We each have our own unique situation dictating which home defense weapon works best for us. Some gun owners have kids. Some live in apartments. Some have disabilities. Whatever works best for you weapon wise is what I recommend you stick to—be it shotgun, revolver, SBR or whatever. If you can shoot it under duress, then good. However, there are good, better and best tools for the job and the optic or sights on your home protection gun are certainly categorized as such.
When identifying the best self-defense optic, we must consider the circumstances in which we’ll be using the optic. This helps rule out optics that aren’t the best for the job.
When experts design a course of fire to train for self-defense, most look to police-involved shooting statistics. This helps give a clearer picture of what the “average” self-defense shooting looks like. For example, what distance do most self-defense shootings occur? We know the answer to be, statistically, within seven yards. We also know that most occur when it’s dark.
Knowing just these two facts means we can eliminate magnified scopes because they are made for longer shooting distances. For home defense, we need the best optic for close-up (CQB) distances. Further, because most crime happens at night, we need an optic that is easy to see in low light. Therefore, we can logically conclude that an illuminated reticle or glow-in-the-dark sight is best.
Now, let’s look at what happens to our bodies when we perceive a threat…
Our bodies respond to potential threats by releasing cortisol and adrenaline in preparation for us to either fight or flee. The result is physiological and beyond our control. Our heart rate increases, we get tunnel vision, lose our hearing and we may shake.
Shooting a gun well is a learned skill. One that takes regular practice. In fight or flight mode, we need hand/eye coordination and dexterity to operate our gun properly. Considering this, we need an optic that is easy to use, with a reticle we can quickly see.
And finally, because our lives depend on it, this optic needs to be reliable and accurate.
Put all together, the best sights for home defense must be:
- Illuminated
- Reliable
- Accurate
- Easy to use
- Provide quick target acquisition
- No or low magnification
Our Favorites: Mini Shot M-Spec
Like all reflex sights, the Mini Shot M-Spec red dot sight allows you to shoot properly with both eyes open. Called the Bindon Aiming Concept, keeping both eyes open while using an optic or firearm sight allows the dominant eye to focus on the illuminated reticle, while the weaker eye remains focused on the target, as well as what’s around it. This is the natural way we see the world. Our brain processes the images, keeping the target of our focus magnified or highlighted.
With a very short learning curve, reflex sights allow you to get on target within seconds of drawing your weapon. As soon as you see the red dot on the target, you can take a precise shot, providing a tactical advantage because red dots are designed for when speed and accuracy both equally matter—like in a self-defense situation.
Sightmark’s mini red dot features the most popular dot size—3 MOA—the perfect size for accuracy for up-close-and-personal to mid-range. There are 10 brightness adjustments for all lighting conditions from broad daylight to darkness, ambidextrous controls and a 12-hour automatic shut-off to get the most of its battery life. With double the battery life of its competitors at 30,000 hours, its built-in steel protective shield and durable aluminum construction make the Sightmark Mini Shot meet all the requirements needed for a good self-defense optic.
The Mini Shot includes mounts for a pistol and AR-15.
The Mini Shot M-Spec is available in four different models:
LoPro Laser Light Combo
For home defense, it’s imperative to have a flashlight at the ready—either handheld or weapon-mounted, you need light to identify targets in the dark.
The LoPro AR-15 green laser light combo frees up your hands, so you have better control over your rifle, as well frees up rail space by pairing both a laser and bright tactical light in one compact unit.
Click here to read a review on the LoPro AR-15 laser light combo.
Utilizing a bright green Class IIIa laser, the 1.5” dot is visible up to 50 yards during the day and up to 600 yards at night. The white LED light has three modes—50 lumens on low, 150 lumens on medium and a maximum of 300 lumens on high. Operation is via easy-to-reach digital controls or a pressure pad switch. Each LoPro allows use of your iron sights and does not impede a red dot sight. Two different size models are available—compact and sub-compact.
The LoPro standard is 4.49 inches long, 2.83 inches wide, 1.53 inches tall and weighs 13.2 ounces. The LoPro Mini is 3.5 inches long, 2.1 inches wide, 1.4 inches tall and weighs only 7 ounces.
Find the right one for you:
- Green Laser Light with IR Black
- Green Laser Light with IR FDE
- Green Laser with Light Black
- Green Laser with Light FDE
- LoPro Mini Combo Black
- LoPro Mini Combo FDE
For more about the LoPro and benefits of a laser, click here.
Element Red Dot Sight
The 1x magnification of the Element is good for those who have astigmatism or other eye problems which make acquiring an illuminated red dot more difficult. A tube-style red dot sight, the Element is night-vision compatible and features a 2 MOA dot with 9 brightness settings for very precise shooting at distances further than close quarters.
Made for shotguns and MSRs, the Element is as tough as it is lightweight. It is nitrogen-filled, fogproof, shockproof and waterproof up to 3 feet for 1 hour. It is 4.4 inches long and weighs only 9.8 ounces.
To read more about the benefits of low magnification scopes, click here.
ReadyFire LW-R5
Though the use of handgun lasers is personal preference, there is no denying proper use helps owners aim faster in low-light, high-stress situations.
The ReadyFire LW-R5 full-size pistol laser fits any railed full-sized semiautomatic pistol. It features a red Class IIIa laser with a 20-yard effective range during the day and a 300-yard effective range at night. An easy slide switch actives the laser. Mount it between the trigger guard and muzzle for quick target acquisition. It weighs only 2.3 ounces and measures 2.4 inches long with a 1.1-inch height and weight.
Click here to read more about the benefits of laser sights.
Whether or not you decide between a reflex, red dot or laser sight, there are plenty of options to choose from for your AR, SBR, pistol or shotgun.