Like the internet, red dot sights on pistols might just catch on one day …
New from Springfield Armory is not a new red dot-ready pistol, but a whopping dozen of them spanning three different 1911 product families.
New AOS models, created in conjunction with Agency Arms Optics, are available in the Operator, Ronin and Emissary families. Initially, the optics-ready pistols will be available in 9mm and .45 ACP chamberings.
To see how the system works, I got my hands on an Operator AOS with a 4.25″ barrel chambered in 9mm. The pistol ships with a cover plate over the new optics cut fit with a windage-adjustable rear sight and Tritium-equipped front sight.
The new plate system is a bit different. Optics-specific plates include an integral rear sight and are made with different thicknesses to ensure the iron sight system co-witnesses with the red dot sight. This is an important point — the adapter plates don’t just hold the optic on the side; they account for proper window height so your irons are visible in the lower area of the sight window. I mounted a new Trijicon RMR HD using the proper plate (shown in the photo here) and found the iron sights co-witnesses in the bottom 10 percent of the Trijicon’s window. Of course, the stock iron sights, primarily the front one, are sized accordingly. On the Operator here, I’d say the front sight height is somewhere between standard and what we’d call suppressor height.
As the plates are expensive, considering the integral rear sight, AOS pistols will not ship with a collection of unnecessary plates. You’ll get a certificate with the pistol to order the plate you need for $49 — about half the normal price of a plate. For more info: SpringfieldArmory.com
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