8 Best Red Dot Sights 2021
We have tested & used over 18 different types of optics based on durability, reticle designs, battery life and cost.
Here are the 8 best red dot sights for modern handguns and long guns the pros are using.
Check them out below:
For Fighting Rifles
Disclosure: All products have affiliate links for earning commission to support the website when you purchase
Aimpoint Micro H-1 - God Father Of Red Dot Sights [Best Overall]
Referenced TREX ARMS
Why All Pros Use Aimpoint Micro - The Aimpoint Micro is the oldest kid on the block. It's tough, durable and many Tier 1 military units around the world trusted and use it.
Insane battery life - It lasts so long that the battery life seems infinite. This means the user doesn't have to switch out the battery at all for 4 years. You never have to worry about the battery running out, it's always ready.
Built like a tank - The Micro series red dot sight is made from 7075 T6 aluminum - the industry's highest material tough standard for weapon parts for surviving physical abuse, recoil and retain zero.
Accepts various mounts - The Aimpoint micro can accept many different mounts from various companies to suit your tactical needs, having a optimized mount helps retain zero and reduce weight.
What guns people use it on - The Aimpoint Micro is the ultimate choice for pistol caliber carbine, fighting rifles and shotguns.
If you want the best, this is it. So be sure to get a discount deal for this expensive optic by going through our link below:
EOTECH EXPS3-4 - Best FOV
Why Use The EOTech? This operator grade sight that works for many people including people with astigmatism. It's the go to optic for serious CQB shooters and home defenders within 50 yard distance.
Unobstructed FOV - Easily acquire the target while shooting on the move, shooting over barricade and around corners.
Fast Ranging BDC Reticle - Range a 5'8" tall human size target inside the 68 MOA reticle to quickly estimate relative target distance. In addition, use a magnifier behind the EXPS3 -4 to Engage up to 600 yards
Night Vision Capable - Shoot in the dark with night vision goggles using the NV mode. Not many sights out there have this feature.
CQB Holdover - Use the bottom of the 68 MOA ring for fast close range holdover to compensate CQB sight over bore offset.
Shoot With Both Eyes Open - Widen your situational awareness and not miss anything in the corner of your eye
Features:
- Magnification: 1X
- Eye Relief: Unlimited
- Reticle Type: 2 MOA Red Dot
- Turret : 0.5 MOA / Click
- Length: 3.1 inches
- Weight: 4.7 oz
Trijicon MRO - Reduced Tube Effect
Why shooters love MRO - The large field of view with reduced tube effect widen shooter's situational awareness.
Reduced Tube Effect - The tapered body design allows the tube to remain small while giving the shooter a wide view. Sight in at 36 yard for the most combat effect zero
Reduced View Obstruction - Slim lateral body design and top brightness eliminates view obstruction for max situational awareness
Hardened Construction - The optic is built with 7075 T6 aluminum body, the toughest material the industry has to offer, which can withstand a lot of rough handling especially if you like to run your gun hard.
What people think of the MRO - If anything like this exist back then at this price point, it will fly off the shelf almost immediately
For the price, the MRO is a better option for anyone just got started with shooting. If you're new and want something as tough as the Aimpoint but without spending over $800 please check the best price by clicking on the button below.
Leupold LCO - Best Motion Sensor
Referenced Ronin Tactics
Why pick the LCO - Its edgy looking body profile is unique and different from the EOTECH. The sight looks good and performs good on any rifle systems.
Widened Field Of View - The clean outter optic frame gives the shooter max peripheral vision free of knobs and dials, which is great for CQB indoor and outdoor applications.
Adjustable Settings - Adjust through 16 brightness settings to match the lighting situation.
Motion Activated - The reticle instantly activates upon triggering the motion sensor, then it turns off when it's sitting at rest. This added feature helps save significant amount of battery.
The optic comes with a built-in cantilever mounting system that can go on any mil-spec rail without any issue. Leupold recommends 60 in-pound when securing the optic on a rifle, and you can do that with a torque wrench.
If you're looking for something different than an Aimpoint or Eotech, the LCO is a great option to get.
You can absolutely use those ones for AR15 on a PCC without any problem.
Holosun optics are our best red dot for the money for anyone looking for durable and affordable red dot or reflex sights.
Holosun 510C - Best Budget Reflex Red Dot Sight
Use the Optic As Long As You Want – Increased battery life with the new Solar Failsafe system to to keep the optic working.
Solar Fail Safe - Solar panel extends the battery life longer to keep you in the fight longer even when the battery dies, and it also acts like a fiber optic that turn light exposure into battery power
Faster Transition – Instantly place the dot on the target while shooting on the move or transitioning with both eyes open.
Quick Detach - Mount and de-mount the optic without any tools in the event of optic failure or swapping optic on the go.
Multi-Purpose For Various Firearm Platforms – Use it on any firearm including heavy caliber centerfire rifles
Read Detailed Holosun 510C Review Here
Primary Arms Red Dot Best Entry Level
Primary Arms red dot sight is affordable and performs well. It's one of the best red dot under $200, and new shooters can quickly get into shooting with a red dot without breaking the bank.
50,000 Hours Battery – Reliable and long battery life is one of the measurements of the quality of the optic, using only 1 CR2032 lithium battery to power the sight through 11 brightness settings without ever changing the battery
11 Brightness Settings For Any Environment– Flexible options to adjust dot brightness for daytime use, increased versatility with additional 2-night vision settings for nighttime shooting
Shoot Accurately with It Longer – Built material is an important aspect of a durable optic, increased ruggedness with 6061 T6 aluminum construction to ensure durability and maintain zero
The Trijicon RMR is the gold standard for micro pistol reflex sights. If you want best, the RMR is the go-to for handgun, rifle, and shotgun usage.
The optic is lightweight, robust and rugged, and it's the best to get.
Better the original - The RMR type 2 has improved its robust build quality to specifically handle handgun slide G force.
Improved battery compartment - More reliable by having a stronger battery retention to hold it in place without getting loose.
Offers 6.5 MOA Dot (RM07) - Bigger the dot, the rounder it is, the more clear it is to shooters with poor vision, and less starburst overlapping the dot.
Check out more large dot size optic here
Holosun 507C X2 - Best Overall
HoloSun HE507C X2 2 MOA reflex sight is among one of their best high quality budget optics. This is the best alternative to a Trijicon RMR at 2/3 the price.
It uses the same mounting footprint as the RMR, so you can use it on any existing RMR mount. It's among one of the best red dot sights for shotguns, PCC and rifles with a minimalistic overall profile
Side Battery Access - Access the battery from the side. No sight removal is required nor re-zeroing
Never Quit Working – Lasts over 100,000 hours plus solar power, Increased reliability with the Solar Failsafe feature to work continuously even if the battery fails to keep you in the fight longer
Conceal Carry Ready - Saves the last reticle brightness setting to prevent accidental button press
Center Dot + Ring - Switch between a precision dot & cicular reticle for CQB & distance shooting
Motion Activated Reticle – Increased battery life with HoloSun’s Shake Awake technology that activate the reticle with the last brightness setting recall to save battery
Leupold DeltaPoint Pro - Best For Competition
Leupold DeltaPoint Pro (DDP) is the most popular micro reflex optic for competition. Similar to Trijicon RMR, but with a bigger window like a Trijicon SRO.
Optimized For Competition – Large FOV for fast target acquisition, helps shooter get on target fast and knock down targets to score big!
Top Loading Battery Access – Improved user experience, eliminated the need to remove sight for battery swap, retain zero without re-adjusting
Recoil proof– Increased durability & accuracy, full confidence when mounted on shotguns, handguns and rifles
Trijicon RMRcc - Best For CCW & Single Stack
Why pick the NEW RMRcc - Built on the fundation of the original RMR, the RMRcc is thinner and more compact for micro sized single stack CCW pistols.
This is really the first time in history single stack CCW pistols like the G43X can mount a duty grade optic that people can trust to be rough handled & daily bumps and drops.
Reduced 0.2" for slimmer profile - Fits flush with popular slim profile single stack CCW pistols. The RMRcc is 0.2" slimmer in width than the Trijicon RMR without compromising original CR2032 battery dimension or functionality
No to accidental brightness adjustment - The new Button “LOCK-OUT” Mode secures the setting regardless of bumping or rubbing against clothing when concealed.
Referenced PDN, RMRcc Mounted On Glock 43X
Durable for single handed operation - Racking the slide against the optic on hard surfaces for one handed operation. The 7075 T6 forged aluminum housing is super tough
No compromise in durability - Even though the sight is scaled down from the original RMR, the new RMRcc still uses the same grade material, circuitry, functionality and positive MOA adjustment control the RMR is known for
Upgraded electronics - Tighten battery grip to prevent the battery from getting lose due to drops, bumps or repeated recoils to keep working in harsh environments,
6.5 or 3.25 MOA - 6.5 MOA is preferred for fast eye focus for super close up target acquisition and cleaner reticle for shooters with bad astigmatism
What To Look For
Red Dot VS Reflex Differences
Most red dot sights fall into the reflex optics category, but not all reflex sights are red dot sights.
The differences are as follows:
Red Dot Sight uses a LED emitted diode and mirrors to project the reticle on the glass inside a tube style red dot sight for aiming.
Unlimited eye relief, zero parallax and aim with both eyes open
Reflex Sight works the same way as a red dot sight, but they are typically open emitter sights like Trijicon RMR, Holosun 510C where the LED emitter is exposed instead of a fully enclosed body design.
Red Dot Sight Effective Zeroing Range & Accuracy
Different rifle setup and calibers yield different hit accuracy. For the most part, red dot zeros between 25 and 100 yards are the most common.
For a finer zero, use a magnifier scope to get a better aim.
If you have a smaller dot like a 1 MOA or 2 MOA, it's absolutely important to get a good zero if the reticle looks blurry due to astigmatism or bad eye sight.
A red dot sight cannot replace fix inherent problems if you have an inaccurate barrel, poor bullet or poor shooting fundamentals.
Dot Size Selection & Astigmatism
Be sure to correct your vision or wear glasses to see a crystal clear reticle when using reflex optics.
The bigger the dot, the easier it is to pick up to superimpose it on the target for fast engagement.
It's also a quick fix for shooters with astigmatism, if a big dot still look blurry please check out a prism sight , a larger size MOA dot optic, and please consider seeing a eye doctor.
To learn more about prism vs red dot, please click here.
The smaller the dot, the easier it is to aim precisely at a target far away without covering the target.
The most popular red dot size is 2 to 4 MOA and on the market.
So if you want to reach a 12 inches wide human size target at 100 yards, a 2 MOA is a finer dot size that can get the job done. The further you shoot the smaller your want your dot size to be.
2 MOA dot will cover 2 inches at 100 yards and 1 inch at 50 yards.
4 MOA dot will cover about 4 inches at 100 yards and 2 inches at 50 yards.
To learn more on this topic, we have a 3 MOA VS 6 MOA article where we break down their differences beyond just the obvious specs.
Learn more: How far to sight in a 223 rifle
Glass Quality
Most optics are made up of high quality glass that feature durable coating, optimal light emission angle, eye safety, and parallax-free.
One thing to look out for is to see how much glare there is when the user ups the reticle intensity, which can obscure the sight picture in low light.
Lens coating also affect light bending for a clear dot.
Long-Lasting Battery Life
50,000 hours of battery life is the industry standard for a red dot sight, and currently most red dot sights can last this long with a single CR123A battery via using advanced circuitry design that wasn't readily available in the past.
A long lasting battery life eliminates the need to replace the battery, and it can stay on and be ready for anything.
Unlimited Eye Relief & Parallax Free
The biggest benefit of a red dot is unlimited eye relief and parallax free, which allows the shooter focus on the target plane without:
- Aligning sights
- Eye box limitation
- Optic to eye distance
- Cheek weld position
Aim around corners, under the car, in tight spaces... super flexible!
You just can't do it with a magnified optic
For CQB targets, just place the parallax-free reticle on target even if the shooter's head isn't completely align with the optic.
The bullet will still hit where the dot is placed.
Faster Target Acquisition Speed
A sight with a wide field of view allows the shooter to quickly present the rifle and instantly transpose the red dot reticle on the target and aim both eyes open.
Whether you're on the move or transitioning through corners. A red dot sight is extremely fast for acquiring sight picture without using traditional iron sights.
High-Quality Red Dot Sight Mount
Use a good mount for good zero retention and good cheek weld height.
On average, they cost about $90 – 150 each for a good mount with good aesthetics and rock-solid rail clamp force. Some of the best are made by:
- LaRue Tactical
- American Defense
- Geissele Super Precision
- Midwest Industries
- Scalarworks
Check out our optic mount guide for more information
Drop Proof
The toughest red dot sights are made to withstand normal roughing handling, recoil impluses and combat abuse.
High tensile strength prevents a lot of physical abuse before any deformation. The feel to those super expensive optics have one thing in common, they are nice and snug.
Under normal use, these bad boys will last a long time!
But the lens still remains a vulnerable spot.
The only way it will break is if you damage the glass straight on with the significant amount of force intentionally.
Recoil Proof
Referenced Larry Vicker
Recoil impulse travels down the gun if you ever have seen any slow-motion videos of a gun firing.
Some guns kick a lot, and you can see the wave travel across the gun, and the optic kind of wiggles around.
This harmonic wave will affect optic accuracy.
Therefore any combat optic has to be able to handle that recoil without losing zero.
Those high-end optics paired up with rock-solid mount can withstand sharp recoil impulse and height drop. So that should give you enough confidence to least buy one already.
Gucci Optics Alternatives
Besides all the Chinese knock-off airsoft scopes, some companies are making WAY better red dot sights on a lower price range.
Holosun Optics, which has compeltely separated themselves among the packs and started pushing its limit for making very-high end mil-spec optics, some are getting close to Trijicon & Aimpoint.
Some optics companies focus on a wide range of optics, and some focus only on a few products to make them dominate the whole market.
Sig Sauer is now officially an optics manufacturers. They have a wide range of optic product from long-range to short-range combat.
Their affordable Aimpoint-like sights such as the ROMEO series are great, but Holosun is our favorite.
Who Uses Red Dot Sights?
People use red dot sights across the board
- Home defenders
- Competition shooters
- Hunters
- Collectors
- Law Enforcement
- Military
Final Thoughts
When you buy a red dot sight for home defense, you should go for quality that you can trust.
If you use your guns for plinking and casual range sessions, an good optic in the $200-300 range is as good as those $600 couple years back as their qualities continue to increase and the prices are dropping.
In the past you can't get a budget red dot that performs like an Aimpoint, and now you can.
For more please check out more content on our website.
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