Aimpoint COA and Glock Pistol Overview

There are a whole lot of crimson dot sights available on the market, however Aimpoint’s collaboration with Glock on the brand new Aimpoint COA isn’t simply one other repetitious optics launch. The COA, which is simply accessible as a package deal deal on Glock pistols, is the fruits of essentially the most fascinating options in a pistol optic . It has an enclosed emitter, sits low within the slide, and encompasses a rock-solid mounting system. We’ve had the prospect to check the COA on two completely different pistols over the previous months, right here’s why we like it.

Aimpoint COA Specs

See It

See it on a G43X

See It on a G48

• Footprint: A-Minimize
• Colour: Pink
• Dot Dimension: 3.5 MOA
• Battery: (1) CR2032
• Battery Door: Exterior, T10 Torx
• Elevation and Windage adjustment: T10 Torx 
• Brightness: +/- buttons on left aspect, evening imaginative and prescient suitable
• On/Off: Press +/- button, maintain – button

Key Options

• Clamp-in mounting, no screws by way of the optic
• Straightforward-access battery door
• Intuitive brightness controls
• T10 Torx screws for each zero changes and battery entry
• Rugged enclosed emitter

The World of Pistol Pink Dots

To know what we like concerning the Aimpoint COA, it helps to think about different crimson dots. Take a look at the place previous and present fashions fall quick.

Open vs. Closed Emitter 

A pistol crimson dot sight presents the reticle or dot as an aiming level to the shooter by projecting gentle onto a entrance glass lens. It’s a easy idea that works nicely. The commonest pistol crimson dots are open-emitter sights. Which means that the emitter, which initiatives the sunshine onto the lens, isn’t sealed off from the environment. These sights typically have a low profile and so they use a single lens. Good examples are the Trijicon RMR and Defend RMSc. 

The problem with open-emitter sights is that lint, filth, water, and particles can simply get onto the rear of the lens or, worse, pack into or obscure the emitter altogether. For a lot of functions, this isn’t a deal breaker, however enclosed-emitter optics have develop into more and more common due to their resiliency in hostile situations.

Enclosed-emitter crimson dots have a sealed housing across the emitter and each a rear and entrance lens. These typically look blocky and enormous, however they will simply be wiped off in the event that they get soiled and provide higher sturdiness.

Mounting Techniques and Footprints

With regards to mounting crimson dots on pistols, compatibility is something however simple. There are a number of mounting layouts or “footprints,” and most weapons aren’t suitable with all optics. Some weapons characteristic a direct-mount lower, which solely works with one specific footprint, limiting you to optics that use it. With these, the optic is fixed on to the slide, normally utilizing two small screws.

The commonest methodology for making weapons adaptable to completely different optics is an adapter plate system. These fluctuate by producer, however typically have quite a lot of plates that may be hooked up to the identical pistol slide — normally through two screws. Then the optic is fixed to the plate itself. Widespread points with these programs are unfastened screws on both the optic or mounting plate, and screws that may be simply stripped or damaged. One other draw back is that many adapter-plate programs elevate the optic larger above the bore, which slows sight acquisition.

The Aimpoint COA Represents the Way forward for Pink Dots

Although the brand new Aimpoint COA may appear like simply one other enclosed-emitter pistol crimson dot, its design and mounting system embodies the issues that make crimson dots extra dependable and intuitive.

The mounting idea for the Aimpoint COA is actually the place the magic occurs — not solely is it extra rugged however it additionally improves shooter pace and accuracy. 

The optic lower within the slide, known as the A-Minimize, encompasses a notch on the ahead finish, into which the entrance of the optic suits. The center has a longitudinal raised portion that mates with a mirror-image lower on the optic physique, stopping any torsional or lateral motion. The optic — which has no screw holes, and isn’t fixed to the slide immediately, suits into this lower similar to a ski boot in a binding. On the again finish, the rear sight doubles as a wedge to safe the sight. It’s fixed with two T10 Torx screws, clamping the rear of the COA into place. 

The mount is rock stable. As a result of the clamping rear sight is supported on the rear, and the again finish of the optic itself can be supported partially by the slide lower, shear pressure on the screws is enormously lowered in comparison with conventional plate fashions. We have now examined two completely different Glock pistols with the COA, a G19 and G48, over the previous couple months, and have seen no indicators of the sight loosening.This new A-Minimize and COA combo is straightforward and (to date) unyielding to the punishment of a whole lot of rounds fired. 

A Low-Sitting Optic

Probably the most fascinating targets in pistol crimson dots and their attachment programs is getting the sight as little as attainable. Plenty of progress has been made with thinner-based optics and mounting plates. Total, sights have all been bettering in these areas. The Aimpoint COA is the very best iteration but. Many pistols have optic cuts that enable co-witnessing iron sights. Which means having the ability to see and use your iron sights by way of the optic lens. Nonetheless, most should make use of taller sights to perform this. The COA and its A-Minimize enable co-witnessing of the standard-height sights that come on the gun. This gives the very best likelihood of speedy sight acquisition for the shooter.

The Aimpoint COA Has an Unprecedented Sight Window for its Dimension

One of many downsides of many present enclosed-emitter sights is that they’re huge, blocky, and current a cluttered sight image. Although their subject of view won’t truly be smaller than many open-emitter sights, the thick aspect partitions and high of the housing cut back peripheral imaginative and prescient of the goal and might sluggish the shooter down in comparison with an open-emitter sight with a skinny lens housing. 

The Aimpoint COA has just about the identical sized sight window as their common ACRO, however the high and sides are thinner — .96 inches vs 1.25 inches. This helps cut back the general measurement which is sweet for hid carry, however it improves goal acquisition too. Sitting so low within the A-Minimize, the window seems tall, generously permitting the shooter to select up the dot rapidly, and preserve the dot within the sight window in the course of the recoil cycle. 

Remaining Ideas on the Aimpoint COA

I’ve doted on the qualities of the Aimpoint COA that make it an interesting mix of optimum crimson dot ideas. However it additionally brings Aimpoint’s ruggedness to the desk. It’s a dot that can be utilized exhausting and relied upon. After the embargo on different producers lifts in early 2026, I count on and hope that others will provide the A-Minimize. We are going to seemingly see some variants of this idea however can even, hopefully, see some simplification and homogenization of mounting patterns and strategies within the better pistol crimson dot ecosystem. Finally, this can be a big step in making crimson dots extra easy, rugged, and efficient.