The United States Practical Shooting Association has a new division; carry optics. This division is very similar to production. Carry optics guns are all semi-automatic pistols and competitors are limited to 10 rounds per magazine. There is no major power factor, just minor at 125, and minimum bullet caliber is 9 MM.
What makes this division different and appealing to old guys like myself are the allowed sighting systems. Red dot optics are legal and in fact the basis for this new division. Red dots are great sighting systems for tired eyes that struggle with open sights. Extremely simple to use, just put the dot on the target and press the trigger, they allow for faster acquisition and focus; just what older and vision impaired competitors need.
There are several pistols available that can easily be equipped with an optic. The Smith & Wesson M&P C.O.R.E. guns have a removable plate on the slide that can be replaced with an optic specific mounting plate. Glock offers the Models 17, 19, 34, 35, 40, and 41 M.O.S. Other manufacturers are offering similar options. Examples of the optics that will fit these guns are the Trijicon RMR, Leupold Delta Point, Jpoint, Doctor, C-More STS, and Insight MRDS.
I expect this class to become very popular. It gives shooters the option of using a red dot optic without needing to spend thousands on an open “race” gun. It offers a fairly inexpensive option to those who can’t or don’t want to practice with open sights as often as necessary to compete at the top levels. It is much easier to achieve good accuracy with a red dot than with open sighting systems, especially for those of us who are visually impaired.
This season my focus has been trap competitions and my new trap gun combo. I haven’t had the opportunity to compete in USPSA events. I hope to get a couple of classifers in before fall comes, but next year I’ll do a lot more shoots. Maybe an M&P C.O.R.E might be in my future.
Be safe and good shooting.
Colonel Smoothbore
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