Reflex sights are one of the most widely used optic types available, and while red dot sights are most associated with rifles like the AR-15, their compact counterparts have surged in popularity thanks to their compatibility with handguns.
Pistol red dot sights maximize the capabilities of handguns, offering quicker target acquisition speed and enhancing your overall accuracy. As their popularity has increased, so too has the number of optic choices. Regardless of which one you look at, they fall into one of two varieties: enclosed- and open-emitter optics.
Among these, enclosed-emitter pistol red dot sights have a lot to offer, standing out for their robust designs and durability. Below, we’re looking at what makes these optics such a solid choice.
Understanding Enclosed Emitter Red Dots
Before getting too into the specifics on the different pistol optics available, understanding pistol sights and their fundamentals plays a key role in choosing the right one. As we mentioned above, they can all be labelled as either an enclosed-emitter pistol red dot sight, or an open-emitter mini-reflex sight.
Pistol Red Dot and Mini-Reflex Sight Differences
Both options are a solid choice that can serve as a powerful addition to any pistol, but they offer different benefits. We cover both optics in our guide, “Reflex Sights vs. Red Dot Sights”, but the gist of it is open-emitter mini-reflex sights, like their name suggests, feature an open-emitter design, while closed emitter pistol red dot sights are fully enclosed, much like full-size red dots.
Open-emitter mini-reflex sights are a viable choice for most applications, coming with a large sight window and wide field of view. However, their open-emitter design leaves the emitter diode exposed, so it can potentially become occluded by dust, dirt, and other debris. Pistol red dot sights, in contrast, generally have a more robust design, and since they’re enclosed, the emitter diode is fully enshrouded and protected. However, their enclosed design does constrict their field of view, leaving them with a slightly narrower one comparatively.
Another benefit pistol red dot sights have is their structural integrity. These optics are designed to be as durable as possible, so they often have a reinforced construction that makes them more resistant to impact and environmental hazards/contaminants. While this does make them bulkier, they’re still light enough to not weigh down your pistol or impede its cyclic ability. This isn’t to say that mini-reflex sights aren’t a durable option, they just don’t offer the same level of rugged durability as enclosed-emitter options. Either way, both can be useful across all applications
That said, if durability and reliability are some of your main concerns, an enclosed pistol red dot sight is the move. Thanks to their reinforced designs, they tend to be favored for use in adverse conditions, making them a well-rounded optic for all applications. Keep in mind that there’s a lot to unpack when discussing reflex sights. We go more in-depth on the intricacies of them in our guide, “How Do Red Dot Sights Work?”, and we recommend reading it to round out your knowledge on them.
Optics Comparison
The optics industry is expansive, giving you quite a few options for quality reflex sights. While narrowing your search to focus solely on pistol red dot sights does narrow down your options quite a bit, this optic niche still presents you with an overwhelming number of choices to consider. Brands like Primary Arms Optics, Holosun, Trijicon, and Steiner Optics are among the most notable, and they’re all known for creating some of the industry’s most sought-after pistol red dot sights.
Primary Arms Optics
Primary Arms Optics is known for developing high-quality optics to house their advanced reticle systems, and their lineup exemplifies this with it consisting of several optic systems ranging from variable power optics and prism scopes to rifle and pistol red dot sights. For handguns, they’ve focused primarily on mini-reflex sights like the SLx® RS-10 and GLx® RS-15, but new to their lineup is the PLx® HTX-1 enclosed pistol red dot sight.
Made in the USA, the PLx HTX-1 is a revolutionary optic that offers high-performance utility and reliability. What makes this optic unique is its mounting system—pistol optics are typically known for being compatible with one specific mounting footprint, but the HTX-1’s patented chassis mounting system is compatible with basically every existing mounting footprint. So, no matter what pistol you’re running, if it’s optic-ready, the HTX-1 can most likely work with it. Additionally, its mounting system gives it an incredibly low centerline when mounted, allowing you to effectively cowitness with standard height iron sights. Plus, the HTX-1 is equipped with AutoLive® motion-activation for better battery life, and it’s equipped with the ACSS® Vulcan® reticle too (or a 4 MOA dot, if you prefer).
The ACSS Vulcan reticle system is an advanced reticle that’s the only one of its kind. One of the biggest weaknesses to using a pistol optic is finding the dot under stress. When you’re off-center, the reticle isn’t visible, forcing you to fall back to your iron sights to acquire your sight. The ACSS Vulcan reticle fixes this issue, as it has a large outer circle that is only visible when you’re off-center, guiding you back to the reticle’s center dot. All-in-all, this is a cutting-edge optic that’s a solid pairing for many of the best red dot ready pistol models.
Holosun
Holosun needs little to no introduction as they’re a prominent name in the optics industry. Known well for their pistol optics, there are many Holosun enclosed emitter red dot sights to choose from, with the HE509 being among their most sought-after options.
Notably, these optics have an incredibly long battery life that’s further increased by Holosun’s Shake-Awake™ motion activation technology. It also comes with their Solar-Failsafe which keeps your optic illuminated, even if the battery is dead. Available in a few variations, the standard HE509 comes with a red or green circle dot reticle with three modes: circle dot, dot only, and open circle only. Additionally, in collaboration with Primary Arms Optics, select HE509 models feature the ACSS® Vulcan® reticle, which has an outer ring that’s only visible when your aim is off-center, and an infinitely precise center chevron. Lastly, there’s also the HE509T, which is an upgraded variant that’s constructed out of titanium instead of aluminum.
Overall, the HE509 is a solid optic that pairs well with multiple pistols. That said, being a larger pistol red dot sight, it’s better suited for compact to full-size pistols. If you’re wanting an optic for your sub-compact pistol, the Holosun SCS Carry is the move. Essentially, you could describe the SCS as a smaller version of the HE509, as it comes with many of the same features such as Holosun’s Solar Failsafe, Shake-Awake motion activation, and it also has either a red or green circle dot reticle.
Trijicon
For decades, Trijicon has been renowned for crafting high-quality, battle-tested optics ranging from high-power scope systems to smaller pistol sights. While their open-emitter mini-reflex sights like the RMR and SRO have long been some of their most iconic pistol optic systems, their newer RCR enclosed pistol red dot is a solid optic.
The Trijicon RCR is one of the most rugged pistol optics currently offered by Trijicon. Designed specifically to survive the rigors of use in Military and Law Enforcement environments, this optic uses a durable 7075-T6 aluminum construction and is packed with features that allow it to excel in harsh conditions. Notably, the RCR uses Trijicon’s Super Strong Patented Capstan Screws to mount to your pistol. Even further it’s waterproof up to 66 feet, and it uses a top loading battery tray so there’s no need to remove and re-zero the optic when changing the battery.
The RCR projects a 3.25-MOA dot reticle that’s currently only available in red. Regardless, it has 10 different brightness settings, including 3 night vision ones, and 1 super bright, as well as an incredibly long battery life that offers over 6 years of continuous use depending on your brightness setting and environment. Part of what makes the RCR unique is its mounting footprint, as it uses an RMR footprint. So long as you have an RMR compatible slide or adapter, you’re good to go—it even has the same deck height as the RMR too.
Steiner Optics
It’s hard to have a discussion about pistol red dot sights without bringing up Steiner Optics. Steiner Optics is an excellent brand that offers an assortment of different optic systems ranging from variable power optics to smaller reflex sights. Among their lineup, they offer an enclosed pistol sight in the form of the MPS.
The Steiner MPS is one of the go-to enclosed pistol optics for many enthusiasts. A rugged and durable optic, it utilizes an aluminum construction that’s waterproof, fog proof, and shock proof. Like the Trijicon RCR, the MPS also has a top mounted battery tray to simplify the process of changing out your battery. Additionally, the MPS uses an Aimpoint ACRO mounting footprint.
The MPS has a lot of features that make it worth considering, such as its auto-shut-off feature that allows its battery to last up to 13,000 hours (almost a year and a half), 8 illumination settings, including 2 night vision ones, and lastly, it’s 3.3-MOA red dot reticle. Plus, it’s also available in either a black or flat dark earth finish.
Conclusion
Pistol red dot sights are one of the greatest accessories you can add to your handgun, providing you with a quicker target acquisition speed, while also providing a precise point of aim. Despite there being several high-quality optics for handguns, enclosed emitter pistol red dot sights are built to withstand harsh use, offering enhanced durability in a compact package.
While pistol red dot sights tend to be bulkier than mini-reflex sights, they’re excellent for those who prioritize durability. Regardless of which option you end up going with, it’s important to take note of your own needs and preferences. For instance, if you’re looking for something with a long battery life, features like motion activation and solar charging units can greatly increase your optic’s battery lifespan. Moreover, if you want a complex reticle as opposed to standard dot, circle dot reticles or our ACSS Vulcan reticle system offer much more than the standard dot reticle.
At the end of the day, the best optic is the one that aligns with your needs and preferences best. So long as the one you’ve chosen checks off all your boxes, you can rest assured knowing you’re making the right choice. Once you have the optic of your choice, it will do you no good if it isn’t zeroed in properly. Our guide on how to zero a red dot sight will get you up to speed on everything you need to know to do it right.
