The Smith & Wesson Shield Plus Optics Ready variants are very nice sub compact firearms. If you purchased one or are thinking of purchasing one, you are probably wondering which Red Dot or Green Dot optics are the best for it.
We will give you our top recommendations and also how to mount them - because it can be tricky - so keep reading.
What footprint are the S&W Shield Plus Optics Ready Variants?
The S&W Shield Plus OR Variants have an RMSc footprint. The optics we recommend are the the Holosun 407K, 507K, EPS Carry, and SCS Carry But in order to mount these you need an adapter plate or you have to modify your slide. Which we will explain more below.
*Note: If you have the new Shield Plus Carry Comp (ONLY) you won't need an adpater plate, all these optics will mount directly on the slide!
For the Shield Plus Carry Comp (ONLY) if you have a 407K or 507K you will need 6/32 screws -- these come with the EPS Carry and SCS Carry. Get the S&W Screws Here.
This is because the Holosun optics we recommend come with a "modified RMSc footprint" which you can learn more about here.
Why do we recommend the Holosun Optics vs other options?
- They are affordable but not cheap.
- They are built sturdily with strong aluminum housings and glass.
- They have convenient features like Shake Awake and Side Mounted Batteries.
- They have a Limited Lifetime Warranty.
- They are reliable.
- They are waterproof.
When you compare them to other options like Crimson Trace, Bushnell, or others you will find prices are similar but the other options do not have as good of a track record and do not have as many features.
How do you mount a Holosun EPS Carry to your S&W Shield Plus Optics Ready Variant
If you plan on mounting an EPS Carry or SCS Carry to your Shield plus you will not need an adapter plate. The EPS Carry and SCS Carry comes with an adapter plate and screws that will fit your S&W Shield Plus.
How do you mount a Holosun 407K/507K to a S&W Shield Plus Optics Ready Variant?
There are two options to mount the Holosun 407K, 507K, and 507K ACSS Vulcan Holosun optics to your Shield Plus.
1. Buy an adapter plate.
Buying an adapter plate like this CHPWs Shield Plus to 407K/507K plate or this DPP Shield Plus to 407K/507K plate will give you everything you need to mount the optics. This plate acts like a shim which gives you the correct footprint. It also comes with the proper screws.
2. Modify your slide (at your own risk) - this can be done for EPS Carry also to get a lower deck height.
The second option is to modify your slide. You can do this by grinding down the rear recoil lugs and possibly the front ones a bit. We have heard this could void your warranty but aren't sure, and we don't recommend doing this, but if you did feel comfortable doing it - have at it!
Here is a video that shows someone doing it on their Glock 43X MOS ... you would do the same thing for your S&W Shield Plus.
If you did do this method you would need to also get 6-32x1/2" screws which you can get here.
Top 3 Holosun Red & Green Dots we recommend for all S&W Shield Plus Optics Ready Variants
In our opinion these are the best bang for your buck optics for your S&W Shield Plus Optics Ready Variant. Just make sure you read the information above on how to mount them first.
1. Holosun 407K. Most Budget Friendly Option.
Features:
- 6 MOA dot
- Shake Awake
- 50,000 Hr Battery Life
- Removable Side Battery
- IP67 Waterproof
- 10 Daylight Brightness Settings and 2 Night Vision
- Aluminum Housing
The 6 MOA dot is a great size for a pistol.
You can get this optic in Red or Green Dot Versions.
Read our full 407K review here.
Buy the 407K At The Best Price
2. Holosun 507K. The Next Step Up.
This optic is exactly like the 407K except it has Holosun’s famous MRS reticle which is a 32 MOA circle and 2 Moa dot.
Features:
- MRS Reticle - 32 MOA Circle + 2 MOA Dot
- Shake Awake
- 50,000 Hr Battery Life
- Removable Side Battery
- IP67 Waterproof
- 10 Daylight Brightness Settings and 2 Night Vision
- Aluminum Housing
The MRS reticle can be toggled by hitting the “-“ button. So you can use the 32 MOA circle plus 2 MOA dot, just the 2 MOA dot, or just the 32 MOA circle.
The 507K is available in both red and green reticles.
Read our full 507K review here.
Buy the 507K At The Best Price
3. Holosun EPS Carry - Closed Emitter Option
The EPS Carry is very similar to the 407K and 507K except it has one major difference, it is an enclosed emitter optic.
This means the laser emitter is protected by a hood. So dirt, mud, or debris will never get in the way of the emitter to distort the reticle.
Features:
- MRS Reticle or 2 MOA Reticle or 6 MOA Reticle
- Shake Awake
- 50,000 Hr Battery Life
- Removable Side Battery
- IPX8 Waterproof
- 8 Daylight Brightness Settings and 4 Night Vision
- Aluminum Housing
- Enclosed Emitter
The EPS Carry comes in red or green reticles.
There are 3 versions of the EPS Carry.
A 2 MOA Dot, 6 MOA Dot, and MRS version.
The MRS version has a solar panel on it which acts as a solar fail safe to power the reticle of the battery dies. It also gives you an extra auto brightness feature which can be toggled on or off.
Read our full EPS Carry review here.
Buy the EPS Carry At The Best Price
4. Holosun 507K ACSS Vulcan Green & Red Dot
Buy the 507K ACSS Vulcan At The Best Price
The 507K ACSS Vulcan is exactly like the 507K except is has the ACSS Vulcan reticle. This reticle has a 230 MOA dotted outer ring and a 3 MOA center dot.
The purpose of this reticle is to help you find the center dot quickly if you are off center. To learn more about the ACSS Vulcan check out our article here.
The dotted outer ring can be turned off by holding down the "-" button for 3 seconds.
The main advantage of the ACSS Vulcan reticle is to be able to find the center dot quickly when drawing the pistol.
All the features are the same as the 507K except for the reticle, and this is available in both red & green.
Read our full 507K ACSS review here.
5. Holosun SCS Carry Green Dot - Best Solar Recharging Option
Buy the SCS Carry At The Best Price
The SCS Carry is similar to the EPS Carry in that it is an enclosed emitter, except it features Holosun's latest "Solar Recharging Technology".
It has an internal rechargeable battery with theoretical unlimited battery life. The battery has a 20K hour power reserve which is constantly being recharged. The optic charges the battery faster than it consumes. It has the MRS (multi reticle system) and is available in green dot only. You can use the 2 MOA dot, 2 MOA Dot + 32 MOA Circle, or 32 MOA Circle only.
This model doesn't have Shake Awake like the others, but recommend from Holosun, you just leave it on and it will stay on. It is constantly recharging from natural and artificial light sources. It does have a power off button if you wanted to turn it off.
This optic is a great option if you are looking for something super sleek, and where you never have to worry about batteries. Just turn it on and keep it on!
Choosing between Red or Green Reticles
You may be wondering if you should get a red or green dot reticle. We get this question a lot so I am going to list a few bullet points for you to consider.
- Green reticles are less straining for the eye to see.
- Green reticles can help with astigmatism. If you have astigmatism you will see a blurry dot, we have been told by a few customers that Green dots help with their astigmatism, making the dot look more crisp than the red version.
- Green will not washout on backdrops like green grass, foliage, or green colors.
- In theory Green dots can have a longer battery life because Green is brighter, so for example a green dot on brightness setting 6 may be the same brightness as a red dot on setting 7 - which would save battery life.
If you want to learn more check out our full article about Red vs Green Dot Pros & Cons here.
Choosing between Open vs Closed Emitters
The simplest way we can break down open vs closed emitters is to look at how you plan on carrying the pistol. If you plan on being outdoors in the elements with rain, snow, sleet, then a closed emitter will be beneficial.
If you plan on carrying OWB most of the time and plan on being outside then closed emitter would be beneficial.
If you plan on carrying IWB or don't plan on being outside using your red dot in the pouring rain or heavy snow then an open reflex is fine.
Open reflexes will still work in the rain or snow but the closed emitter will give you extra peace of mind.
An open reflex can collect dust and debris on the inside of the reticle over time, so you'll want to clean it out from time to time. An enclosed emitter is easier to clean in this aspect.
To learn more about Open vs Closed emitters you can check out our Open vs Closed Emitter Guide here.
How to decide which reticle style is best for you
In this guide we covered a few different reticle options. If you need some help deciding which is best for you here are some of our thoughts on each.
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Conclusion
All of these optics are fantastic for your S&W Shield Plus. You won’t find a better combination of quality and affordability.
Each optic also has it’s unique features and benefits. I wouldn’t say one is better than the other.
The 407K’s 6 MOA dot is really nice and some people prefer it over the MRS Reticle. The MRS reticle is larger which makes it easier to pick up when drawing. The EPS Carry is super cool because of the enclosed emitter.
If you have any questions, reach out to us on chat or leave a comment!
Thanks for reading!
