How do you remove a RDS?

[Harry Flashman]

I have seen videos of mounting RDS. But how do you take one off? I was going to mount a RMR. I have to take it off to change the batteries. What are the tricks to removing the RDS? I have a torque screw driver so I will be using that and the screws are treated with vibra tite (I believe). Is there any special trick to remove the RDS without tearing up the screws? Do you heat it, freeze it, pour something on it?

I did not see this on the search.

If this is a dumb question my apologies, first time post and figured folks here have installed and removed a RDS a time of two.

[GJM]

I have seen videos of mounting RDS. But how do you take one off? I was going to mount a RMR. I have to take it off to change the batteries. What are the tricks to removing the RDS? I have a torque screw driver so I will be using that and the screws are treated with vibra tite (I believe). Is there any special trick to remove the RDS without tearing up the screws? Do you heat it, freeze it, pour something on it?

I did not see this on the search.

If this is a dumb question my apologies, first time post and figured folks here have installed and removed a RDS a time of two.

I put the slide in a padded vice, use Fix it Sticks, and press straight down to fully and squarely seat the bit. Heat if there is red loctite.

[HCM]

I have seen videos of mounting RDS. But how do you take one off? I was going to mount a RMR. I have to take it off to change the batteries. What are the tricks to removing the RDS? I have a torque screw driver so I will be using that and the screws are treated with vibra tite (I believe). Is there any special trick to remove the RDS without tearing up the screws? Do you heat it, freeze it, pour something on it?

I did not see this on the search.

If this is a dumb question my apologies, first time post and figured folks here have installed and removed a RDS a time of two.

Good question-

Do not use your torque driver to loosen anything- it can damage it. Get a regular screw driver handle which can use the sane bits. If you can’t find one at Home Depot etc Brownells sells them.

The longer 2” bits make things easier, especially with the open emitter Holosun optics.

[JCN]

Good quality Allen keys. I usually try and “snap” the loctite free rather than slow pressure.

If there’s any wobble or wiggle I will replace screw or Allen for the reinstall.

[ECK]

Hopefully whoever installed your RMR did not over torque the screws or use red lock tite.

So yeah, use the appropriate bit (hopefully it is a torx head) make sure the bit is seated as far down as possible, then lefty-loosy to remove. Use gentle force. The last thing you want to do is strip the screw head. If no go, try some heat. What I use is a soldering iron with a fine tip, hold the tip to the screw head only to avoid melting any plastic on the RDS housing, apply heat for 10-15 sec then try again to loosen it up.

I try to only use torx head screws (T10 IIRC).

When reinstalling, index mark the screw and sight with a light color sharpie so you can visually see if the screws ever come loose.

[SoCalDep]

I have seen videos of mounting RDS. But how do you take one off? I was going to mount a RMR. I have to take it off to change the batteries. What are the tricks to removing the RDS? I have a torque screw driver so I will be using that and the screws are treated with vibra tite (I believe). Is there any special trick to remove the RDS without tearing up the screws? Do you heat it, freeze it, pour something on it?

I did not see this on the search.

If this is a dumb question my apologies, first time post and figured folks here have installed and removed a RDS a time of two.

VibraTite is “not ideal” as a threadlocker for pistol optics. If the videos you watched talked about using it - you may want to take those videos with a big grain of salt. Loctite 242 works but I prefer 243 or 248 (my favorite). Get some extra screws for your optic/pistol combo from McMaster-Carr and change them out when you re-mount. It’s too inexpensive not to. Make sure to use Duracell batteries in your RMR and for serious use change them out yearly. Anything other than Duracell should be changed at a six-month interval.

When I remove an optic I will use the correct bit and apply slow increasing pressure until the part snaps loose from the threadlocker. If something stronger than blue Loctite was used and the screw won’t budge then use heat as described by @ECK .

I’ve only ever seen two screws shear when loosening using regular strength threadlocker. One was a pistol that Thad 1,985 rounds fired through it in about 20 min and the screw was already fatally damaged. The other was a screw from a Sig P365XL that had a TON of blue Loctite used over the entire length of the 10mm M3 metric screw. That one was a “B” to get out.

I’ll re-iterate what @HCM already said and agree that you don’t want to use a torque driver to loosen screws.

Once the optic is off, test fit the new screws, install the new battery and confirm the optic remains functional, degrease everything (screws, threaded holes in plate and/or slide, optic pocket and plate surface) with alcohol (I usually use alcohol prep pads) or a firearm degreaser of some sort, and once dry apply the threadlocker. One reason I like Loctite 248 is because it is easy to apply enough where it needs to be without there being too much.

Torque to the proper spec for all interacting components, ensuring that the rubber seal of the RMR did not come out of it’s proper position and that the optic/plate all sit flush. Once finished apply indicator marks. I use an oil-based paint pen but I put the paint on the wrapper for the alcohol pad then use the sharp end of a round toothpick (with which I will have used the blunt end to degrease the slide’s threaded holes) to apply the paint to the screws and optic body.

[Utm]

VibraTite is “not ideal” as a threadlocker for pistol optics. If the videos you watched talked about using it - you may want to take those videos with a big grain of salt. Loctite 242 works but I prefer 243 or 248 (my favorite). Get some extra screws for your optic/pistol combo from McMaster-Carr and change them out when you re-mount. It’s too inexpensive not to. Make sure to use Duracell batteries in your RMR and for serious use change them out yearly. Anything other than Duracell should be changed at a six-month interval.

When I remove an optic I will use the correct bit and apply slow increasing pressure until the part snaps loose from the threadlocker. If something stronger than blue Loctite was used and the screw won’t budge then use heat as described by @ECK .

I’ve only ever seen two screws shear when loosening using regular strength threadlocker. One was a pistol that Thad 1,985 rounds fired through it in about 20 min and the screw was already fatally damaged. The other was a screw from a Sig P365XL that had a TON of blue Loctite used over the entire length of the 10mm M3 metric screw. That one was a “B” to get out.

I’ll re-iterate what @HCM already said and agree that you don’t want to use a torque driver to loosen screws.

Once the optic is off, test fit the new screws, install the new battery and confirm the optic remains functional, degrease everything (screws, threaded holes in plate and/or slide, optic pocket and plate surface) with alcohol (I usually use alcohol prep pads) or a firearm degreaser of some sort, and once dry apply the threadlocker. One reason I like Loctite 248 is because it is easy to apply enough where it needs to be without there being too much.

Torque to the proper spec for all interacting components, ensuring that the rubber seal of the RMR did not come out of it’s proper position and that the optic/plate all sit flush. Once finished apply indicator marks. I use an oil-based paint pen but I put the paint on the wrapper for the alcohol pad then use the sharp end of a round toothpick (with which I will have used the blunt end to degrease the slide’s threaded holes) to apply the paint to the screws and optic body.

Do you use new screws every time you remount the optic? I typically do but wasn't sure if its necessary or not

[JCN]

use the sharp end of a round toothpick (with which I will have used the blunt end to degrease the slide’s threaded holes) to apply the paint to the screws and optic body.

FWIW instead of marking the optic body (which gets messy after multiple marks from multiple screw witnesses), I’ve gone to just marking the screw at 6 o’clock. If the mark is no longer at straight 6, then it has moved.

That way no mess on the optic itself.

[SoCalDep]

Do you use new screws every time you remount the optic? I typically do but wasn't sure if its necessary or not

Unless it’s a weird non-standard screw that I don’t have spares of I will change the screws every time. I don’t necessarily think it’s required but at the cost of less than (usually) $0.25 - $0.50 a set I like using new ones.

[SoCalDep]

FWIW instead of marking the optic body (which gets messy after multiple marks from multiple screw witnesses), I’ve gone to just marking the screw at 6 o’clock. If the mark is no longer at straight 6, then it has moved.

That way no mess on the optic itself.

That’s a good idea. I will usually just re-mark at the same spot… the toothpick makes it easy to keep it neat. The oil-based paint comes off really easy with a q-tip and some gun scrubber if the markings are looking too bad.