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When it comes to owning a pistol, one of the best upgrades you can make is putting a red dot sight on the firearm. Whether you plan to use the gun for casual target practice, carry it with you everyday while you run errands, or need a sidearm for your job, a pistol red dot can significantly improve your aim. However, it’s not as simple as just buying an optic and slapping it on your pistol. First, you need an optic-cut pistol slide. This is a slide that is designed for use with an optic, featuring specialized cuts that match to a specific red dot sight footprint. The footprint includes the shape, screw holes, pins, lugs, and other methods that connect the optic to the pistol slide. By getting a pistol slide that features the specific optic cut you want, you don’t need to bother with adapter plates, as you can directly attach the optic to the gun.
This can all seem fairly complex, as there are a variety of optic cuts that fit different mounting styles. If you’re unsure of what you need and what might be best, this guide is here to simplify the process by detailing the most common optic cuts for pistols and what the benefits of each one are.
1. Trijicon RMR Cut
The most popular optic cut in the world for pistol slides is easily the Trijicon RMR cut. Made popular by the Trijicon RMR Red Dot Sight family, many optics manufacturers have switched to producing their own optics with this footprint in mind. This makes any pistol slide that is cut for this footprint an excellent choice for most shooters, as it’s the easiest one to find a matching optic that it fits. This means if you want to switch to a different brand or style of optic, you can easily find a new one that matches your footprint, so you often don’t need a new mounting plate or slide. Some of the most popular red dots that use this footprint are the Holosun 507C series, Swampfox Liberty and Swampfox Justice, and Leapers UTG OP3.
Aside from the versatility of this cut, there is another major reason why brands have switched to using a footprint from one of their competitors—durability. The Trijicon RMR footprint is designed with four connection points to ensure the optic stays secure even after hundreds or thousands of rounds. The footprint utilizes two front lugs for recoil and two screws in the middle. The front lugs help absorb recoil after firing a round to prevent deviations from your zero point while the middle screws keep the red dot firmly attached to the frame of your pistol. This means you can train and use your pistol for countless hours without worrying about the optic coming loose or breaking. If you’re looking for simplicity with your pistol, get a slide with the RMR cut.Â
2. Docter/Noblex Cut
Another excellent and popular option, the Docter cut, also known as the Noblex cut, is used by tons of manufacturers throughout the industry. It was originally created by the company Docter E-Optics, which eventually became Noblex E-Optics, lending the footprint its dual name. Some of the more popular red dot sight families that use the Docter cut are the Vortex Viper, Burris FastFire, and the Sightmark Mini-Shot M-Spec.Â
Similarly to the Trijicon RMR cut, the Docter/Noblex footprint also uses two screws to secure the optic to the mounting plate and pistol slide. However, it differs by using four corner pins to help absorb and mitigate recoil on the optic. This setup provides excellent durability and reliability, as it takes serious movement and damage to affect the optic’s zero once you have it attached properly. Additionally, this footprint is an excellent choice if you prefer open reflex sights, as it was designed with this style of optic in mind. It also generally works better with smaller optics, so it is a common choice for compact handguns, allowing you to utilize the small space effectively.
3. Holosun K Cut
While the Holosun K footprint is a newer addition to the countless footprints and optic cuts available on the market, it is becoming extremely popular. This is mostly due to the fact that the Holosun 407K and Holosun 507K exclusively use this footprint, and many people are willing to switch their slides just to use those optics. These small, minimalist red dot sights are an excellent option for everything from full-size handguns to subcompacts, so you can use them on a wide variety of pistols. Unfortunately, the biggest downside to the Holosun K cut is how new it is, as currently, only Holosun optics are made with this footprint in mind.
With that being said, there are plenty of benefits to sticking with Holosun and using this footprint and one of the compatible optics. To start, the Holosun K footprint differs from the other footprints on this list because it doesn’t use recoil lugs. While it still has two screws for stability in the rear, it also has shallow indexing posts in the front, providing a low-profile mounting solution. This is particularly beneficial for smaller handguns, but is also useful for any EDC pistol that you keep in a holster. With a mount that is lower to the pistol slide and frame, the optic won’t stick out as much, making it more comfortable to carry for long periods. Plus, this design choice doesn’t sacrifice stability or functionality, so you can continue to shoot and train without having to adjust it regularly.
4. Leupold DeltaPoint Pro Cut
The Leupold DeltaPoint Pro cut takes a lot of inspiration from the other optic cuts on this list and combines many of them to create a very robust mounting style for your red dot sight. Popularized by the DeltaPoint Pro red dots, it is now an extremely common footprint that is utilized by a variety of optics, like the EOTech EFLX, SIG SAUER Romeo-X Pro, Vortex Defender ST, and more. You have a ton of versatility with this option, letting you get a relatively inexpensive red dot or a high-tech model that can cost quite a bit.
As one of the most unique footprints on this list, the benefits can be seen immediately in the mounting style. The DeltaPoint Pro footprint uses four corner posts, two screws, and recoil lugs, taking a page from each of the other most popular footprints. This means it is extremely difficult to move or upset the zero on the optic if you mount it properly. However, it also makes it more difficult to swap the optic quickly, as it requires more work than other models. With that being said, most people who opt for a pistol slide with the DeltaPoint Pro cut are shooters who know exactly what they want and don’t need to experiment with different optics and styles. If you’re looking for a cut that will last a long time without requiring unnecessary maintenance, this is an excellent choice for you.
Cut Out a New Pistol Slide Today!
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