By Dave Grossi

Red dot sights on pistols have been around for years, mostly in the competition world.  However, in the last five years or so pistol mounted Red Dot Sighting (RDS) systems for street duty have come into their own.  In fact, a quick peek into the duty holsters of a few street cops might find a Trijicon RMR, a Leopold DeltaPoint Pro, or a Holosun 507 inside. In fact, the last few years have seen Red Dot Optics get smaller, slimmer, brighter and smarter.  

First, in the interest of complete disclosure, I do not have a RDS system on any of my guns. I’m a die hard LaserMax fan; a pulsating red on my Beretta, and a pulsating green on my Glock.  But this piece isn’t about Red Dot Optics, it’s about concealed carry holsters for RDS guns.  

First, a short primer on RDS issues for the uninitiated out there.  Red Dot Optics for pistols have several advantages in police street use.  Most trainers I’ve spoken to tell me the primary advantage of RDS systems is they permit your eyes to focus on just one focal plane (the target with the red dot superimposed) as opposed to the traditional alignment of three focal planes (the rear sight closest to your eyes, the front sight further down the barrel, and then the target).  They also tell me Red Dot Optics allow the shooter to get on target faster, especially when moving from target to target, since you can acquire the threat quicker than you would even using a flash (front sight) picture.

Some of you out there may already own a RDS system or are seriously thinking about acquiring one.  If you’re in the later group, do your homework. There’s a lot of info out there on Red Dot Optics, and time and space won’t allow me to go into those issues, but you should know that many gun manufacturers offer concealed carry pistols with pre-drilled mounts for a Red Dot Sighting system.  Others offer complete pistol/RDS combinations that are ready to go right out of the box.   

Next, a few words on RDS duty holsters. A couple of holster manufacturers make high quality duty rigs designed for RDS guns; Blackhawk’s T-series L2D and Safariland’s 6362RDS ALS/SLS Hi-Ride Level III rig are the most recognizable names.

The real intent of this piece is to educate the reader on what options are available for IWB holsters for RDS-equipped off duty or secondary carry guns. Most readers know I’m a big fan of Sticky Holsters, Inc. and owner Mike Christoff.  Mike saw the need for concealable IWB carry holsters specially designed for RDS guns, and he went to work.  Mike recently provided one unit (an OR-5) to me for inspection.

Mike and his team recently developed an Optics Ready IWB concealable carry holster line using their proprietary sticky material. They should now be in the hands of all Sticky Holsters, Inc. authorized dealers. 

Sticky Holsters, Inc. has Optics Ready (OR) holsters for virtually every major handgun, from Beretta to Walther, including some lesser known makes/models such as the Canik TP9SF or TP9 Elite and the SCCY CPX-RD. They have 12 different sizes ranging from the smallest (OR-1) for the Kimber Micro 9 or Sig P938, all the way up to the largest (OR-11) if you carry a Springfield XD-M 5.25; a Glock 41, 34 or 35; or an FNX 45 Tactical.

If you’re familiar with Sticky Holsters, Inc. packaging you know they include a bright green holster fit chart in the clear plastic holster bag so you can double check the correct size before you buy.  Each of the 12 different OR holsters is cut especially for the make and model of the pistol identified on the chart.      

If you’re unsure which Optics Ready (OR) Sticky Holster size to buy, just give the Sticky Holster, Inc. folks a shout and they’ll put you on to the specific piece.

As usual, every Sticky Holster, Inc. product is 100% USA made and all carry a Lifetime Craftsmanship Warranty.

Price: $39.95  

Sticky Holsters, Inc. – (844) 416-1844 – www.stickyholsters.com