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Tips for Choosing the Best Pistol Red Dot for Competition Shooting

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Table of Contents

In competitive shooting disciplines, there are countless ways you can enhance your pistol’s performance. Trigger upgrades can enhance your target engagement speed, while you extended/enhanced magazine releases and slide stops allow you to reload and clear malfunctions much quicker. However, one of the most beneficial accessories you can add to your pistol is an optic. 

Pistol optics have become a staple accessory amongst enthusiasts of all disciplines, offering several advantages over standard iron sights. Even though choosing an optic appears to be an easy task, it can be overwhelming with the sheer number of choices to pick from. As such, it’s important to know what exactly to look for when you start your search.  

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Mini-Reflex vs. Pistol Red Dot Sights 

Pistol reflex sights can generally be categorized into two specific categories: open-emitter mini-reflex sights and closed-emitter pistol red dot sights. At their core, both optics function in the same way in that they emit a pattern of light that collimates onto the optic lens to form the reticle pattern. We talk about their differences at length in our guide, “Reflex Sight vs. Red Dot”, but the summary of their differences are as follows: 

Open-emitter mini-reflex sights are characterized by their open emitter design and use of only one lens. By design, they’re capable of housing larger front lenses, granting them a wider field of view compared to enclosed optics. Closed-emitter pistol red dot sights utilize a fully enclosed design and two lenses. While their enclosed design does constrict their field of view, it protects the emitter from dust, dirt, or other debris, and it makes for a more durable optic overall. 

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What to Look for in a Pistol Reflex Sight 

There are a lot of optics available on the market, and they each come with their own distinct features. It’s important to look into the optic’s weight, field of view, reticle size, and mounting footprint, as they all play a critical role in its performance. 

Field of View 

Field of view, or FOV, is incredibly important when you’re shooting in more dynamic scenarios. A wider field of view opens more of your peripheral vision, allowing you to see what’s around your target. As we mentioned above, open mini-reflex sights tend to win out in terms of their field of view since they don’t have a body to obstruct your view. Closed-emitter pistol red dot sights can still be a great option, just keep in mind that their enclosed design gives them a narrower FOV.  

Battery Life 

An optic’s battery life can vary depending on several factors such as its battery size, reticle complexity, and environmental conditions. For better battery longevity, many optics include automatic shut-off and motion-activation to better conserve power. Additionally, some even include solar charging units to automatically brighten the reticle and charge the battery when used outdoors. For maximum battery life, we recommend shopping for an optic with such features.   

Reticle Options 

While the standard dot reticle is a great for all marksmen, modern optics can project a myriad of different reticle designs, ranging from circle dot reticles to the more unique and versatile options like the ACSS® Vulcan® Reticle System. For most, the standard dot reticle is perfect as their simplistic design makes them easy to use. Circle dot reticles are comprised of a center dot for precise shots, and an outer circle (usually 32-MOA) to quickly acquire and make holds on moving targets. 

Regardless of which option you choose, in stressful situations, or when shooting at unconventional angles, you could have some problems with finding the dot when you take aim. This is where specialized reticle systems like the ACSS Vulcan reticle come into play. The ACSS Vulcan features a center dot, or an infinitely precise center chevron, surrounded by a larger 250-MOA outer circle. The outer circle is only visible when your aim is off-center, and it serves to guide users back to the center dot, allowing you to make on-the-fly adjustments back to your center sight when on the move. 

Mounting Compatibility 

Mini-reflex and pistol red dot sights can use a variety of different mounting footprints. We highlight this in our optic-ready pistol guide, but different pistols are cut to accept different optics. For instance, pistols like the H&K VP9 aren’t directly compatible with any optics and instead use an assortment of various adapters for optic mounting. Other pistols like the SIG Sauer P320 are directly compatible with SIG’s Romeo Optic line and other optics with the same footprint.  

If you have the right adapter for your pistol model, you’ll be able to run the optic of your choice with no issues. That said, for the best fitment possible, choosing an optic that mounts directly to your slide will get you the lowest and most secure mount possible. Aftermarket slides can be a good option to get a direct optic mount for the pistol of your choice, but keep in mind that they can add a significant cost to your competitive pistol build.  

Popular Pistol Optics  

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Primary Arms Optics  

Primary Arms Optics has spent years meticulously crafting a variety of unique optic systems, ranging from larger high-power rifle scopes and LPVOs to smaller reflex sights and prism scopes. They produce several pistol optics as well, with models like the SLx® RS-10 and GLx® RS-15 being among the most notable. 

Weighing only 1.07 ounces, the SLx RS-10 is a remarkably light optic that offers a wide FOV and has a long battery life that can last upwards of 40,000+ hours. Their battery longevity is further enhanced as they are outfitted with Primary Arms Optics’ AutoLive® motion-activation, and an automatic shut-off feature. Lastly, RS-10 optics come standard with a 3-MOA dot reticle, and they use the popular Docter/Noblex mounting footprint. 

The GLx RS-15 is a more premium option that’s constructed from rugged 7075-T6 aluminum. It features a wider lens to enhance its FOV and comes standard with AutoLive motion activation and automatic shut-off like the RS-10. In addition to a 3-MOA dot reticle, the GLx RS-15 is also available with the ACSS Vulcan Reticle. The battery life of these optics varies depending on your reticle settings. For instance, models equipped with the 3-MOA dot can last upwards of 50,000 hours, while ACSS Vulcan models can last anywhere from 5,000 to 25,000+ hours depending on if you’re using the full reticle or just the dot.  

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Holosun 

Holosun is a well-known optic manufacturer that needs little to no introduction. For years, they’ve specialized in crafting some of the industry’s most popular pistol optics, with models like the HE507C, 507COMP, and HE509 being some of their most popular.  

The Holosun 507C is a solid choice for competitive shooting disciplines that’s packed with features to make it excel in such a role. Notably, they’re equipped with Holosun’s ShakeAwake™ motion activation and automatic shut-off, plus, they come with an added Solar Failsafe unit to keep it running, even if the battery dies. With its multi-reticle system, users can switch between either a 2-MOA dot, an open 32-MOA circle, or a circle dot reticle with both elements. Select models can even come with the ACSS Vulcan Reticle system too. In its circle dot configuration, these optics boast a 50,000-hour battery life, while models paired with the ACSS Vulcan generally last upwards of 25,000 hours. 

Made specifically for competition use, the Holosun 507COMP is a solid option to consider using as your next competitive pistol optic. The 507COMP shares many features in common with the HE507C, such as the mounting footprint and battery size, but it also comes with some select features that make it more desirable as a competition optic. Most notably, it comes with a much larger lens for a wider field of view, and it also comes with Holosun’s Competition Reticle System (CRS). This reticle centers around a 2-MOA dot reticle, and either an 8-, 20-, or 32-MOA outer ring. You can freely switch between any dot and ring combination with this optic, but you can also use multiple rings too if you’d prefer.  

For an enclosed option, the Holosun HE509 is another solid pick. You can essentially look at the HE509 as an enclosed version of the 507C, as they share many of the same features. That said, the HE509 comes with the distinct benefit of being enclosed, making it much more resistant to shock, fog, and other environmental debris/hazards.  

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Trijicon 

As one of the most vetted names in the industry, Trijicon optics consistently perform well in all applications. Over the years, they’ve produced several optic systems, but as far as Trijicon reflex sights are concerned, the RMR and RCR series are by far their most notable.  

The Trijicon RMR has long been one of the most popular handgun optics available. Now in its second generation, redesignated as the RMR Type 2, it’s still considered one of the go-to optics by many. Designed for agility, the RMR Type 2 is an incredibly light optic, weighing only 1.2 ounces with the battery installed. It’s available with either a 1-, 3.25-, or a 6.5-MOA dot reticle, and its battery life can last upwards of 4 years of continuous use depending on your brightness level and environment. Despite its smaller size, the RMR offers a wide FOV, making it a solid pick for competitive shooting. 

For a more premium option, the RMR HD differs slightly from the standard RMR design in that it uses a top-mounted battery instead of a bottom-loading one, and it boasts extra durability with its reinforced housing. The most notable upgrade on this model though is its larger lens, giving it a wider FOV. Additionally, the RMR HD comes standard with a circle dot reticle as well, and as you’d likely suspect, it uses the same mounting footprint as the RMR, making it a worthwhile upgrade if you’re already running a standard RMR.  

New to the Trijicon lineup is the RCR. Often seen as an enclosed version of the RMR, the RCR is one of the most durable pistol red dots available, being designed specifically for use in duty settings. As such, it makes for a great addition to competition pistol builds. This optic also has a top loading battery design and is available with a 3.25-MOA dot reticle, but one of its most unique features is its use of the RMR footprint. Usually, enclosed pistol optics can’t use the same footprint as open-emitter optics, since the optic body gets in the way of such mounting systems. But with the RCR’s design, there’s no additional mounting plate needed if you’re already running an RMR cut slide.  

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EOTech 

EOTech is another industry powerhouse, known primarily for their diverse lineup of holographic sights and rifle scopes. Fairly recently though, they’ve expanded their optic lineup to include EOTech pistol sights in the form of the EFLX.  

Compared to similarly sized optics, the EFLX has a large rectangular objective lens, giving it a wide field of view, as well as the same aspect ratio as EOTech’s holographic sights. Aside from this, the EFLX is available with either a 3- or 6-MOA dot reticle, and its battery life can last upwards of 20,000 hours of continuous use. Constructed from durable aluminum housing, the EFLX is an exceptionally rugged optic that’s more-than-capable of standing up to use in everything from IDPA competitions to more intense duty-style training scenarios. Lastly, these optics utilize the same mounting footprint as SIG Sauer’s ROMEO series optics, making them directly compatible with most SIG P320 handguns too.  

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SIG Sauer 

Known primarily for their handguns and rifles, SIG Sauer is also an avid producer of optics. Their ROMEO series of reflex sights is among their most popular and consists of several optic variants. Included in the ROMEO series is a line of dedicated SIG pistol optic options as well.  

One of SIG’s most popular handgun optics is the ROMEO1 reflex sight. Notably, the ROMEO1 is designed to withstand harsh use. From the factory, these optics have been tested to ensure that they’re capable of the maintaining zero after cycling through over 10,000 rounds of .45 ACP. Additionally, they’re constructed from a CNC machined magnesium housing, making them lightweight and durable. Weighing less than an ounce (0.8 ounces), they also come equipped with SIG’s MOTAC motion activation and automatic shut-off for better battery life. 

In addition to the ROMEO1, the ROMEO2 has many similar features but also comes with a variety of upgrades too. Notably, the ROMEO2 comes standard with SIG’s MAGNETAC magnetic activation system. When running a MAGNETAC compatible holster, the optic will automatically power down when holstered to conserve battery life. Even further, for better night vision compatibility, SIG has outfitted this optic with their D.A.R.C technology to enhance its night vision performance. Aside from these upgrades, there’s an added variant of the ROMEO2 that can project either a dot or circle dot reticle.  

Relatively new to SIG’s lineup is the ROMEO M17 pistol red dot. Developed specifically for the SIG M17/M18 pistol, it has many features in common with the ROMEO2. A mil-spec optic, it utilizes a 7075-T6 aluminum body and features a low deck height for proper cowitness with standard height iron sights. Like the ROMEO2, the ROMEO M17 also features a circle dot reticle, and has a battery life that can last upwards of 25,000 hours on a medium brightness setting.  

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Vortex Optics 

Another well-known name in the optic industry, Vortex Optics, has garnered a significant reputation over the years. Today, they have a plethora of high-quality optics to their name, ranging from variable power scopes to smaller reflex sights. Despite having multiple optics that cater to the capabilities of long-guns, their lineup is home to popular pistol optics such as the Vortex Defender-ST and Defender-XL. 

The Vortex Defender is an open-emitter mini-reflex sight that’s designed for durability.  The Defender-ST is incredibly popular for everything from EDC to competitive use. Constructed from durable 7075 aluminum, these optics are water, shock, and fog proof—they feature a wide lens for quick aiming and come standard with an automatic shut off to extend their battery life. To add to their rugged reliability, Defender-ST optics come with polymer inserts to better absorb recoil, and they also have a textured front face, allowing you to use the optic itself to rack the pistol. Aside from these features, the Defender-ST is available with either a 3- or 6-MOA dot reticle. 

Defender-XL optics are exactly as their name describes; a larger version of the Defender-ST. Defender-XL optics were designed with competitive use in mind. They build on the foundation of the Defender-ST, with both optics sharing many of the same features. However, the Defender-XL features a much wider lens, giving you a wider FOV. Currently, these optics are available with either a 5- or 8-MOA dot reticle.  

Which is best?  

To maximize your aiming capabilities, we recommend going with a model that’s equipped with the ACSS Vulcan reticle, as it allows you to more effectively find the dot when under stress—making options like the Primary Arms Optics GLx RS-15, the Holosun HE507C, and the HE509 among the best choices to go with. For weight savings, the SLx RS-10, Trijicon RMR, EOTech EFLX, and SIG ROMEO1 are some of the lightest optics available, with them each weighing around or just under an ounce. Lastly, if rugged reliability is your primary concern, the Trijicon RMR HD and RCR, SIG ROMEO2 and ROMEO M17, and the Vortex Defender series of optics are all well-known for their rugged durability. 

Conclusion 

Adding a reflex sight to your pistol can be highly beneficial to your performance in shooting competitions. Still, it’s important to recognize that not all optics are created equal, and they each come with their own distinct features and benefits. As such, it’s important to take time to research each option to make sure it fits your needs.  

Ideally, your optic should provide you with a wide FOV, a reticle that’s intuitive to use, a durable construction, and a long battery life to make sure it doesn’t die in the field. Each of the optics mentioned above fit within these parameters, but that brief list only scratches the surface of what all is available.  

So, while there is a plethora of quality optic models to choose from, there isn’t going to be one that can be pinned as the ‘best’ optic available. To get the most from your optic, be sure to take time to evaluate your own personal needs and preferences, and once you’ve found the optic that checks off all your boxes, you can rest assured knowing you’ve made the right choice.