Dispelling Myths and Fallacies About Pistol Optics

Single focal plane. Faster target acquisition. A more natural, intuitive way to aim. These are the key advantages of running an optic on your pistol — for sport, home defense, CCW or competition.

Optics are now the standard.

Optic-ready guns are more readily available. Manufacturers are offering handguns with an optic already mounted. Glock recently launched their Glock + Aimpoint COA combo to the general consumer and has been unable to meet the demand. Carry Optics is now the largest division in USPSA competition. It’s the only division with its own standalone Nationals event. And today nearly half of all new USPSA members are choosing Carry Optics as their first division.

Just ten years ago the landscape was much different. The Carry Optics Division got its start in mid-2015 as a provisional division. Iron sights dominated the competition world at this time. In 2015, If you wanted to run an optic, you needed to get your slide milled to mount the optic, which was costly and time consuming. After its first year, Carry Optics accounted for just 2.45% of all USPSA activity. But by 2021, it was the most shot division, accounting for 30.8% of reported activity. And by 2022, it accounted for nearly 40% all activities.

Why does this matter? What happens in the competition world is where the industry is going. And it’s influencing the adoption of trends and training techniques by the general shooting population.

I’ve put tens of thousands of rounds through my guns, running irons and pistol optics, shooting them in training, practice, instructing and competition. With that experience, I want to try to clear up some frustrating misconceptions that persist about optics:

1. You do not need to learn how to shoot with irons first. Fact: Learning irons first isn’t wrong. But it will require you to unlearn one technique: front sight focus — and learn a new technique: hard target focus. There is no reason you need learn to use iron sights first. You can apply hard target focus when using irons if you want to address the argument that you may need your back-up irons if your dot fails.
2. You shouldn’t have to “find the dot.” Fact: Regardless of whether you’re using a red dot or irons, you must develop your index. If you’re looking for the dot, then this is a red flag that you don’t have a developed index. It’s a signal that you need to work on fixing your grip and learning how to bring the gun up consistently into your eye target line, with the dot landing on a small focal point, centered in the glass so you can take your first shot immediately. This is a training issue, not a gear issue. The dot just makes it much more obvious and easier to detect this deficiency. It’s not a con, it’s an advantage. Develop your index. It is the foundation for all of your shooting.
3. You should not be aiming with your dot. Fact: if you’re looking at the red dot and aiming with it, then you’re not using the technology correctly. You should not be looking at your dot. A dot allows you to be target or threat focused, which is more natural. Keeping both eyes open gives you a wider field of view as you superimpose the dot on a small spot on your target. If you’re looking at the dot through the window, then you’re applying old techniques to new technology. Both eyes should remain open and stay locked on that small spot.
4. The optic window is not easily obstructed. Fact: Your optic window isn’t a failure point. I’ve trained in all kinds of conditions, heat, cold, fog, rain, indoors, outdoors, dealing with dirt, sand, sweat, dust and water. I’ve dropped my gun in mud and run competition stages in the rain. A smudge or some dirt will not obscure your target. If the dot remains clear and visible and you stay target focused, with both eyes open, lens clarity is less critical. In fact, because of how our eyes and brain work, you can occlude the dot by covering the front of the optic with tape and still acquire your target. Not only is this a great training tool to learn how to shoot target focused, you’re less likely to be distracted by debris on the lens.
5. You have no idea what your fight will look like. Fact: You do not know if you’ll need to shoot at 3 yards or 25 yards. Don’t be lulled into a false sense of security about what skill or gear you need for a self-defense scenario. You want the maximum advantage possible. Because you are accountable for every round that leaves your gun, you must be able to get at least minimal confirmation that your rounds are going where you want them to go. Dealing with a single focal plane, superimposing a dot on a threat, is easier to execute under stress than aligning a front and rear sight, especially with higher risk targets that may require a more refined sight picture.

The cons for running a pistol optic that may have existed in the past are no longer relevant. A high quality optic is built to withstand a lot of punishment. It maintains its zero. It’s reliable and stable. It’s intuitive and easy to learn.

Ultimately, the decision to run irons vs. an optic really just comes down to personal preference. But be honest about your reasons. Don’t let the challenge of learning a new skill or being uncomfortable with an ugly target while learning get in the way of becoming a better shooter.

If you’re still unsure about adding an optic, take a class. Vet your instructor to ensure he or she is staying current with industry trends, investing in training and testing skills under pressure through competition.

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