RMR For Your Carry Handgun
RMR For Your Carry Handgun – Like many of you, I am a big fan of iron sights, and that includes both for pistol and for rifles. I have conceal carried for years, and have never had a ruggedized miniature reflex, (RMR), optic for many reasons, but a big ones were holsters were not comfortable or made for them, my handguns were not cut for one, and I didn’t want to rely on a battery life in a bad situation.
However, times are changing and carrying a handgun with and RMR is becoming much more common and practical, and because of that I am reconsidering my position and maybe you should too.
One of the reasons I have started to look at these more seriously is that irons may not be the best option in lower light, high light or when a precise shot under pressure may be required. Additionally, more and more guns, from the Glock MOS series, SIGs P320/M17 and others are coming with the capability to mount a myriad of optics without needing extensive gunsmithing. This gives both the competitive shooter as well as the concealed carrier a better sighting option that standard sights which can leave a lot to be desired.
Another key reason
that I was hesitant with the use of a reflex sight was that I don’t like reliance on batteries, as in my military experience they tend to fail when they are needed the most. Many of the optics these days have made significant strides from the Trijicon series which need no batteries to battery shut off options after non-use. I am still more hesitant about the latter, but with a 20,000-hour battery life (833.33 days) without a battery change, it does give a slightly better sense of security.
The final reason for reconsidering an RMR is back when I started carrying holsters weren’t designed for anything but the gun. Even now, most mass manufactured holsters are not specifically designed to accommodate for a reflex sight or are made haphazardly as a one size fits some. That is not a problem as many of the holsters we at JM4 have can be cut specifically to the size of the gun as well as for the use of an optic which can be cut specifically to fit the EXACT RMR that you have. This ensures a much better retention and positive holstering of YOUR setup. This to me makes it much more comfortable and is tipping my hand in training with an RMR. The other side to
this is that if you decide to shoot irons instead of the RMR, the magnetic retention will still hold your firearm snug, with the cutout not degrading that capability in the slightest. Suffice it to say, much more versatility.
Finally, if you are considering an RMR, I would highly recommend looking at the color you are getting. Red tends to be good at night but can be hard to see in bright daylight. I have found in my initial testing that amber and green tend to show up in all conditions better, but like most things your results may vary.
Author: Ian Bolser
