We have used many optics on different types of firearms. Do you know which are the best red dot sights for pistol?
In this guide, we put together a great list of 5 products to help you save your time researching. We have purchased them, used them on various firearms and found out all the things we liked and dislike about them.
So let's check them out:
Top Rated Pistol Red Dot Sights
Trijicon RMR Type 2 - Best Overall
Why it's the best - This open emitter reflex sight is the gold standard for all micro red dot sights, and it's the go to pistol sighting system
Increased Slug Accuracy - 3.25 MOA dot size or higher are great for acquiring the target fast and easier for shooting with both eyes open
Tighter Battery Grip - Tighter battery grip compared to the Type 1 model to sustain recoil G force better to ensure 100% battery contact to keep the reticle on
Works On Other Mounts - Mount it on other firearm platforms as offset or primary optic
Features:
- Magnification: 1X
- Objective Lens: 0.9" x 0.6"
- Eye Relief: Unlimited
- Reticle Type: 6.5 MOA dot
- Turret : 1 MOA / Click
- Length: 1.8 inches
- Weight: 1.2 oz
- Battery: CR2032
- Battery Life: 4 years
Pros
Cons
Holosun 507C X2 - Best RMR Alternative
Why Use Holosun 507C - The Holosun 507C X2 is by far the best alternative to the Trijicon RMR and saves you a lots of money while the mounting footprint stays the same. (See more optics with the same RMR footprint not listed on this guide here)
Solar Power BackUp - Solar fail-safe power kicks in immediately when the battery dies, so the optic will always remain on
Side Battery Access - No sight removal required to swap battery.
2X More Battery life - The Shake Awake technology saves tons of battery life by deactivating the optic when at rest, then turns it back on upon movement. Up to 100,000 hours
Multi Reticle System - Choose among 3 different reticles for different shooting applications
The new ACSS Vulcan reticle (Sold separately) features that ring to help guide the eye back to the center if needed
Features:
- Magnification: 1X
- Reticle: 1 MOA, 32 MOA ring, or combined
- Turret Value: 1 MOA / Click
- Field of View: 0.63" X 0.91"
- Construction: 7075 T6 aluminum IP67 rated
- Dimension: 1.78"X1.15"X1.15"
- Weight: 1.5 oz
- Battery Life: 3 - 4 years
Pros
Cons
- Open emitter attracts dirt easily in CCW holster under clothing
- Sight removal required for battery swap
See More: Holosun 507C X2 Review
Trijicon SRO - Largest Field Of View
Trijicon SRO is a large window red dot sight that allows faster dot tracking than any other standard size red dot sights. It's the evolved version of the RMR design for users having a hard time acquiring the dot.
Unobstructed Field of View - Fast to get on target, fast follow up, and never lose the dot inside the window even if the eye is slightly off center
Easier To Find The Dot - Slightly enlarged upper portion of the window significantly increase dot acquisition speed even if the grip angle was off
Top Loading Battery Access - Access battery from the top without removing the sight or re-zero the sight
Lock-In & Lock Out Mode - Saves user chosen brightness setting indefinitely, Ideal for target shooting & competition without accidental button adjustment
Features:
- Magnification: 1X
- Reticle: 5 MOA option is the best
- Turret Value: 1 MOA / Click
- Field of View: Round 0.98" X 0.89"
- Construction: 7075 T6 aluminum
- Dimension: 2.2"X1.3"X1.4"
- Weight: 1.6 oz
- Battery Life: 3 - 4 years
Pros
- Very large FOV for easier dot tracking
- No zeroing or sight removal required for battery swap like the 507C
- Same RMR footprint
- Lockout mode
Cons
See More: Trijicon SRO Review
Holosun 509T - Best Weatherproof
Why use closed emitter reflex sight - The new Holosun 509T X2 is a closed emitter red dot designed to prevent debris from entering the optic or carrying concealed under clothing and for outdoor use.
32 MOA Reticle + 2 MOA dot - Same reticle system as 507C, 508T and 507K
Battery Lasts A Long Time – Just like the Holosun 507C recommended above. Long battery life + Solar Failsafe to keep the sighting system operational
Clamp Mount - Tighter and much more secure mount like picatinny
Titanium Durability – Increased main body durability to handle heavy recoil impulses and rough slide racking against hard surfaces.
Specs
- Magnification - 1X
- Reticle - 2 MOA + 32 MOA Ring, or 2 MOA dot
- Adjustment - 1 MOA / Click
- Brightness - 10 DL&2 NV (Features Lockout Mode)
- Construction - Solid titanium body, IP67
- Window Size - 0.63" X 0.91"
- Body Dimension - 1.6" X 1.16" X 1.13"
- Weight - 1.72 oz
- Battery - CR1632
- Battery Life - 50,000 hours + Solar
Pros
Cons
- Requires special mounting plate
- Has lens edge distortion
See More: Holosun 509T X2 Review
Holosun EPS Carry - Best Weatherproof
The Holosun EPS Carry looks like the 509T, but it's much smaller and it's fully enclosed, and it uses the Holosun K mounting footprint (RMSc) for micro compact pistols.
Closed Emitter - Fully weatherproof against dirt, water and other debris from entering the optic
Side Battery Access - Swap the battery without sight removal
6 Reticle Systems - 2 MOA, 6 MOA or multi reticle system with 32 MOA ring (with solar failsafe). Sold separately
Features:
- Magnification: 1X
- Reticle: 2 MOA, 6 MOA or MRS
- Turret Value: 1 MOA / Click
- Window Size: 0.58" X 0.77"
- Construction: 7075 T6 aluminum IPX8 rated
- Dimension: 1.62" X 1.07" X 0.95"
- Weight: 1 oz
- Battery Life: 50,000 hours
Pros
- Closed emitter design to keep debris away
- Multiple reticle options
- No lens distortion at all
- Strong lens frame than the 507K design
- Comes with insert mount plate with recoil lugs
Cons
- Not much
Holosun 507K X2 - Best For Subcompact Pistols
Holosun 507K is made for slim profile handgun that is compact and further reduce the size for conceal carry users.
32 MOA Reticle + 2 MOA dot - Same reticle system as other Holosun red dot sights
Battery Lasts A Long Time – Just like the Holosun 507C recommended above. Long battery life + Solar Failsafe to keep the sighting system operational
Snag free holster draw performance - The rugged exterior housing to withstand wear against clothing and also provides snag-free draw performance out of IWB or OWB holsters.
Clamp Mount - Tighter and much more secure mount like picatinny
Simple battery change without hassle - Access the battery from the side tray instead of the bottom to eliminate the need to remove the sight for battery swap.
Features:
- Magnification: 1X
- Reticle: 2 MOA dot, 32 MOA ring, or combined
- Turret Value: 1 MOA / Click
- Window Size: 0.58" X 0.77"
- Construction: 7075 T6 aluminum IP67 rated
- Dimension: 1.6" X 0.98" X 0.95"
- Weight: 1 oz
- Battery Life: 50,000 hours
Pros
- Very durable for CCW use
- Multi reticle system like 507C
- RMSc footprint fits most MOS handguns on the market today
Cons
- Open emitter design attracts dirt
- Has lens distortion
See More: Holosun 507K X2 Review
Handgun Red Dots Buying Guide
Are Red Dots On Handguns Worth It
Using a red dot sight on a handgun can provide significant benefits, particularly once the shooter becomes accustomed to it.
The primary advantage of using a pistol red dot optic is the ability to keep both eyes open while remaining target-focused.
This can be beneficial in a variety of shooting scenarios, including competition, defensive situations and for shooters with aging eyes.
Check out our Red Dot Sight Shooting Guide. The guide goes over target acquisition, stance, dot brightness and recoil management beyond basic knowledge.
How Far Is A Red Dot Effective
A red dot is effective as far as the shooter can hit where it was zeroed.
The shooter must apply good shooting fundamentals such as grip, recoil control, breathing to be accurate. A red dot simply just provides the shooter the ability to aim faster.
Low Bore Axis VS High Bore Axis Differences
Positioning the bore of the gun closer to the top of the shooter's hand can improve alignment of the red dot sight with the target, as well as reduce muzzle rise for easier maintainance of sight picture during follow-up shots.
High bore axis design allows for a more natural point of aim, making target acquisition quicker and effortless with a red dot sight.
Lens Window Size Matters For Easier Dot Tracking
The size of the optic window matters because it gives you extra room to find the dot.
Trijicon SRO's large window design makes a huge difference.
Does The Weight of Optic Affect Slide Operation?
Handgun optics are generally lightweight, around 2 oz, and do not affect slide operation. Removing material from the slide for optic mounting compensates for the added weight.
The weight of the optic does not have a significant impact on performance, except for when mounting it on slides with lightening cuts or low recoil springs.
Is Green or Red Dot Better
Green reticle seems slightly easier to acquire in daylight.
Recoils Resistant
These red dot sights are made to handle sharp recoil forces to retain zero for accuracy. Most high-quality handgun optics are built from the ground to handle loads like 40SW, 357 Sig and even 40mm.
So they can handle a lot of G force when the slide cycles repeatedly.
Repeated recoil only damage the optic's internals if you use low-quality optic.
Handgun Slide Optic Compatibility
Many handgun slides are compatible with red dot sights, but not all. Striker-fired semi-auto pistols are the most popular platform for red dot sights.
Many major gun manufacturers now offer optic ready pistols, such as Glock, FN, Springfield, and Smith Wesson, eliminating the need for additional milling or cost.
Most handgun optics come with the necessary mounting plates and screws for your specific firearm.
Companies like Glock, FN, Springfield, Smith Wesson, and more all offer optic ready pistols right out of the box, so that the customers don't have to spend extra money or time milling the slide.
Most handgun optics you purchase will ship with all the mounting plates and screws for your particular firearm, so you don't have to worry.
Adjusted Brightness Settings Control
All of these optics offer favorable brightness settings that work well both indoors and outdoors, even in bright sunlight. It's important to note that the brightness of the dot and the size of the dot are not the same thing.
Optic shooters should adjust the brightness level to match the environment to ensure the dot is neither too bright, obscuring the lens and target, nor too dim to see.
Picking The Right MOA Reticle Size
Bigger dot for speed, smaller dot for accuracy.
Users with aging eyes and astigmatism can benefit from using red dot sights to be target plane focused.
Even though users with astigmatism sometimes have a hard time seeing the dot clearly. The 6 MOA is the best option.
A smaller dot is great for fine aiming like the 1 MOA dot.
Is Motion Activated Optic Feature Necessary?
Motion activated red dot sights are getting popular. They can turns off to save battery if they are sitting in idle.
It's a nice feature to have, but it's not necessary especially for a conceal carry optic that is constantly moving inside a holster.
As the content creator of badassoptic.com, My background in the firearms industry and shooting sports gives me the experience to recommend tried and true products and keep away subpar ones.
