Finest Pistol Crimson Dots, Examined and Reviewed

A decade in the past, pistol purple dots have been little greater than a novelty for the typical shooter. If you happen to weren’t making an attempt to attain dominance on the Metal Problem whereas capturing one thing like a tricked-out Caspian 1911 comp gun in .38 Tremendous, you didn’t have a lot use for a purple dot. Issues have modified.

The idea of utilizing a reflex or projected purple dot sight for a pistol was at all times a very good one, however the know-how wasn’t superior sufficient to make them sensible for the on a regular basis shooter. The sights weren’t compact or sturdy sufficient for carry-gun use. A few of the outdated competitors pistol purple dots are bigger than what many shooters have on their carbines right this moment. One other problem for would-be red-dot shooters was mounting the optics. Any normal carry pistol needed to be customized milled, drilled, and tapped to host a purple dot sight. 

As rugged and compact pistol purple dots, led by the Trijicon RMR, trickled onto the market, extra shooters started adopting them. Inside the previous few years, the market has exploded, and lots of pistols ship in optics-ready configurations as a normal. Taking pictures pistols with purple dots has a studying curve however with observe, in comparison with iron sights, most good purple dots may help an individual intention faster and shoot extra precisely. Up to date pistol purple dots are rugged, dependable, versatile, and sport an extended battery life. Every has its execs and cons, however a broad market means plenty of decisions for you.

Finest Pistol Crimson Dots: Opinions & Suggestions

Finest General: Trijicon RMR Sort 2

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Key Options

• Weight: 1.2 ounces
• Goal Lens Measurement: .83 x .63 inches
• Reticle: 1, 3.25, or 6 MOA dot
• Adjustment: Eight settings, two for evening imaginative and prescient
• Battery Life: 4 years
• Battery: CR 2032

Professionals

• Constructed for arduous use
• Good ergonomics
• Nice engineering

Cons

After spending months testing the perfect pistol red-dots, I needed to decide one because the winner. It’s a Sophie’s Alternative situation for positive—however guidelines are guidelines, and the Trijicon RMR Sort 2 bought the nod as the general finest purple dot sight. The Trijicon RMR Sort 2’s distinctive options set it aside from the remainder of the sphere and justify its lofty price ticket.

For starters it’s troublesome to search out something to criticize about this sight, apart from maybe its value. However you get what you pay for, and whenever you slap your cash down for one in every of these, you’re getting a hell of a unit.

The RMR sights have a few distinctive options in comparison with the remainder of the sphere. One is the drain holes on both facet of the housing that preserve water and different particles from amassing across the emitter. The opposite is the curious form of the housing, with its concave prime. Each these parts trace towards the tip customers that Trijicon had in thoughts when creating the sights: severe professionals who depend on them for his or her lives.

The utility of the drain ports is clear. Whether or not Marines are on patrol in a swamp or a Particular Operations unit is utilizing scuba gear, they need their sights to be clear and good to go always. The form of the housing mitigates arduous impacts and protects the glass from harm. The Trijicon RMR Sort 2 is rated waterproof to twenty meters (66 ft).

There are a pair dozen completely different variants of the Sort 2 to choose from with varied mounting techniques and dot sizes. It may be had with 1, 3.25, or 6.5 MOA dots. Mine, a 3.25 MOA dot, is brilliant and crisp. The unit has minimal optical distortion (although the glass does have a noticeable blue tinge), eight brightness settings to choose from (together with two for evening imaginative and prescient), and a four-year run time from a CR 2032 battery. If desired, the sight may be set to an automated mode that adjusts reticle brightness primarily based on ambient mild.

If you happen to’re searching for a pistol or small arms sight that may do all of it—private safety, hid carry, goal capturing, searching—the RMR Sort 2 is it.

Finest Enclosed Emitter: Aimpoint ACRO P-2

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Key Options

• Weight: 2.1 ounces
• Goal Lens Measurement: 15x15mm
• Reticle: 3.5 MOA dot
• Changes: 10 settings, 4 for NV
• Battery Life: 50,000 hours        
• Battery: CR 2032

Professionals 

• Extraordinarily rugged
• Nice optical readability
• Wonderful ergonomics

Cons

After I was placing collectively a brand new handgun for bear safety, I topped it with this sight. The Aimpoint ACRO P-2 checks all of the containers I want and excels by way of reliability and survivability.

The primary advantage of an enclosed emitter is that it is protected against the surroundings. I spend loads of time in grizzly nation, each within the mountains and in low-lying river bottoms. Between the snow that’s typical at elevation and the mud and particles that’s a part of any river system, there are loads of methods for a purple dot to get clogged with gunk. The ACRO P-2 has flat home windows on both facet of the unit that may simply be wiped with a shirt sleeve to clear the glass.

The ACRO additionally has best-in-class waterproofing. It’s submersible to 35 meters (115 ft) so you possibly can dunk it with out harming it in any method. The P-2 additionally has a lot improved battery life over the unique ACRO and might ship as much as 5 years of service on a single CR 2032.

The three.5 MOA dot has spherical, crisp edges, although when the depth stage is jacked as much as the max (there are 10 settings, 4 of that are for evening imaginative and prescient), the dot has a good bit of blooming. On the plus facet, there isn’t any lighting state of affairs the place the ACRO’s dot will wash out. The buttons that management the dot depth give very optimistic suggestions, which permits them to be manipulated whereas carrying gloves.

The optical readability of the unit is among the many finest within the discipline. There may be little or no coloration distortion and no optical distortion whereas trying by the sight. Choosing up the dot and recovering it whereas capturing is a snap. It is extremely forgiving.

All this efficiency, nonetheless, comes at a price. The ACRO P-2 is among the many most costly purple dots on the market, however it’s a severe professional-grade device that’s nicely price it.

Finest for Aggressive Taking pictures: Trijicon SRO

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Key Options

• Weight: 1.6 ounces
• Goal Lens Measurement: 26mm
• Reticle: 1, 2.5 or 5 MOA dot
• Adjustment: Eight brightness ranges, two for evening imaginative and prescient
• Battery Life: 3 years
• Battery: CR 2032

Professionals 

• Beneficiant sized goal lens
• Nice ergonomics
• Powerful

Cons

Trying by the Trijicon SRO is like staring out of a giant image window with mountain views. It’s a factor of magnificence. The generously sized goal lens measures 26 mm in diameter making it simple to search out and reacquire the dot throughout speedy capturing. That high quality is an enormous a part of the explanation why the SRO is my best choice for competitors. Along with that’s the bomb-proof development and top-notch engineering of all Trijicon’s finest pistol purple dots.

The SRO is obtainable with three sized dots relying in your wants: 1 MOA, 2.5 MOA, or 5 MOA. I opted for the two.5 MOA mannequin, which strikes a terrific steadiness between measurement and precision and handles any capturing chore nicely.

For a bigger sight, the SRO manages to take a seat comparatively low on the slide. That makes sighting by the window that a lot quicker and helps the sight co-witness with irons extra simply.

The SRO has a tiny little bit of optical distortion, however not sufficient to detract from the sight’s efficiency. The truth is, with its giant goal lens, the SRO dealt with monitoring and goal transitions higher than every other red-dot within the take a look at.

The ergonomics on the unit are fabulous as nicely. The windage and elevation adjusters have medium-sized slots that may accommodate an everyday screwdriver bit or skinny coin and supply optimistic suggestions with every click on. The sight has 150 MOA of w/e journey with every click on transferring the sight 1 MOA. The battery tray is simple to entry and doesn’t need to be faraway from the pistol when placing in a brand new one.

It has eight brightness ranges, two of that are for evening imaginative and prescient. The sight may be set to robotically alter brightness ranges as nicely when you select.

And, for these of you who wish to take your weapons underwater, the SRO is rated waterproof to a few meters (10 ft) and has drain holes within the facet of the housing.

Finest Compact Enclosed Emitter: Holosun EPS Carry

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Key Options

• Weight: 1 ounce
• RMS Protect Footprint
• Battery: CR1620
• Max Battery Life: 5,000 hours
• Size: 1.62 inches
• Width: .95 inches
• Top: 1.07 inches
• Window Measurement: .58 x .77 inches
• Eight brightness settings and 4 evening imaginative and prescient settings
• Dot Measurement: 2 moa, 6 moa, 2 moa dot with 32 moa ring 
• Crimson or inexperienced reticles obtainable 

Professionals

• Vibrant, crisp dot
• Straightforward to alter battery
• Good choice for hid carry or turkey gun

Cons

• Can bloom if setting is just too brilliant

The Holosun EPS Carry mounts on weapons with RMSc, Holosun Okay, Leupold DeltaPoint Professional, and Sig Sauer RomeoZero optic cuts or mounting plates. It comes with screws of assorted lengths (use the longest that can work) every with Blue Loctite already on them. Holosun recommends torquing the screws to fifteen inch-pounds. 

The battery door is situated on the correct facet of the optic and is accessible with out eradicating the purple dot. Holosun says the battery life is 5,000 hours, which is about 200 days. It’s not the five-year battery lifetime of the Holosun 507 Okay, however altering a battery as soon as each six months continues to be fairly rattling good. 

The 6 moa dot on my EPS Carry is crisp and spherical. That is precisely how a dot ought to look, however many purple dot sights come up quick on this characteristic. The EPS Carry’s glass has a slight blue hue, which is widespread on purple dots. 

I slammed the entrance of the EPS Carry into my tailgate ten instances to rack the slide on my empty XMacro. Then I dropped the unloaded gun from chest top in order that it landed, purple dot down, onto a gravel highway. I picked up the handgun, loaded it, and confirmed my zero at 25 yards. The one proof of this spherical of battery was some slight character marks on the housing. It held zero and functioned nice all through the remainder of my vary session. After just a few hundred rounds, I repeated the take a look at, and as soon as once more it was unfazed. 

This isn’t a torture take a look at meant to see if I may break the EPS Carry or to see if it’s worthy of use within the apocalypse. It’s a take a look at that offers me confidence that if the optic takes a tough hit, it’ll preserve its zero and proceed working. -Scott Einsmann

Learn the complete Holosun EPS Carry overview to be taught extra concerning the optic and see the way it held up in opposition to the Trijicon RMR in a down pour.

Finest Light-weight: Sig Sauer Romeo Zero Elite

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Key Options

• Weight: 0.5 ounces
• Goal Lens Measurement: 20mm
• Reticle: 3 MOA dot
• Adjustment: Eight settings
• Battery Life: 20,000 hours
• Battery: CR 1632

Professionals

Cons

• Inconvenient management button

I’ve been operating a Romero Zero Elite on a Glock 19 for some time now and it has stood as much as some tough use and loads of rounds.

It’s a primary unit with a 3 MOA dot with eight brightness ranges. It’s additionally provided with a 2 MOA dot inside a 32 MOA circle for many who need a bigger reticle. A small button simply behind the target lens controls the unit. Whereas unobtrusive, the button is a little bit arduous to succeed in, particularly if in case you have sausage fingers, and a little bit of a ache to control. If my fingers have been soiled—from doing loads of capturing, say—I had issue adjusting the brightness with out getting a greasy smear on the within of the target lens. Not a deal killer by any means, however it’s pesky.

Apart from that, I had no complaints with the Romeo Zero Elite. The optical high quality of the sight is fairly good. It has a steel defend you possibly can set up to offer the polymer-framed unit extra safety when you like. The zero is simple to regulate through the recessed windage and elevation controls that use a tiny hex key wrench.

One other factor in its favor is its affordability. It’s the most effective purple dots for the cash. With a CR 1632 on board, it delivers as much as 20,000 hours of run time.

Finest Worth Competitors Crimson Dot: Vortex Defender-XL

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Key Options

• Reticle: 5 MOA, 8 MOA
• Dot Coloration: Crimson
• Mounting Footprint: DeltaPoint Professional
• Adjustment Increment: 1 MOA
• Battery Life: 25,000 hours
• Battery: CR2023
• Window Measurement: 1 inch huge x 0.9 inches tall
• Weight: 1.93 ounces
• MSRP: $345

Professionals

• Massive window makes it simple to search out your dot
• Clear glass with no blue tint
• Deck top is low sufficient to 1/3 cowitness on most irons/mounting techniques
• Doesn’t have the refresh charge problems with the primary manufacturing run Defender purple dots

Cons

• Not superb for hid carry

Vortex simply launched the third addition to the brand new line of pistol purple dots: the Defender-XL. This one has a window so huge you could possibly watch Monday Evening Soccer on it.

Two notable variations between the XL and different Defenders are the Defender-XL’s reticle and battery compartment. As an alternative of 3- and 6-MOA fashions, you possibly can decide from 5-MOA or 8-MOA dot. The battery compartment nonetheless masses from the highest, there’s only a set screw and button holding the cap in place fairly than threads.

If an inch doesn’t sound huge, contemplate this: The Defender-CCW’s complete housing may match contained in the glass of the Defender-XL. On a pistol, the 2 are worlds aside. It even makes the Defender-ST look tiny. 

Each time I shot a Invoice Drill whereas testing, the Defender-XL’s outsized viewing space meant that I may purchase the intense 5-MOA dot sooner, monitor my dot by recoil, and see extra of my goal than I’d with a standard-sized optic. This was much more noticeable when partaking a number of targets. Whereas doing a Failure to Cease drill, I felt like time slowed as a result of I had extra alternative to observe every goal come into my discipline of view and mentally put together for the following shot.

That is sensible as a result of this optic is constructed for aggressive shooters who’re glad to slap a billboard-sized piece of glass on their slide if it shaves a hundredth of a second off their time.

Are there any drawbacks? It might sound counterintuitive {that a} competitors purple dot would include the biggest reticles: 5 MOA or 8 MOA. This makes the Defender-XL quick nevertheless it does so on the expense of precision, particularly past 25. The 5 MOA dot will cowl 2.5 inches at 50 yards. So, in case your model of aggressive capturing includes key-holing photographs throughout strings of sluggish fireplace, step right down to a Defender-ST with a 3-MOA dot.

There are many optics which can be as robust because the Defender-XL and a few which can be simply as huge. What makes it distinctive is the mixture of power and measurement. I had the Defender XL mounted on my Sprinfield Prodigy which weighs 33 ounces. I did a drop take a look at onto concrete with that boat anchor and it didn’t lead to any harm or shift in zero. It’s not a variety toy that it’s important to child; it’s each bit as rugged as the opposite two. 

Most Versatile: Burris Fastfire 4

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Key Options

• Weight: 1.7 ounces
• Goal Lens Measurement: 27x18mm
• Reticle: 4 user-selectable choices
• Adjustment: Three brightness ranges
• Battery Life: 26,000 hours
• Battery: CR 1632

Professionals 

• A number of reticles
• Versatile design

Cons

With the push of a button on the correct facet of the unit’s housing, you possibly can cycle by 4 reticles. The reticles embody a 3 MOA dot, an 11 MOA dot, an 11 MOA dot surrounded by a 50 MOA circle, and a 3 MOA dot surrounded by a 50 MOA circle with the addition of two “wings” that successfully kind a horizontal crosshair.

Every of those reticles has helpful functions. The three MOA dot is nice for exact shot placement and normal handgun use. The 11 MOA dot is nice for brilliant lighting situations and would work nicely for turkey hunters and slug-gun hunters. The 11 MOA with a circle is nice for private protection and CQB situations, and the three MOA circle with wings can deal with shut and mid-range capturing. It can be a very good choice for wingshooting as nicely. The depth of those reticles is managed by a button on the left facet of the unit, which has three ranges of brightness.

Because the late-night TV pitchmen say, however wait, there’s extra! The Fastfire 4 can also be the one sight on this roundup that converts from an open to closed emitter design. It comes with an environmental defend that screws on to the again of the unit and encloses the emitter. Whereas this received’t make the Fastfire waterproof in opposition to submersion, it’ll stop rain, snow and grime from clogging the LED.

The Fastfire 4 comes with a cross-slot base so you possibly can simply screw it on to a Weaver or Picatinny sample mounting floor. With the climate defend put in the burden of the unit is true at 2 ounces. With the bottom eliminated the Fastfire has a Docter/Noblex footprint, so with an adapter you possibly can mount it to a handgun and it received’t be too cumbersome.

The huge goal lens makes reticle acquisition simple, however the glass does have noticeable optical distortion.

Extremely-Rugged: Steiner MPS

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Key Options

• Weight: 2 ounces
• Goal Lens Measurement: 20x16mm
• Reticle: 3.3 MOA dot
• Adjustment: Eight ranges, two for evening imaginative and prescient
• Battery Life: 13,000 hours
• Battery: CR 1632

Professionals 

Cons 

• Might be tough to mount on completely different platforms.

The Steiner MPS is arguably the sexiest pistol reflex sight on the market. It has head-turning futuristic strains that visually set it aside from this crowded discipline of the perfect purple dot sights. For that motive, any gun proprietor who values the aesthetic affect of their gun will wish to contemplate the MPS.

However this sight is greater than a reasonably face. It’s a rugged and succesful enclosed emitter with user-friendly ergonomics and a distortion-free sight image. And, whereas not low cost, it runs about $100 lower than the Acro P-2, so it has that going for it as nicely.

The three.3 MOA dot is spherical and crisp—one of many sharpest within the take a look at. The MPS has eight brightness settings on faucet (two for evening imaginative and prescient), which can be actuated by the “+” and “-” buttons on the unit’s left facet.

The MPS’s battery compartment sits on prime of the steel housing and takes a CR 1632 battery that gives sufficient juice for 13,000 hours of run time. To preserve battery life, the MPS robotically shuts down after 13 hours.

To reinforce the MPS’s survivability, Steiner added two beefed-up panels on both facet of the sight and recessed the target lens within the housing. With this added diploma of safety, the sight solely weighs 2 ounces.

The slot-head POI adjusters give wonderful suggestions with every click on. The unit has 90 MOA of journey in each windage and elevation with every click on transferring the dot 1 MOA.

The MPS suits an ACRO footprint and comes with a Docter adapter plate. Plates for different mounting patterns can be found as nicely.

Finest for Quick, Shut Taking pictures: Leupold DeltaPoint Professional 6 MOA

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Key Options

• Weight: 2 ounces
• Goal Lens Measurement: 20mm
• Reticle: 6 MOA dot
• Adjustment: 8 settings
• Battery Life: 1,600 hours
• Battery: CR 2032

Professionals

• Wonderful optical high quality
• Massive, brilliant aiming level
• Handy battery compartment

Cons

• Costly
• Sits excessive on the pistol

Like all Leupold DeltaPoint’s, this mannequin is splendidly engineered. The toolless battery compartment/adjustment button is handy and intelligent. Pushing on the button permits the shooter to cycle by eight completely different brightness settings.

The coin-slot windage and elevation changes have 60 MOA of journey. They alter in 1 MOA clicks and provides wonderful tactile suggestions when turned.

The battery life figures that Leupold provides are a lot decrease (and extra real looking, to be trustworthy) than you’ll see with different sights, nevertheless it’s price retaining the dot brightness to a decrease setting or making a degree to show off the sight when not in use to get extra from the battery.

To harden the sight, Leupold encloses it in a steel defend that wraps over the optic. This bumps the burden to 2 ounces, making it one of many heavier open-emitter sights within the take a look at.

Bushnell RXS-250

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Key Options

• Footprint: DeltaPoint Professional 
• 4 MOA dot
• 10 brightness settings
• CR2032 battery 
• 50,000 hour battery life
• IP67 rated waterproof
• Comes with Picatinny mount
• MSRP: $249.99

Professionals

• Clear glass with no blue hue
• Vibrant 
• Prime loading battery 
• Optimistic adjustment clicks 

Cons

• Reticle isn’t an ideal spherical dot
• Brightness adjustment buttons are small 

The massive, clear window on the Bushnell RXS-250 makes it simple to choose up the 4 MOA dot and place it on the right track. The 4 MOA dot is a superb steadiness of precision and quick acquisition. Aggressive pistol shooters are likely to want giant dots, round 6 MOA, as a result of they’re simple to see and placed on goal rapidly. I like a barely extra exact dot than 6 MOA, and the 4 MOA is a superb compromise. Whether or not you’re in a darkish indoor vary or in a blindingly-bright sand pit, one of many ten brightness settings will give you the results you want. I discover setting 5 to eight are those I exploit most frequently. 

My RXS-250 doesn’t produce a wonderfully spherical and crisp dot, however in sensible use it didn’t hassle me. The dot continues to be high quality sufficient for exact photographs and once I’m capturing quick, I’m simply seeing a flash of purple on the A zone anyway. One other nitpick is the brightness adjustment buttons are smaller than different purple dots and a little bit tougher to regulate on the fly.

One factor I do like is that the buttons are separated—one on the left and one on the correct facet. That makes it simple to regulate with out trying. Talking of nice changes, the 1 MOA clicks for sighting in are tactile and audible. In 5 years when it’s time to alter your battery, you don’t need to take away the optic from the mount as a result of the battery conveniently modifications from the highest. 

You get lots to your cash with the RXS-250. It has a brilliant dot, waterproof ranking, giant window, loads of battery life, and it comes with a Picatinny mount.

Select the Finest Pistol Crimson Dot

Once you’re purchasing for a pistol purple dot, you’ll doubtless really feel overwhelmed with the alternatives you see. Luckily, with some consideration, you possibly can kind by just a few qualifiers that can slender the sphere and assist you decide the perfect pistol purple dot to your software. 

What’s Your Supposed Use?

An important factor to think about when selecting a purple dot is the particular job you want your pistol purple dot to do. Is it for competitors, searching, carry, or one thing else? For competitors, you may want an enormous purple dot with a large discipline of view. On your carry gun, measurement and sturdiness might be extra essential. For 10mm bear protection pistols, you need a rugged optic that can maintain as much as recoil. In some environments, an enclosed-emitter purple dot may be a more sensible choice than an open-emitter sight. Typically it may not matter.

What Pistol is it For?

A irritating a part of deciding on a pistol purple dot is sorting by the varied mounting footprints and adapters. There isn’t a common normal for optic footprints and mounting screws, and it may possibly appear fairly complicated. There are commonly-used mounting footprints just like the RMS/RMSc, Docter Noblex, and RMR requirements, however some are solely distinctive.

Typically, your pistol will dictate which optics you should use. Some pistols that come optics-ready are solely suitable with sure optics. Different pistols have adapter plates for quite a lot of optics obtainable. Do your homework beforehand as a result of your pistol selection can remove a few of your purple dot choices.

Adjustability and Battery Life

Most pistol purple dots have good battery life and can run for six months to a 12 months off a CR2032 or CR2016 battery. Plan on altering batteries at the very least annually as a matter of observe, however observe how the batteries are modified. Though many sights have simple battery entry, some must be absolutely eliminated to alter the battery. Some sights will shut off robotically when left sitting nonetheless, and others will keep operating it doesn’t matter what. Take a look at just a few of them, and also you’ll discover that many have adjustable brightness settings, and a few alter robotically. Purchase what fits your wants finest, however attempt to take a look at the sights in each darkish and brilliant situations. I’ve discovered some sights to be troublesome to see in brilliant daylight. 

FAQs

Ultimate Ideas

A jam-packed discipline makes sorting by pistol purple dots an intimidating job, nevertheless it additionally offers loads of choices. Even on a meager finances, you possibly can doubtless discover a sight that can fulfill your wants. There is no such thing as a single finest pistol purple dot sight, however there’s a hell of loads of good ones. If you happen to contemplate your software, your explicit pistol’s mounting choices, and the options you like, you will discover the correct one for you—and also you’ll most likely by no means look again.