Pistol Mounted Optics — Revisited

Back in 2012 (I know, I know—that is like Prehistoric times), I started using a pistol-mounted optic on duty. Initially, that was going to be a one-year experiment to see what my old organization might want to know about implementing and using those things in an on-duty capacity. Several things about PMOs have improved since then.

However, we — the training and application community — are still seeing issues with those optics. However, there are not enough issues to make me rethink the idea of optics and their implementation.

Rather, I see concerns that can be mitigated during the manufacturing process and, separately, the installation process.

Installation

I have written a lengthy article on this topic in the past. It can be found HERE. It can be distilled down to this – ensure you have everything you need (plates, screws, etc.); put it all together, making sure everything fits as intended; if that works, de-grease any surface that will be in contact with another – especially plates and screws; then, with the use of the appropriate thread locker, assemble using thread locker and inch-pound torque wrenches. After everything has been put together, put witness marks on any mounting plate and all the screws or bolts. Finally, let the thread locker cure for 24 hours before shooting the pistol.

This method was developed and vetted by the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department Weapons Training Unit.

 

Why?

All too regularly, I am still seeing optics come loose from the handgun they were mounted on. In a recent class for an agency, one optic came off the pistol as it was drawn during a reduced-light session at the end of the first day. Checking the other thirteen handguns, we found two more that had loosened up. Every shooter in the class had the same make and model pistol and used the same plate and optic.

When the range staff examined those optics, none of them showed any indication of a thread locker having been used during the initial installation process. Failure to use appropriate thread lockers runs contrary to the manufacturer’s instructions.

Similar mounting failures have occurred with both factory and individual user installations as well.

Batteries

I recommend against using any battery that came installed in the optic. First, you have no idea the age or condition of the battery. Second, these batteries are usually from unknown or barely known brands without a reputation for longevity and consistent output.

One of my correspondents had seen the batteries in five of the sixteen optic-equipped pistols in his agency fail very early in their service life. A thirty-plus percent failure rate, regardless of whether it is brand P or something from another manufacturer, is unacceptable.

The preferred battery for many optics is the Duracell CR2032. Because of an incident with young children unintentionally ingesting them, the manufacturer has added a bitter coating to them. Some believe that the coating is adversely impacting the performance of these batteries. One recommendation is to wipe them off with isopropyl alcohol.

 

Once you begin using the optic and battery combination, pay attention to the service life. Then you can pro-actively change the batteries ahead of time.

 

Manufacturing Glitches

Anything made by man can (and likely will) fail at some point. The windows have departed from the housings of a variety of optics. Control buttons have done the same.

On occasions, internal parts have come loose, interfering with the optic’s use. I have seen photographs of humidity and moisture inside enclosed emitter designs fogging up the windows, negatively impacting the optic’s use.

Lest you believe that open emitters don’t have problems, a model with flat dark earth anodizing from one domestic manufacturer had several reports of the emitter lens detaching from the optic body.

Mechanical Failures

There are a couple of types of problems in this area, and there is nothing the end user can do to resurrect the optic. 1st, complete and total failure of the optic; in other words, it just died. This is usually a failure of the internal electronics. The second type is a mechanical failure. Most commonly, this has manifested itself through broken windage adjustments. I will see the dot break from its zero position and track uncontrollably to one side of the window or the other. Elevation adjustment failure happens as well, though I have not seen it anywhere near as often.

Final Thoughts

I am “all in” on optics, regardless of the platform. Having a consistent visual reference that allows my eyes to work as designed is well worth the effort to learn the dot. There is a caveat, though: You must pay attention to mounting and maintaining them.