[SHOT 2026] Aimpoint A-Cut And COA Optic Become Widely Available

by Daniel Y

Published: January 21st, 2026

shot 2026 aimpoint a cut and coa optic become widely available

Swedish optics pioneer and red dot powerhouse Aimpoint displayed the COA optic and wide range of newly available A-Cut mounting opportunities at SHOT Show 2026. This system was unveiled at SHOT last year but was exclusive to the Glock Gen 5 pistols at the time. Now, it is available across a broad portion of the market.

SHOT 2026 @ TFB:

The COA optic sits in a dedicated mounting called A-Cut. Rather than relying on a mounting plate or screws to bear the recoil forces, the COA slips down into a cutout. The screws securing it in place pull down on the rear edge in a clamping arrangement. This holds the sight securely in place while supporting the sight against recoil forces with the slide material rather than the screws directly. This functions much like a ski boot fitting into the bindings, with the front tab slipping under a lip and the rear edge locking down from above.

Glock Gen 5 with COA optic and A-Cut mounting

Aimpoint and Glock initially unveiled the COA and A-Cut on the Gen 5 Glock pistols, but that exclusivity is now over. More than 20 companies are now offering A-Cut optics mounting. Many are on handguns, but there are also accessory companies offering this as an option as well.

Last year, Aimpoint produced over 100,000 COA red dots, and they are on track to produce even more this year. This is the first optic Aimpoint produces that is assembled by robots. That assembly method dramatically speeds up production.

Guns are showing up all over SHOT Show with A-Cut mounts and COA red dots. Here are some of the models on display in Aimpoint’s booth, and there are surely others out there as well: