If we got hit with an EMP would all the optics stop working? I am curious because I have not found any topics on this “-it will never happen-” I would like to talk through this one scenario. No, I am not sticking my handgun in a fing Faraday bag
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As far as I know, there isn’t any electronic circuitry in a red dot sights besides the electronics to light up the red dot.
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Huh? 
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I think I have a brain bleed after that……
To the OP that’s a good question!
I suppose it would depend on how powerful the emp was and whether or not your device was turned on at the time.
Remember, an open circuit can’t move electrons!
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General consensus is make sure your irons are zeroed 
https://www.google.com/search?q=emp+and+it's+effects+of+red+dot+sights&oq=emp+and+it's+effects+of+red+dot+sights&gs_lcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUyBggAEEUYOdIBCTMwMTA1ajBqN6gCArACAQ&client=ms-android-motorola-rvo3&sourceid=chrome-mobile&ie=UTF-8
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That’s a great question… and reason we should learn how to aim with red dot… without the dot… meaning, how to use the window of the optic to hit the target at various distances.
Doesn’t apply to co-witnessed iron sights… 
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yarp 
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I would guess the answer is maybe depending on a whole bunch of variables and maybe some good or bad luck thrown in.
I have seen tests where a somewhat modern car was hit by a machine generated EMP. It shut down but was able to be restarted and driven off. The metal body likely provided some shielding. Not sure if the aluminum casing on most red dots would provide some protection? I’m also not sure if the even more computer dependent vehicles of the past few years would be able to be restarted. Hopefully we never get to find out.
The good news is that an EMP generated by solar flare supposedly have much longer wavelengths than man made EMPs. They shouldn’t affect smaller items like red dots or personal vehicles unless they are connected to longer wires such as being plugged into a wall socket.
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I recently purchased a Sig with a red dot. Took it to the range, worked OK for a couple hundred rounds, then suddenly stopped working. I replaced the factory-installed battery and it’s now go to go. For now.
That’s the risk of electronics on guns. They are great while they work. Not so great when they stop working for whatever reason.
Be sure to configure them to allow for co-witnessing with iron sights.
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I read that title wrong. I was thinking, “You can mount an EMP device on a handgun? Sweet!” 
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I store my guns in a metal safe, any optics that have a battery operating it can be affected by and EMP, but unless you are really close to ground zero of an EMP attack, you will more than likely not be affected at all, you can put EMP protections for a vehicle, as far as a Faraday bag, they work, but I store my Ham Radio Base station in a steel garbage can with other items, cheap and it works, make sure you put the lid on tight. I do not fear an EMP, these are limited direct weapons, the coverage’s are abysmal at great distances. If there is that great of an explosion, then you have bigger problems.
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That’s a HUGE if.
But, if I were in a video game where we were “hit with an EMP”, I would use my backup iron sights, if I was out and about with my EDC when the EMP hit and then I had to use it, and if the EMP disabled my RDS
If we aren’t with an EMP, I’m faster and more accurate with the RDS
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Either use your irons, the hood of the RDS to bracket the target, or point shoot using the thumb of your support hand or the front sight post.
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How abour our long rifle? Should we add back iron sight? Or having a LVPO with an etched reticle would be the best bet?
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Yes…. And yes…
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If w have EMPs going on around me, my RDS is probably low on my list of problems… 
But I can always get to one of my “analog” guns in a hurry, and if I can’t I do plenty of dead-dot drills so I don’t skip a beat if it dies on me. Been doing them since I put my first Eotec on an AR 
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Depends on what you use for your long gun, but if it relies on a battery and electronics it should IMO have a physical backup. Just as an EDC pistol has BUIS, an RDS/Holo sighted rifle should have BUIS. It’s pretty simple to have folding BUIS as a lot of companies make those, they even make folding offset (or fixed offset) backup irons.
This is also a great time to plug the ACOG, which comes in home-defense friendly 1.5x magnification models as well as 2x, 3.5x, and 4x. Always-illuminated, etched reticle, most reliable and durable optic you can have I think…way above any LPVO for durability and simplicity…and way better to use than irons
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