Mastering Marksmanship: The Power of the Circle Only Reticle on Pistol Optics
What is Circle Only?
When it comes to Pistol Mounted Optics (PMOs), there are now as many reticle choices as there are brands. Colors primarily include red, green, and sometimes gold. The size of the optic is measured in Minute of Angle (MOA). Simply put, an MOA is an inch at 100 yards. So, a dot that is 6 MOA covers approximately 6 inches at 100 yards. Popular dot sizes include 6, 3.25, 2.5, 2, and 1 MOA. Another popular option is a large circle around a small dot. This was made popular by Eotech on their rifle optics and nicknamed the “donut of death.” On PMOs, Holosun has been the leader in this option with their Multi Reticle Systems (MRS), offering the ability to switch between a 2 MOA dot, a 2 MOA dot with a 32 MOA circle, or a 32 MOA circle with no dot. I’m going to explain why this is the best option for all applications.
True Target Focus
If you ask anyone the difference between shooting with an optic and shooting with irons, the most common answer is you shoot “target focused” with optics. This assumes that you are shooting “front sight focused” with irons. The problem is people are shooting okay with the optic, so they assume they are target focused. If you ask them, they will tell you they are, but they may not be. A quick way to audit this is to “occlude” the optic. You can do this by putting a piece of blue painter's tape over the front. The idea behind this goes back to the Binden theory, which states that by covering the glass in front of the emitter, your dominant eye will see the dot, your non-dominant eye will see the target, and your brain will put the images together. If you are target focused, this will work for most people, but as soon as your eyes move back to looking at the dot, you will just see the tape and not the target. It’s a good diagnostic tool but not something practical all the time. It also may not be accurate at a distance.
Looking at the target and not the dot may be easy at 5 yards when shooting a USPSA A zone, but if you are shooting X rings at 25 yards on a B8, you’re likely looking at the dot. Contrary to popular opinion, if you need to shoot minute of eye socket at a distance, it's okay to look at the dot. I kept that thought to myself for a long time and finally felt validated when I heard Chuck Pressburg say the same during his No Fail Pistol class. This is where circle only shines. The 32 MOA circle becomes a ghost ring to look through so you can hard focus on your desired point of impact (POI). I know when I’m shooting B8s at 25 yards, the second I lose target focus, the X disappears to the halo of the reticle. If I can “read the X/10,” then the circle is thin and crisp, and I evenly circle the spot I want to shoot. Putting the dot where you want to hit but not looking at it is extremely difficult. Looking through a ring is much easier on the brain.
Eliminate the Wobble Zone
It’s often taught in both iron and optic shooting that you need to “accept the wobble zone.” This refers to the fact that you can never hold the gun completely still. As long as your sighting system is moving within the acceptable target zone, you should ignore the fact that it’s moving and just smoothly work the trigger. It’s simple to do but not easy. It is very common for people to try to “time the shot” to when the sight is right in the middle, which causes them to snatch the shot off target. Instead of fighting the brain to “accept the wobble zone,” shooting circle only completely eliminates it. By looking at the target through the circle instead of at the circle, your brain no longer perceives the movement and takes one more mental hurdle out of the way.
Unknown Distance and Shooting Movers
Some people may be concerned with the size of the ring changing at various distances. This is another plus, not a minus. At very close range, say 3 yards, the 32 MOA circle is roughly one inch in diameter. It is a very fast, large reticle used more like a large dot than a circle because it is too small to look through at this close distance. At three yards, you also have a height over bore issue or offset. This means at close range, you need to aim slightly higher than you want to impact. The Holosun circle only also has tick marks on the outside of the circle at 12, 3, 6, and 9 o'clock. I find using the 6 o’clock tick mark at 3 yards and in to be an easy fix if I have to shoot minute of eye socket. As you back up from there with a proper zero, your offset goes away, and you can begin to look straight through the circle and focus on your desired POI, whether that is an X ring or a button on a shirt. Once you reach 25 yards, the circle is now 8 inches in diameter. This is very anatomically significant to the area of the torso we prefer to shoot people with. This covers the heart, aorta, lungs, and spine. At 25 yards, simply circle the torso or outline the black of a B8, focus hard on your desired POI, and smoothly work the trigger. You can also use the tick marks to bracket the torso at the neck and armpits. What about further? At 50 yards, just circle the whole torso. At 100 yards or further? Just circle the whole target. The benefit of having a visual reference is being able to now use your reticle to determine distance. The entire Uvalde, Texas shooting could have been avoided had a patrol officer had the confidence to take a 148-yard shot. He was armed with a rifle, but the principle is the same. It is much easier to track and shoot a moving person at a distance with a ring around their entire body as opposed to a dot that is continually trying to come off target.
Final Thoughts
In conclusion, the circle only reticle on pistol optics offers significant advantages for shooters of all levels. It allows for true target focus, simplifying the process of aiming by providing a clear ghost ring to look through. This eliminates the common challenge of dealing with the wobble zone, making it easier to maintain accuracy without the mental strain of trying to hold the gun perfectly still. Additionally, the circle only reticle is adaptable to various distances, ensuring quick and accurate target acquisition from close range to extended distances. Whether you are shooting in a controlled environment or facing dynamic, real-world scenarios, the circle only reticle enhances your marksmanship, making it a superior choice for all applications. Embracing this innovative reticle design can significantly improve your shooting performance and confidence, ensuring you are better prepared for any situation.