How to mount a red dot to your CZ P01 pistol? In this article we show in detail how to install all sorts of red dots to your CZ P-01.
Putting a red dot to your pistol is more and more popular option for sights improvement. It will also greatly enhance your shooting results.
Red dot mounting options for CZ P01
Generally there are two options on how to mount a red dot to your CZ P01 pistol:
- get your slide milled, or
- get a red dot mount as a replacement of rear sight.
While getting a slide milled is for sure a solution, it is permanent modification of the weapon and so it shall be looked at. What will not affect your warranty and not need any permanent change on the gun is getting a red dot mount instead.
If you insall a red dot to your gun, it will also further increase the size of the gun. It is good to keep that in mind when selecting the right type of holster for your CZ P01.
In this article we will be not dealing with the milling option as that is an adjustment that modifies the gun and the quality of such solution varies from company to company.
Instead we will be dealing with installation of a red dot mount into the dovetail as a replacement of rear sight. This solution does not need any modification of the gun and can be done easily with a little bit of skill and home tools. Also, this way the gun can be turned back to iron sights at any time.
Types of red dot mounts
For P-01 pistol you will not be able to find that many mounts. That however is no problem, as those that exist cover vast majority of red dots on the market.
There are two types of mounts for P01:
- red dot mounts for specific red dots, and
- universal red dot mounts that work with a number of red dots by a system of pins.
Both of these mounts are installed the same way – by removing the rear sight and replacing it with the mount. No need of any permanent adjustment on the gun. This step can be also reverted and you can go back to your iron sights at any moment by just removing the red dot mount and installing the rear sight back.
P01 red dot mounts for specific red dots
These are made for specific red dots only. You can find such red dot mount for Shield RMS and Shield SMS red dots (those share the same footprint) or mount for Trijicon RMR and Trijcin SRO red dots (those also share the same footprint).
Why would you decide for specific mount if you can get universal? Mainly because it was made to fit the exact red dot. As a consequence this will make the mount be exactly the needed size, not larger by a bit. And because red dots already add extra dimension to the gun, this is surely a thing to take into consideration.
P01 universal red dot mounts
Universal mounts for red dots will work with multiple red dots. How?
The mount comes in a package with many pins. These pins you will then insert into specific holes according to manual, in order to fit specific red dots.
Installation itself is then solved the same way as for the mounts for specific red dots – you just remove the rear sight and replace it with the red dot mount.
Great benefit of this solution is its universal usage – you can use it for many types of red dots.
The negative side is that it can be slightly larger than the specific mount. Why? Because the mount is universal, it will fit the largest red dots from the list for which the mount is compatible with.
If you use smaller red dot on the mount, there will be a little surface that the red dot footprint will not cover. And thus the gun will be little bit larger than necessary.
Step by step guide
In case you have rear sight tool to push the old rear sight out and push the new red dot mount in, you have the job easier.
This guide will be for such CZ P-01 owners that do not own sight pusher and thus will have to replace the rear sight with more basic tools, such as vise, hammer and plastic rod.
Needed tools
- 1.5mm hex key,
- place to hold the slide tight – ideally vise,
- hammer,
- plastic rod,
- wire brush.
Step by step guide
Before you begin, as always, make sure the gun is empty and unloaded.
- Demount the pistol so that you have solely the slide.
CZ P-01 Slide - Place the slide into firm position, ideally into vise with some cover in order to avoid scratching the slide.
- Loosen the screws holding the rear sight in its position by the 1.5mm hex key.
- Remove the screws completely to make sure they do not interfere with the groove anymore.
- Usually the ideal way to knock the old rear sight out is from right to left from the position of shooter.
- Start knocking the rear sight out with the plastic rod inbetween the hammer and the rear sight. Make sure you place the rod in the place where the rear sight is in the groove. Otherwise you would risk that you will stuck the rear sight in the groove.
- Knock the rear sight out and remove it from the dovetail.
- Clean the dovetail cut with wire brush.
- Remove the fixation screw of the red dot mount in case it is in.
- Place the red dot mount into the dovetail in straight position – to avoid the mount getting stuck when knocking in.
- Knock the red dot mount in with hammer and the plastic rod as inbetween material.
- Make sure to place the rod in the position of the dovetail so that the pressure goes into the right direction.
- Once knocked in the correct position, secure the mount with screws and the installation is complete.
