The Best Pistol Red Dots – A Buyer’s Guide

Nearly every weapon platform now uses red dot sights as their default optic. They are already the standard optic for shotguns and rifles, but they are now also the standard for handguns. In most cases, red dots are superior to iron sights. Modern ones are durable enough to be trusted and even the cheapest models are getting better. You probably already have one for your carbine. Why not consider a pistol-red dot? These project the image of a laser reticle onto a lens using ambient lighting. The user can see the reticle without parallax, or at least almost. Giese Electric Gunsight was the first electric version, released in 1947. It failed to gain much popularity. The 1970s saw the first pistol reflex sights, with early examples such as the Weaver Qwik-Point or the Thompson Insta-Sight optics. These optics used a beam-splitting fibre optic to project ambient light as dot reticles. The Aimpoint Electronic was the first pistol red dot sight. It was introduced in 1975. The Aimpoint Electronic projected a red dot through an LED onto the front lens. The first Aimpoints were adopted in Open class IPSC (and later USPSA competition). Notable adopters such as Jerry Barnhart and Doug Koenig won huge victories in the 80s and ’90s. Jerry Barnhart holding an early Bushnell Holosight mounted to a 1911. Photo source: jerrybarnhart.com.Military units began experimenting with Aimpoint optics in the late 1980s and early 1990s as well, with one notable early adopter being the U.S. Army’s Delta Force. Modern miniature red dots sights were introduced at the end of 20th century with Docter (Noblex), a miniature optic. It was not perfect like many first-generation tech. However, the Trijicon RMR (Rugged miniaturized Reflex sight), in 2009, was a serious take on this concept. Modern iterations of this sight are still industry standards. A “footprint” is basically a series of holes that must be tapped into the slide. Some are threaded, others are not. This allows for both mounting bolts and lugs to be accommodated on the optic’s bottom. An FN FNX45 Tactical Plate-mounting System with adaptor plates that are compatible with two different mounting footprints. The optic is placed onto the slide, and the lugs are inserted into the holes. Finally, the optic is bolted in position. Trijicon created its own footprint, the RMR footprint. Other footprints have also been developed. Before optics-ready pistols were available from the factory, you needed to send your slide in to be milled to the dimensions of the optic you wanted to mount. Some clever people discovered that you could mill the slide to make an adapter plate. This allows users to use any optic they wish, provided that an adapter plate exists. Optics-ready pistols can be purchased for almost all new handguns made by major manufacturers today. Some are milled with a particular footprint, such as the Shield RMSc footprint that is common on compact and small pistols. Others are milled to accommodate an adapter plate. Types of Pistol Red Dots. Pistol red dots can be classified as either open- or closed-emitter designs. Open-emitter red dot designs, such as the Trijicon RMR, have the emitter at the top of the optic body and project the image onto the glass panes. Closed emitter red dot houses the emitter internally and protects it from the outside world. Open-emitter sights such as the Trijicon RMR are more cost-effective but the emitter is theoretically more vulnerable to damage or interference. It depends on your situation and how likely it is that this will happen in real life. A Holoson EPS closed-emitter optic.Several other features differentiate pistol red dot sights from one another such as shake-awake/motion-sensing activation, brightness settings and solar panels, but not every person will necessarily find them relevant. Depending on how the pistol is used, some features may prove more useful than others. Iron sights are not what the human eye was designed for. We can accommodate, which is switching focus from one object to the next, but we cannot focus on multiple objects simultaneously. Iron sights allow you to align three objects (front sight rear sight and target), but your eye can only focus on one object. Red dot sights reduce it to two. Place dot on target area and press trigger. This sighting system is simpler and more biologically compatible than iron sights. Scopes are better for shooting rifles than red dots. It turns out that they also work well on pistols. It is clear why you would want to make it easier to shoot your concealed carry gun or duty pistol while increasing your hit probability. This is why the Carry Optics divisions in shooting sports are some of the most crowded divisions of IDPA/USPSA. It’s also why more police departments are switching over to optics-equipped guns. Even the M17, which is the new sidearm of the U.S. Army, is now optics-ready. This concept is just too logical. The first is the cost. There are some optics that can be used for more than enough shooting, but they are still expensive. The second problem is how to deal with an optic failure. Your sight will die if the battery goes out. Irons don’t require batteries. It’s an added complication to any mechanical system. Every added complication is another failure point. Glass can crack or wear out battery terminals. You will also need to learn how to use a pistol optic. A pistol optic requires consistent presentation with the dot in a window. With concealed carry guns, you also have to consider bulk. The overall setup can be kept small with modern micro pistol red dots sights paired with micro CCW guns. The Holosun 509T is a leader in closed-emitter pistol optics. Their EOTech-style reticle (32 MOA circle, 2-MOA centre dot), shake-awake circuitry and a solar panel are just a few of the features. The side-load battery can last up to 50,000 hours. Although concealing a pistol while wearing one can be difficult, it is not impossible. The MSRP for this pistol optic is $505.87. But it will be a good investment. Trijicon RMR Type 2The Trijicon RMR Type 2 pistol optics are among the most reliable on the market. It was once the only viable option. You can choose from a 1-MOA, 3-MOA, or 6-MOA reticle. It features an auto-dimming feature, shake-awake technology to preserve battery life, a stress relief housing to minimize the possibility of breakage if dropped, and can be purchased with or without a fiber optic solar feature. The MSRP starts at $700, with the only real drawbacks being the bottom-loading battery. Sig Romeo Zero EliteThe Sig Romeo Zero Elite is compact to subcompact pistols (with a 24-mm lens) and a solid budget-friendly choice. The Sig Romeo Zero Elite comes with a 3-MOA dot and a 2-MOA/32 -MOA circle/dot reticle. It is also available with a steel housing shroud to protect against drops. It has a battery life of up to 20,000 hours and is compatible with the Shield RMSc footprints and Glock MOS footprints. MSRP is $203 for 3-MOA dots and $220 for circles/dots reticles. The Romeo Zero Pro is also available in a slightly larger version. Holosun 407kX2The Holosun407k series is a highly-regarded carry pistol red dot. It features a shake-awake function, a side loading battery, an integrated rear sight, and a modified RMSc footprint which may or not require an adapter plate. The 407kX2 has a 6-MOA dot, a battery life of upto 50,000 hours, and an adapter plate may be required. You can easily find everything you need and nothing you don’t for just $200. You could spend less on an optic, but why would you? Sig Sauer Romeo2The modular housing of the Sig Sauer Romeo2 allows you to configure it as an open or closed-emitter optical by attaching a shroud, rear lens/emitter cover, and a shroud. The Romeo2 comes with a 3-MOA dot (or 6-MOA dot), or a bullseye-style circular/dot/reticle. It also features Sig’s MOTAC, a shake-awake feature, a side-loading lithium battery and the Delta Point Pro footprint. The only problem is the high MSRP of $768.99. More on Pistol red dots:NEXT STEP – Download your Storm Tactical Printable Target pack62 Printable MOA targets with DOT drills – Rifle Ranges in YARDSThis amazing target pack is from Storm Tactical and contains 62 printable targets for rifle and handgun range usage. Target grids and bullseye sizes can be downloaded in MOA. This is a great option for long-range shooting. Enter your email address below.