Closed vs. Open Pistol Optics - SPONSORED

“Should I use a closed or open optic for a red dot sight on my defensive pistol?” Rob Pincus has been hearing this question a lot lately, and here are his thoughts.

OPEN OPTICS

Traditionally with a red dot mounted on a pistol, you have one plane with the glass that reflects the light back to your eyes. That’s what you look through, and it’s usually a very protected piece of glass that is inside some type of frame. But it is essentially open, which means that dust, dirt, and other debris can get in there and potentially obscure the dot and certainly get onto the glass surface itself, not just on the front but on the inside too.

This has been one of the concerns and complaints many, including Rob, have had about red-dot pistol optics as part of our life-saving defensive gear.

CLOSED OPTICS

The market has responded with closed optics. What that gives you are two surfaces of glass with everything contained between them. It’s not only more reliable because it’s less likely that light can be blocked by some kind of debris getting inside the optic, or that the window pane itself could get dirty, but it also makes it much easier to clean off.

CLEANING ON THE RUN

With the closed optic, Rob demonstrates how easy it is to wipe dirt or lint off the front of the gun, either with a piece of clothing or just your hand while in the heat of the moment, whether during handgun training or a defensive incident. You can clear the closed type of pistol optics of rain, dirt, lint, or whatever else might be on it.

HOLOSUN OPTICS

The two pistol optics shown in this video are both from Holosun: The open type is a Holosun HS507K Red Dot Optic Sight and the closed type is a Holosun HE509T Red Dot Optic Sight.