Shield Sights was formed in the early 1980s in Great Britain. They haven’t always just done sights, however. In addition to providing Special Forces advanced shooting training, they also have developed suppressed weapons for the Special Forces. Their list of accomplishments also includes a folding stock and suppressor for the Accuracy International sniper rifle for the British army, and electronic target systems.
Recently, the company has delved into the mini red dot arena, building dot sights for companies such as JP Rifles, and Trijicon, under their own names.
The company motto is, “Hit the target earlier.”
A Winning Combo
Recently, Springfield Armory sent me a Hellcat Pro to review. I had requested that they mount a red dot sight on the pistol, as the slide is cut for mounting. I figured, why not take advantage of the slide cutout?
Beyond that, though, I wanted to try out a dot sight, as I had not yet had much exposure to them. To me, they were an electronic gadget that’s an added expense. I don’t have a tremendous trust in electronics on firearms, having had a number of electronic doo-dads crap out on me.
On the other hand, they’re all the rage these days, and I figured I need to be able to speak (or write) intelligently about them, given my current career status as a writer. Sure, I might be a dinosaur, but I need to stay at least somewhat current.
Additionally, I was just a bit curious. What’s all the hype about these electronic sights? Are they as good as people are telling me? Can they help me be a better shooter?
And so, Springfield Armory was kind enough not only to send the Shield Sights SMSc to me, but they mounted it and zeroed it for me. I really appreciated that they offer that option!
Shield Sights SMSc
And now we’ve reached the topic of this article: Is the Shield Sights SMSc a quality, durable red dot sight (RDS)? We’ve been able to put it through the paces. Read on for details about the optic’s features and how it performed.
Tech Specs
SMSc stands for Shield Mini Sight Compact. It operates with a red Light Emitting Diode (LED), so there’s no laser involved, which means it’s completely safe for the eyes. There is also no radioactive material involved. The LED projects the dot onto the window of the sight. The dot on my particular sight is 4 MOA (Minute Of Angle, or roughly equaling one inch per 100 yards). They are also available in 1 MOA, 1/65 MOA ring reticle (center dot with 65 MOA circle), and 8 MOA dots.
The lens has no magnification, with Low Parallax Lens Coating Si02 Quartz and Anti Reflection No Colored Coating, which minimizes visual signature. It is a polymer lens, though glass lenses are also available on some models. There is an automatic brightness adjustment that’s even compatible with night vision devices. Shield claims that the brightest setting allows the dot to be seen against a bright daylight sky. I tested it and this is the truth. A bit more on this feature later.
As for powering the light, the SMSc uses one 3-volt lithium battery (CR2032). Shield says the battery life is between one and three years. However, they claim if it is stored in the dark, it can last greater than four years.
The exterior housing is made from glass-filled nylon polymer. Aside from being extremely light, it’s plenty durable, as well. The color is matte black. Dimensions are 1.7×1.0x.9 inches. It truly is compact. Weight is .44 ounces with battery.
Shield has a variety of mounting options for this scope. It’s best to visit their website to see what’s available. Chances are high that there’s a mount for your particular handgun.
Cleaning
Red dot sight lenses do become dirty, which necessitates cleaning. Shield advises removing any debris with compressed air before beginning the cleaning process. After that, they say that hot, soapy water is good. They also say that “household washing up liquid” is sufficient. To clean, dip a cotton swab into the solution and start at the edges, going in a circular motion. I’m not entirely certain which liquid they are referring to here. I reached out to Springfield and they advised that the majority of cleaning can be accomplished using your breath and a quality cotton swab by gently cleaning the window.
Features And Details
Let’s do a quick run-down on the Shield Sights SMSc features.
Automatic Brightness Adjustment
Reading about this feature is one thing, but experiencing it is another. The Automatic Brightness Adjustment is an amazing thing to behold, as it works very quickly. As in, instantly!
It automatically adjusts to the surrounding conditions. At first, I wasn’t sure this would be a great thing. However, when I saw it in action, I realized that the sight can adjust to conditions far faster than I’d ever be able to if it had manual controls. How fast? With the sight in a lighted room, if you switch off the light, the sight instantly dims the reticle. Conversely, when the light is switched on, it instantly brightens the reticle.
Amazing! At the flick of a switch, the reticle adjusts.
Other than being fast, though, the reticle adjustment is accurate. It seems to know perfectly how bright or dim the reticle needs to be. I can find no fault in the adjusting system, it’s great in every respect. Shield hit a home run with this adjustment system.
Reticle Size
For me, the 4 MOA reticle works very well, allowing enough precision for longer ranges, but being large enough to easily see.
One thing to consider when using a dot sight is to take into account whether the shooter has astigmatism. For me, the dot is often more of a star shape than a pinpoint dot, depending on how near or far I’m holding the dot. I guess it’s the “reward” for aging eyes.
Battery Replacement
I’ve not yet had to change the battery. However, Springfield Armory assures me that it’s a very easy process. The sight has to be removed, and initially, I thought this was a terrible thing. However, it’s an easy process, and replacing the battery and sight is not likely to change the zero. There are only two screws that have to be removed to take the sight off, so even someone with my limited mechanical talent can manage the task.
Durability
So far, the sight has been 100% flawless. Considering that the sight, along with its electronics, slams back and forth each time the pistol is fired and the slide recoils, it’s pretty amazing how they’ve made it able to withstand such abuse.
Ease Of Use
There is a learning curve — a major one — especially for those who have used iron sights for years or decades. Finding the dot can be elusive at first.
As far as operating the sight, though, Shield could not have made it easier. You pick the handgun up and use the sight (once it’s sighted in). There are no controls to worry about and it even adjusts the brightness automatically.
Co-Witnessing With Sights
This is perhaps the most important factor on my list. As I mentioned, I have a huge distrust for electronic items, as they crap out at the worst possible times (with the exception of G-Shock watches — they are perfection).
Shield mounts the optic as low as possible on the slide. They also have a rear sight notch, which is a groove that simply lets us see those iron sights through the mount. Kudos to Shield for recognizing the need for this and acting upon it! True to form, I can perfectly see the Hellcat Pro’s sights through the SMSc in the event the electronics were to fail.
How practical is the Shield Sights SMSc?
Presently, I’m a greenhorn when it comes to dot sights. However, I’m cautiously warming to these sights. After several thousand presentations, it’s getting to where the dot is where I expect it to be when I draw the weapon.
Are red dot sights the wave of the future? I’m not sure, but one thing is for certain — they are here now and a large number of shooters are flocking to them.
As for Shield’s SMSc, I believe it is among the simplest RDS units to use. The only thing I’d wish for would be the ability to change the battery without removing the sight. Hey, a guy can dream, can’t he?
In Conclusion
Shield Sights brings a long history of practical experience to the table. Because of that, they produce dot sights that are top shelf, both in usefulness and durability. Working with this sight, I couldn’t find much not to like about it. Durability with the SMSc is 100%, so far. The automatic brightness adjustment works to perfection, and the range of reticle sizes is likely to suit everyone’s preferences.
Prices for the Shield SMSc seem to hover around $239 as this is written.
Rest assured that I’ll be using it extensively in the near future to gain skill with red dots on pistols. Shield’s SMSc gets two thumbs up!
