The pistol-mounted optic has become one of the most common tools in modern combative shooting. It has also become one of the most misunderstood.

This course treats the PMO as a visual processing tool, not a shortcut. The dot does not automatically fix problems. It reveals them and provides an excellent avenue for improvement. When used correctly, it gives shooters clearer information and better feedback. When used incorrectly, it exposes gaps in fundamentals that already existed.

This one-day course covers proper optic mounting and maintenance, practical zeroing concepts, and the visual fundamentals that make a dot work reliably under pressure. We will address why the dot can seem to disappear, how a consistent presentation solves most acquisition problems, and how to build confidence with a PMO without chasing speed or relying on timers.

The goal of this course is not to make you faster. It is to make you more consistent, more disciplined, and more capable of understanding what you are seeing through the optic.

What we will cover includes proper optic mounting, torque, and witness marking. Battery management and failure prevention. Zero selection and what it actually affects. Dot acquisition through presentation rather than searching. Visual discipline and dot diagnostics. Practical standards at realistic defensive distances.

The round count for this course is approximately 300 rounds.

Students must be able to safely handle a pistol and work from a ready position or holster. A basic foundation in pistol shooting is recommended. This course focuses on PMO-specific skills and does not cover basic handgun operation. As a general guideline, students should be able to draw safely from a holster and keep consistent hits on an 8-inch circle at 7 yards. If you are unsure whether this course is a good fit, feel free to reach out before registering.

Required equipment includes a pistol equipped with a mounted and functional optic, a quality holster that covers the trigger guard, a minimum of three magazines, eye and ear protection, and a concealment garment if applicable.

If you do not currently own a pistol-mounted optic, loaner pistols are available. Please let us know when you register so we can have one ready. Glock, HK, Smith & Wesson, and Walther loaner pistols will be available.

Pistol-Mounted Optic Fundamentals