State of the Pistol Mounted Optics

 So welcome to 2021, pistol mounted optics are becoming a normal thing. Most of the advantages of them have been covered before, but briefly, let me discuss them. They allow a shooter to target focus rather than having to shift focus back and forth between multiple planes. They can provide greater accuracy, especially at distance. Most individuals find that they can shoot as fast, if not faster, with a pistol mounted optic. They also allow for much easier shot calling and error diagnosis by the shooter.

Of course, the detractors are still out there, and there are at least two real downsides to pistol mounted optics. One is the cost, not just of the optic itself but any associated mounting bits, machining of slides for those not optics ready, different iron sights to accommodate the higher sighting plane, and holsters. That cost is a Real Thing, and if you’re on a budget, it can be difficult to overcome. The second downside would be some additional maintenance and operational check of the firearm prior to carrying or using it. With a pistol mounted optic it behooves you to check for the presence and proper brightness of the dot each time you are going to carry it or go shooting with it. Most quality pistol mounted optics have very good battery life, but any battery will eventually die, and a regular check and replacement of that battery is important.

The one big detractor that people like to cite sounds something like, “muh irons ain’t never failed.” Maybe they’ll veer off into “two world wars,” or other similar things. And here’s where I diverge with them, because I’ve seen irons fail or become dislodged many times, especially on Glocks. Don’t believe me? Unload your Glock, field strip it, and then drop the slide on a hard surface a few times and see what happens. Quite often the rear sight will shift from the impact, either left or right. And I’ve seen guns that had the rear sight shifted and the shooter didn’t notice. It had significant effect on their accuracy, and as distance increased, it only got worse.

Now I hear you saying, “well, I don’t drop my gun, so I don’t have to worry about it.” I love it. You should also just never get into a gunfight, then you won’t have to carry that gun. Furthermore, don’t ever set your house on fire, that way you can avoid having to mess with those pesky smoke detectors. Don’t ever get hungry, tired, wet, cold, or anything, that way you won’t have to prepare for those eventualities. And yes, I’m being hyperbolic. Nobody intends to drop their gun, but I’ve seen a lot of that Murphy’s Law stuff kick in, and things happen. Many of us carry a gun because Things Happen. So having plans and mitigation for those things is a good idea. And now we get back to pistol mounted optics.

A quality pistol mounted optic can take a good amount of abuse. If it is properly mounted, it won’t dislodge, shift, or lose zero, even if significantly impacted. Further, that optic may shield the rear sight from impact since the pistol mounted optic has a wider and taller footprint than the rear sight. So, the presence of that pistol mounted optic may be a safety net for your rear iron sight.

Right now it is an exceptional time in the evolution of pistol mounted optics. There are several good offerings out there as of this writing (October 2021) and more forthcoming all the time. My specific recommendations will be the topic of part two of this writing, as well as my conjecture about those future offerings.