Here’s a selection of new red-dot sights for pistols that are debuting at SHOT Show 2025. Following last year’s trend, the theme of enclosed-emitter models remains popular.
Gideon Optics Valor Mini
This year Gideon Optics is debuting new sights, including the Gideon Optics Valor Mini, a micro enclosed-emitter red-dot sight that works off the popular Shield Sights RMSc footprint. This sight has a very low deck height which eliminates the need for overly tall back up iron sights. Due to the versatility of its RMSc footprint, the Gideon Optics Valor Mini works well with a range of handguns, from the smallest carry optics compatible pistols to full-size models with narrower slides such as 1911 or 2011 models.
Primary Arms PLx HTX-1
Primary Arms is unveiling their new PLx HTX-1, standard sized enclosed-emitter red-dot sight made fully in the United States of America. This not only includes the assembly of the optic itself but all of its components, glass and electronics. With American manufacturing being a key topic for many consumers, the behind-the-scenes efforts that Primary Arms has been focusing on to make the new HTX-1 a reality is noteworthy. Something else worth mentioning is its chassis system, which forgoes the traditional optic-plate arrangement making it possible to mount the HTX-1 across a wide variety of factory slide cuts.
Aimpoint COA
Perhaps one of the most attention-grabbing new products across the entirety of SHOT Show 2025, the new Aimpoint COA enclosed-emitter sight is part of a collaborative effort that Aimpoint took on with Glock. In many ways the COA takes after the established ACRO P-2 being that it’s an enclosed sight optimized for carry. However, the Aimpoint COA’s most distinctive feature is a brand-new wedge-based footprint called “A-Cut” that uses the pistol’s backup rear sight to pin the entire optic in place. For the remainder of 2025, the A-Cut optics footprint will remain exclusive to Glock pistols. Next year the schematics for the A-Cut footprint will be released to the rest of the industry.
Shield Sights AMSx
Along with the RMSc footprint, Shield Sights is perhaps best known for making micro-compact red-dot sights that are often paired with slimline carry guns. One of their new releases at this year’s show is the AMSx, an enclosed-big window red-dot sight with a widescreen. To save space, the Shield Sights AMSx uses a top-side battery tray. Despite its relatively large size, the new AMSx still uses the popular RMSc footprint, making it another possible option for larger pistols with narrow slides that use the RMSc footprint as their default cut. All Shield Sights including the AMSx are manufactured in the United Kingdom.
