Pistol optic footprints, explained

Just bought a Glock, Sig, CZ or another pistol, and want an optic on it?

If the slide is already cut, choose an optic that matches its footprint. If you're putting a build together, get the optic cut while you're at it: a cover plate fills it until you're ready, and it's good to be prepared. And if you have an old carry pistol you'd like to bring up to date, there's a good chance we can cut its slide for a red dot.

As of 2022/2023 there's a huge choice of optics, with nearly as many footprints as models, although plenty of optics share a footprint, as the chart below shows.

Haven't picked an optic yet? Think about which footprint leaves you the most options if you want to change or upgrade later.

This is accurate now, but new optics and cuts keep arriving, so it can change at any time.

We cut slides for RMR, RMSc and many other footprints: see optic cuts. Or start with a slide that's already cut and pick an optic to match.