Tru-Glo red dot

GoSlash27 · August 9, 2006, 07:43 PM

I got a tru-glo 40mm for my CX4 carbine (.40 S&W) and it shook itself apart in just a couple months. I don't know if anybody else has quality complaints about these sights, but I've got a fix.
The culprit in my case was poor hardware and workmanship, which caused the rotary brightness switch to loosen up. Symptoms were loose, vague feel in the brightness switch and intermittent dot illumination.

So here's the fix (sorry, no pics):
1: Remove battery cover & battery
2: remove retaining ring with a pair of large tweezers (insert into spanner holes and rotate counter-clockwise).
3: remove wafer assembly.
4: remove 4 phillips-head bridge screws. I noticed that 2 were loose and one was almost completely out!
5: remove spring plate.
6: remove knob.

You probably noticed how crappy these Chinese screws are. Replace them if you can. If you can't, make sure you seat them completely. Thread-lock these screws and the 2 countersunk screws *individually*. Clean all metal parts with rubbing alcohol and bend the spring plate back to it's original flat shape.

Reassembly is the reverse of disassembly. Check the operation. The "5" on the wafer switch should line up with the index tab on the knob. If it's on the other side, the brightness will be 180* out from the index. you can either reassemble the switch or simply move the index mark to the opposite side of the sight.

Voila! Your old & busted tru-glo is better than new and won't shake apart anymore.

IronBalls · August 9, 2006, 07:59 PM

i hear the parralax sux as well, what do you think of the performance (quality aside)

GoSlash27 · August 9, 2006, 08:02 PM

I haven't had any parallax problems, but the clarity leaves something to be desired.
I've gotten 12" groups at 200 yards with this sight on my CX4. Not terrible, but then again extreme precision isn't what a red dot is intended for.

gr8gun · August 9, 2006, 08:35 PM

I bought one of the 2x models... totally worthless crap. I'm not sure what the technical term for this is, but if you move your head around while looking through it, the dot moves ALL over the place, making it impossible to even sight it in, and completely useless.

The next problem is that they package them by sealing it in molded plastic, so you have to basically destroy the package to get the product out, making it impossible to "return item in original packaging".

hossdaniels · August 10, 2006, 03:36 PM

or you buy a ultradot to replace it. anything that shakes loose form a .40 has got to be crap.

GoSlash27 · August 10, 2006, 07:30 PM

gr8,
That'd be parallax as I understand it. I don't have that problem because I tend to co-witness the iron sights for precision shots. This eliminates parallax errors because my eye is in the same exact spot every time.

hoss,
I'd agree, but at least in my case it was easily remedied with about 15 minutes of effort. 1 part Crappy phillips-head screws that were so poorly forged that a phillips head driver won't seat. 1 part malnourished chinese sweat-shop labor who's too tired and hungry to fully seat a few screws for $0.12 a day. And 1 part we're-too-cheap-for-loctite.
Hey, whaddya want for seventy bucks?

August 9, 2006, 07:43 PM	#1
GoSlash27 Senior Member Join Date: November 26, 2004 Location: Iowa Posts: 3,118	Tru-Glo red dot I got a tru-glo 40mm for my CX4 carbine (.40 S&W) and it shook itself apart in just a couple months. I don't know if anybody else has quality complaints about these sights, but I've got a fix. The culprit in my case was poor hardware and workmanship, which caused the rotary brightness switch to loosen up. Symptoms were loose, vague feel in the brightness switch and intermittent dot illumination. So here's the fix (sorry, no pics): 1: Remove battery cover & battery 2: remove retaining ring with a pair of large tweezers (insert into spanner holes and rotate counter-clockwise). 3: remove wafer assembly. 4: remove 4 phillips-head bridge screws. I noticed that 2 were loose and one was almost completely out! 5: remove spring plate. 6: remove knob. You probably noticed how crappy these Chinese screws are. Replace them if you can. If you can't, make sure you seat them completely. Thread-lock these screws and the 2 countersunk screws individually. Clean all metal parts with rubbing alcohol and bend the spring plate back to it's original flat shape. Reassembly is the reverse of disassembly. Check the operation. The "5" on the wafer switch should line up with the index tab on the knob. If it's on the other side, the brightness will be 180* out from the index. you can either reassemble the switch or simply move the index mark to the opposite side of the sight. Voila! Your old & busted tru-glo is better than new and won't shake apart anymore. __________________ Bill of Rights Must be 18. Void where prohibited. Not available in all states. Some restrictions apply.

August 9, 2006, 07:59 PM	#2
IronBalls Senior Member Join Date: January 23, 2001 Location: Los Angeles,. CA Posts: 291	i hear the parralax sux as well, what do you think of the performance (quality aside) __________________ J-frame cross draw IWB, Glock leg drop down, 870P over the shoulder, AR in the arms, empty wallet front left pocket, expired buss pass. Bliss.

August 9, 2006, 08:02 PM	#3
GoSlash27 Senior Member Join Date: November 26, 2004 Location: Iowa Posts: 3,118	I haven't had any parallax problems, but the clarity leaves something to be desired. I've gotten 12" groups at 200 yards with this sight on my CX4. Not terrible, but then again extreme precision isn't what a red dot is intended for. __________________ Bill of Rights Must be 18. Void where prohibited. Not available in all states. Some restrictions apply.

August 9, 2006, 08:35 PM	#4
gr8gun Senior Member Join Date: January 1, 2005 Posts: 168	TruCrap I bought one of the 2x models... totally worthless crap. I'm not sure what the technical term for this is, but if you move your head around while looking through it, the dot moves ALL over the place, making it impossible to even sight it in, and completely useless. The next problem is that they package them by sealing it in molded plastic, so you have to basically destroy the package to get the product out, making it impossible to "return item in original packaging". __________________ "Reality is merely an illusion, albeit a very persistent one." (AE)

August 10, 2006, 07:30 PM	#6
GoSlash27 Senior Member Join Date: November 26, 2004 Location: Iowa Posts: 3,118	gr8, That'd be parallax as I understand it. I don't have that problem because I tend to co-witness the iron sights for precision shots. This eliminates parallax errors because my eye is in the same exact spot every time. hoss, I'd agree, but at least in my case it was easily remedied with about 15 minutes of effort. 1 part Crappy phillips-head screws that were so poorly forged that a phillips head driver won't seat. 1 part malnourished chinese sweat-shop labor who's too tired and hungry to fully seat a few screws for $0.12 a day. And 1 part we're-too-cheap-for-loctite. Hey, whaddya want for seventy bucks? __________________ Bill of Rights Must be 18. Void where prohibited. Not available in all states. Some restrictions apply.

August 10, 2006, 03:36 PM	#5
hossdaniels Senior Member Join Date: January 16, 2006 Posts: 162	or you buy a ultradot to replace it. anything that shakes loose form a .40 has got to be crap.