears larger). If you're trying to line up a quick shot you've got very little margin of error on getting it centered to catch light on both sides. Almost all metal sights are thinner so you can line it up good enough with some light on both sides and still get a reasonable hit at reasonable distances. After I settled on the trijicon HDs they went and made the HD-something or another with a thinner front. The other option is to widen the rear notch, I've seen that as well and it gets you the same effect.

 

[milehighman1]

Question, for those using the scs. A local store had one a while back that they had ordered for a customer that never picked it up. Willing to move it for a reduced price I was considering it and started reading what I could before going back to look at it a second time. I loved the low mounting height and direct to slide mount as well; great low profile and no need for suppressor height sights. I do not have any experience with the charging and battery questions. The one problem I found and verified in store was that the light sensor controlling the auto brightness would not respond reliability to a flashlight carried in the supporting hand under the pistol and pointing forward. I did not have a frame mounted light to test but the flashlight was virtually in the same position as would be carried in a search situation but the dot/circle would not consistently adjust in a dark room or with a dark background resulting in it washing out in the flashlight beam and not being visible. Is this a problem anyone else has encountered or maybe in an early version?

 

[Jayne]

but the dot/circle would not consistently adjust in a dark room or with a dark background resulting in it washing out in the flashlight beam and not being visible. Is this a problem anyone else has encountered or maybe in an early version?

I just fiddled around with that setup in the basement with and without the overhead lights on, and trying to hit a lot of walls and get the dot to wash out and.... it didn't happen. 500 lumen hand light though, might not be enough to get the washout effect you're seeing?