Welcome back to another edition of Concealed Carry Corner. Last week, we took a look at the big difference between having fun with your handguns by upgrading them versus practical upgrades that make a difference. If you happened to miss that article, be sure to click the link here to check it out. This week, with the rise of red dots and almost all major manufacturers offering some sort of optics-ready version of their handguns, there's a wide variety of options at almost every price point imaginable, but how do you determine what's best? I would absolutely be willing to do a buyer's guide to carry optics in the coming weeks, but I wanted to set the groundwork by explaining what's important to look at when deciding on carry optics. Choosing Your Carry Optic For The Gun Whether it's a beginner shopping for their first carry optic or an experienced shooter trying to figure out what exact model they want to purchase for their new gun, it can be overwhelming because of the sheer number of choices on the market today. The first thing I would take into account is what gun you decide on because this will ultimately guide you on one of two paths. There are compact and robust optics that allow for a comfortable carry despite a small package or the larger optics that allow a wider field of view but don't always fit every model, especially the smaller-sized handguns. The old saying, right tool for the right job, certainly applies to this and with a huge amount of choices on the market, it can be tricky to decide on one particular optic. After looking at what size optic you want to go with, you have to look at enclosed versus open emitter optics and what shape you want the glass to be. Most choices for optics will be a square field of view, but various models like the Trijicon SRO have an oval shape to allow for more light collection and a larger field of view, allowing for a clearer picture. I've had a number of SROs and they have been bulletproof reliable, but other oval-shaped optics haven't done as well, like the discontinued Kahles red dot sight I reviewed a few years ago, which I immediately broke within the first hour of training at the range. No matter how tough or durable an optic is, there's always a chance they go down or break eventually since they are fundamentally a mechanical part at the end of the day. I’ve had budget optics fail on me and I've had expensive high-end optics fail after years of reliability; sometimes things just happen and that's important to remember. Sometimes reticle can be a deal breaker, whether people want a circle and dot, circle only or just a regular single dot. Then there are the different MOA variants that you have to choose from, whether to have a smaller, more precise dot or a larger dot for easier acquisition at the cost of covering the target at a distance. Choices are amazing when it comes to products because we can get exactly what we need, but it can certainly be a lot to figure out at the moment and that's ok. Budget Determines Your Optic One of the biggest determining factors when it comes to an optic is what you're willing to spend on it. Holosun came screaming into the market a few years ago, offering high-quality optics at an affordable price. People tend to go with those options because they are great value for money and offer a reliable option, but they certainly are not the only option when it comes to pistol optics. In recent years, there has been a number of very reliable optics come onto the market that may not be extremely durable but offer reliability for their price point. Other options like EOTech with their EFLX line have tried to bring the price down for high-quality options as well. When it comes to the high-end market, Trijicon still owns that game, but many say they have not kept up with other companies and innovated enough despite being some of the most reliable pistol optics on the market. I can sense the Holosun crowd racing to the comments to leave their comments about how Holosuns are better, but we can't deny that Trijicon's are fantastic options while being American-made, but for a higher price. If I were starting out fresh, I would pick a budget I’m comfortable with and then start looking at the various options for that particular budget. I tend to stick with brands like Steiner with their MPS and MPSc options, EOTech with their EFLX CE line or a Trijicon RMR/RMR HD or SRO for a heavy-use range gun. If you're not a die-hard gun person and just getting into the gun scene, the best advice I would give is to go with something that has a high enough price to be reliable and durable but won't break the bank. Eventually you can always upgrade it to something else once you know exactly what you like, but diving headfirst into a $700 optic only to not like it is a tough lesson to learn right off the bat. What is The Future? When it comes to pistol optics in the future, I think we are already seeing the trend of what's coming with Aimpoint releasing the COA line of handguns with Glock. I think in time we will see pistol optics built in and as technology improves and everything shrinks down, I truly believe we will have an optics system straight from the factory where they are either made by the manufacturer or a collaboration of an optics company and a gun company. We are already seeing the market shift to being as modular as possible, but I really do think it will develop into a complete system straight from the factory. Companies like SIG Sauer have already started with their own line of optics, creating a system which I think will be the ultimate path to the future of optics on handguns. I may be wrong and it could go in an entirely different direction, but handguns with an optic weren't a thing 20 years ago and the progression has been incredible to watch. This is one of the aspects I'm truly excited to see where it goes and how things progress when it comes to optics technology in the firearms industry down the road. Overall ThoughtsWhile going through various optics for pistols and comparing them is always fun, it's important to take a step back and see the requirements for your carry gun and what you need. Whether it's a full-size gun with a weapon-mounted light or a small single-stack handgun that maximizes concealability, there are certainly fantastic options on the market for every style of handgun you may carry. I’m putting together a second part where I get into the nitty-gritty of carry optics, and if you have personal favorites, please leave them in the comments below. If you have questions about carry optics or firearms in general, feel free to shoot me a message on Instagram @fridgeoperator. Stay safe out there and we will see you next week for another edition of Concealed Carry Corner.TFB’s Concealed Carry Corner is brought to you by GLOCK