Best Pistol Red Dot Sights to Buy in 2025

An LED emits a red beam onto a specially coated, angled lens. The lens reflects only the red light, creating a visible dot for the shooter. The dot appears on the same focal plane as the target, allowing for quick aiming.

• Ensure your pistol is unloaded and safe.
• Confirm your pistol slide is cut for optics or has an adapter plate for your red dot’s footprint (e.g., RMR, RMSc).
• Degrease mounting surfaces and screws.
• Place the red dot on the slide or adapter plate, aligning screw holes.
• Apply blue threadlocker (not permanent) to screws.
• Securely tighten screws using the correct tool for your optic.
• Optionally, use a laser boresighter to get close to zero before live fire.

• Ensure your pistol is unloaded and safe.
• Confirm your pistol slide is cut for optics or has an adapter plate for your red dot’s footprint (e.g., RMR, RMSc).
• Degrease mounting surfaces and screws.
• Place the red dot on the slide or adapter plate, aligning screw holes.
• Apply blue threadlocker (not permanent) to screws.
• Securely tighten screws using the correct tool for your optic.
• Optionally, use a laser boresighter to get close to zero before live fire.

For most uses, zeroing your red dot at 15 yards is a great choice. It aligns closely with 25 yards and works well at 10 yards too. At very close distances, like 3-5 yards, you might notice the shot hitting slightly lower than the red dot due to the offset between the muzzle and the red dot. This is normal but won’t cause you to miss center mass. For precision at close range, just note where your rounds hit and adjust your aim as needed.

• Set up a target at your chosen zero distance (typically 10-15 or 25 yards).
• With the red dot mounted, adjust windage and elevation so the dot is centered on the target.
• Fire a group, observe point of impact, and adjust as needed.
• Repeat until your shots consistently hit where the dot is aimed.

Additional Tips:

• Use a small, clearly visible aiming point.
• Adjust the brightness of the red dot so it is visible but small and clean, improving precision.
• Ensure the pistol is supported steadily during zeroing to avoid movement affecting your shot placement.
• Confirm your zero by shooting at varying distances to ensure the sight remains accurate across typical engagement ranges.
• If your pistol has iron sights, co-witnessing the red dot with properly zeroed irons can help achieve an initial zero and provide a backup aiming method.

Present the pistol so the dot appears in the window; focus on the target, not the dot. Place the dot on your intended point of impact and press the trigger. Practice presentation to quickly acquire the dot in your sight picture.

• 1-2 MOA: Best for target shooting and generally longer shots. Smaller dot, more precise, slower to acquire.
• 3 MOA: Best for self-defense, rapid target acquisition, close range. Larger dot, faster to acquire, less precise.
• 5-6 MOA: Best for self-defense, speed, close range. Fastest to see, covers more of target.

Iron sights aren’t strictly necessary with a red dot on your pistol, but they’re a good backup. If the red dot fails, iron sights ensure you can still aim accurately. Many shooters prefer having both for added reliability. Make sure your irons are co-witnessed.