I've always shot iron sights. Got my first red dot for a pistol. It was like entering a cheat code in a video game. The accuracy and increased speed on follow up shots was just amazing.
@@richdubbya Zero them on you iron sights. Just that easy. Really holo red dots are the future. Next we will see night vision or some sort of enchament vision in handguns too. Year of two.
Holosun is just great. I have a 503cu green circle dot (solar too) on a pws mk111. My favorite setup so far. Thinking of getting a primary arms slx 3x microprizm though...
I bought my first Glock. G 19 GEN 5MOS FS. I installed Leupold delta pro red dot. I’m 71 years old and now I’m able to shoot a bull’s-eye in 25 yards. No matter the cost. It is worth it.
Thanks! I've been a gun owner for one year. The only thing scary is trying to select what's right for my needs out of the ocean of products available. Took me 6 months to select my first pistol. Weeding through add-on's & options is daunting as well. Your quick in-depth reviews allow me to visualize what products meet my needs. My wife and I now have three pistols, one dedicated for home defense and two others for everyday carry. Thanks to wonderful people like you and your wife I belive we have made accurate firearm selection and outfitted, or didn't, each of them appropriately for our needs. Thanks for showing us all the cool stuff without all the bullshit.
Home protection: Glock19 gen5, added 33 round mag and grip lazer. Range plinker: Taurus GX4 because it is so similar to Glock, added an optic. This GX4 has a super good fit in my hand. EveryDayCary: Glock 43 because it's so small. Should have gotten the 43X, but didn't because my wife prefers how the 43 handles for her. All three have a Blackhawk IWB holster and +1 at all times.
@@marsmike222 if you haven’t bought glock 17 of 22 for home or Smith and Wesson M&P full size. I agree with the Taurus GX4, Springfield Hellcat, or Sig P365 for the smaller guns. Glocks are super simple to work on anyone can disassemble completely and put together and has the most aftermarket support for accessories. Smith and Wesson has not as much but it’s still very good. The best thing you can do is go to a range get some instruction and try out different models.
If you think you have found the "perfect gun" for you. go to a range where you can rent one, and try it out. You may have found that perfect gun ... or it may just be the best option, with a few flaws
When learning red dot I got a laser training cartridge and would draw from holster and use the timer app. I would be in my room doing that while watching TV or when not doing anything else. I noticed a big improvement everytime I went to the range after getting the training cartridge
This is exactly what I did and continue to do.. best $35 or so I’ve spent as far as value and results go. Plus it can be fun. Seeing your times get better, practicing with AIWB holster as well as OWB holster, and then setting up self defense scenario in your house and playing those out(i know I’m not the only one). Good stuff.
@@Ramsley117 Pink Rhino 9mm laser training cartridge along with a few free apps and a $20 cell phone tripod. The Mantis X app has a few free drills you can run that are timed and there are like 3 or 4 more that I used. You can print the targets and aim your cell phone at it and your phone kind of works like a shot timer and the camera records the hits from the laser cartridge. Beyond that, just using the cartridge without any kind of app or anything helps as well. Make sure you get the correct sight picture coming out of the holster and the laser will pretty much show you exactly where you’re aiming.
I have 6 Romeo 5s. Absolutely incredible. The single reason I'm upgrading is because they don't work with night vision. But yeah, I've been banging mine around for years and they've been incredible.
Wish I could give this three thumbs up. I needed to hear a pro say the pro/cons of things rolling around in my head about red dots for years. Thank you! Looking forward to the sequel on red dot risers and maybe magnification of red dots - both on rifles. The right cheek-weld, riser, eye-relief formula evades me.
I had been with Holosun 507C X2's (ACSS Vulcan reticle) for all of my handguns, but now have gone over to the Swampfox Justice with their 1x27 windows. Every time I present under any condition - there is that dot - no searching. I have been banging them around pretty good for about 4 months and no failures whatsoever.
@@2437omarf I bought under the military discount and paid under $200. I have a justice on my sig P320 40 smith & Wesson and a liberty on my Sig P320 9 mm Zevtec.They have the Ironsides and zero issues!
Say what you want... I have tried them and on a hand gun, I prefer my Crimson Trace grip laser. My Sig 365 xl came with the Romeo zero, and at high noon you just can't see the red dot. Waste of money. I have a 507k on my Dagger and it works fine in bright light. The laser for my 60 year old eyes. For upclose and personal... Laser every time. The Red dot works at much better at 100 yards because you can see it. Not with a laser. For a range gun impressing your brother in law...Works good. For every day CC I like the grip laser. I guess it depends on the distance you are shooting at. Well done video sir.
Bro im i just retired from the military and just returning in firearm’s and in a span of 3 month i bought an AR, shotty, 45 and my new m&p 2.0 competitor. I’ve watch your videos numerous time when i needed guidance and you pretty much covered everything all the time your straight to the point and no gimmicks. Thank you. More power to your channel and stay safe brother.
i have holosuns on every pistol and i can say the only issue i ever had was with one 507C. it wouldn't shut off. it was 3 years old and sent back to holosun. within 3 weeks they sent a brand new replacement and it was the new model with the battery tray. excellent sights and customer service.
@@misgoldman i prefer optics with a better shaped window. i prefer optics with battery replacement without removing the optic. i prefer optics that offer 3 different reticle choices. it's much more savings than $100 or less. everything we buy these days is made in china. good luck with your idea that you only buy American goods. LMFAO
Nice job on the various red dots and the pros and cons. I'm a retired cop and I don't shoot a lot these days. In order to comply with HR218 annual qualification is required to keep the CCW endorsement on your I/D card. I've noticed that my shot groups aren't as tight as they used to be. The rangemaster recommended the red dot sights to tighten up the grouping - he informed me that red dots are authorized for use if the officers want to use them. Quite a change from the old draw/point/shoot days of long ago..LOL So, I'm researching potential "dot" sights for my CCW and possibly my AR and this video was enlightening. Thanks
I know it's not exactly practical for a lot of people but having a dedicated practice gun is a game changer. I edc a G34 most of the time. On my retired G19 I took the irons off and just used it with a dot and dry fire repped finding the dot. That really helps cut the time of training way down, at least for me it did.
Holosun is coming out with a new carry red dot called the eps carry. It's the same size as the 407/507k but is closed emitter so less dust and belly button lint gets in the glass. Also comes with a solar failsafe if the battery fails. Really looking forward to them
Up until about 5 years ago I was in iron sight all the way, and would pretty much out shoot everyone I went to the range with. But then my up close vision started declining (aging eyes) and my accuracy dropped. Being able to see through the sight Is fantastic Since getting red dot I am doing even better than I did before.
I've bought a ton of optics over the past few years. I've just counted all the Holosun products I have, 16 total, and realized I think I'm a little bias because I've had such a good track record with them. I've had really good luck with Holosun, only having had 1 issue, which they replaced immediately, had the rubber button cover come off and stopped the buttons from working. They are my Goto brand.
I have 3, and they have been great. I just like the fact that Holosun has put pressure on other companies to catch up, same thing with Sig. Someone has to take leaps so that everyone else can have the confidence to follow. Holosuns SCS and EPS will probably result in other companies following in their footsteps.
Your patreon support is well earned. I keep ending up on your videos for all various kinds of lingering questions and the analysis is always insightful and helpful!
Test fired a gun with a red dot and got the tightest groups I've ever had. Tested it at longer distances and was the most accurate I've ever been. Immediately purchased a red dot for my edc. It almost feels like cheating.
I like what you said about forgetting where your money is going when you were talking about the Aimpoint. It’s true you really don’t fully appreciate more expensive, higher quality products until you’ve struggled with lower quality counter parts
the 407c gr is imo the best option for a pistol, i went green and cant go back to red. The shake awake is amazing, solar, glass is clearer than an rmr, side battery tray, amazing battery life...and they're $259 ...how can you compete with that. I waiting for holosun to make an sro/rts2 competitor for half the price
I use to look down on the Sig Romeo 5. I have one in my possession right now (its in the fire damaged Tavor video I uploaded) which survived a house fire. Water from the sprinklers system got into the battery compartment & rusted it out a bit, but the optic still works! Needless to say, I was thoroughly impressed. The darn thing can be had for around $100 new & it survived a house fire, thats a win in my book! 👌
As a person who is apart of the getting older club. Who can't see good anymore due to older eyes. All this red dot sight stuff, is just overwhelming. I've always just used my iron sights, that's how I was taught to shoot 50 years ago. I'm trying to learn, but Holy Crap!!!! There are so many different ones to choose from, and a overwhelming amount of information on them. This video helped me a lot, but I'm still lost. Lol thanks outlaw for making a video for someone who's not tactically cool on modern tools.
Having lost a fair amount close vision focus, I switched to a pistol red dot about 2 years ago. I agree with you on the presentation of the sight picture - press to see the dot on press, as opposed to “finding” the dot. Thanks again man! Stoked to hit the range tomorrow with a new toy - Zastava M90. So Stoked.
Thanks mate. Looking for a red dot for a 92X but it's looking like I'm pushing 💩 up hill here in Australia getting a mount to suit the one. Cheers buddy.
I like red dots, especially on rifles. Not so much on pistols, so I opted for a lazar on my cc pistol. Just didn’t like the bulkyness of the pistol when I appendix carry. My lazar is sleek and out of the way and fits my pistol w/o anymore shit added to the slide. That’s just me, some people love them and that’s fine!
My favorite setup: A 1 moa dot gives me 50% better accuracy at 25 yards. I can bring a 12" pattern down to 6". It's faster, for me too, because I'm not trying to do multiple things at the same time - focus front sight, center front sight between rears, hold on target. With the dot, I put it on target and squeeze carefully 😁
As soon as you were ranting about Jeff Bexos money, my mind immediately went to TRS 25 and some of the cheaper Crimson Trace options for rifles. Honestly, all around value for under $100. Giving a shout out to Primary Arms for their LVPO's since you brought it up; another great value.
Love the aems. Big window and reticle of the eotech. Weight and battery life of the aimpoint. Best of both worlds. Took Sage dynamics drop tests like a champ.
Thanks for this video, I think I was one of the peeps that have been asking for it. I'm retired Army(5 combat tours[101ST], used to acogs and m68s only, and this was a vid I needed to see for the civilian side of the house. Much appreciated.
I ended up using the Sig Romeo 5 on just about every rifle that doesn't have a scope. Mainly because of something you didn't mention...the shake awake and auto shut off feature. The dots I had before didn't have the shake awake, but some did have auto shut off. For $118 (on sale), you won't find a better red dot. I only have one handgun with a dot, and it came with the gun (Kimber R7 Mano with the Crimson Trace)
The Holosun 507c is an amazing optic for pistol. The ability to remove the battery without dismounting the optic, is key for me. With this said... you really don't need to change the battery. Like ever. The ability to have a solar panel integral of the optic for battery back-up, is second to none. Can't say enough about them. Great sight window as well.
Not really the case. I have one on my g19 . What I’ve found is when the battery dies, the optic works as long as you are in a lighted area. If it’s dark or even low light, the optic doesn’t work. No reticle at all. Don’t get me wrong. I love the optic. But you gotta keep the battery good because most encounters happen at night and if you don’t have a good battery, the 507 won’t work at night.
Their new optic charges off the solar, so it'll keep charge even in low to no light conditions, and work just fine. If you're interested in such a thing...
I've owned them all and by far hands down best rifle "Red Dot" optic currently available if the new Primary Arms 1x Prism. You won't be disappointed, and if you are, I'll buy it from you to put on another rifle down the road. Not sure of any other way to comment to how freaking good the PA 1x Prism optic is!!!!
You are my go to for all things firearm review. I have years of shooting and some competition experience but this so many new products and weapon systems out there now it’s hard to pic. Your content has been unbelievably helpful with limited funds. Just picked up the m&p 9 4.25 optic ready line, got a holosun 407c and an apex trigger kit. Absolutely love this set up. Thanks again for all your information!
I love my handgun mounted red dots. Yes it took a few range sessions to get used to acquiring the dot right off the draw but dry firing at the house really helped and I still dry fire and shoot the bad guys while watching TV with the wife. It drives her nuts. I love it
I've been doing the same thing for years! Shooting at bad guys while dry fire practicing in the house is a great way to practice, as long as you're working the fundamentals.
Same here, I hated my first one and loved the second one I bought. It was just my silly ass not taking the first one out and practicing with it to get the hang of it. Now I shoot both guns (with different brand red dots on them) just fine and actually have some pretty decent range days with the one I carry. I was so pumped the first time I drew from concealment and got a hit in under a second and a half. At 12 yards even.. I'm sure there are people that do that in their sleep but for me, that's improvement.
@@nsob8897I got so aggravated with the dot on my Glock 19 I threw it against my house, it's brick, and destroyed the dot sight and scratched the gun pretty good. That was a year ago. I haven't picked that gun up since. I went back to carrying my 1911. I'm thinking about getting another dot for my new performance center m&p but can't decide on which one.
Great video. As someone who owns a lot of optics, I believe for most people on a budget, Sig Romeo 5 is the best for rifle. Holosun is the answer for pistols. Trijicon and Aimpoint are both great, but probably not in the budget, nor worth the investment for most people. These days you can get red dots that are cheaper and reliable. Then spend your money on good glass for your magnified optics.
Fully agreed. If you're going to use your iron sights to locate your dot, then you pretty much negate the speed and simplicity advantages that a red dot offers. You may as well just put a bright contrast front sight on your gun and avoid the optic all together.
@@googlechicken I don't have any issue with that as an initial setup step. But I see plenty of people who approach "slaving" their irons as a permanent setup, and that's what I don't agree with.
One optic that you didn't mention in the video that is a good comp to the holosun 407 optics, is the swampfox Sentinel. it uses a bigger battery, has longer battery life, shake awake, pretty much everything besides different reticle options. I have one on my G48 MOS and it is superb.
I got my first red dot sight just last week. I went with a sig sauer romeo 5. Been working great so far. It seemed like the best choice for my budget (under $150) and i got mine for $125. I know imma be rewatching this video when im ready to get another red dot
Honestly I would PERSONALLY trust a holosun 507 on a duty gun. Based on drop tests I’ve seen and my own personal use….. I see zero reason not to trust it on my own duty gun
Another big benefit is that some law enforcement departments have specific rules on only allowing armorers to remove optics. And if you're running an RMR you'd have to have an armorer change your battery. With holosun you get that slick little battery door and insane battery life.
I own several pistol RDS and trust Trijicon Rmr and Holosun for CC use. I also trust the Sig Romeo 5 on defensive rifles (along with Trijicon, Aimpoint and Leupold)
I did the unspeakable and sold a pistol just to get three red dots for three of my pistols. I went Trijicon RMR just because in my opinion, it is the standard. The only thing I don't like is I have to remove the red dot to replace the battery but it's literally maybe once a year. All three are still going strong three years later. Great video outlaw!
My Swampfox Sentinel in manual with Ironsides has been pretty great...and I think you were mislabeling that first dot as being made by them. Fun thing with my crappy eyes is- if I'm not wearing glasses, that 2 MOA dot becomes like 10+. So, workable up close, but oof. I can't really go much higher or I'm effectively just point shooting in a worst case. With that in mind- I own mostly holographics. Few Eotechs and a UH-1. They just work better for my ocular situation.
I have a Leupold propoint on my Walther PDP compact 5. For a little while I thought either I was too stupid to make it work, or I had gotten a bad one. I came real close to pulling it off so I could carry the gun. I gave it some more practice time and low and behold, it started coming together. I'm not ready to carry the thing, but it is getting much better, and I have an appreciation for what they are capable of.
Currently testing the Holosun 507k red, and green dot on my every day carry gun. As I have gotten older, I can no longer see my front site post clearly. But I can see a red dot perfectly fine. So, for you older folks over 45, a red dot is the way to go! I Currently have the red dot 507k on my P365X, and the green dot 507k on my P365XL. I'm currently leaning more towards the red dot than the green dot, but I like both. So the green dot will stay on my out of Florida 10 round max Sig lower, and the red dot on my 12 round to 15 round lower in the state of Florida. The green dot is on my P365XL slide with the P365 regular lower. The red dot is on my P365X with the XL lower. If you're a SIG fan, you just understood everything I wrote. If you didn't, then we can't be FRIENDS! SEMPER FI.
Awesome thank you for talking about your set up. I got a Glock 43X for carry but am not loving it. I want to try a Sig 365X because I prefer the Sig trigger over the Glock. Anyhow, I’m in the research and test phase now, but leaning toward the 365X with a red dot. The recommendation for a Holosun 507K is much appreciated!
I use Burris Fast Fire 3’s on my competition guns. And love them. Battery is easily accessed from top they hold true and have never needed to be reshighted.I’ve competed in knock down steel, Steel Challenge, Bianchi Cup, and Bullseye. I have them on Wheelguns and Semi’s.
I have replaced several Holosun products over the past 3 years and consequently, I will NEVER buy another. The most recent warranty claim was for the HS 407C x2. Holosun turned the warranty claim around promptly (within 3 weeks) but I'm tired of reticles failing after light to moderate use with no mistreatment.
The vortex spitfire 1x prism is an amazing optic for rifles and PCC. With the etched reticle and you can choose red or green. Super crisp glass. Holds zero like a beast. I know this is different from a traditional red dot, but just my 2 cents.
I’m with you on Vortex.. I’m surprised of all of these optics he hasn’t mentioned Vortex. spitfire is a great deal and the Sparc Solar has up to 150,000 hours battery life. On top of that he seems to respect Aaron over @Sage Dynamics and it did very well for him in his review.
@@nated3663 I've never tried the sparc before so can't speak on it. A lot of people seem to like them though. I wish I could use just a regular red dot. I have tried the riton and Bushnell ones. They work great also just can see the dot clearly. So, when I got the prism it was life changing.
Can you try some of the cylee optics for the budget minded people because I see a lot of people torture testing them and they seem to be tough. The torture testing you do is always great
As someone who uses duty guns daily haha Sig and Holosun are great duty optics. I had a Romeo.....3 i think on my ruger 556 for 3 years. No issues. My X compact carries the Romeo Pro 1....again no issues. Both are carried 60+hrs a week.
I have an Aimpoint 5000 on one of my rifles. It’s like 30 years old and still works 100% of the time. To give you some perspective it’s the optic the delta force guys had mounted on the carry handles of their CAR-15’s during the BlackHawk down/battle for Mogadishu deployment.
First time rifle purchaser here. Bought the cmmg banshee in 10mm. Did a ton of research on optics and decided on the Primary Arms 1x prism optic. I couldn’t be happier. Huge window, easy to find the chevron, and tough. Got it on a 2” riser. Highly recommend it!
I have a RiteOn red dot plate-mounted on a pistol, and I've learned that mounting these on a plate that slides onto a rear dovetail is (in my opinion) a mistake. The optic was then mounted fairly high on the pistol and I found that I chased the dot all over the place. This made the gun useful only for range play. My options became find a suppressor height front sight, or get the slide milled for the RD. The optic seems durable enough, and it holds zero well so far, so I decided to have the slide milled. No doubt I'll get a better front sight, but I won't need anything tall.
I’ve had very good luck on handguns with the Swampfox Sentinel. For a closed emitter, the Steiner MPS has been superb. It has the clearest glass and red dot that I have used to date. Thank you very much for this video.
I just got an optics ready 2.0, and my beautiful wife got me an RMR to put on it. It took a minute, but after a few thousand and counting reps, I aquire the dot pretty quick. I can seemingly shoot faster, and accurately.
Ever since i was a kid I’ve always used iron sights but i was diagnosed with a severe stigmatism and it’s made it hard to use iron sights and as of lately I’ve been running the CT RAD on my EDC and i ran the new red dot at the range the other day it is truly a big difference with my stigmatism
I just look at the target and bring the gun up to my eye. Something like a Ruger Mark IV with a RDS definitely helps with training, picking up the dot definitely took me a lot of practice.
Been running a RDS on my MKIV as well. Trying to see if it is worthwhile for me personally to transition on a more substantial handgun. My accuracy is slightly improved with it..... once I get the dot in the window.
I wish there were more good green dots. Green is absolutely better in almost all situations. The human eye is most sensitive to the color green and will pick up the dot much faster. It os also much easier for me to shoot with both eyes open with a green dot. That allows me to maintain as much peripheral vision as possible while focusing on the target. Once you get used to it, you almost don't even need the dot on and can just use the window. At least under 20yrds...
Have an astigmatism. Green is superior to red in that regard, but would honestly prefer a pistol prism sight. Unfortunately none exist to my knowledge.
1) green has inferior battery life 2) green blends in with foliage better. Red there’s less things in the natural environment for it to hide in 3) the fact green dots are easier for the eye to focus on is exactly why I don’t want to use one among other things. I want to focus on my target with a red dot, not my dot. I don’t want my dot to be super obvious to my eye but also no too invisible and red dots at the proper brightness work pretty well, don’t blend in with foliage as much, and havw the best battery life. There’s a reason why green dots aren’t more popular, and good ones at that
HUGE THANKS !!! Deciding on which red dot to buy for self defense handgun and just target shooting rifles is a PAIN! You can't have too much information and your video is a definite help. I am 75 now and the eyesight is not what it used to be so, red dots are an 'almost' must. God Bless
A couple of questions for you. Given that the ACOG has seen military service and has been pretty much bomb proof as well, would you consider Trijicon in the same league as Aimpoint? Also, you haven’t mentioned Vortex at all. I would think that their Crossfire optic would be at least the equivalent as the Bushnell TRS-25 and many of their higher level optics are similar to Primary Arms or Holosun. Have you done any reviews of Vortex optics and if not, will you look at them in the future please?
Really appreciate this video. I'm late to seeing it, but it'll help me outfit future firearms. I bought an EOTech because I actually got to try them all and shot best with that reticle by far. But after showing up to an AR class with a dead battery (and yeah, another student had one to loan me), it all really hit home how important battery life is on a duty rifle. And classes have shown me that the circle with a dot inside isn't all it's cracked up to be. Even on pistols, I change to the single tiny dot now when the optic allows. You lose a little time acquiring sight, but it more than makes up for it in accurate shots. Appreciate all you do on this channel.
I love Green Dots and wish I shot them better than irons. I feel like I’m Mohammad Ali shooting sometimes. I just need to get more range time in. I’ve been shooting irons for over 10 years. I do have a few firearms setup with Green dots so I will get there just thinking too much.
well have you tried making sure your green dot co witnesses with your iron sights to train and then move onto ones that don't co witness worked wonders for me when using a red/green dot
Try to find time for dry fire practice to lock in the muscle memory. I can only get a bullseye at 25 yards if the dot presents as soon as I raise the pistol and then fire. I use a laser bullet and a reactive target. So I know when I'm presenting well and not slapping the trigger. Raange time with live ammo is always better when I've spent an hour dry firing the night before. I have one red (2moa) and one green (vulcan 1 moa ). Beyond 30 yards I use the 32 moa on the red dot.
@@briangreen550 Are you shooting through the wiggle? Try finding your dot and as soon as it's on your POA squeeze the trigger, don't try to hold it until it stops jiggling! Just do a lot more dry fire. Focus on the target, put dot wear you want it.....and squeeze, do it as fast as you can until it comes easier.
This is quite possibly the best review I have ever seen so far. Yes I still have my AimPoint from 2007 on my rifle, bouncing around which one to get for the pistol now that evidently this is a thing haha, thanks for all the info! My only complaint is that I don't recall you mentioning Leopold DeltaPoint pro. Would love to know more about that particular piece.
I have astigmatism, so I had to go with a prism sight for my AR. Ended up with the Sig Bravo 3. Great optic. I love it so much. A little on the heavy side, but it's still great. Some standard red dots can work for me, but very few.
Thank you Brother. You are on your way to another championship trophy year! Amazing reviews. You speak fast but you speak very well and enunciate amazingly at any speed. You say a lot of good information and data in every video and I understand every word spoken. That is highest level presentation skills. Wow. Well done sir.
ALL of my rifles have SIG Romeo 5 XDR's (2+ years same battery). My center fire pistols get Holosun's EXCLUSIVLY!!! I have 3+ year old 508T's that have the original battery and still going strong! I have a Riton red dot on my SIG P322, one year same battery .... Love It!
One point for the 1x Prism red dots. They are supposed to be better for people with a stigmatism. If a traditional red dot is a blur, comma shape, double/tripled, then a prism based red dot should be clearer.
I can’t agree more with your philosophy. I have two Aimpoint T1’s and two T2’s that are on my serious time rifles and all the PCC’s and range guns have SIG Romeo 3’s. The Aimpoints never quit but for the money and having so many SIG’s they have all worked without fail. Trijicon is my choice pistol site and the only issue I had was with the known battery connection problem. Trijicon paid for postage both ways and fixed the issue. I’m glad you left some of the other manufacturers out like vortex. Had two of them and gave one away and the other no one wants. Thank you!
Like my Holosun 508T red dot on my M&P 2.0 10mm and trying to co witness the iron sights and did not hit on target but hit low. Had to just use the red dot to hit the target and forget trying to co witness the optic height iron sights. Live and learn.
This was definitely a love letter to Aimpoint. Trijicon is fine, but 'innovation" is a word hasn't been spoken in their halls for years. They have an amazing design for their RMR that's, unfortunately, patented. Holosun does every single thing you need it to, is durable AF, and their warranty service kicks ass if you do have a problem (most don't). Everything electronic will malfunction at some point. In MOST situations, you're going to want go to Holosun and be done with it. If it's a duty gun then, sure, go Trijicon or Aimpoint, but to spend 1Kish or to have to remove the optic from the pistol to change the battery at this point they're just behind the 8ball and all they're good for IS MIL/LEO duty guns if we're honest. Fact of the matter is that Holosun brings the heat, and to say they aren't is utterly ridiculous. I know Aimpoints are great, and amazing for the money, but they're overpriced for what most used them for. The reliability and durability of Holosun is getting better every day, but let's be honest it's already duty worthy as many are already being duty-use optics. The majority of who you're talking to is not going to isn't going to be in market for an Aimpoint, but they do have their place.
One (big) feature you forgot to mention with the Sig Romeo 5 is on/off motion detection. Battery lasts longer and gives you confidence it will work. If you want to see someone really beat one up watch the Alabama Arsenal video on it. As much as I, and my astigmatism, love my EOTech 517 the battery life is crap. It sits in it’s nice little case now, completely unused. Terrific point, there. Another terrific point: As I now have filled out my rifles with Romeo 5’s, or scopes, I wanted to go to a better red dot on my first line home defense rifle. At first the Holosun AEMS looked terrific but then I noticed that mounting do-dad. It’s the same mount that appeared on the first (Primary Arms) red dot I bought for my first AR in about 2009…which stripped. Crap. I’ve moved the Holosun 510 up the list to take its place if I decide not to save up for a PRO or something (I like the bigger window on the Holosun.).
I used to think a red dot on a pistol was unnecessary. Boy have I changed my mind on that after owning one in a g17 I had. They're easier to see and to use. I was totally wrong.
Same here bud. I always thought a good set of sights was all I needed. Then I got older. Just got my 1st dot a couple of weeks ago for my p2000 and it's a night and day difference.
One thing to note on the holosun optics, there are fairly high end military units in Ukraine (their special forces guys) who have been confirmed to be running holosun's aimpoint clones (most likely the 400 series not the 500) and they really like them. It may not be a prestigious military group, but holosuns are being used in combat as we speak, I'd say holosun falls into that weird category of "good enough" there are unquestionably "better" optics, but the real question is: is better something you require and do you have the budget for it? My Home defense rifle has a holosun 510 on it and I trust it completely, I've run a lot of rounds through it and have never had a single issue, my only minor complaint is I wish I had waited for their enclosed emitter 512 *just* because that's one potential failure point that I just don't even have to worry about (not a significant issue, but that little bit of peace of mind would have been nice)
I've always shot iron sights. Got my first red dot for a pistol. It was like entering a cheat code in a video game. The accuracy and increased speed on follow up shots was just amazing.
Ditto
How do you recommend zeroing in one of these?
@@richdubbya Zero them on you iron sights. Just that easy. Really holo red dots are the future. Next we will see night vision or some sort of enchament vision in handguns too. Year of two.
@@richdubbya use your irons to zero it
Until it gets hung up while trying to draw from concealed.
There's a lot of good gun reviewers on RUclips but, you are one of the best. Thanks for doing a great job!
Everyone I know who watches his reviews says his word makes or breaks a product.
I trust Honest Outlaw more than my mother.
The Holosun ability to change the battery without removing it is a huge plus for me. Plus you can get the 407 for $200 or less.
same. i got the 508t solely because of sage's recommendation. if he says it's good to go, that's enough for me.
Holosun is just great. I have a 503cu green circle dot (solar too) on a pws mk111. My favorite setup so far. Thinking of getting a primary arms slx 3x microprizm though...
Had two Holosun, broke within 6 months~ No thanks~! Trijicon for me, you get what you paid for~ Buy once, cry once~
@@chgofirefighter stop letting your wifes boyfriend play with them and theyll be fine.
@@thefrogking481 SRO is the most fragile optic on the market. Lol
I bought my first Glock. G 19 GEN 5MOS FS. I installed Leupold delta pro red dot. I’m 71 years old and now I’m able to shoot a bull’s-eye in 25 yards. No matter the cost. It is worth it.
🍻
Thanks! I've been a gun owner for one year. The only thing scary is trying to select what's right for my needs out of the ocean of products available. Took me 6 months to select my first pistol. Weeding through add-on's & options is daunting as well. Your quick in-depth reviews allow me to visualize what products meet my needs. My wife and I now have three pistols, one dedicated for home defense and two others for everyday carry. Thanks to wonderful people like you and your wife I belive we have made accurate firearm selection and outfitted, or didn't, each of them appropriately for our needs. Thanks for showing us all the cool stuff without all the bullshit.
On a similar boat here. What three pistols did you decide on?
Home protection: Glock19 gen5, added 33 round mag and grip lazer.
Range plinker: Taurus GX4 because it is so similar to Glock, added an optic. This GX4 has a super good fit in my hand.
EveryDayCary: Glock 43 because it's so small. Should have gotten the 43X, but didn't because my wife prefers how the 43 handles for her.
All three have a Blackhawk IWB holster and +1 at all times.
@@marsmike222 if you haven’t bought glock 17 of 22 for home or Smith and Wesson M&P full size. I agree with the Taurus GX4, Springfield Hellcat, or Sig P365 for the smaller guns. Glocks are super simple to work on anyone can disassemble completely and put together and has the most aftermarket support for accessories. Smith and Wesson has not as much but it’s still very good. The best thing you can do is go to a range get some instruction and try out different models.
Welcome to the gun owner club!
If you think you have found the "perfect gun" for you. go to a range where you can rent one, and try it out. You may have found that perfect gun ... or it may just be the best option, with a few flaws
I love your posts,just a data stream,no stammering,no stumbling,no confused pauses
When learning red dot I got a laser training cartridge and would draw from holster and use the timer app. I would be in my room doing that while watching TV or when not doing anything else. I noticed a big improvement everytime I went to the range after getting the training cartridge
In my humble opinion this is something everyone should do regardless … practice draw and build muscle memory… it’s helps accurate and readiness
This is exactly what I did and continue to do.. best $35 or so I’ve spent as far as value and results go. Plus it can be fun. Seeing your times get better, practicing with AIWB holster as well as OWB holster, and then setting up self defense scenario in your house and playing those out(i know I’m not the only one). Good stuff.
What training cartridge system did you go with?
@@Ramsley117 Pink Rhino 9mm laser training cartridge along with a few free apps and a $20 cell phone tripod. The Mantis X app has a few free drills you can run that are timed and there are like 3 or 4 more that I used. You can print the targets and aim your cell phone at it and your phone kind of works like a shot timer and the camera records the hits from the laser cartridge.
Beyond that, just using the cartridge without any kind of app or anything helps as well. Make sure you get the correct sight picture coming out of the holster and the laser will pretty much show you exactly where you’re aiming.
You've got a talent for getting to the pint, nailing the pros and cons, and the real world honesty is genuine. Thank you!
100% agree. He’s a goat
I have a Sig Romeo 5 on my M&P15. Simple, reliable and cheap. All the things that describes me. Thanks for all the great reviews.
I have 6 Romeo 5s. Absolutely incredible. The single reason I'm upgrading is because they don't work with night vision. But yeah, I've been banging mine around for years and they've been incredible.
Seeing Alabama Arsenal's torture test where he shot one with a shotgun and it still worked sold me.
is the romeo 5 ok for a kel-tec 2000?
@@jamescampbell8845 I don't see why not. It comes with 2 mounting plates that give you options on optic height.
Just put a romeo5 and Juliet3 on my PSA AR, it's just a fantastic bang for buck option
Wish I could give this three thumbs up. I needed to hear a pro say the pro/cons of things rolling around in my head about red dots for years. Thank you! Looking forward to the sequel on red dot risers and maybe magnification of red dots - both on rifles. The right cheek-weld, riser, eye-relief formula evades me.
I had been with Holosun 507C X2's (ACSS Vulcan reticle) for all of my handguns, but now have gone over to the Swampfox Justice with their 1x27 windows. Every time I present under any condition - there is that dot - no searching. I have been banging them around pretty good for about 4 months and no failures whatsoever.
I have had great results with the swampfox justice, liberty, sentinel and kingslayer. Zero issues!
How much is the swampfox?
@@2437omarf I bought under the military discount and paid under $200. I have a justice on my sig P320 40 smith & Wesson and a liberty on my Sig P320 9 mm Zevtec.They have the Ironsides and zero issues!
@@2437omarf 7:19
Say what you want...
I have tried them and on a hand gun, I prefer my Crimson Trace grip laser. My Sig 365 xl came with the Romeo zero, and at high noon you just can't see the red dot. Waste of money. I have a 507k on my Dagger and it works fine in bright light. The laser for my 60 year old eyes. For upclose and personal...
Laser every time.
The Red dot works at much better at 100 yards because you can see it. Not with a laser.
For a range gun impressing your brother in law...Works good.
For every day CC
I like the grip laser.
I guess it depends on the distance you are shooting at.
Well done video sir.
Bro im i just retired from the military and just returning in firearm’s and in a span of 3 month i bought an AR, shotty, 45 and my new m&p 2.0 competitor. I’ve watch your videos numerous time when i needed guidance and you pretty much covered everything all the time your straight to the point and no gimmicks. Thank you. More power to your channel and stay safe brother.
I appreciate your candid and concise comments on all your videos. Absolute pleasure
i have holosuns on every pistol and i can say the only issue i ever had was with one 507C. it wouldn't shut off. it was 3 years old and sent back to holosun. within 3 weeks they sent a brand new replacement and it was the new model with the battery tray. excellent sights and customer service.
what a patriot....Chinese optic to save a hundred bucks or less. sad.
@@misgoldman i prefer optics with a better shaped window. i prefer optics with battery replacement without removing the optic. i prefer optics that offer 3 different reticle choices. it's much more savings than $100 or less. everything we buy these days is made in china. good luck with your idea that you only buy American goods. LMFAO
@@misgoldman Typed out on your Chinese phone or tablet! Hypocrite!😡
@@misgoldman if they’re trustworthy optics, why not
@@gregsido9235lol dang! I felt that one 😂
Nice job on the various red dots and the pros and cons. I'm a retired cop and I don't shoot a lot these days. In order to comply with HR218 annual qualification is required to keep the CCW endorsement on your I/D card. I've noticed that my shot groups aren't as tight as they used to be. The rangemaster recommended the red dot sights to tighten up the grouping - he informed me that red dots are authorized for use if the officers want to use them. Quite a change from the old draw/point/shoot days of long ago..LOL So, I'm researching potential "dot" sights for my CCW and possibly my AR and this video was enlightening. Thanks
2:00 The camera focusing on the gun as soon as you said “acquire that front sight” was some primo production quality.
I was looking in the comments to see if anyone else noticed
Video idea…how do you store all you’re guns for home defense, long term storage and specialty uses. Just a thought. Love the content!
I know it's not exactly practical for a lot of people but having a dedicated practice gun is a game changer. I edc a G34 most of the time. On my retired G19 I took the irons off and just used it with a dot and dry fire repped finding the dot. That really helps cut the time of training way down, at least for me it did.
Holosun is coming out with a new carry red dot called the eps carry. It's the same size as the 407/507k but is closed emitter so less dust and belly button lint gets in the glass. Also comes with a solar failsafe if the battery fails. Really looking forward to them
They like 500 bucks tho 🥶
@@GhassanTheBomb I pre-ordered one (red dot version) for $335 with tax and shipping from Brownells about a week ago.
I stand corrected
Anyone want to buy my 407k?
@@GhassanTheBomb green or red?
Honest Outlaw is my go to for all things red. #savethegingers
Have a 507c GRx2 on my VP9. Very satisfied with it's accuracy, shoot tight groups on 15 ft target. 👍 The green circle dot is beautiful too.
Also rolling with a 509t on a vp9. love it man. had to grab a special adapter plate but boy was it worth it. match made in heaven
Up until about 5 years ago I was in iron sight all the way, and would pretty much out shoot everyone I went to the range with. But then my up close vision started declining (aging eyes) and my accuracy dropped. Being able to see through the sight Is fantastic
Since getting red dot I am doing even better than I did before.
I've bought a ton of optics over the past few years. I've just counted all the Holosun products I have, 16 total, and realized I think I'm a little bias because I've had such a good track record with them. I've had really good luck with Holosun, only having had 1 issue, which they replaced immediately, had the rubber button cover come off and stopped the buttons from working. They are my Goto brand.
Agreed
I run Sig Sauer, Holosun and Primary Arms. Never had a problem with any of them. Good,reliable optics in my opinion.
I have 3, and they have been great. I just like the fact that Holosun has put pressure on other companies to catch up, same thing with Sig. Someone has to take leaps so that everyone else can have the confidence to follow. Holosuns SCS and EPS will probably result in other companies following in their footsteps.
@@Osprey1994 Great point!
Love Holosun!
Been using vortex venom for years on my range guns. Good price point, reliability and excellent warranty.
I'll echo that. Solid.
Ditto
Your patreon support is well earned. I keep ending up on your videos for all various kinds of lingering questions and the analysis is always insightful and helpful!
Test fired a gun with a red dot and got the tightest groups I've ever had. Tested it at longer distances and was the most accurate I've ever been. Immediately purchased a red dot for my edc. It almost feels like cheating.
What do you do about holstering with a red dot
Had the exact same experience this weekend. Immediately went and bought a mos 19 and I have Holosun 509 on the way
@@ryanwatson4441 what footprint does the 509 have? i have a 508, and was thinking about putting a 509 on a build i'm doing.
first time i shot with one, i was shooting hella low, but the the group was essentially one hole.
I performed worse because I have severe astigmatism
I like what you said about forgetting where your money is going when you were talking about the Aimpoint. It’s true you really don’t fully appreciate more expensive, higher quality products until you’ve struggled with lower quality counter parts
the 407c gr is imo the best option for a pistol, i went green and cant go back to red. The shake awake is amazing, solar, glass is clearer than an rmr, side battery tray, amazing battery life...and they're $259
...how can you compete with that. I waiting for holosun to make an sro/rts2 competitor for half the price
As always, thanks for just coming right out and saying it.
I use to look down on the Sig Romeo 5. I have one in my possession right now (its in the fire damaged Tavor video I uploaded) which survived a house fire. Water from the sprinklers system got into the battery compartment & rusted it out a bit, but the optic still works! Needless to say, I was thoroughly impressed. The darn thing can be had for around $100 new & it survived a house fire, thats a win in my book! 👌
I’ve had one for a few years and I’m extremely pleased
My SIG red dot is phenomenal...I luv it !
I don’t think the Romeo5 can be beat at it’s price point. 2 MOA dot, shake awake, good battery life.
Thanks for putting this together. I recently purchased a Springfield Armory Echelon and the information presented here was very helpful!
I have come to love holosun sights for the easy battery replacement decent price and great build quality.
As a person who is apart of the getting older club. Who can't see good anymore due to older eyes. All this red dot sight stuff, is just overwhelming. I've always just used my iron sights, that's how I was taught to shoot 50 years ago. I'm trying to learn, but Holy Crap!!!! There are so many different ones to choose from, and a overwhelming amount of information on them. This video helped me a lot, but I'm still lost. Lol thanks outlaw for making a video for someone who's not tactically cool on modern tools.
Having lost a fair amount close vision focus, I switched to a pistol red dot about 2 years ago. I agree with you on the presentation of the sight picture - press to see the dot on press, as opposed to “finding” the dot.
Thanks again man! Stoked to hit the range tomorrow with a new toy - Zastava M90. So Stoked.
Thanks mate.
Looking for a red dot for a 92X but it's looking like I'm pushing 💩 up hill here in Australia getting a mount to suit the one.
Cheers buddy.
I like red dots, especially on rifles. Not so much on pistols, so I opted for a lazar on my cc pistol. Just didn’t like the bulkyness of the pistol when I appendix carry. My lazar is sleek and out of the way and fits my pistol w/o anymore shit added to the slide.
That’s just me, some people love them and that’s fine!
Thanks
My favorite setup:
A 1 moa dot gives me 50% better accuracy at 25 yards. I can bring a 12" pattern down to 6". It's faster, for me too, because I'm not trying to do multiple things at the same time - focus front sight, center front sight between rears, hold on target. With the dot, I put it on target and squeeze carefully 😁
you shooting someone at 25 yards you got bigger issues than what size dot you prefer.
@@misgoldman there is more to life than 2 legged targets.
As soon as you were ranting about Jeff Bexos money, my mind immediately went to TRS 25 and some of the cheaper Crimson Trace options for rifles. Honestly, all around value for under $100. Giving a shout out to Primary Arms for their LVPO's since you brought it up; another great value.
Love the aems. Big window and reticle of the eotech. Weight and battery life of the aimpoint. Best of both worlds.
Took Sage dynamics drop tests like a champ.
Thanks for this video, I think I was one of the peeps that have been asking for it. I'm retired Army(5 combat tours[101ST], used to acogs and m68s only, and this was a vid I needed to see for the civilian side of the house. Much appreciated.
I ended up using the Sig Romeo 5 on just about every rifle that doesn't have a scope. Mainly because of something you didn't mention...the shake awake and auto shut off feature. The dots I had before didn't have the shake awake, but some did have auto shut off. For $118 (on sale), you won't find a better red dot. I only have one handgun with a dot, and it came with the gun (Kimber R7 Mano with the Crimson Trace)
100%
ACSS reticle is a big help with acquiring the dot/chevron on pistol. Swampfox Liberty with ironsides is plenty durable and reliable at a nice price.
The Holosun 507c is an amazing optic for pistol. The ability to remove the battery without dismounting the optic, is key for me. With this said... you really don't need to change the battery. Like ever. The ability to have a solar panel integral of the optic for battery back-up, is second to none. Can't say enough about them. Great sight window as well.
Not really the case. I have one on my g19 . What I’ve found is when the battery dies, the optic works as long as you are in a lighted area. If it’s dark or even low light, the optic doesn’t work. No reticle at all. Don’t get me wrong. I love the optic. But you gotta keep the battery good because most encounters happen at night and if you don’t have a good battery, the 507 won’t work at night.
Their new optic charges off the solar, so it'll keep charge even in low to no light conditions, and work just fine. If you're interested in such a thing...
Thanks!
I've owned them all and by far hands down best rifle "Red Dot" optic currently available if the new Primary Arms 1x Prism. You won't be disappointed, and if you are, I'll buy it from you to put on another rifle down the road. Not sure of any other way to comment to how freaking good the PA 1x Prism optic is!!!!
The best optic on earth is likely a Aimpoint Comp M4 for rifles, and a Trijicon for pistols.
There's a reason all others are comparred to them.
@@thefrogking481 Have you used the new PA 1x Prism Optic? If not, you will see why the Aim Point is no longer top optic for a rifle.
You are my go to for all things firearm review. I have years of shooting and some competition experience but this so many new products and weapon systems out there now it’s hard to pic. Your content has been unbelievably helpful with limited funds. Just picked up the m&p 9 4.25 optic ready line, got a holosun 407c and an apex trigger kit. Absolutely love this set up. Thanks again for all your information!
I love my handgun mounted red dots. Yes it took a few range sessions to get used to acquiring the dot right off the draw but dry firing at the house really helped and I still dry fire and shoot the bad guys while watching TV with the wife. It drives her nuts. I love it
I wait until the wife goes to bed and dry fire with a laser bullet and reactive target. I love my wife.
That is hilarious. Love it.
I've been doing the same thing for years! Shooting at bad guys while dry fire practicing in the house is a great way to practice, as long as you're working the fundamentals.
Same here, I hated my first one and loved the second one I bought. It was just my silly ass not taking the first one out and practicing with it to get the hang of it.
Now I shoot both guns (with different brand red dots on them) just fine and actually have some pretty decent range days with the one I carry. I was so pumped the first time I drew from concealment and got a hit in under a second and a half. At 12 yards even..
I'm sure there are people that do that in their sleep but for me, that's improvement.
@@nsob8897I got so aggravated with the dot on my Glock 19 I threw it against my house, it's brick, and destroyed the dot sight and scratched the gun pretty good. That was a year ago. I haven't picked that gun up since. I went back to carrying my 1911. I'm thinking about getting another dot for my new performance center m&p but can't decide on which one.
Great video. As someone who owns a lot of optics, I believe for most people on a budget, Sig Romeo 5 is the best for rifle. Holosun is the answer for pistols.
Trijicon and Aimpoint are both great, but probably not in the budget, nor worth the investment for most people. These days you can get red dots that are cheaper and reliable. Then spend your money on good glass for your magnified optics.
Fully agreed. If you're going to use your iron sights to locate your dot, then you pretty much negate the speed and simplicity advantages that a red dot offers. You may as well just put a bright contrast front sight on your gun and avoid the optic all together.
Slaving your optic to your iron sights is supposed to be a starting point that gets you in the ballpark and then you fine tune it from there
@@googlechicken I don't have any issue with that as an initial setup step. But I see plenty of people who approach "slaving" their irons as a permanent setup, and that's what I don't agree with.
One optic that you didn't mention in the video that is a good comp to the holosun 407 optics, is the swampfox Sentinel. it uses a bigger battery, has longer battery life, shake awake, pretty much everything besides different reticle options. I have one on my G48 MOS and it is superb.
I got my first red dot sight just last week. I went with a sig sauer romeo 5. Been working great so far. It seemed like the best choice for my budget (under $150) and i got mine for $125.
I know imma be rewatching this video when im ready to get another red dot
I have a few Romeo 5 and love them! Can’t beat for the price!
I put a Riton Optics on a Smith Wesson M&P 10MM, its been great so far, auto brightness adjust, 50,000 hours, we will see how long it lasts.
Honestly I would PERSONALLY trust a holosun 507 on a duty gun. Based on drop tests I’ve seen and my own personal use….. I see zero reason not to trust it on my own duty gun
Another big benefit is that some law enforcement departments have specific rules on only allowing armorers to remove optics.
And if you're running an RMR you'd have to have an armorer change your battery.
With holosun you get that slick little battery door and insane battery life.
I know of a department in AZ that allows holosuns as both rifle and pistol optics for duty use.
I own several pistol RDS and trust Trijicon Rmr and Holosun for CC use. I also trust the Sig Romeo 5 on defensive rifles (along with Trijicon, Aimpoint and Leupold)
I did the unspeakable and sold a pistol just to get three red dots for three of my pistols. I went Trijicon RMR just because in my opinion, it is the standard. The only thing I don't like is I have to remove the red dot to replace the battery but it's literally maybe once a year. All three are still going strong three years later. Great video outlaw!
My Swampfox Sentinel in manual with Ironsides has been pretty great...and I think you were mislabeling that first dot as being made by them.
Fun thing with my crappy eyes is- if I'm not wearing glasses, that 2 MOA dot becomes like 10+. So, workable up close, but oof. I can't really go much higher or I'm effectively just point shooting in a worst case.
With that in mind- I own mostly holographics. Few Eotechs and a UH-1. They just work better for my ocular situation.
I have a Leupold propoint on my Walther PDP compact 5. For a little while I thought either I was too stupid to make it work, or I had gotten a bad one. I came real close to pulling it off so I could carry the gun. I gave it some more practice time and low and behold, it started coming together. I'm not ready to carry the thing, but it is getting much better, and I have an appreciation for what they are capable of.
Currently testing the Holosun 507k red, and green dot on my every day carry gun. As I have gotten older, I can no longer see my front site post clearly. But I can see a red dot perfectly fine. So, for you older folks over 45, a red dot is the way to go! I Currently have the red dot 507k on my P365X, and the green dot 507k on my P365XL. I'm currently leaning more towards the red dot than the green dot, but I like both. So the green dot will stay on my out of Florida 10 round max Sig lower, and the red dot on my 12 round to 15 round lower in the state of Florida. The green dot is on my P365XL slide with the P365 regular lower. The red dot is on my P365X with the XL lower. If you're a SIG fan, you just understood everything I wrote. If you didn't, then we can't be FRIENDS! SEMPER FI.
Awesome thank you for talking about your set up. I got a Glock 43X for carry but am not loving it. I want to try a Sig 365X because I prefer the Sig trigger over the Glock. Anyhow, I’m in the research and test phase now, but leaning toward the 365X with a red dot. The recommendation for a Holosun 507K is much appreciated!
⁰9
I use Burris Fast Fire 3’s on my competition guns. And love them. Battery is easily accessed from top they hold true and have never needed to be reshighted.I’ve competed in knock down steel, Steel Challenge, Bianchi Cup, and Bullseye. I have them on Wheelguns and Semi’s.
I have replaced several Holosun products over the past 3 years and consequently, I will NEVER buy another. The most recent warranty claim was for the HS 407C x2. Holosun turned the warranty claim around promptly (within 3 weeks) but I'm tired of reticles failing after light to moderate use with no mistreatment.
as an old(er) new shooter who jjust bought a couple 22s, this channel helps alot
The vortex spitfire 1x prism is an amazing optic for rifles and PCC. With the etched reticle and you can choose red or green. Super crisp glass. Holds zero like a beast. I know this is different from a traditional red dot, but just my 2 cents.
I’m with you on Vortex.. I’m surprised of all of these optics he hasn’t mentioned Vortex. spitfire is a great deal and the Sparc Solar has up to 150,000 hours battery life. On top of that he seems to respect Aaron over @Sage Dynamics and it did very well for him in his review.
@@nated3663 I've never tried the sparc before so can't speak on it. A lot of people seem to like them though. I wish I could use just a regular red dot. I have tried the riton and Bushnell ones. They work great also just can see the dot clearly. So, when I got the prism it was life changing.
Can you try some of the cylee optics for the budget minded people because I see a lot of people torture testing them and they seem to be tough. The torture testing you do is always great
Watching Modern Samurai Project videos convinced me to start using red dots on my pistols
As someone who uses duty guns daily haha Sig and Holosun are great duty optics. I had a Romeo.....3 i think on my ruger 556 for 3 years. No issues. My X compact carries the Romeo Pro 1....again no issues. Both are carried 60+hrs a week.
I'm surprised to not see any Vortex products on this review. I've had great experiences with their rifle red dots, and they don't cost a fortune.
I have an Aimpoint 5000 on one of my rifles. It’s like 30 years old and still works 100% of the time. To give you some perspective it’s the optic the delta force guys had mounted on the carry handles of their CAR-15’s during the BlackHawk down/battle for Mogadishu deployment.
A red dot makes me shoot as well as I wish I could with iron sites
Me too! Thanks to a few YT guys. Outlaw being one for sure.
First time rifle purchaser here. Bought the cmmg banshee in 10mm. Did a ton of research on optics and decided on the Primary Arms 1x prism optic. I couldn’t be happier. Huge window, easy to find the chevron, and tough. Got it on a 2” riser. Highly recommend it!
That's not a rifle, it's a pistol caliber carbine. A rifle shoots rifle cartridges.
I have a RiteOn red dot plate-mounted on a pistol, and I've learned that mounting these on a plate that slides onto a rear dovetail is (in my opinion) a mistake. The optic was then mounted fairly high on the pistol and I found that I chased the dot all over the place. This made the gun useful only for range play. My options became find a suppressor height front sight, or get the slide milled for the RD. The optic seems durable enough, and it holds zero well so far, so I decided to have the slide milled. No doubt I'll get a better front sight, but I won't need anything tall.
I’ve had very good luck on handguns with the Swampfox Sentinel. For a closed emitter, the Steiner MPS has been superb. It has the clearest glass and red dot that I have used to date. Thank you very much for this video.
I just got an optics ready 2.0, and my beautiful wife got me an RMR to put on it. It took a minute, but after a few thousand and counting reps, I aquire the dot pretty quick. I can seemingly shoot faster, and accurately.
Ever since i was a kid I’ve always used iron sights but i was diagnosed with a severe stigmatism and it’s made it hard to use iron sights and as of lately I’ve been running the CT RAD on my EDC and i ran the new red dot at the range the other day it is truly a big difference with my stigmatism
I just look at the target and bring the gun up to my eye. Something like a Ruger Mark IV with a RDS definitely helps with training, picking up the dot definitely took me a lot of practice.
Been running a RDS on my MKIV as well. Trying to see if it is worthwhile for me personally to transition on a more substantial handgun. My accuracy is slightly improved with it..... once I get the dot in the window.
With older eyes such as mine I find green dot is better all around. My edc has a Holosun 507 c green. Absolutely love it👍😁
I wish there were more good green dots. Green is absolutely better in almost all situations. The human eye is most sensitive to the color green and will pick up the dot much faster. It os also much easier for me to shoot with both eyes open with a green dot. That allows me to maintain as much peripheral vision as possible while focusing on the target. Once you get used to it, you almost don't even need the dot on and can just use the window. At least under 20yrds...
Have an astigmatism. Green is superior to red in that regard, but would honestly prefer a pistol prism sight. Unfortunately none exist to my knowledge.
1) green has inferior battery life
2) green blends in with foliage better. Red there’s less things in the natural environment for it to hide in
3) the fact green dots are easier for the eye to focus on is exactly why I don’t want to use one among other things. I want to focus on my target with a red dot, not my dot. I don’t want my dot to be super obvious to my eye but also no too invisible and red dots at the proper brightness work pretty well, don’t blend in with foliage as much, and havw the best battery life. There’s a reason why green dots aren’t more popular, and good ones at that
@@georgekromidas5097red is inferior in bright mid day sun
HUGE THANKS !!! Deciding on which red dot to buy for self defense handgun and just target shooting rifles is a PAIN! You can't have too much information and your video is a definite help. I am 75 now and the eyesight is not what it used to be so, red dots are an 'almost' must.
God Bless
A couple of questions for you. Given that the ACOG has seen military service and has been pretty much bomb proof as well, would you consider Trijicon in the same league as Aimpoint? Also, you haven’t mentioned Vortex at all. I would think that their Crossfire optic would be at least the equivalent as the Bushnell TRS-25 and many of their higher level optics are similar to Primary Arms or Holosun. Have you done any reviews of Vortex optics and if not, will you look at them in the future please?
I’m running a Leupold Delta Point Pro 2.5 moa on a Canik Elite Combat and I absolutely love the pairing of the two.
Holosun 507c x2 Vulcan from primary arms 🤘🔥
Really appreciate this video. I'm late to seeing it, but it'll help me outfit future firearms. I bought an EOTech because I actually got to try them all and shot best with that reticle by far. But after showing up to an AR class with a dead battery (and yeah, another student had one to loan me), it all really hit home how important battery life is on a duty rifle. And classes have shown me that the circle with a dot inside isn't all it's cracked up to be. Even on pistols, I change to the single tiny dot now when the optic allows. You lose a little time acquiring sight, but it more than makes up for it in accurate shots. Appreciate all you do on this channel.
That first optic is not a Swampfox, the Swampfox hold battery very well
Thank you! Looked all over for it and couldn't find anything...it's a SOUSA...$160 on OP.
This is why I come to this channel. I'm a novice with red dot and want to put one on my Canik Rival and Walther PDP for training
I love Green Dots and wish I shot them better than irons. I feel like I’m Mohammad Ali shooting sometimes. I just need to get more range time in. I’ve been shooting irons for over 10 years. I do have a few firearms setup with Green dots so I will get there just thinking too much.
well have you tried making sure your green dot co witnesses with your iron sights to train and then move onto ones that don't co witness worked wonders for me when using a red/green dot
@@andrewszerbiak7330 Yes they all are co-witnessed. I just focus too much on lining it up. Over think it at the end of the day.
Try to find time for dry fire practice to lock in the muscle memory. I can only get a bullseye at 25 yards if the dot presents as soon as I raise the pistol and then fire. I use a laser bullet and a reactive target. So I know when I'm presenting well and not slapping the trigger. Raange time with live ammo is always better when I've spent an hour dry firing the night before. I have one red (2moa) and one green (vulcan 1 moa ). Beyond 30 yards I use the 32 moa on the red dot.
@@briangreen550 ah yeah I used to do that all the time too. Terrible and bad habit that's hard to break
@@briangreen550 Are you shooting through the wiggle? Try finding your dot and as soon as it's on your POA squeeze the trigger, don't try to hold it until it stops jiggling! Just do a lot more dry fire. Focus on the target, put dot wear you want it.....and squeeze, do it as fast as you can until it comes easier.
This is quite possibly the best review I have ever seen so far. Yes I still have my AimPoint from 2007 on my rifle, bouncing around which one to get for the pistol now that evidently this is a thing haha, thanks for all the info! My only complaint is that I don't recall you mentioning Leopold DeltaPoint pro. Would love to know more about that particular piece.
I have astigmatism, so I had to go with a prism sight for my AR.
Ended up with the Sig Bravo 3. Great optic. I love it so much. A little on the heavy side, but it's still great.
Some standard red dots can work for me, but very few.
Thank you Brother. You are on your way to another championship trophy year! Amazing reviews. You speak fast but you speak very well and enunciate amazingly at any speed. You say a lot of good information and data in every video and I understand every word spoken. That is highest level presentation skills. Wow. Well done sir.
When You Buy The $400 Sight
Before You Install It And Strip Out That $0.03 Screw
Go To Hardware And Purchase A $0.50 Screw.
ALL of my rifles have SIG Romeo 5 XDR's (2+ years same battery). My center fire pistols get Holosun's EXCLUSIVLY!!! I have 3+ year old 508T's that have the original battery and still going strong! I have a Riton red dot on my SIG P322, one year same battery .... Love It!
One point for the 1x Prism red dots. They are supposed to be better for people with a stigmatism. If a traditional red dot is a blur, comma shape, double/tripled, then a prism based red dot should be clearer.
What model please? Pistol? Rifle? Thanks.
@@tomleonard4895 it is about how prism optics are made not specific models.
I can’t agree more with your philosophy. I have two Aimpoint T1’s and two T2’s that are on my serious time rifles and all the PCC’s and range guns have SIG Romeo 3’s. The Aimpoints never quit but for the money and having so many SIG’s they have all worked without fail. Trijicon is my choice pistol site and the only issue I had was with the known battery connection problem. Trijicon paid for postage both ways and fixed the issue. I’m glad you left some of the other manufacturers out like vortex. Had two of them and gave one away and the other no one wants. Thank you!
vortex is certainly superior to Riton….
Keep in mind that if you r handgun has a loaded chamber indicator , crap get on the red dot while shooting
Like my Holosun 508T red dot on my M&P 2.0 10mm and trying to co witness the iron sights and did not hit on target but hit low. Had to just use the red dot to hit the target and forget trying to co witness the optic height iron sights. Live and learn.
This was definitely a love letter to Aimpoint. Trijicon is fine, but 'innovation" is a word hasn't been spoken in their halls for years. They have an amazing design for their RMR that's, unfortunately, patented. Holosun does every single thing you need it to, is durable AF, and their warranty service kicks ass if you do have a problem (most don't). Everything electronic will malfunction at some point. In MOST situations, you're going to want go to Holosun and be done with it. If it's a duty gun then, sure, go Trijicon or Aimpoint, but to spend 1Kish or to have to remove the optic from the pistol to change the battery at this point they're just behind the 8ball and all they're good for IS MIL/LEO duty guns if we're honest. Fact of the matter is that Holosun brings the heat, and to say they aren't is utterly ridiculous. I know Aimpoints are great, and amazing for the money, but they're overpriced for what most used them for. The reliability and durability of Holosun is getting better every day, but let's be honest it's already duty worthy as many are already being duty-use optics.
The majority of who you're talking to is not going to isn't going to be in market for an Aimpoint, but they do have their place.
A 403R will be more than good enough for 98% of civilians at 1/4 the price of a T2… particularly if it’s your secondary sighting system
Plus, the Chinese Communist Party loves taking your money.
Love your channel. Super honest stuff… massive respect from South Africa and South African’s alike.
Holosun is blowing everyone out of the water between features, quality, and price points.
One (big) feature you forgot to mention with the Sig Romeo 5 is on/off motion detection. Battery lasts longer and gives you confidence it will work. If you want to see someone really beat one up watch the Alabama Arsenal video on it.
As much as I, and my astigmatism, love my EOTech 517 the battery life is crap. It sits in it’s nice little case now, completely unused. Terrific point, there.
Another terrific point: As I now have filled out my rifles with Romeo 5’s, or scopes, I wanted to go to a better red dot on my first line home defense rifle. At first the Holosun AEMS looked terrific but then I noticed that mounting do-dad. It’s the same mount that appeared on the first (Primary Arms) red dot I bought for my first AR in about 2009…which stripped. Crap. I’ve moved the Holosun 510 up the list to take its place if I decide not to save up for a PRO or something (I like the bigger window on the Holosun.).
I used to think a red dot on a pistol was unnecessary. Boy have I changed my mind on that after owning one in a g17 I had. They're easier to see and to use. I was totally wrong.
Same here bud. I always thought a good set of sights was all I needed. Then I got older. Just got my 1st dot a couple of weeks ago for my p2000 and it's a night and day difference.
Have to agree with you I bashed it all the time but my brother let me shoot his PDP with an optic and wow. I’m definitely saving up to buy one.
One thing to note on the holosun optics, there are fairly high end military units in Ukraine (their special forces guys) who have been confirmed to be running holosun's aimpoint clones (most likely the 400 series not the 500) and they really like them.
It may not be a prestigious military group, but holosuns are being used in combat as we speak, I'd say holosun falls into that weird category of "good enough" there are unquestionably "better" optics, but the real question is: is better something you require and do you have the budget for it?
My Home defense rifle has a holosun 510 on it and I trust it completely, I've run a lot of rounds through it and have never had a single issue, my only minor complaint is I wish I had waited for their enclosed emitter 512 *just* because that's one potential failure point that I just don't even have to worry about (not a significant issue, but that little bit of peace of mind would have been nice)