[Screw Loose]

I bought this Mako R7 optic ready , ordered a Swampfox red dot just to find out that the 3 sizes of mounting screws that come with it do not fit . I looked in the hand book to discover that the exploded schematic also do's not show the the cover or the mounting screws that come on the slide .Talked to Swampfox and they basically said were not a screw store . Talked to Kimber who said call the optic store . Well i thought i'd try here if anyone knows the size of the screws that hold the optic plate on the slide on this firearm . Is it Matric or standard , is it M 4 5 6 8 ? thread pitch also matters . Anyone else have this problem had id so how did you solve it or where to buy this screw just longer for the optic.

 

[Rick in Oregon]

Can't help much, but as Kimber is made in the USA, it's reasonable to assume that all screws and associated threads are SAE and not metric (or matric).

For Swampfox to tell you they "are not a screw store" was pretty much condescending to me. That says much about the company you chose for your optic. I'd look elsewhere if it were me.

 

[Screw Loose]

I'll have to agree with you about swampfox's reply , that why the sight is sitting wrapped and ready to be shipped back to optics planet . Sent a email to a local gunsmith but wont here back till next week . So If no ones has and answer on this forum before then i will see what he says . Have 10 days on the shipping label . Hope no one else buys a Swampfox for this forearm .

 

[2sharp2]

Never heard of Swampfox optics so there’s that. Pretty chitty customer service even if it was only a fifty dollar optic.
Did you call Kimber customer service? They should be able to tell you wat size screw is needed for the Mako.

 

[bad ninja]

I'll have to agree with you about swampfox's reply , that why the sight is sitting wrapped and ready to be shipped back to optics planet . Sent a email to a local gunsmith but wont here back till next week . So If no ones has and answer on this forum before then i will see what he says . Have 10 days on the shipping label . Hope no one else buys a Swampfox for this forearm .

Do you have a local LGS that sells/installs optics and scopes?
Ask them to install it.
They will most likely have the right size screws.
It would be worth the extra labor charge to let them deal with it.

My wife has a Mako.
We bought the OR version and added a CT Rad Pro optic ( much nicer than the CT 1500 that comes with the gun).
I let them install it.

 

[Screw Loose]

Never heard of Swampfox optics so there’s that. Pretty chitty customer service even if it was only a fifty dollar optic.
Did you call Kimber customer service? They should be able to tell you wat size screw is needed for the Mako.

Never heard of Swampfox optics so there’s that. Pretty chitty customer service even if it was only a fifty dollar optic.
Did you call Kimber customer service? They should be able to tell you wat size screw is needed for the Mako.

Feel free to check out swampfox optics ,was 200 bucks

 

[Screw Loose]

Do you have a local LGS that sells/installs optics and scopes?
Ask them to install it.
They will most likely have the right size screws.
It would be worth the extra labor charge to let them deal with it.

My wife has a Mako.
We bought the OR version and added a CT Rad Pro optic ( much nicer than the CT 1500 that comes with the gun).
I let them install it.

Yes i know the CT Optic , was looking for a sight that had a larger window and co-witnessed , just heard back from my local gunsmith and will bring the whole thing to him Monday to see if he has screws that fit. Other option is to rethread it , but not happening for a 200 dollar optic . Will be returned and the CT Pro will be ordered also , did the correct screws come with it ?

 

[2sharp2]

Feel free to check out swampfox optics ,was 200 bucks

No need, don’t need any optics been buying Leupold, Vortex and Holosun for my optic needs.

 

[bad ninja]

Yes i know the CT Optic , was looking for a sight that had a larger window and co-witnessed , just heard back from my local gunsmith and will bring the whole thing to him Monday to see if he has screws that fit. Other option is to rethread it , but not happening for a 200 dollar optic . Will be returned and the CT Pro will be ordered also , did the correct screws come with it ?

CT Rad Pro co-witnesses with the Mako sights, and has shake awake.
My LGS installed it, and I don't remember if it came with the correct screws or if they just used screws they had in the shop.

Don't overthink this.

Before you go down a rabbit hole, why not just try one of these screw kits for $19?

Ultimate red dot screw pack

We make great dot sights for your pistol. You have a slide, adapter plate, dovetail mount, or custom gunsmith cut. Putting them together? Its gotten complicated. Swampfox has your back with the Red Dot Screw Pack, containing 15 four-screw sets of various thread pitches and lengths. When you run...

www.swampfoxoptics.com

 

[Jlsmithivan]

The screws are 6-32 by .390 inches (about 3/8s) that hold the slide cover on. Not sure if they will be long enough for optics but come in 1/16 increments up to 7/16 or longer, so you can experiment. I'm gonna do that to mount a shield rmsc.

 

[2sharp2]

@Jlsmithivan welcome to the site from Tennessee.

 

[Screw Loose]

CT Rad Pro co-witnesses with the Mako sights, and has shake awake.
My LGS installed it, and I don't remember if it came with the correct screws or if they just used screws they had in the shop.

Don't overthink this.

Before you go down a rabbit hole, why not just try one of these screw kits for $19?

Ultimate red dot screw pack

We make great dot sights for your pistol. You have a slide, adapter plate, dovetail mount, or custom gunsmith cut. Putting them together? Its gotten complicated. Swampfox has your back with the Red Dot Screw Pack, containing 15 four-screw sets of various thread pitches and lengths. When you run...

www.swampfoxoptics.com

After talking with swampfox in denver they also sent me there link for this pack , sold out . Its not so much about finding the screws its about there unwillingness to help with this issue . Its was like its your problem ;Deal With It; . Its also clear its a failure in the firearms industry not to have a standardized Mounting system for all Pistols which leads to this issue .

 

[bad ninja]

After talking with swampfox in denver they also sent me there link for this pack , sold out . Its not so much about finding the screws its about there unwillingness to help with this issue . Its was like its your problem ;Deal With It; . Its also clear its a failure in the firearms industry not to have a standardized Mounting system for all Pistols which leads to this issue .

Sounds like pretty terrible CS.
I have zero experience with swampfox.

The reason for different footprints is the difference in the size/width of slides/optics, and the ability to co-witness with iron sights.

The footprint isn't the issue with the Mako, it's the screw length.

I agree that manufacturers should include a few longer screws. For a few cents more per unit, they would tap into a larger customer base.

 

[Rick in Oregon]

Any company, especially in the firearms industry that have crappy CS employees and service soon devolve and either go out of business or gain a bad rep online that affects their bottom line. Some very good outfits I've had experience with are, but not limited to:
Kimber
Dillon
Wilson Combat
Cooper Firearms of Montana (now in AR)
RCBS and Redding
Nosler

Never heard of Swampfox, maybe now I see why.

 

[bad ninja]

Any company, especially in the firearms industry that have crappy CS employees and service soon devolve and either go out of business or gain a bad rep online that affects their bottom line. Some very good outfits I've had experience with are, but not limited to:
Kimber
Dillon
Wilson Combat
Cooper Firearms of Montana (now in AR)
RCBS and Redding
Nosler

Never heard of Swampfox, maybe now I see why.

I have had nothing but great experiences with several of those companies, Rick.

We should start a thread and list trusted vendors.

I would add :
JoeBob's Outfitters
Wing Tactical
AIM surplus
TNW Firearms

 

[Jlsmithivan]

The exact formula for putting a shield rmsc on a mako R7 is 2 6-32 × 1/2 inch button head screws and 2 of the 4 plastic washers that come with the sight placed on each screw to reduce length just enough so the screw ends approach but do not fully pass beyond the slide threads. Better than trying to shorten the screws slightly by removing a thread. Shield customer service was no help and neither was kimber. Go figure. Anyway that is a exact fit.

 

[Jlsmithivan]

By the way that cost $1.30 and about an hour of time for measuring/going to ace hardware.

 

[frankstclair17]

FWIW, Swampfox is an American company that makes great products. Sorry you got the AH (arrogant and hostile) CS person. They do make. box that includes several sizes of the most commonly used screws to mount optics, including 4 extra long ones intended for you to trim to fit with a Dremel. I've used it twice, well worth 20 bucks. Don't let one not nice person turn you off to a whole product line.

 

[Screw Loose]

The exact formula for putting a shield rmsc on a mako R7 is 2 6-32 × 1/2 inch button head screws and 2 of the 4 plastic washers that come with the sight placed on each screw to reduce length just enough so the screw ends approach but do not fully pass beyond the slide threads. Better than trying to shorten the screws slightly by removing a thread. Shield customer service was no help and neither was kimber. Go figure. Anyway that is a exact fit.

After I sent back the Swampfox i started looking at sights again . I watched a video on a holosun 407k/507k and the guy was using a mount plate for MP shield and Mako , looked at amazon and sure enough there it was . DPP Optic Adapter/Mount Compatible for MP and Mako , just got it yesterday and just tried the screws , they are a bit lone so thats why the plate is with it , acts as The spacer. Waitng now for the optics planet store credit so order a new sight . Im sure the plate would have worked with the Swampfox , but because they were unhelpful I wont be ordering From them again . Holosun FTW !!!

 

[bad ninja]

After I sent back the Swampfox i started looking at sights again . I watched a video on a holosun 407k/507k and the guy was using a mount plate for MP shield and Mako , looked at amazon and sure enough there it was . DPP Optic Adapter/Mount Compatible for MP and Mako , just got it yesterday and just tried the screws , they are a bit lone so thats why the plate is with it , acts as The spacer. Waitng now for the optics planet store credit so order a new sight . Im sure the plate would have worked with the Swampfox , but because they were unhelpful I wont be ordering From them again . Holosun FTW !!!

👍
Holosun makes the best pistol red dot on the market right now.
Better glass, longer battery life, solar back up, side mounted battery tray, cleaner dot and better pricing.