THE SELECTION OF SMALL PISTOLS THAT ARE RED DOT-READY HAS NEVER BEEN BETTER

STORY BY RICHARD SCHUTZ

PHOTOS BY MANUFACTURERS

Not too long ago, a friend of mine went to a practical pistol match and entered the concealed carry division. The division’s rules simply stated that you had to compete with your everyday carry gun.

When my buddy pulled out his compact pistol (a Glock 19, as I recall) to load it for the first stage, the range safety officer noted the reflex red dot sight and questioned its use in the concealed carry division. When my buddy replied that it was indeed his EDC gun that he carried AIWB, he was allowed to proceed, much to the chagrin of some of the other competitors. When telling the story, he said that had been his concealed carry rig for some time and would continue to be until something better came along.

OPTICS FOR SMALL PISTOLS

Early optics-ready pistols were either full-size or compact models. Today, a number of manufacturers have introduced sub-compact and micro-compact pistols with slide cuts for the installation of a micro red dot (MRD) reflex optic. Several of these manufacturers even offer pistol/optic combinations direct from the factory.

THE RIGHT FIT

When choosing a sub-compact or micro-compact optics-ready pistol, the most important consideration is fit. This includes how it fits your hand (including shootability), how it fits your preferred method of carry and how it fits the MRD that you want to use. If a pistol is too large or too small for your hands to grip properly, it is going to be difficult to shoot accurately, especially under duress.

Presumably, the main reason for choosing a small pistol is for ease of concealment. So, you must be able to conceal the pistol/red dot combination comfortably where it is easily accessible. Finally, the preferred pistol must have the proper slide cut and mounting system so that your MRD of choice fits and functions properly.