Maybe we are at the end of an era, and maybe not. However you feel about red dot optics on handguns, they are here and they are here to stay. In fact every year more manufacturers are releasing slides and complete handguns equipped with optics ready plates. Fort Smith based Walther Arms, in fact, recently had a very successful debut of their PDP line of pistols-- all of which a factory equipped with optics ready slides. Handgun shooters all over the county are lining up to buy these style pistols and the optics made for this type of application. With that in mind, we here at Axeon Optics are happy to release the MDPR1 micro red dot 1x optic.
Why Shoot Pistol Mounted Optics?
So what is the appeal of an optic on a handgun? Speed is the driving factor in this choice. Are pistol reflex sights any more accurate than iron sights? No. But many shooters are finding that they can get on target faster, and as a result they are shooting accurately faster. Speed drives performance and shooters, whether you are shooting for competition, pleasure, or self defense. The feature pistol optics offer each of those classes of shooters is an edge. With the edge an optic provides a shooter can shave time off of the target acquisition and splits. That is undeniably a good thing.
Since plenty of holster manufacturers want to continue to sell holsters, they are coming out with optics cut holsters for the popular models that can run optics. While the vast majority of existing handguns do not feature optics capability, the number of conversions and new models of pistols that do is only going to rise. Chances are your favorite hoster is going to come out in an “optic cut” option soon. The whole industry is scrambling to catch up with demand for everything optic cut and it is all driven by consumer demand.
How Does the Axeon MDPR1 Stack Up?
Size-wise, this diminutive red dot will not add any width to most handguns and hardly any weight. But, as alluded to above, shooters will be able to enjoy super fast target acquisition and perfect brightness levels for any shooting situation. Perhaps best of all is that the battery does last a long time, rated for 30,000 hours, and the sight does not have to be removed to change out the battery when needed.
The MDPR1 is designed to fit the common RMR style plate which is offered by nearly every gun manufacturer for their optics ready slides.. I have installed my Axeon MDPR1 on Walther’s new PDP full size with the 4.5” barrel. The combination works well, and even though I’ve considerably slowed my shooting due to the ammo crunch, I’ve found getting rounds on target has become intuitive with the help of this compact reflex sight. This being my first experience with a pistol mounted red dot, I was surprised at how seamless the transition to this reflex optic has been. Crazily seamless in fact. It’s probably not fair that the new Walther PDP full size is such a dream to shoot, either with irons or the MDPR1 engaged.
Who is the MDPR1 For?
Who is this dot sight for? With a dedicated on-off function, concealed carriers would need to keep in mind the auto-shut off feature which shuts the unit off at the 3 hour mark. This is not the ideal situation for concealed carry or self defense, but if one can master turning the unit on distreetly, it can be used in such a manner. Shooters that are primarily concerned with plinking, target, and competition use will be more suited for using this Axeon dot sight. The MDPR1 is also a great option to pair up with a 45 degree mount on a carbine or rifle. The MDPR1 has a 3 moa dot size making it perfect for a fast acquisition without being so large that it obscures the target.
Seeing that dot in any lighting condition is thankfully not an issue. There are 11 power levels that will fit in between pitch dark and bright daylight. Holster solutions are, thankfully, becoming more readily available as well. What was once an item for competition shooters only is becoming the industry standard for all shooters.