Recommended options for testing out red dots?

[scw2]

I'm slowly saving up to get into pistol mounted optics and am trying to see if I can snag a sale on an optic in the next few months but am a bit lost in terms of what would be a good first option. It seems like the recent threads here have been focused around holosun and swampfox. Would one or the other be better for testing out pistol mounted optics on dryfire and training guns, and possibly allow easier transition to something for carry?

Also, without the benefit of testing and playing around with a lot of options, are there specific model or reticle options you'd recommend, such as dot only vs circle dot optionality, 2 vs 6 moa, etc?

Thanks!

[GJM]

Holosun 507

[DaBigBR]

I agree. Holosun 507 or even a 407. Very affordable, very durable. Don't get wrapped up in dot size. A lot of folks push starting with a larger dot but it's a crutch (unless you truly want it). Most people that I encounter end up with a smaller dot. I'd love to replace my 3.25 MOA RM06s with RM09s and wish Holosun made a 1 MOA dot only optic.

[Bart Carter]

I find 6 MOA works for me. It covers 6" at 100 yards, which is plenty for a pistol. A head shot at 25 yards is 1.5".

I have smaller MOA dots, but the 6 MOA is the easiest to see for me.

I am used to a dot, so a circle is just a distraction I don't need. Target, dot, press.

[BigT]

Open shooters have been running biggish dots for decades. Carry Optics and PO shooters are discovering the same thing.

To my mind the Holosun 407co is the best pistol optic available currently for slide mounted use.

[YVK]

Larger dots have been results - validated in very transparent ways. Some 2.5s have the same backing except people would run them on max. Having used all of them between 2 and 8, I would stick with the larger.

I am a big fan of a circle - dot reticle on Eotech. I thought the same would apply to handguns. @GJM is graciously letting me use his 43x slide with a Holosun for an extended T&E, and it took one range session for me to discard the circle dot on a pistol as a good option. My opinion only, of course.

[mrozowjj]

Open shooters have been running biggish dots for decades. Carry Optics and PO shooters are discovering the same thing.

To my mind the Holosun 407co is the best pistol optic available currently for slide mounted use.

It's funny to me to hear people talk about 2 or 6 MOA dots for pistols when the big debate in USPSA Open has been 6 or 8 MOA dot for decades.

100% agreed on the 407CO and I'd go as far as saying it's not just the best for slide mounted use but the best option anything in a pistol caliber because it's effective out to 100 yards on man sized targets without any real negatives and realistically how often will are you firing a pistol caliber (whether in a pistol or PCC) further than 100 yards?

To help OP might want to check this post I made a few months ago:

https://pistol-forum.com/showthread....ious-distances

Be sure to check page 2 where I have the dots at pistol distances.