Sidewinder Mount System in Operation
Real-World Application
The Sidewinder Mount System was developed through years of competition shooting. This real-world simulation gave the Sidewinder the perfect testing ground to solve an issue many tactical shooters are faced with. Shooting from a not ideal position; such as having the rifle on an angle where you cannot use your main optic, is a real problem that everyone will experience in tactical shooting. Running multiple optics on your rifle will give you more tactical options going into an awkward but necessary shooting position.
Having to shoulder your rifle from the opposite side to shoot out of a window or around a wall is a situation that presents itself in USPSA’s PCC division. When shouldering your weapon from the weak side, or left side if you’re a right-handed shooter, you will notice that you will not be able to use your main optic. This was the one of initial reason shooters began mounting multiple red dot optics to their close-range tactical rifles. To combat this problem shooters began mounting a secondary red dot optic on a 45-degree mount behind their main optic. With this optical set up, you can change shoulders and use your weak eye to acquire the target.
In addition to shooting weak side, we found that simply turning the gun on an angle and shooting with the 45-degree optic, allows the shooter to stand up straighter while shooting on the move. This allows for better accuracy while shooting targets while walking or running. We have found that transitioning between the two optics will help you maintain a more natural shooting position and make you a faster shooter.
Benefits of Two Optics
Besides physical speed, running two optics allows you to have two different zeros. One optic sighted in for close range, like 15 yards, and one sighted in for longer range, like 25 or 50 yards. Having these options will help make quicker decisions when shooting between close and far targets.
Sidewinder Field Test
Sighting in an optic on a 45-degree mount can be difficult. This is because most 45-degree mounts are for accessories like flashlights and do not put the mounting rail on the same plane as the barrel. Also, a mount like this cannot be mounted alongside your main optic, this alters your eye relief and makes transitioning between the two optics inconsistent. It is here that the Sidewinder Mount System was born.
The Sidewinder Mount System allows for two red dot optics to be mounted right next to each other with both optics on the same plane as the barrel. This will make sighting in your second optic much quicker. You will notice a difference in ease of use, consistency and speed when using the Sidewinder Mount System compared to having your secondary optic on a 45-degree mount behind your main optic.
Military and Police Applications
The Sidewinder Mount System is not just for competition shooting but can also be used in police and military applications. These tactics used in competition shooting can and should be used in tactical situations military and police operators are placed in. In addition to the main purpose of the Sidewinder Mount System, running two optics makes iron sights and co witness systems, which take up space in your sight picture, obsolete. Departments that require two optics can utilize the Sidewinder Mount System and move past co witnessing, giving your team a clean and full sight picture.
Although it was not the intended purpose, the Sidewinder Mount System can be used as an accessory mount mainly for flashlights and has proven to be more effective than a traditional mounting system. The most obvious reason for this configuration would be to reduce the chance of your weapon light getting caught on a door or window frame. However, in addition to this, we have found that by mounting your weapon light on a Sidewinder Mount System and moving the extra weight of that accessory to the center of the rifle creates a more controllable firearm. This setup creates better balance for the firearm and takes more weight off the muzzle which ultimately allows you to transition between targets quicker, move faster and be more tactical.
The Sidewinder Mount System is Machined from billet 7075 Aluminum at an ISO 9001 facility and finished with type iii hard coat anodizing in mil spec black. Whether you’re a competition shooter, cop, military or firearms enthusiast, our premium machining and design will give you a tactical advantage several different ways. Start training with a Sidewinder and experience an array of new tactics.
