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Thread: Long-term thoughts on my Langdon LTT RDO

  1. #1
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    Long-term thoughts on my Langdon LTT RDO

    Hey guys,

    I just wanted to do a little info dump on my Langdon LTT RDO.

    Full disclosure, I really never cared for RDOs. I put an RMR on a FNX tac years ago and I just didn't care for it. It was fantastic shooting at plates at 5o yards, but slow for everything else. Well, the world decided I was wrong so I decided I better give it another try (this may actually be try 3 but whatever). I also went ahead and put a dot on my Ruger 22 so I could get more practice.

    I bought this from Langdon as a slide and put it on my M9A3. I actually have a standard production Langdon full size and a Langdon Compact with their trigger work (Sadly it has been out of commission for months while Beretta fixes the peeling, terrible factory finish. But that is drama for another day). I decided to put it on the A3 because I was running it with a can and the normal sights didn't clear the suppressor. I used that as an excuse to buy a Langdon Slide directly from them. I had an old RMR on an offset mount so I decided I would give it a go.

    Beretta 92 RDO by stoiclawyer, on Flickr




    We are all familiar with the story behind the Langdon RDO. EL did all the work Beretta should have done years ago. He had to re-engineer the firing pin and FB block to clear the plates (and he had to reengineer a few other parts as well). The good news being that he was able to get the height above bore down to .85 inches. That combined with the Berettas amazing recoil characteristics and you have a recipe for a fantastic blaster. I will admit I am always loath to modify my guns. I am very conservative and generally prefer components manufactured by the original maker. Frankly, if anyone other than EL would have done this I would have skipped it.

    The slide was pretty expensive (basically $600 with shipping) which is pretty crazy when you consider you can get some very respectable guns already cut for Red Dots for that price. Of course, that is ignoring the fact that EL and Co had to spend serious time and money developing parts and techniques for manufacturing this (something Berretta never did, despite the obvious advantages of an optics cut in todays market).Considering how limited the market for this is I think the price is fair. It should be noted that I could have sent him my slide and saved about $250 so that is something to think about.


    I followed the instructional video EL has up and locked on my RMR with vibra-tite. It was quick to zero and I basically just started shooting it. Even though I used the threaded barrel that came with the A3 I never replaced the locking block as suggested. My 92A3 had very few rounds through it so I thought that would be overkill. The gun has functioned flawlessly with the new slide so I think that was fine.

    The slide finish that Langdon puts on their slides isn't as pretty as Berettas but it is, without question, more durable. My Berettas usually start out pretty but end up a scratchy mess (or just peel off for no reason like my compact). My old 92GSD looks awful after 12-13k rounds. Now I do a lot of draw practice, and I love Berretta, but their finish is pretty lame.


    I did, finally have a problem. Last week I was shooting and I went back to 50 yards to shoot at my 10 inch plate. I usually have no difficulty with this (I am not saying I never miss, but it is usually a miss here or there, not all misses). I was unable to hit. After doing a dry fire "El snatcho" test I noticed the RMR was moving around when I pushed on it with my finger. Honestly, I blame myself because my kydex holster isn't quite cleared for the RMR if you reholster too vigorously. Still, I see folks cycling their slides on posts with their RMRS (something I think is dumb as hell, and won't even do with my normal iron sights).

    I noticed the plate was loose on the gun. I took my RMR off and sure enough all three screws had backed out. They were surrounded with white paint and had blue paint pen marks but every one of them had moved. I took the plate off, hit everything with rubbing alcohol and and cleaned some red loctite or possibly vibrating tite out of the screw holes. Honestly, I think it might be best to stake these screws. I cleaned them up and vibra-tited them and hit them with the old wheeler torque wrench. It went ahead and swapped batteries.

    I know it is obvious, but keep an eye on these RDOs, they aren't iron sights. I did, however get after my holster with a file to relieve everywhere the optic might hit the holster.

    I feel like that could have happened with any system but it is something to keep in mind. I will point out that everything else has been perfect. The iron sights and Langdon parts have all been perfect. Everything performs as it should and there would be no way to determine it wasn't a factory feature if you didn't already know.

    I have finally gotten my times down to a respectable range, but I am still a bit faster with irons. I actually notice I am more likely to have a WAM (wild ass miss) with the dot because a lot of time I will fire before I find the dot (obviously, that's on me). Still, I am getting there. And there is no question they are very helpful in low-light and they make super long shots a practical reality.

    I took it out today and I am back in business. I have to say I am coming around to enjoy these RDOs. I still don't trust them fully, and I am still faster with irons (under 30 feet). But you can't beat their ease of use at distance. I am coming around!




    It makes one hell of a beside the bed blaster.
    Beretta 92 RDO by stoiclawyer, on Flickr

  2. #2

    Cool Langdon

    Probably should avoid a "Break my Langdon".

  3. #3
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    Can't afford to break anything these days!

  4. #4
    Red dot screws and plates come in two flavors — those that have come loose and those that will come loose in the future. Imagine if every pistol was milled for an Acro style mount.
    Likes pretty much everything in every caliber.

  5. #5
    IMO Vibratite as a general all-around recommendation is stupid.
    It works yea but the prep process to get it stuck on there properly is stupidly complex for idiots like me used to loctite. You need to put just the right amount and cure it for sufficient time, too little or too much and it will come loose.

    I would highly recommend using loctite 248 which is the glue-stick type. It was suggested to me by a LASD range staff member and I have had nothing but good luck with it. I have no had any stuck or loosening screws since I switched over.

  6. #6
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    If you want your RDS vs Irons time to be equal or faster with the RDS you need to get some RDS specific instruction and put in the time doing dry work on draws and presentations.

    My first recommendation for RDS training is always Scott Jedlinski of Modern Samurai Project ( AsianJedi here on PF).

    If you can catch him in GA, Aaron Cowan of Sage Dynamics is GA based, as is Brian Hill of The Complete Combatant who is one of Scott’s endorsed Instructors.

  7. #7
    Site Supporter JRV's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by HCM View Post
    If you want your RDS vs Irons time to be equal or faster with the RDS you need to get some RDS specific instruction and put in the time doing dry work on draws and presentations.

    My first recommendation for RDS training is always Scott Jedlinski of Modern Samurai Project ( AsianJedi here on PF).

    If you can catch him in GA, Aaron Cowan of Sage Dynamics is GA based, as is Brian Hill of The Complete Combatant who is one of Scott’s endorsed Instructors.
    Seconded, but modified. If you’re drawing to occasional “WAMs” and finding an optic slower than irons, then you should seek out training. But, you shouldn’t avoid taking a class just because there aren’t RDS-specific options nearby or within a reasonable distance. Your disclosed occasional issues with RDS use are not necessarily RDS-specific.

    A RDS-specific class may expose you to techniques or drills that may fix—what sounds like, based on your speed comments—your problem of looking at the dot and not the target. However, you need to get your grip index squared away for consistency’s sake. Any pistol course from a reputable instructor will have at least some component where the instructor discusses (in their own terms) the proprioceptive triggers or information they rely on to confirm a proper grip. Those “WAMs” are caused by you not grasping, presenting, and interacting with your pistol consistently, and that is going to prevent you from exploiting the benefits of a RDS 100% of the time.

    If you are confident that you can draw, transition, move, or having to hunt for the dot, you won’t be looking for the dot. If you’re not looking for the dot, you won’t be looking at the dot.
    Well, you may be a man. You may be a leprechaun. Only one thing’s for sure… you’re in the wrong basement.

  8. #8
    Don’t get me dreaming…

    I’m ready to mill multiple guns for an Acro and be done with plates and screws if they could release with good battery life!

    Quote Originally Posted by GJM View Post
    Red dot screws and plates come in two flavors — those that have come loose and those that will come loose in the future. Imagine if every pistol was milled for an Acro style mount.

  9. #9
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    The WAMs are caused by me firing before I see the dot. It isn’t an issue with irons or when I’m not on the timer. But I agree, I am am going to take some classes with RD-centric training. I have been to a ton of Vickers and even a Langdon course, but RDOs weren’t really in vogue yet. Now that the plague has mostly passed I will try to find some just to get dialed in. I am warming up to them a bit.

  10. #10
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    Quote Originally Posted by Greg Bell View Post
    The WAMs are caused by me firing before I see the dot. It isn’t an issue with irons or when I’m not on the timer. But I agree, I am am going to take some classes with RD-centric training. I have been to a ton of Vickers and even a Langdon course, but RDOs weren’t really in vogue yet. Now that the plague has mostly passed I will try to find some just to get dialed in. I am warming up to them a bit.
    While I agree with @JRV that 2/3 of most RDS pistol classes are actually cleaning up pistol fundamentals such as draw, presentation, and grip, because we don’t realize how much we unconsciously use our peripheral vision with irons, tying those things to the other 1/3 that is RDS specific makes the RDS class > just jumping into a regular class with a red dot. Especially for an experienced iron sight shooter. IME new shooters take to RDS like a duck to water but teaching and old dog new tricks is more challenging.

    Another issue I see with middle age and up shooters transitioning to the RDS is due to vision issues many of us get into the habit of presenting ting high to pick up the front sight and dropping it into the rear notch known as “casting” which wastes time and makes it harder /slower to find the dot.

    Personally I can switch back and forth between the dot and irons pretty easily and working the dot helps my speed with irons, however sone people have more trouble switching back and forth.

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