Fix the RMR Flicker

[High Exposure 5,664]

@Alex V

Here is that article I was telling you about in class on Saturday.

Pics with descriptions at the link.

http://www.breachbangclear.com/jtt-rmrs-3-ways-to-fix-the-flicker/

Quote

BREACH BANG CLEAR

Just The Tip, Learnin'

JTT: RMR’s, 3 Ways to Fix the Flicker

[Today’s post about the dreaded flicker made possible by JTF Awesome Team Member, Propper]

Just The Tip: RMR’s, 3 Ways [or More] to Fix the Flicker
Dave Merrill

If you’ve shot an RMR equipped handgun for any length of time, there’s a good chance you’ve experienced the dreaded flicker. What this amounts to is that your dot will dim, flicker, and sometimes outright disappear under recoil. This happens when the battery connection inside the optic doesn’t remain constant; a loose wire in a cellphone charging cable isn’t a terrible analogy.

It can be frustrating when it crops up, but thankfully we have multiple solutions available. All of them are relatively inexpensive, and some of them might not even violate your warranty. Let’s go through em’.

Start with Quality 
As Benjamin Franklin notably once stated “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” That can certainly apply to this situation. A “one size fits all” pistol MRDS mounting solution certainly sounds appealing, but you can run into some issues.

Though it’s better than it used to be, Trijicon RMR bodies aren’t sized perfectly uniformly. When the RMR was initially developed, it was meant to hang out on top of an ACOG or offset from a variable scope on a rifle, so variations in body size didn’t matter so much. However, when you’re recessing into a pistol slide, how precise the RMR fits can make a big difference.

The forces applied to an optic on a reciprocating slide are far more abusive than remaining static on even the biggest bore rifle. The tighter the fit, the less stress on the mounting screws and the less flex in the optic body itself under recoil. Which means less chance of flicker. So ideally, you want your RMR hand-fit to your slide for maximum reliability. Another method used by some companies is to mill the cutout for the small end of the spectrum, which may require some minor fitting for a perfect fit.

Install your Sealing Plate Correctly
Some RMR sealing plates are slightly curved (we can’t speak for all, since N+1 aftermarket plates are available). If you have one that is, during installation ensure that the arc is upright so it can help keep the battery in place.

The Bends
First explained to me by Doug Holloway of ATEi (who is a great person to go to for slide work BTW), with this method you bend your RMR battery contact slightly inward. This allows for consistent contact regardless of what lateral position recoil or other movement pushes the battery.

Grab a chopstick you saved from your last pseudo-Chinese food binge (because you used a fork anyway), and whittle it down. You can use basically anything non-conductive for this (tweezers from an electronics repair kit may be ideal) Carefully bend the battery contact inward; do your best not to reach the elastic limit and break it.

Some have even gone so far as to insert a wedge or foam block between the connection and the RMR body to ensure constant pressure.

Aftermarket Sealing Plates
I can’t personally speak to the efficacy of this one (it’s a relatively new design), but this aftermarket item from Battelwerx makes sense. The plate is designed to keep upward pressure on the battery and contacts to prevent any electrical disconnection, though it looks like lateral battery movement still may be possible. At $9-11 depending on options (including one for MOS-series Glocks) it doesn’t cost much more than a regular OEM sealing plate. Speaking of which, what the hell Trijicon? Why not include one standard?

For More than Just Shoes
I’m not sure I’ve ever used Shoe GOO on footwear, but I’ve certainly used it for a bunch of other stuff. You might have some of this around the house.

This method was first brought to my attention by Gabe Suarez. Basically, you apply a little dab of Shoe GOO between the sealing plate and battery. Our version is a little different than his but it’s the same concept. Apply a little bead of Shoe GOO to your sealing plate directly beneath the battery. Don’t use too much–you don’t want Shoe GOO all over your internals. Install the RMR and completely torque it down while everything is still gooey.

Same idea as the aftermarket plate, and with a bonus. The Shoe GOO ensures the battery stays high into the optic, prevents lateral movement of the battery itself, and furthermore may offer a bit of cushion under recoil. I’ve found this method to work very well at quashing flickering issues. When the time comes to change batteries, you’ll find your CR2032 is now glued to your sealing plate. Don’t worry about this, as it’ll peel right off with any sharp object.

An Extra Tip
Do you find your dot less crisp than before? If you’re carrying with a MRDS it will get filled with all sorts of debris and belly button hair and…. Anyway, give it cleaning. Canned air, lens wipes, and Cat Crap or RainX (to prevent fogging) goes a long way. But also ensure you wipe your emitter. A dusty emitter will produce a dot that looks like dick when projected even on the cleanest window.

By no means is this list isn’t all-inclusive. Many will combine multiple approaches to attack the problem like the malignant cancer that it is. Do you have a special method to stop the flicker?
-DFM

Mad Duo, Breach-Bang& CLEAR!

[blksheep 466]

I have 3 battery powered ones and 5 Dual illuminated.

 

I havent had the flicka but my boy had.  "Suarez" makes a indented sealing plate that we have run without anymore issues.

[High Exposure 5,664]

Fuck Suarez.

That is all.

[blksheep 466]

I hear ya brother.  

[blksheep 466]

I also picked up a ALG 6 second mount.  Plan on making an Unlimited GSSF 17 with it.

 

Jager comp/KKM Barrel and all the trimmings

[High Exposure 5,664]

Pics!

[blksheep 466]

All of it should.be in this week.

[Alex V 99]

Thanks sir! 

 

I was messing with it last night, measuring screwes and so on. Turns out the screwes wouldn't even go all the way down the hole. Cleaned the threads on the slide really well and the screwes went in an additional .150". I used some silicone tape to put more pressure onto the battery, similar to the shoe goo. Tightened it down well. Hope this works. 

[High Exposure 5,664]

Nice!

Nice shooting with you.

[Alex V 99]

11 hours ago, High Exposure said:

Nice!

Nice shooting with you.

You as well! Hope to see you at more of Joe's classes. Thanks!