Red Dot Recommendation

Hey all!

I need a red dot that uses the aimpoint micro footprint, can take shades, and will hold up on a slide mount 38 special. Don't really feel like dropping $500+ for another H1, as I don't envision this being a competition gun. I've got a Romeo5 on a rifle, and it seems fine, but not sure how it would hold up to reciprocating. 

Suggestions?

Dave

Romeo, Holosun, Primary Arms, Vortrx and more share this footprint.

https://optics-info.com/footprints-on-red-dot-sights/

Pick your design and warranty coverage.  Romeo, Holosun and Vortex I firsthand know will do well. Vortex and Sig have liferime warranty. Vortex customer service is amazing!  Holosun looks cleanest of them all, Primary arms not my favorite in design. They are all similar in performance.

I don't know why everyone is so hyped on Aimpoint. If I understand it they are first ones that had potted electronics, which made tbem supremely reliable. Now most if not all respected brands have potted electronic, but also better optics, settings, options, level adjustments, etc. I switched Aimpoint H1 for Holosun 503 and VERY happy.

I’ve never done one on a reciprocating, but, I do know they work well on 308 battle rifles.  So they’re stout.  Try one and report back.  They’re inexpensive enough.

Holosun, Romeo and Vortex all do very well on reciprocating slides I tried.

Tripscape, can you confirm the only difference between the 403 and 503 is the reticle? Why did you go with 503 over 403?

Dave

Personally not a huge fan of micro style dots but I have a few of the sig romeos. For the price I can not complain for my needs for backup/novelty uses, but I would prefer dial adjustment for brightness. I have a nikon of similar size format but I prefer the romeo.

Dcforman wrote:Tripscape, can you confirm the only difference between the 403 and 503 is the reticle? Why did you go with 503 over 403?

Dave

Dave,
In my case I found a new version of best kept secret, a long discontinued 503FL that has factory built in shades. That was a hard find and a lot of luck.  Else completely same as 503. For my application it was an amazing find. See below pic and you will understand.
Yev

To add, 403 is mechanical lume control, a 503 is digital.
Reticle is another difference, but the lume ring on 503 is too big to be useful, it is nowhere near black. I use as a dot only.

I have a Primary Arms MD-ADS slide mounted on my 45. I have over 5,000 rounds through it, and it seems to be holding up just fine. Good positive click adjustments, consistently returns to zero.

Holosun is good. I think the other brands mentioned are good also. They are not quite up to the quality and reliability of Aimpoint, but a better cost-quality ratio overall.

Avoid the cheapest end of AP knock-offs, Konus, Barska, Tru-Glo etc. Anything in the $100 is likely to be made to the cheapest price point. The brands mentioned in the $150-200 range are made much better than the cheapest ones and to me are well worth the increased cost, but then I have Aimpoints on my competition guns.

A few years ago I bough Konus, Barska and Holosun examples to try them out. My reviews are here. Spoiler: Holosun is decent, Konus and Barska are crap.

Holosun sights seem to work well, although I put Kodiak Machine bases on them if they are going to be on a 1911 slide. I have one on a .38 Special 1911 that has held up well.

I have had factory mount cross-bolts break. Do not over tighten them.

Some of the different brands are actually made by Holosun.

Ric

Dave,

I've used many of them on 1911's and other guns, recoil impulse has not disturbed any of them, but I admit that I did not put a huge number of rounds through them.

My favourite is SIG, the only thing I don't like about the Romeo 5 is the push button controls, I prefer the rotary dial, but, on the other hand the Romeo 5 offers a sleeker look and profile, especially at address. I bought several used SIG STS (like a Romeo 5, but with the dial), they all held up well, but I then moved up to H1's and sold all of them on.

The issue I have with all of these micro-tube sights is that the dots are generally 2moa - my eyes like a clean and round 4moa dot.

Well, based on recommendations, I'm going to give a Holosun HS403R a chance. It's the 2moa dot with a rotary settings knob. It's getting mounted to a Kodiak micro rail, so don't need to worry about the factory mounts. Going to put carbon fiber tubes on it as well. I'll report back in a few weeks.

Dave

180rds through this, so far so good but not sure on sun shades.  I also dislike dealing with Sig customer service as they were a pain, needed parts for a p320 and then a battery cover for a Romeo1Pro.

Received my hs403r yesterday. Haven't shot it yet, but build seems nice. Dot is comparable to my Aimpoints. Only thing I don't like is it sits a bit higher than the aimpoints. I'll post a photo later. Probably something I can get used to.

Dave