Self Defense Gun Optics, Should You Own One?

Firearm sales have been steadily increasing since the end of the assault weapons ban in 2004. Never before has this many modern weapons been in the hands of civilians. Now that more and more people are embracing shotguns and modern sporting rifles like AR 15’s and AK-47s for home defense, people are beginning to beg the question as to whether or not an optic is needed.

While you’ll rarely see a police officer or military personnel without an optic on their AR 15, civilian shooters are primarily divided as to whether or not a self-defense gun needs an optic. As technology is improving, even pistols are beginning to get miniature red dot sights affixed to their slides.

Self Defense Gun Optics, Should You Own One?

To understand whether or not you need an optic for your self-defense firearm, you need to understand what optics actually do for a shooter. In a nutshell, optics simplify the aiming process. Rather than having to align three things; the front sight, the rear sight and the target you only have to align the reticle and the target.

In the case of zero magnification red dot optics, you don’t even have to hold your weapon straight. You can view the red dot through an extreme angle and where the dot is currently pointed, the bullet will follow. This makes them monumentally effective at shooting in low light, on the move, and under stress.

Although optics are not without their pros and cons. Here’s a short list of things you should consider before you go out and spend the money on an optic:

Pros:
• Simplify the aiming process
• Better for low light and no light situations
• Easier to use under stress
• Easy for non-shooters to operate
Cons:
• Quality optics have significant cost
• Requires training and operation and failure drills
• Makes your weapon bulkier and heavier
• Can require batteries
All this begs the question, do you actually need an optic for home defense. Well, is going to boil down ultimately to personal preference and historical data as to what is actually needed to survive a violent confrontation both inside and outside the home.

Do you NEED an optic for Home defense?

Well, you don’t necessarily need an optic for home defense. Especially that optic is going on a handgun or shotgun. The capability optics provide begin to emerge as you become an advanced shooter, and start shooting and more challenging situations.

The vast majority of people who successfully defend themselves in a violent confrontation with a firearm, do so without ever firing a single shot. Combine this fact with the statistic that virtually all self-defense shootings happen within 7 yards, and you start to see that an open sighted shotgun or AR 15 in the home is more than enough.

Even teenagers and the elderly can be successfully trained to shoot a pistol accurately at a man’s size targets at 7 yards. The issue with self-defense optics is a level performance that you feel comfortable with.

The benefits of a self-defense optic are very clearly outlined. The simple by the aiming process, perform better low light and absolutely dominate shooting on the move or at moving targets. This is, however, rarely needed for self-defense. The choice is up to you, and if you have the disposable income to be able to afford a quality optic for your self-defense weapon of choice, it certainly not going to hinder you.

The only downsides of having an optic on your self-defense weapon is if you don’t know how to use the optic, or the optic is subpar or incorrect for the task at hand. For example, you will never ever use a 12x power scope for self-defense.

There’s no reason to have a highly magnified optic on your rifle or shotgun. Even if you live a large ranch, the odds you ever need to shoot at a distance where you need any magnification are virtually nonexistent. That high magnification will however significantly hinder your ability to shoot when the confines of your home and diminish your effectiveness with your weapon.

At the end of the day, your particular level of comfort and skill with your chosen self-defense weapon is going to determine whether or not you feel comfortable with or without an optic. There’s no denying that optics bring the level of user-friendliness and effectiveness of any firearm, always self-defense in mind that extra level of performance is not always applicable.

The best thing you can do is become intimately familiar with your chosen weapon and get training so that you can be as effective as possible with it. The fanciest and most advanced widget or gadget in the world does not make you a more competent defender.

If you don’t know how to shoot, reload, or fight with your firearm that you have the nicest and most well-designed set up in the world, at best you may get lucky, at worst all the gear that you put on your weapon is going to get in your way and prevent you from being successful.

The Only Scenario An Optic is Required

The only time an optic on your self-defense weapon is required is if you anticipate a non-shooter using your firearm. For example, if your spouse has never used a firearm anywhere besides a marksmanship style range, you should put a red dot on your long gun so that the gun is more accessible for them under stress.

Recommendations Based On Gun Type

Put between a rock and a hard place and having to make a recommendation, conceal carry guns most likely won’t benefit much from a miniature red dot. A long gun uses exclusively for home defense probably won’t benefit much from having an optic.

The one type of firearm used for personal protection that most likely needs an optic would be a “truck gun.” Essentially, a multi-use rifle or shotgun used for everything from dispatching roadkill to surviving apocalypse.
At the end of the day, get your hands on the best weapon you can afford, and trade as often as you possibly can. After a while, you’ll realize whether or not you’d like to have an optic on your firearm.

Author BIO — McKinley Downing is an avid shooter & firearms instructor. He shoots, hunts and is a patriot in the sense that he enjoys pissing off gun grabbers and an anti-hunters. He has worked with and around firearms for several years, and enjoys talking to anyone interested in learning more about firearms and their 2nd Amendment rights. He currently writes for several online outlets on the use of guns and ammunition, you can find more articles from him on https://ioutdoorpursuit.com/

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