Over the last decade, the use of dot sight optics on handguns has grown in popularity. From military and law enforcement to competition, home defense and concealed carry to recreational shooting, optics can be found on more guns now than ever before.
To meet demands of modern shooters, more pistols and revolvers enter the market each year capable of accepting red (and green) dot optics – often referred to as “optics ready” – or shipped with optics already installed. However, not every optic fits every optic-ready handgun.
While dot sights are typically mounted to the handgun’s slide (or frame, in the case of revolvers), how they are mounted depends on the optic’s dimensional footprint and mounting standard. Determined by a specific screw and socket pattern, the mounting standard dictates which optics can fit the handgun directly or with the use of mounting plates, pins, or adapters.
The most common handgun red dot optic mounting standards include:
- Trijicon RMR Mounting Standard
- Noblex (formerly Docter) Mounting Standard
- C-More Mounting Standard
- Shield RMSc Mounting Standard
Of course, proprietary optic footprints also exist, as well as handgun manufacturer optic systems – like the Glock Modular Optic System (MOS) and Springfield Amory’s Variable Interface System (VIS) – further complicating what can be an already confusing task for gun owners.
To simplify optic mounting, this blog will focus on the RMSc Mounting Standard, used by the original Swampfox Sentinel and new Sentinel II micro dot sight.
RMSc Mounting Standard
Established by Shield Sights, the RMSc (also referred to as RMS/SMS) has become the go-to optic mounting standard for slimline, single-stack or modified double stack compact, subcompact, and micro compact handguns popularized for concealed carry.
Similar to the Noblex/Docter pattern, the RMSc Mounting Standard features two screw holes and four sockets in each corner to accept recoil lugs/pins, though wider and closer together than Noblex optics. The RMSc screw-socket pattern also accommodates two size optics – micro dot sights and those using the larger Leupold DeltaPoint Pro footprint. Dimensionally, micro RMSc footprint optics measure 40mm in length while those of the Leupold measure up to 46mm in length. Optic widths also vary, with the Leupold and similar footprint optics designed for true double stack, full-size, and compact handguns.
It should be noted that while RMSc optics will fit Leupold footprints and mounting plates, the shorter and/or slimmer footprint may lack slide contact and reveal more of the wider optic plate. In these cases, optics of comparable size should be used.
RMSc Compatible Handguns
Pistols and revolvers listed below specifically utilize the RMSc Mounting Standard for micro dot sights. While extensive, this list is not comprehensive and is updated periodically.
** Noted handguns require the use of factory mounting plates, adapter, or pins.
Archon Firearms
Type B OR/OSR
Type D OR/OSR
Arex Defense
Delta Gen.2 **
Zero 1 Tactical Compact **
Zero 1 Tactical **
Avidity Arms
PD10
Beretta
APX A1 Carry **
80X Cheetah **
Bersa
BP9CC OR
Canik
Mete MC9
Mete SF
Mete SFT
Mete SFT Pro
Mete SFx
TP9 Elite SC **
TP9SFx **
SFx Rival **
CZ-USA
P-10 S OR **
P-10 C OR **
P-10 F OR **
Shadow 2 Compact OR **
Shadow 2 OR **
Dan Wesson
Specialist Black Optics Ready **
FN America
Reflex MRD
Glock
43X MOS
48 MOS
Girsan
Witness2311
IWI US
Masada Slim
Kimber
R7 Mako OR
Langdon Tactical
Tomcat RDO
Mossberg
MC2sc Optic Ready
Palmetto State Armory
5.7 Rock Optics Ready
Dagger Micro
Rock Island Armory
STK100
Ruger
MAX-9
5.7 OR
SAR USA
SAR9 Subcompact Gen2
SAR9 Compact Gen3
SAR9 Gen3
SAR9 Sport Gen3
SAR9 SOCOM
SCCY
CPX-1 / 2 / 3 / 4 RDR
DVG-1 RDR
Shadow Systems
CR920 Combat / Elite
CR920P
SIG Sauer
P322
P365-380
P365 Optic Ready
P365X
P365XL
P365-XMACRO / Comp
P365-AXG Legion
Smith & Wesson
M&P 22 Magnum
Performance Center M&P Shield M2.0 OR
M&P Shield Plus OR
Equalizer
Springfield Armory
Hellcat OSP
Hellcat RDP
Hellcat Pro
XD-S Mod.2 OSP
Echelon **
1911 DS Prodigy **
Staccato
Staccato CS **
Staccato C2 **
Staccato P **
Staccato XC **
Staccato XL **
Stoeger
STR-9MC
Taurus
TX 22 Compact
GX4 TORO
GX4XL
GX4 Carry TORO
Defender 856 TORO
605 TORO
Judge TORO
Magnum Judge TORO
Walther
WMP **
PDP Compact**
PDP Full Size **
PDP Pro SD Compact **
PDP Pro SD Full Size **
Q4 SF OR **
Q5 Match SF **