It wouldn’t make much sense to carry a compact handgun with a bulky, oversized optic, right? That’s why the micro red dot has become so popular, offering improved aiming without adding unnecessary bulk. But with so many handgun optics on the market, it can be tough to decide which one to trust, or whether to use one at all.
Choosing to run a red dot on your handgun is a personal preference, but there’s no doubt it’s a growing trend. Another trend that’s been around for a while is the rise of compact-sized handguns. A reliable, compact pistol is often ideal for those who carry concealed for protection.
Many companies are making optics for handguns, which is good and bad. I like having options, but the market has been flooded with knockoffs and extremely low-quality optics. There is nothing wrong with finding those budget-friendly optics, and many are of great quality. The problem is sorting out which ones are which.
Today, I’ve made a list of five micro red dot optics that I think are great quality for the price. There are plenty more that could be on this list, but these five are the ones I have used extensively over the years.
1. Vortex Defender-CCW
Vortex’s Defender-CCW is built like a tank but sized for your pocket pistol. I’m a huge fan of Vortex optics because they are affordable and offer a no-questions-asked lifetime warranty. It’s just hard to beat the combination of price, quality, and warranty they offer.
The Defender CCW is made from 7075-T6 aluminum, which is a standard material in quality optics. It has a ShockShield polymer insert to absorb impacts, which is needed because life happens, right?
Another feature I really like with the Defender CCW is the “Fast-Rack” texturing on the front of the optic. This allows for one-handed slide manipulation, a handy feature for a compact gun with a short slide.
There are 10 brightness settings (including two night-vision compatible ones), an auto on/off, and motion-activation.
It uses the Sheild RMCs footprint, which is probably the most common footprint for compact handguns. You can choose between 3 or 6 MOA dot size, depending on your preference. Vortex also just released a green dot version of the Defender CCW as well.
Defender CCW Specs
- Reticle: 3 or 6 MOA red dot
- Brightness Settings: 10 (8 daylight, 2 night vision)
- Battery: CR1632
- Battery Life: Over 1 year
- Housing: 7075-T6 aluminum with ShockShield insert
- Footprint: Shield RMSc
- Weight: 0.95 oz
- Price: MSRP $349.99; street price around $249
2. Viridian RFX11
If you’re looking for a featherweight, simple handgun optic, the RFX11 is a great choice. Weighing in at just 0.44 oz, this polymer-bodied sight is one of the lightest on the market. It has a 3 MOA green dot, which some say is easier on the eyes and quicker to pick up in daylight. The ambient light sensor adjusts brightness automatically, and with over 30,000 hours of battery life, you might forget it even uses one.
What makes this optic so simple is that there are no buttons. You insert the battery and that’s it. Well, you do have to sight it in, of course. But as far as operating it, the RFX11 has an auto on/off and auto brightness adjustment. So, you never have to worry about turning it off or on or changing the brightness depending on your environment.
It also uses the Shield RMSc footprint and runs on a CR2032 battery. The only downside to this optic is the open-battery bottom-loading method.
This means you must remove the optic from the handgun to replace the battery. It also means there is a higher chance of the battery getting moisture in it compared to self-contained battery styles.
RFX11 Specs
- Reticle: 3 MOA green dot
- Brightness: Auto-adjusting via ambient light sensor
- Battery: CR2032
- Battery Life: 30,000+ hours
- Housing: Thermomolded polymer
- Footprint: Shield RMSc
- Weight: 0.44 oz
- Price: MSRP $209
3. C&H EDC Enclosed
If you want an enclosed emitter, but still need compact, the C&H EDC Enclosed is a perfect optic. C&H makes some great quality optics, and this one is awesome for compact handguns.
C&H uses 7075-T6 aluminum for the housing, and the reticle is a 2.5 MOA dot inside a 34 MOA circle. This is a nice reticle for quick acquisition of targets, which you want on a defense handgun.
It’s shock-proof rated for +P and +P+ ammo, so you don’t have to worry about the sight getting out of line or the optic being damaged from hot loads.
There are 10 brightness settings (including two night-vision compatible), and a 50,000-hour battery life. You can replace the battery with a side-loading door, so you don’t have to remove the optic to change the battery.
I’ve been using this optic on my IWI Masada 9S and love it.
EDC Enclosed Specs
- Reticle: 2.5 MOA dot with 34 MOA circle
- Brightness Settings: 10 (8 daylight, 2 night vision)
- Battery: CR1620
- Battery Life: 50,000+ hours
- Housing: 7075-T6 aluminum
- Lens Diameter: 21mm
- Weight: 1.4 oz
- Price: MSRP $379.95
4. Ruger ReadyDot
If you’re looking for the simplest optic you can find for a concealed carry gun, it’s the Ready Dot. I mentioned the Viridian RFX11 was simple, and in the traditional sense, it is. But the Ruger ReadyDot is not a traditional handgun optic.
It’s not traditional because it’s a fiber-illuminated optic that doesn’t use batteries. And as they like to say in the infomercials, “but wait, that’s not all.” The ReadyDot also doesn’t require sighting in. In fact, you can’t adjust the sights on the ReadyDot optic. It is sighted in during the manufacturing process and isn’t made to move.
This makes it durable because there are fewer moving parts in the optic. Even though you can’t fine-tune it for a specific handgun, it’s made for self-defense, so it will still get you on target. I was surprised at its accuracy out to 10 yards.
That means you buy it and mount it on your handgun. No batteries to be replaced, no sighting in the optic, and no maintenance.
It was made for the Ruger Max, which is what I use it on. But you can use it on just about any compact gun that works with an RMSc footprint.
So what’s the downside? Because it’s fiber illuminated, it needs some outside light to collect for the reticle. When I walk into a very dark room, I have trouble seeing the dot. But for a gun to tuck away, or for absolute simplicity, this is the go-to optic. It’s also the lowest-priced optic on this list.
ReadyDot Specs
- Reticle: 15 MOA red dot
- Brightness: Auto-adjusting via fiber optics
- Battery: None
- Housing: Polymer
- Footprint: Shield RMSc
- Weight: Approximately 1 oz
- Price: MSRP $99
5. Sig Sauer ROMEOZero
And last on our list is the Sig ROMEOZero. This optic was made for the P365 series, but its RMSc footprint makes it compatible with a wide range of compact pistols.
It is constructed from weapons-grade polymer, so it’s both lightweight and durable. The 3 MOA red dot is crisp, and with eight brightness settings, you can tailor it to your environment. The MOTAC system conserves battery life by powering down when not in use.
Instead of using two adjustment buttons like you would see on most optics, Sig placed a small button on the inside of the optic, just behind the lens. It looks like a small dot in the plastic frame. To cycle through the brightness settings, just press the button.. For me, this button is not as easy to change the settings with, but it also keeps me from accidentally pushing the button.
The RomeoZero is also an open-bottom optic, so the battery loads from the bottom and is held in place when you mount it to the gun.
RomeoZero Specs
- Reticle: 3 MOA red dot
- Brightness Settings: 8 daylight
- Battery: CR1632
- Battery Life: Up to 20,000 hours
- Housing: Weapons-grade polymer
- Footprint: Shield RMSc
- Weight: 0.4 oz
- Price: MSRP $219.
Decisions, decisions
Choosing the right micro red dot for your compact handgun depends on your personal tastes, budget, and more. There’s nothing wrong with shopping around for the best deal, just take some time to research the manufacturer.
Hopefully, this short list will help get you started on your journey to picking out your next micro-sized optic.
