12 Best Red Dot Sights 2022 [Gunfighter's Choice]

We have tested & used over 18 different types of optics based on durability, reticle designs, battery life and cost.

Here are the 12 best red dot sights for modern handguns and long guns that the pros are using.

Check them out below:

For Fighting Rifles

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Aimpoint Micro H-1 - Best Overall

New Aimpoint RDS Duty Available Here

See More Optics For SCAR 17

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 trust 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.

Simple 2 MOA Dot - Uncluttered field of view for aiming the dot at night & doesn't obscure the target like the 68 MOA EOTECH ring reticle when the brightness is dialed up (See more 2 MOA red dot sights here)

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.

EOTECH EXPS3-4 - Large FOV 

Why Use The EOTech? This is a operator grade holographic sight that works for passive aiming. 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.

Fine 1 MOA Dot - Increase AR15 accuracy for 300 yards with a tiny dot for much better sight picture

Shoot With Both Eyes Open - Widen your situational awareness and not miss anything in the corner of your eye

Read EOTech EXPS3 Review

Vortex AMG UH-1 Gen 2 - Best EOTECH Alternative

Why Must Get The Vortex UH1 Gen 2 - This is by far the best EOTECH alternative with plenty of improvements from the Gen 1 model. And slightly cheaper!

Larger Viewing Window - HUD like aiming experience that many CQB shooters love. Rear window is larger than Gen 1.

New Aesthetics - For anything who wants a futuristic rifle setup different from anyone else. This is that optic

No Glass Tint - No visible glass tint just like EOTECH

AMG CQB Reticle - Open section reticle is much better for visibility than EOTECH to avoid target obstruction down range. 

Trijicon MRO - Reduced Tube Effect

Why shooters love MRO - This large window red dot sight features reduced tube effect that 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 for a 36 yard zero 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 Quality

See More Optics Like This On KRISS VECTOR

Why pick the LCO - The LCO has the similar rectangle view window of the EOTECH, and it's a red dot sight without the ring reticle obscuring the sight picture

Widened Field Of View - Maximizes shooter's peripheral vision by eliminating the tube effect

Adjustable Brightness Settings - Adjust through 16 brightness settings for day and night usage.

Motion Activated To Save Battery - The sight instantly activates the sight upon motion, then it turns off when sitting at rest. 

Built In Mount - Built-in cantilever mounting system to 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.

Leupold has discontinued making it

Click on the link below to see if you can still find one for a good price

Best Red Dot Sight For 9mm Carbine

Holosun 510C - Best For The Money

Show me optics like this on the CZ EVO

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 

Sig ROMEO 5 Best Value

Why Use ROMEO5? - The Sig ROMEO5 1X20mm is an robust, compact and affordable red dot optic offering from Sig Sauer. It's the best red dot sight for the money for new shooters.

Motion Activated - The new MOTAC powers up the optic upon any motion, and it shuts down when sitting idle to save battery and last as long as up to 40K hours

2 MOA dot size - Just like the MRO and Aimpoint Micro.

Uses Aimpoint Mount - Any aftermarket Aimpoint footprint mount will work

Check Out More ROMEO5 Pics And Review

Best Red Dot Sight For Pistols

Trijicon RMR Type 2 - Toughest Micro Reflex Sight

The Trijicon RMR is the gold standard for micro pistol reflex sights. If you want the best red dot sight for pistols, the RMR is the go-to product.

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 RMR Alternative

Check Out Different Optics On FN 509

HoloSun HE507C X2 2 MOA reflex sight is the best Trijicon RMR alternative at a good 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

Read Detailed Review Here

Compact Entry Level Sight – Recommend 6 MOA dot size for any pistol use

Very Low Profile Sight  – It weighs only 1.1 oz 

Top Loading Battery - Just like the Leupold DeltaPoint Pro and Trijicon SRO

Large Window –  This is a small red dot with thin lens frame with unobstructive FOV

Leupold DeltaPoint Pro - Best Lens Hood Durability 

Leupold DeltaPoint Pro (DPP) is the most popular micro reflex optic for competition. Similar to Trijicon RMR, but slightly bigger window like the 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

Read Detailed DPP Review

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.

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.

Read more Enclosed Red Dot VS Open

Effective Zeroing Range & Accuracy

Different rifle has different range capability.

For the most part, red dot zeros between 25 and 100 yards are the most common. Learn to zero a red dot like a pro here

For a finer zero, use a magnifier scope to zoom in on the target and dial down the reticle brightness.

For a standard 55gr 5.56mm ball ammo, try the 36 yard zero

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

The bigger the dot, the easier it is to pick up to superimpose it on the target for fast engagement.

The smaller the dot, the easier it is to aim precisely at a target far away without covering the target.

For shooters with astigmatism, if a big dot still look blurry please check out a prism sight or use a larger size MOA dot optic.

Be sure to also correct your vision or wear glasses

To learn more about prism vs red dot, please click here.

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. 

Show Me More: Large MOA Optics

Glass Quality

Most optics are made up of high quality glass that feature durable coating, optimal light emission angle, eye safety, and parallax-free.

Some optics with poor coating can lead to dot washout and poor lens reflection, specially in direct sunlight.

Learn the 7 tips to combat sun glare when shooting in direct sunlight here

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.

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. 

However, when optic is tilted like this:

The point of impact will shift slightly.

Learn more: Cant effect on point of impact shifts

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 Optic 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:

1. LaRue Tactical
2. American Defense
3. Geissele Super Precision
4. Midwest Industries
5. Scalarworks

Check out our optic mount guide for more information

Check here to learn how to mount optic on rifles without rail This include great firearms like AK, M14, P90, MP5 and more.

Using An Red Dot With Fixed A2 Front Sight

See More Optics On Daniel Defense DDM4V1

Fixed A2 front sight is blocking the sight picture. Does it matter?

Not really! here is why.

It's about how you configure the rifle so you can use an red dot with fixed A2 front sight without it obscuring your sight picture.

Check out the hyperlink to learn the 4 ways to go about it.

Drop Proof

The toughest red dot sights are made to withstand roughing handling, recoil impluses and combat field abuse.

Under normal use the shooter is not expected to beat the crap out of the optic for no reason, but when the unexpected happens, these high strength to weight ratio optic won't break.

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.

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.

High End Optics Alternatives

Holosun Optics, which has compeltely separated themselves among the packs and started making very-high end mil-spec optics, and some are getting close to Trijicon & Aimpoint.

Sig Sauer also makes optics, and they have a wide range of optic product selections for budget and pro users.

Who Uses Red Dot Sights?

People use red dot sights for all types of shooting

• Home defenders
• Competition shooters
• Hunters
• Collectors
• Law Enforcement
• Military

Final Thoughts

Are red dot sights worth it?

Yes, they are for long guns and pistols for all the reasons we have discussed above.

For plinking and casual range uses, 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.

For more please check out more content on our website.