Pistol Optics- What's Your Thoughts, What You Got, or Why Not?

I’ve took a vested interest in pistol optics over the last year. After a long time of refusing to even entertain the idea of an optic on a pistol a curiosity grew and eventually led to trying one out, which ended up in buying one, which eventually ended up to making the decision to carry one in the near future.

Before finally taking the plunge into pistol optics I always felt like something wasn’t right about it, like I was cheating or not a real shooter if I used one. After dedicating a little time and practice with one I realized I was just better with one. Learning to draw and acquire the dot was not the challenge I expected and after dedicating some serious time to training I realized I was faster and more accurate with the dot. I have decided to begin carrying an optic equipped pistol. My only hold up is I’m a Sig guy and I really don’t feel like getting a slide milled for an RMR or Holosun, which leaves me with the Romeo 1 on my X-Carry. Although I love the Romeo on the range, I struggle to make it an EDC due to durability issues. I may be letting YouTube videos and reviews influence me a little too much there, but who knows…

Anyhow, I’d love to hear everyones thoughts on pistol optics, positive or negative. It’s my current focal point in my own little firearms world. Looking forward to what you guys have, what you think about different optics, or why you do not like them.

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Jeff, I"m in the same place you are. Never thought I’d want one till I tried one. So I bought a Sig 1911 with a Trijicon RMR. Very difficult for me to use. I am practicing dry firing/drawing to get faster, but acquisition is still inconsistent.
I also bought a Canik with a Vortex. Wow. Night and day difference. The dot is smaller, and much easier to acquire.
While I love the look of the Sig (Emperor Scorpion with a coyote brown RMR), the Canik is much easier to shoot (and a heckuva lot cheaper as well).
If I had it to do over knowing what I know now, I’d either skip the Sig or put a Vortex on it.
I have a Ruger 57 that will probably wear a vortex before too long.

Aaron, I bet that scorpion is beautiful! I spent a lot of time on plate racks working on acquisition and worked up to multiple targets, moving, etc. I feel pretty confident these days but always much more work to put in. I’m pretty sold on the Romeo. I’ve used them all, some more than others, but the window size on the Romeo works well for me. I still have durability questions but I feel pretty good about what’s being said about the Romeo 2 that was supposed to debut at the NRA convention. When that’s released it’ll give me a reason to buy the X-Compact and slap one on. I have a feeling that’ll be my new EDC setup in due time.

I actually git into it when people started showing up for classes with dots and figured I better put some serious effort into learning, instead of just understanding and basic knowledge. Have you had many in class?

@Jeff4 Parallax is what you need to research when deciding on an optic…all about Parallax!

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RMR sights look appealing, but I’ll stick to traditional sights rather than rely on one that uses a battery. After all, remember the saying for flashlights “two is one, and one is none”.

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I prefer traditional sights on my carry gun. Now, I like the idea of an RMR on a competition gun, or hunting gun.

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Sig Romeo 5 on my Ruger PC Carbine

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Depends on what gun is intended to be used for … hunting and target can see using red dot but for daily carry I don’t want to trust my life on something that could have accidentally left on and not work when I need it most

What’s the old adage “ batteries don’t go dead on iron sights “

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I know it’s off topic but how do you like the 57
Was planning on getting one but with over time as scarce as hens teeth guess I’ll have to wait


I have seen 0 students with an optic, and of the 20+ instructors I work with, none have brought one in, which is surprising to me.
To date, I’ve only done basic CCW training, which might explain it.
Most of the guys at the local gun store are sporting them. I think the learning curve is something you have to work through to get comfortable with them. Might be what’s slowing down the adoption curve.

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No doubt on the battery concern–but my sig has both the RMR and supressor height sights, just like all my ARs have both optics and backup iron sights.
The 57 is a great gun. I like the lack of recoil, high capacity, trigger, sights, accuracy.
It’s a real winner. I’ve started reloading the shells, and if my math is right, it’s going to be as inexpensive as .45 when reloaded. It’s a big deal given the cost of ammo.
The shell is just weird–lacquer coated, easy to hit max pressure. But from what I’ve seen and read, it’s got fantastic stopping capability.
If ammo prices were different and I was limited to one pistol (PERISH THE THOUGHT), I think the 57 would be hard to beat.
While I do like the sights, I would have preferred night sights–one thing I look for in a carry gun.
Just don’t shoot it until you’re ready to buy it. I rented it at a range and bought it a couple of days later, and the wife was not pleased with me. I went back on my ‘no more guns this month’ pledge.

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I had the same concern about ‘what if the battery goes?’. I wound up with a sig p320 rx with the sig optic pre-installed. Every range trip I make sure and shoot several magazines with the iron sights. At least on the 320, I don’t have any issues with acquiring the iron sights through the optic glass. Made me a believer.

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They really let you get “on target”. I’ve only got one ( on a Browning Buckmark Target) but it is a tackdriver. Deadly on squirrels out to 50 yards. None on my serious handguns though.,

The battery life on the optics are supposed to be awesome. One friend of mine who has them changes the battery on his birthday every year - excessive? Maybe, but in normal circumstances he’s set. In an extended situation where you can’t change the batteries - iron sights never need batteries… There is a trade off.

I thought that was knives? :thinking: LOL!

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Agreed, i’ve got a friend who just got the Romeo1Pro and it’s battery life is phenomenal. In any case, I prefer iron + tritium.

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HOLOSUN has a sight that is both battery and solar powered

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Great optic

…Meanwhile somewhere on the internet

Most of the sight you all mentioned are pretty dang good, but I do like the Sig Romeo 5 SDX. Okay your right, I just love all this stuff. I know that right now as far as I an tell by sales the Sig is hot , then Holosun, then Trijicon. I like all of them but right now I am loving the Romeo 5

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