Want to be able to shoot at 100 yards with ease and in low light?
A red dot is required for your pistol.
Hands-on review of some of the most popular, rugged red dots on the market.
We have mounted them onto several pistols and rifles, fired thousands of rounds through them…and even used night vision to shoot them.
The “micro” red dots are popular for concealed carry handguns.
You’ll find out at the end if red dots on pistols are right for you…and if so, which one.
Let’s get started!
How We Tested The Best Pistol Red Dots
The editorial team of Pew Pew tactical provided input for this article after extensive testing on each model with a variety firearms. Our team is made up of ex-law enforcement officers, competition shooters and concealed carry instructors.
We mounted each optical on carry and competition guns and fired thousands of rounds at the range. They were evaluated on the basis of durability, reliability and battery life. We also looked at features, reticle and value.
Best Open Emitter Red Dots
Start with the standard open emitter red dots for compact and full-size handguns.
1. Editor’s Choice: Holosun HS507C ACSS Vulcan
Holosun’s 507C regular is a serious competitor that performs well above its price. Its massive battery life and RMR footprint are just a few of the reasons why.
The HS507C X2 ACSS Vulcan was created in collaboration with Primary Arms reticle smiths.
We like it a lot.
Nothing has slowed down the device for our purposes. It has been robust and has lasted through the abuse that we have thrown at. This includes things like charging our Glock using the optical as a point of contact.
The glass is also scratch-free. On the left, buttons are easily accessible and easy to manipulate.
The Holosun 507C AcSS has a battery life of over 20,000. You will not need to replace it from usage. Just remember to replace it every year or two to keep it in good condition.
The top of the lens has a solar panel that provides power when it is in direct sunlight. The solar panel doesn’t recharge in any way.
The 507C has “Shake-Awake,” which means it will turn on automatically as soon as it detects movement, and turn off after an extended period of inactivity. It is great for setting it and forgetting about it, and to save battery life.
The tray slides out to reveal the battery. This means you won’t need to remove the whole unit from your handgun each time you change the battery.
Look at that 10 MOA chevron which will draw you to the middle.
There’s more (sorry, couldn’t resist): there’s a ring outside that shows you if your ring is off-center.
You shouldn’t be able to see the ring once you get it down. You can disable it for battery saving. It’s a fantastic training feature.
The 507C has the same footprint as Trijicon RMR. The HS507C can be mounted on a large number of slides without adaptor plates.
This is also a great choice for those who want to upgrade their older RMRs. We’ve mounted several 507Cs on various pistols without any problems.
We even used it with our 9mm AK.
2. Trijicon RMR type 2 – Gold Standard
The RMR type 2 represents the gold standard for pistol-mounted red dots. The housing is the most durable of any pistol dot on the market and it is also the most battle-tested.
Battery life is four years at the most usable brightness setting of level 4. If you use this for work or at higher brightness levels, I would recommend changing the batteries every 12 months.
The battery is located at the bottom of your sight. This means that you will have to remove the sight and reset it each time it needs to be changed.
You might also need a sealing plate depending on the slide you have to ensure that water doesn’t get inside. I bought one for my Glock Grey Ghost Precision Slide ( review ) because the sides were exposed.
The buttons are tactile and easy to use. There are no complaints.
The glass is blue due to a special reflective coating which increases battery life. The RMR has a smaller view window than most competitors. However, this is not a big deal if you are shooting with both your eyes open.
The RMR series has the largest selection of custom-milled slides.
RMR works with night vision as well. The dot is like a laser when the brightness is set to the lowest setting. This makes shooting with NVG much easier than using night sights.
The Type 2 is recommended over the Type 1 because of the upgraded electronic components that eliminate the flickering issue common to Type 1’s.
They offer a variety of models with different sizes, mountings and tritium dual illumination.
The Type 2 also allows you to adjust the brightness manually so that you can choose the right setting for your environment. Auto-adjusting dots have never worked well for me.
3. Primary Arms SLx RS-10 – Best Affordable Option
The SLx RS-10, a recent entry in the red dot market from Primary Arms is our top recommendation for an inexpensive red dot which is still rock-solid.
The build quality is superior to the price. The hood looks cool and the PA logo isn’t too big.
In our review, we dropped it 9 times. It was clean and easy to maintain.
This little dot has a battery life of 25-50k…and it also comes with shake-awake. This makes it a great CCW optic because you don’t need to fiddle with buttons every time you turn it on or off.
The 3-MOA is sharp, but the blue tint that you see through the glass is noticeable. It doesn’t feel worse than other red dot.
There’s also a reflection above the dot of the U-shaped arrow and the U. This is annoying. It’s not visible in photos, but when you see it for yourself, , it’s impossible to ignore.
It is bright enough to be used anywhere from Florida in the sun to California in the heat. You can also dim it to use indoors.
The RS-10 mounts using the Docter footprint, and comes with Glock MOS mounting plate. There have been reports of some fitment problems with Docter-cut PDP 1st-generation guns and PSA daggers.
The Picatinny mount can be used on rifles and larger pistols.
4. Holosun 507Comp – Best in Competition
Sometime bigger is better. Many competition shooters needing a large field of vision and fast target acquisition will look for pistol dots that have the largest windows.
Holosun’s 507Comp has proven to be a worthy competitor to Trijicon, which for years had dominated the market with its large-sized glass.
The 507Comp, as its name suggests, is designed for competition. The large 1.1×0.87 inch window allows you to see all that you need.
This model features Holosun’s competition reticle system (CRS). The center dot is 2 MOA, and you can choose from three outer rings: 8, 20 or 32 MOA.
As usual, the Holosun battery has a 50,000-hour life span and is shake-awake compatible. This model is not equipped with a solar failsafe.
The 507Comp has the same tactile buttons as the standard 507 but they are slightly recessed in order to prevent accidental button presses.
The RMR footprint is standard, so mounting options are plentiful.
It is one of the most affordable competition optics available. The only thing I would change is to have a center dot of 6 MOA.
Best Micro Red Dots For Micro Compact Pistols
Here are some of the dots we like best that fit perfectly on the popular micro compact pistols.
5. Holosun EPS Carry Micro Dot – Best enclosed emitter
Holosun has entered the game of closed emitter red dots with their EPS carry and EPS.
The enclosed emitter optics benefit from using two layers of glass in order to shield the dot-emitter from outside debris.
These are popular with people who carry weapons every day, live in an area where the weather is less than ideal, or carry in hostile environments.
The EPS Carry MRS is not only a robust enclosed housing, but it also comes with some amazing features which are now synonymous to Holosun.
is standard on the EPS Carry MRS. It includes a shake-awake auto/off feature, a solar failsafe system, a battery life of 50,000 hours, an IPX8 water-resistant rating, and a battery tray that can be loaded from the side.
Users get a multi reticle system with a center dot of 2 MOA and an outer reticle of 32 MOA. Users can choose between the dot and circle, dot only, or circle only (great for shotguns) with this system.
The 10 brightness levels include 2 night-vision settings.
Holosun chose to use the Shield RMS/RMSc foot print, which is now the defacto standard for all micro-red dot aiming at smaller guns such as the and Sig P365.
The EPS Carry is a great optic, packed with features, as you would expect from Holosun. It also has the added benefit that the enclosed emitter provides increased durability. It is the best optic on the market.
6. Holosun HS507KX2 – Best overall Micro Dot
Continue with the K model of Holosun’s Micro Red Dot, the HS507K.
Let’s compare the C full-size model with the K.
The HS507K housing is made of metal and feels good in the hand. It has a sturdy enclosure that will survive most abuse.
Pressing both buttons at once will turn off the unit. The +/- button is located on the left and can be easily activated. Holosun’s battery life is 50,000 Hours on medium settings. Lock Mode and the Shake Awake feature can help you save even more battery. The biggest difference between the 407K & 507K is the multi-reticle, which means it has a center dot of 2 MOA and an outer ring of 32 MOA.
The circle-and-dot combination, invented by EOTech is ideal for precise shots as well as quick acquisition of bad-guy minute shots. All who fired the 507K believed it was cheating. It was a successful shot if any part of reticle was in the target.
The 507K, like the EPS Carry uses the Shield RMSc Micro footprint found on most micro compacts.
The 507K is a good buy , even though it does not have the enclosed emitter or solar failsafe that the EPS carry has.
7. Primary Arms Classic micro – The Most Affordable Micro
Primary Arms also offers the Classic micro, a newer version of their red dot. This is an affordable dot with a great battery life.
The Classic Micro has a very simple design, but its buttons are extremely useful and give great feedback.
Even with minor scratches (see the big scratch in the picture above), it still works. The battery is at the bottom of the device, so it’s necessary to remove it and reset it each time. The battery lasts between 25 and 50,000 hours, so you will only have to replace it every few years.
You can also rely on its long battery life, but you will have to be aware of the fact that it is a budget-friendly optic. It is not a big deal that you need an Allen key to zero. There is no tactile click that lets you know if you’ve actually made a change. It has held zero for all the tests we have given it in our review. The dot can be seen easily and is bright enough to see even in the scorching sunlight.
You can mount the Classic Micro on any CCW pistol that has a standard RMSc footprint.
This is the most affordable micro-red dot on the market today that is suitable for everyday carry.
The Best Enclosed Full-Sized Pistol Dots
Here are our top choices for those looking for a fully enclosed emitter to increase durability in their non-micro compact pistols
8. Aimpoint ACRO P-2
Aimpoint’s Advanced Combat Reflex Optic (ACRO) was the first to use enclosed emitter lenses.
The ACRO P-2 has been developed to replace the original model. It retains all the features that made it revolutionary, while also adding new ones.
This is, in a nutshell, one of the most durable optics available. It’s absurdly overbuilt and submersible to 115 feet.
The glass is slightly tinted and has a crisp 3.5 MOA ring.
The buttons on the optic are easily accessible and tactile. With a side-loading power supply, you don’t have to remove it or reset its zero when changing batteries.
The ACRO P-2 has a battery life of 50,000 hours.
This optic has 10 brightness levels, including 6 daytime settings for the day and 4 night-vision compatible settings. As with most Aimpoint opticals, this optic performs exceptionally well in night vision.
The ACRO footprint is the biggest drawback, aside from the size. There are many adapter plates available but they increase the price and make the optic even taller.
The ACRO P-2 is a reliable optic, which has been improved over the years and can be used in all kinds of conditions.
9. Steiner MPS – Best Affordable Enclosed Emitter
Steiner is known to be a company that follows the trends and innovates slowly. This is not the case for their micro pistol sight (MPS).
This enclosed emitter optical is not only excellent, but it also comes at a great price. The MPS has a 21x16mm generous window, crisp 3.3MOA dot and crystal clear glass. The controls are tactile, but also recessed to prevent unwanted inputs. A front hood protects the front lens, which is deeply recessed. This ensures maximum protection for the glass.
The MPS has a unique feature in that the is located at the top. The lower position allows for less space at the bottom. The MPS doesn’t have a shake-awake function or an auto-on feature, but does have auto-shutdown after 13 hours.
The battery life of this product is lower than that of many competitors at 13,000 hours. However, a mounted top-mounted allows for easy and quick changes. There are 8 brightness levels in total: 6 for the daytime and 2 for night-vision.
Steiner chose to use the ACRO footprint. This means that any ACRO adapter plate or ACRO-ready gun will be able accept the MPS.
The MPS is an excellent alternative to the ACRO P-2 if you’re looking for a rugged enclosed optical emitter without the high price tag.
Honorable Mentions
Trijicon RMRcc
Trijicon’s RMRcc still dominates the micro-red dot world.
It’s a great looking RMR. It’s built to last and can take almost anything.
The windage/elevation adjustment is essentially done without using any tools.
The battery life is claimed to be 4 years. This puts it on the high end of the spectrum. It also allows you to choose between auto-brightness or user-selected brightness.
You can choose between a reticle of 3.25 MOA or a reticle of 6 MOA, which are both great options.
The window tint is slightly green/blue, while the dot is bright and crisp.
The RMRcc has strayed from the RMSc standard by using , its own footprint. Adapter plates will be needed to raise the height of your vehicle.
The RMRcc is a tank, just like its larger brother. If it weren’t the proprietary footprint, and the taller mounting plates with adapter plate, I would choose the RMRcc to mount on a serious carrying gun.
Vortex Defender CCW
Vortex’s new Defender CCW was designed to revolutionize the world of red dots in 2023. The compact and ruggedized optic was the culmination of all that Vortex had learned up to this point.
Vortex focused first on making the Defender durable, with its 7075 aluminum body, aspherical coated lens, and coating. The top of the Defender has a polymer shock bumper and the face is textured to help you remove the slide.
The Defender CCW is equipped with a top-loading battery. This means that you do not have to remove the battery and reset it for replacement. The Defender CCW is also equipped with o ring seals to keep it dust-proof and waterproof.
The Defender CCW is powered by a CR1632 included battery that lasts approximately 9,500 hours.
The electronics include a number of features, including motion activation and a 10-minute automatic shutoff. The Defender is available with either 3 or 6 MOA dot options. It has ten brightness levels, two of which are compatible with night vision.
We tested the durability ourselves by burning down 1,000 rounds of the Mossberg MC2C. The Defender CCW and Mossberg held up well despite a quick case of ammunition.
The Defender CCW uses the Shield RMS/RMSc foot print, but comes with an additional Picatinny mounting.
Leupold DeltaPoint Pro
Leupold DeltaPoint Pro DPP is another great option.
It is slightly larger than the RMR but I have found it to be my favorite for competition shooting because of the large viewing window and the crystal clear glass.
This 2.5 MOA is a good choice for shooting at close range and also for long-range shots.
The RMR is still the winner in this department, despite its rugged double hood.
Leupold does not list specific battery life statistics, but reports vary between 2-8 months depending on usage. This is definitely one of the weakest points of this optical.
The battery is top-loading so you do not need to remove the sight or re-zero it when you replace it. It also has an auto-on motion-sensing function. It is very fast and it was always on when I finished my drawing. You have a big, spongy, middle button that you must keep pressing in order to adjust the brightness. If you don’t want to use the auto-on function, you can hold the button to turn it on/off. This is a less-than-stellar setup
There are not many custom slides milled specifically for the DeltaPoint Pro. However, adapters are available for most common handguns. Picatinny Adapters can also be found in abundance.
The DeltaPoint Pro and the outer impact mounting shown below have worked well together.
Watch our video to see the complete installation.
Final Thoughts
Here are the reasons to buy or not purchase a red dot pistol. Our favorite picks in various price ranges and for different applications.
What is your experience with red dots on your gun? What are your tips to help you learn? For more tips on how to use iron sights and red dots, check out How to Shoot Pistols More Accurate.
Latest Updates
- After further testing, three models were moved to the section of Honorable Mentions on May 16, 2024. We have added supplementary data to every product recommendation, and we’ve also explained how each red dot was tested.
- March 10, 2024 – Removed products: Burris Fastfire III; Vortex Venom; Shield RMSc; Swampfox Sentinel and Crimson Trace CT-1550. Holosun Carry, Holosun H507Comp Comp, Aimpoint ACRO, Steiner MPS.