By Mike Schoby
In 2025, there was only one good reason to buy a Glock: to get your sweaty mitts on Aimpoint’s hot, new COA sight—a rugged closed emitter sight with a minimalist housing for an unobstructive sight picture, and the tougher-than-nails, low-profile A-CUT mounting system. The COA quickly became the red dot as well as mounting system by which others are judged. Unfortunately, Glock had the A-CUT and the COA locked up for a year before other manufacturers could start integrating it into their platforms.
I have been pretty vocal on how little I care for Glock, but even I bought two (at full retail from my local gun shop I might add) because they had COAs mounted on them, and it was the only way to get my hands on one.
Aimpoint COA-Equipped Pistols
Now for the good news—no longer can Glock hold shooters hostage—as of mid 2026 there are numerous platforms shooters can get with the A-CUT-mounted COA. Here is a short rundown of what to buy for those like me that dislike Glock.
Keep in mind this is not the entire list of manufacturers offering COA—just a few of the FE favs. As a side note, on Aimpoint’s site, there is a state-by-state list of partners authorized to make an A-CUT on your existing gun, opening up a whole host of other custom offerings.
Springfield Armory
Springfield introduced both the Echelon as well as the 1911 DS Prodigy with an A-CUT this year. The Echelon, if you haven’t shot it yet, is an impressive piece of modern gun chassis striker-fired engineering. Read our initial Echelon review HERE.
The Prodigy, on the other hand, is not a striker-fired gun, but a damn near perfect single-action, double-stack 1911. I have been a fan since I first started shooting and carrying it. I reviewed it HERE with an ACRO. Now with an A-CUT and COA it just makes this already great platform even better.
Smith & Wesson
Smith and Wesson added a COA offering to their M&P M2.0 line. We love the M&P line overall, and the addition of the COA on the metal as well as polymer full-size M&P 2.0 is a great addition. Currently, the guns are for law enforcement only, but surely S&W will extend this option for all.
CZ
We have lauded the CZ P-10 C for a while now as a great EDC option that functions extremely well, fits in the hand and doesn’t break the bank. Now, the P-10 C Ported is available with a COA, making it one of our top choices for affordability meets performance.
Steyr
We have been putting a ton of rounds through the new ATD and ATC line of pistols from Steyr and to say we are impressed is an understatement. Honestly, we can’t say enough good things about these guns, and both iterations have quickly become favorite new pistols for the entire Field Ethos crew.
More full reviews of Steyr pistols are coming shortly, but until then, it should be known that the ATD is currently offered with a A-CUT for COA and are being shipped stateside as we speak. If you are looking for best of the best performance, the Steyr equipped with a COA is the cat’s ass.
This is a great year for shooters looking for a factory optics-equipped offering. I’m sure this list will surely be outdated the moment it is published as more and more manufacturers are integrating the A-CUT into their designs, but for now these are top choices to buy.
