Adding a red dot sight to your hunting or shooting arsenal will improve your accuracy and speed. It will allow you to pin targets more efficiently and accurately than an iron sight, and many red dot sights are also more effective at improving speed and accuracy than some advanced magnified optics.
Optics provide exceptional benefits to shooters and hunters alike. Without their help, constantly shifting focus between your target and the front sight of your weapon can be extremely taxing. Even many experienced shooters rely on a red dot sight to achieve accurate hits.
Our list of the 10 Best Red Dot Sights will help you identify which is best for the specific type of hunting or shooting you intend to do. Our Buyer’s Guide will also provide additional information about the most important factors to consider when shopping for a red dot sight.
Table of Contents
1. Vortex Optics Venom
This red dot sight fits well on a rifle or shotgun and gives you optimal flexibility. It offers 1 MOA windage and elevation adjustments that make sighting a breeze. It also contains a top load system that means easy changing of the battery without removing the entire sight.
The Vortex Optics Venom features an auto-brightness mode that utilizes an ambient light sensor and high-quality, fully multi-coated lenses that offer a clean, wide field of view. Finally, it boasts power and dot intensity controls that allow you to choose between 10 distinct brightness levels.
2. Bushnell Trophy TRS-25
Largely defined by its ability to aid in target acquisition, the Bushnell Trophy TRS-25 red dot sight is the perfect scope for the autumn deer woods. It’s bright enough to hunt in thick forests and it offers a 1×25 red dot with Amber-Bright optics that makes it easy to distinguish between trees and critters.
This sight also features a 3 MOA red dot, multi-coated optics, and a CR2032 battery. It is 100% waterproof, shockproof, and fog proof. It also boasts a mounting length of 1.1 inches and a total weight of just 3.7 ounces.
3. Feyachi Reflex Sight
This multi-faceted reflex sight is designed to offer four sights in one. It offers a 33-millimeter sighting system for fast target acquisition and it also has an open design to allow shooters to remain aware of their surroundings. It’s a great sight for mounting to either your rifle or shotgun.
The Feyachi reflex sight features a total length of 82 millimeters and a one-click MOA. The sight’s reticle allows for four distinct styles: dot, circle/dot, crosshair/dot, and crosshair/dot/circle. It’s also ultralight, waterproof, shockproof, and powered by one 3V lithium battery.
4. Vortex Optics Sparc 2
This is an ultra-compact and lightweight red dot sight designed to help you get on target fast, regardless of whether you mount it on a flattop style rifle or shotgun. The sight’s digital rear-facing controls provide an easy way to power on and off, as well as adjusting the 2 MOA daylight bright red dot brightness at ten intensity levels.
The Vortex Optics Sparc 2 features a rugged, single-piece body that’s machined from aircraft grade aluminum. It’s versatile, multi-height mount system accommodates most firearms (including AR-15s) that need absolute or lower third co-witness heights. It also mounts on standard Weaver or Picatinny bases, although these aren’t included.
5. Aimpoint PRO
This red dot sight is built for longevity and ease. It’s always red, always on, and it’ll last up to three years on a single battery. It eliminates the need to fumble with an On/Off switch prior to use and it’s powered by one 3V lithium battery.
The Aimpoint PRO’s main operating principle is a reflex collimator sight with LED. It offers 1x optical magnification and a 2 MOA aiming dot size. It was designed with input from a distinguished group of current and former professionals, which makes it the ideal sight for the challenging conditions faced by modern law enforcement.
6. Sightmark Ultra Shot Pro Spec
A great sight for evening or night hunts, this guy is equipped with a night vision mode that allows users to mount it in front of a night vision monocular to create a co-witnessed setup. It also offers four reticle patterns that give you maximum ability to customize for day and night settings.
The Sightmark Ultra Shot Pro Spec red dot sight was inspired by military and law enforcement technology. It’s designed for ‘Triple Duty’, which means it’ll meet your needs whether you’re hunting, competing, or in tactical situations. This sight features a quick-detach mount and a double-pane glass lens system that eliminates parallax.
7. Burris Fastfire III
Offering the best in versatility on the market, this red dot sight can mount on handguns, shotguns, and hunting rifles with equal ease. It offers a convenient power button and three levels of brightness that can be changed to clearly display the red dot in all lighting conditions.
The Burris Fastfire III allows you to forget about sight alignment, eye dominance, and the difficulties of target acquisition. It boasts a 3 MOA dot reticle and tool-less windage and elevation adjustments. This sight also features top of sight battery access and a low battery warning indicator.
8. HOLOSUN HS403A
When it comes to battery life, it’s hard to compete against this sight. It offers 50,000 hours of battery life, which equals more than 5 years of continuous use. It offers a motion-awake sensor with an automatic shutoff after 8 hours of non-use.
The HOLOSUN HS403A red dot sight is parallax-free and features a high-quality clear lens with crisp, bright red dot. It is constructed from high-strength aluminum with an MAO (1) finish and glass that’s designed to sit at an angle instead of flush with the bezel. It’s also fully waterproof and submersible up to 100 feet.
9. Trijicon RMR Type 2
The Trijicon RMR Type 2 red dot sight is a tough competitor designed for military, law enforcement, and hunting applications. It offers a button lockout featured that sets RMR (2) into an automatic mode in order to prevent accidental adjustments.
This sight also features an automatic brightness mode and eight adjustable brightness settings. Its rugged battery contacts ensure performance in the harshest environments and a military-grade aluminum alloy forged housing diverts the force of an impact away from the lens. It also boasts a battery conservation mode that automatically adjusts the aiming dot to ambient lighting conditions after 16.5 hours.
10. EOTech Optics 518-2
Twenty daylight brightness settings make this red dot sight adaptable to almost all environmental conditions imaginable. It runs easily on AA batteries but still offers all of the features you’ll find on most top-of-the-line sights.
The EOTech Optics 518-2 easily mounts on a one-inch Weaver or MIL-STD-1913 rail. It is water resistant and submersible up to 10 feet while offering a battery life of 1,000 continuous hours at nominal setting 12. This new 518 version is also compatible with drop-in EOTech Battery Caps (3) that further enhance aim using visible and IR lasers.
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Buyer’s Guide
To put it simply, a red dot sight is a mechanism that provides the shooter with a holographic red dot that assists in aiming. Within the mechanism, a red-light-emitting diode (LED) reflects off an angled piece of glass, which, in turn, emits a bright, focused red point wherever you’re aiming (4).
For beginning shooters, a red dot sight is a great way to accelerate your learning curve and shoot more accurately from the get-go. But when setting out to choose a red dot sight, make sure you consider the following factors: size, style, weapon and caliber, and battery type and life.
Size
Red dot sights come in a variety of sizes that are designed to fit with specific weapons. The red dot sight that’ll work best for your weapon will depend on the size and style of the weapon in question. More specifically, the available rail space on your weapon will dictate which red dot sights will be most compatible.
It’s important to keep in mind how much space your optics will use, as well as whether you want to use the optics with any additional accessories. You may quickly take up all available rail space with a larger optics on a smaller weapon, which rules out the possibility of adding other accessories.
Weight is also synonymous (in many cases) with size. Placing a heavy sight on a small weapon can render that weapon virtually useless for many scenarios. Always keep in mind that the ideal optics should enhance the efficacy of your weapon instead of taking away from its efficiency.
Style
There are two major styles of red dot sights: open or window-based designs and traditional, tube-like styles. Of the aforementioned sights above, Aimpoint (tube) and EOTech (open window) offer great examples of these distinct styles.
In general, the open window design is more compact and low profile than tube-style designs. The open window design also tends to offers a wider field of view because there is less to interfere with your vision, especially when using both eyes to aim. Additionally, open sights tend to be less bulky and lighter in weight.
In contrast, the tube-style design often provides more durability and protection for the optics it contains. Many tube-style sights are often more waterproof and capable of suffering more abuse than comparable open window designs.
Battery Type and Life
Battery type and life can vary incredibly between red dot sight manufacturers. One of the biggest issues that come with more exotic battery types is the availability of replacement batteries. CR123 batteries, for example, may not be available to you locally and can sometimes even be hard to find online.
It’s also important to consider the batteries that other shooting accessories utilize. If you’ll be using multiple accessories with your rifle or shotgun setups, it can be helpful to consolidate to a single battery source so that it’s easier to purchase replacements in bulk.
Longer battery life is, of course, desirable. However, competitive shooters will use their optics in a different manner than hunters, which means varying needs for battery life. In addition, optics that are put into use for military or law enforcement officials must come with batteries that offer outstanding life so that they keep the optics ready to use at a moment’s notice.
Frequently Asked Questions
A red dot sight is a common classification for a type of non-magnifying reflector (or reflex) sight for firearms, and other devices that require aiming, which gives the user an aimpoint in the form of an illuminated red dot (5).
A quality red dot sight will improve your ability to acquire targets quickly and hit them more accurately. Our list of Frequently Asked Questions will dive into some technical terms that apply to red dot optics and explore proper maintenance techniques.
What is ‘parallax’?
The dictionary definition of parallax is ‘the effect whereby the position or direction of an object appears to differ when viewed from different positions.’ In our case, parallax refers to an optical illusion that must be corrected. It describes a situation where the focal plane of the object in the scope is offset from the reticle.
What is ‘MOA’?
A ‘Minute of Angle’ (MOA) is an angular measurement. One ‘MOA’ is equal to 1/60thof a degree and spreads about 1” per 100 yards. It’s important to recognize that 1 MOA is a different size at different distances. For example, 8” at 800 yards is still just 1 MOA.
What’s the best way to clean a red dot sight?
When we talk about cleaning a red dot sight, we’re mainly referring to the lenses. For starters, it’s widely believed that you should never use Windex or similar glass cleaners, paper towels, or soap to clean the lens of a red dot sight. In fact, the most acceptable method for cleaning your red dot sight is by using a lens pen. If you don’t have immediate access to a lens pen, you can white vinegar on a Q-tip or a Q-tip wetted with alcohol.
What is a ‘lens pen’?
A ‘lens pen’ is a small, lightweight, pen-shaped cleaning tool that’s specifically designed for camera lenses and other optics items. Most featured a concave cleaning tip that’s especially suited to the lenses of rifle scopes and sights.
Summary
If you’re looking to improve speed and accuracy, it’s tough to argue against the benefits of a red dot sight for competitive shooters, hunters, and military or law enforcement officials alike. We hope that you’ve found this review of the Top Ten Red Dot Sights useful and we wish you the best of luck finding the sight that fits your needs.
FAQs
What red dot sight do the Navy SEALs use? ›
Out of the 15 optics I've tested, I believe the Aimpoint PRO fits these criterias and is the best AR-15 pistol optic on the market. The Aimpoint PRO is the only combat-proven red dot that is used by law enforcements and Navy SEALs.
What red dot has the longest battery life? ›Most red dots offer about 50,000 hours of battery life, but the Vortex Sparc Solar offers 150,000 hours on a single battery. Perhaps even more notable is the Sparc Solar manages to squeeze out three-times the average while on a medium setting (as opposed to low).
How many yards is a red dot sight good for? ›You can take down targets within 100 yards without much issue. The distance can be more or less depending on your shooting skill, the accuracy of the sight, dot size, environment, lighting condition, target type, and magnification.
Which vortex red dots are made in China? ›Made in China, But the Good Made in China
The bulk of Vortex's rifle scopes production occurs in China. This includes the Diamondback Tactical FFP (First Focal Plane), Strike Eagle, and Crossfire rifle scopes product lines.
- Eotech. Eotech is best known for their rugged holographic red dot sights which are in use by US special forces. ...
- Leupold. Leupold has been in the optics business since 1907. ...
- Nightforce. ...
- Redfield. ...
- Trijicon. ...
- US Optics.
The main laser system in use by SOCOM and Green Berets is the classic PEQ 15. This compact device allows operators to use IR and standard lasers for aiming purposes. Green Berets use these mostly with night vision, and they allow you to aim and fire your rifle with NODs in your face.
What scope did Chris Kyle use? ›Early on in the film, Kyle carries a Mk13 Mod 0. This rifle is fitted with a Macmillan A2 Stock, Nightforce NXS 8-32×56 Scope, A MIRS Night Vision Rail (Presumably To Mount an AN/PVS-22) and a Harris Bipod.
What scope do military snipers use? ›A reticle is the crosshair or aiming point in the field of view of an optical sight. The Mark 5HD riflescope was selected as the optic for part of the U.S. Army's Precision Sniper Rifle (PSR) program.
What is the best MOA for a red dot sight? ›Which MOA is better for rifles? If you're wanting a red dot sight for high-precision applications: a 3 MOA is the better option. It provides better accuracy at longer distances— ideal for a rifle.
What battery brand lasts the longest? ›Energizer, and Duracell (probably the most expensive battery brands) are among the best performers.
Is red dot or green dot better at night? ›
Red dots are exponentially better than green dot sights in low-light conditions, such as nighttime and indoor areas.
How far is a 2 MOA red dot good for? ›The size of the dot is measured in minutes of angle (moa), with 1 minute of angle being equal to 1 inch @ 100 yards (approx.). Example; a 2 moa module will produce a dot that will cover 2 inches of your target @ 100 yards, a 6 moa module will cover 6 inches, and so on.
Is 1 MOA red dot too small? ›Therefore, the smaller the dot's MOA, the harder to see. A larger MOA dot will be incredibly easy to see but may cover too much of the target at further distances to get an accurate shot. Smaller dots—1 to 2.5 MOA—are used for precise shots at longer distances.
What is better red dot or holographic sight? ›In particular, red dot sights are ideal for people who have a limited budget but want to buy lightweight and long-lasting optics. But if you are looking for a high-tech sight that allows you to target acquisition fast and can work with a broken lens, then a holographic sight is for you.
Which vortex scopes are not made in China? ›Japan. Most of the high-quality rifle scope models from Vortex Optics, including Golden Eagle HD, Razor® HD, Razor® HD LH, and Razor® HD Gen II-E riflescopes, are produced in Japan.
Is Vortex Crossfire made in China? ›Is the Vortex Crossfire made in China? Vortex optics are made in China, Taiwan, Philippines, and their top-tier lines are made in Japan. The Vortex Crossfire is made in China.
Who is Vortex made by? ›The Hamilton family—starting with Dan and Margie, and followed by their sons Joe, Dave, Sam, and Jimmy—founded Vortex® to change how business is done by putting customers at the center of everything we do.
Is Trijicon made in China? ›MADE IN THE USA
All Trijicon products are designed in Michigan and have the same stringent quality processes applied to them, including the Science of Brilliant® testing methodology. All Trijicon products are backed by our limited lifetime warranty.
They are based in Texas. Their products are made in China.
Is Aimpoint made in China? ›All Aimpoint sights are manufactured in Sweden so beware of sights and packages from China or Hong Kong. The sight shall never have solar cells. Non-transparent flip-up lens covers shall have the Aimpoint logo molded into the front.
What laser sights do Navy SEALs use? ›
AN/PEQ-2 Infrared Illuminator/Aiming Laser – allows M4A1 to be effectively employed to 300 meters with night-vision goggles, by amplifying the light capability. ANPEQ-5 Visible Laser – fast and accurate means of aiming, primarily use in CQB/CRE.
What scopes do Navy SEALs use? ›The SU-123A seems to be the CQB optic of choice for everyone from the Navy SEALs to the Green Berets and over to the Marine Raiders. This optic can work with a broken lens and provides a crisp, clear reticle that can be used for a multitude of tasks.
What optics do Russian soldiers use? ›1P78 is a telescopic sight developed by and in use with the Russian Armed Forces, intended as a replacement for the older PSO-1 and 1P29 scopes currently being used by the Russian military. The optic is intended to become the standard issue sight for the infantry riflemen in the Russian military.
What rifle do Navy SEAL snipers use? ›The SEAL Recon Rifle (also known as the "Sniper M4" and "Recce") is a heavily modified M16-series rifle intended to provide US Navy SEAL snipers with a versatile, accurate, lightweight, and relatively compact weapon chambered in 5.56×45mm NATO.
What caliber do U.S. snipers use? ›30-06 Springfield continued in service with U.S. Marine Corps snipers during the Vietnam War in the 1970s, well after general adoption of the 7.62×51mm. At the present time, in both the Western world and within NATO, 7.62×51mm is currently the primary cartridge of choice for military and police sniper rifles.
What round do Marine snipers use? ›338 Norma Magnum or . 300 NM caliber rounds.
Is Leupold made in China? ›Leupold riflescopes are all designed, machined, and assembled in our Beaverton Oregon manufacturing facility. We do not have any other riflescope manufacturing facilities or offices anywhere in the world.
What is the best rifle scope in the world? ›- Athlon Argos BTR 6-24×50: Best Long Range Optic for the Money.
- Leupold Mark 5HD 5-25x56L Best Long Range Scope.
- Simmons Truplex 3-9×40: Best Budget Rifle Scope.
- Trijicon ACOG 4×32: Best ACOG.
- Steiner P4Xi 4-16×56: Best Rifle Scope Under $1000.
- Primary Arms SLX 1-6×24: Best Rifle Scope Under $300.
Every branch of the military uses snipers in some capacity. The SEALs, CCT, and Army Rangers all have sniper elements in their units. And although they all have their respective sniper schools, there is one school that stands out -- the United States Marine Corps Scout Sniper School.
What MOA red dot does the military use? ›The Aimpoint® Comp series of sights are soldier-tested, combat-proven, and widely touted by professional users as the highest quality red dot optic available. For over 20 years, the U.S. Armed Forces has chosen the Comp series as the M68CCO Close Combat Optic.
How many inches is 1 moa at 100 yards? ›
Remember, a MOA is an angular measurement that gets bigger with distance. 1″ at 100 yards and 12″ at 1200 yards are both 1 MOA.
Which is better Vortex Venom or Viper? ›The Venom is an excellent choice for hunting, with its smooth adjustments and auto mode making swift target acquisition a breeze. The Viper is another hunting optic but has an extraordinary battery life that can rival any other small red dot sight on the market.
What company makes the so called Forever battery? ›Forever batteries have arrived.
But believe it or not, QuantumScape stock is far from the only solid-state battery stock out there with millionaire-maker potential.
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Market share of the leading battery brands in the United States in 2016.
In general, most human eyes pick up one color faster than any other, and that color is green. Therein lies both a solution and a problem. Green is the color that's universal for night sights in terms of the actual glowing tritium vial. That's great in when it comes to low light shooting and honestly it's perfect.
Should red dot be close or far? ›As a general rule of thumb, you want to mount your 1x red dot optic as far forward as you can. Mounting your red dot as far forward as possible on the receiver will maximize your peripheral view and situational awareness.
What is more accurate a red dot or scope? ›Unless your target is very close, a rifle scope is generally going to be more accurate than a red dot as well. This can increase your shooting confidence, which is an important factor not to be overlooked while evaluating sport optics.
Should I get a 3 MOA or 6 MOA red dot for turkey hunting? ›Dot Size. Red dots come in all sizes, from 1 MOA to 6 MOA. To break that down, a 1 MOA dot will appear to be 1 inch at 100 yards, and a 6 MOA dot will appear to be 6 inches at 100 yards. For turkey hunting I like the smaller size dots with 1 MOA to 3 MOA being about perfect.
Is 2 MOA too small? ›In short: A 2-MOA dot is just fine.
What is the difference between 1moa and 2moa red dot? ›1 MOA means the dot covers a 1 inch circle at 100 yards, a 2 inch circle at 200 yards, a 3 inch circle at 300 yards and so on. 2 MOA covers a 2 inch circle at 100 yards, a 4 inch circle at 200 yards, and 6 inches at 300 and so on.
How high should my red dot be? ›
Many people prefer 1.93 or 2.26 simply because it keeps the head in a more upright position when shooting. We typically recommend 1.93 over 2.26, as 2.26 is often taller than needed in most cases.
How far can you shoot with a red dot magnifier? ›A red dot is great by itself. You can hit stationary targets out to 200-yards with ease. Beyond that, things get rather tricky. Even at 200-yards, you may not be able to see what a target is.
Does barrel length matter with a red dot? ›Your going to be more accurate with a red dot no matter the length of barrel or distance from front sight to rear sight. Red dot optics are typically used on semi-automatics and many newer models are sold optics ready with multiple base plates to fit most popular optics.
What distance are red dot sights good for? ›Red dot sights can be adequate on rifles or short-barreled rifles up to 300 yards but most shooters typically prefer using them within 100 yards.
What color sights are best? ›What color is best for gun/fiber optic sights? Green/yellow is the spectrum that human eyes detect best in most settings, according to Trevor Young (director of sales at HiViz), and so it is the company's most popular option.
Which is better venom or viper red dot? ›The Venom is an excellent choice for hunting, with its smooth adjustments and auto mode making swift target acquisition a breeze. The Viper is another hunting optic but has an extraordinary battery life that can rival any other small red dot sight on the market.
What red dot does Glock recommend? ›The best RMR for a Glock is the 3.25 MOA reticle variant. It's the best because it offers all the durability and reliability of an RMR and the 3.25 MOA dot reticle is a fantastic size for fast reticle acquisition while still being small enough for precision aiming at small targets…
Are Vortex Red Dots any good? ›The Vortex Viper is a great choice for your Glock. It's constructed very well, easy to use, and will last you a long time without any issues. It's perfect for anyone looking for a simple, dependable red dot sight. The Viper Red Dot Sight has a super low-profile making it perfect for handguns with cut-out slides.
Is Holosun a good brand? ›The Holosun HS510C is a top quality reflex sight for serious applications. It's clear, durable, and at the very least competes with every quality of an EOTech, but without the more expensive price point.
Is Vortex Strike Eagle better than Viper? ›The Vortex Viper is superior in the overall image clarity. The glass is special XD (extra-low dispersion) coated glass, which not only boosts color fidelity but provides incredibly crisp images at max range. The Vortex Strike Eagle has a 34mm tube with a 56mm objective lens.
What's better 3 MOA or 6 MOA? ›
In general for 3 MOA vs 6 MOA: A 6 MOA larger dot is best for shorter ranges while the smaller dot of 3 MOA is better for longer or more distant shots.
Are Vortex Vipers worth the money? ›If you're looking for the best set of binoculars for less than a grand, the Vortex Viper HD 8x42 should be at the top of your shortlist. These binoculars strike a great balance between price and performance. In fact, they aren't that big of a step down in quality from the multi-thousand dollar pairs we tested.
What red dot does the military use on pistols? ›The Aimpoint® Comp series of sights are soldier-tested, combat-proven, and widely touted by professional users as the highest quality red dot optic available. For over 20 years, the U.S. Armed Forces has chosen the Comp series as the M68CCO Close Combat Optic.
What Glock do most cops use? ›By far the most popular police service pistol in the United States, the GLOCK 22 fires the potent 40 S&W cartridge and holds more rounds for its size and weight than most other full-sized handgun in its class.
What is the best color for pistol sights? ›What color is best for gun/fiber optic sights? Green/yellow is the spectrum that human eyes detect best in most settings, according to Trevor Young (director of sales at HiViz), and so it is the company's most popular option.
Is Leupold better than Vortex? ›Leupold may have a slight advantage with the quality of their scopes' build, while Vortex has the price advantage. Both brands have excellent reputations, even with Vortex's relative lack of experience. Ultimately, if you're in the market for a scope, your choice will probably come down to personal preference.
Are Vortex Optics worth the money? ›The short answer: Yes. For the price, durability, glass clarity, forgiving eye box, and smooth turret rotations, I highly recommend it for anyone on a budget. In this Vortex Crossfire II review, I'll explain why, which reticle you should get, and if this scope is for you. Let's get started!
Which is better Vortex or Holosun? ›Holosun 507c Vs Vortex Venom – Final Thoughts…
So in the end, in the Durability And Toughness category, both optics are made from high quality materials, but the Holosun 507c is one of the toughest miniature reflex sights out there, so it was the clear winner…
Creating innovative optic and lighting solutions since 2013, Holosun is at the forefront of optic, laser and infrared technologies for tactical shooters. US Army personnel place the highest demands on their equipment and Holosun has introduced technology and features to address their specific needs.
Does law enforcement use Holosun? ›Yes, we've seen plenty of law enforcement officers with their duty guns equipped with a variety of Holosun pistol optics. Since 2021, the Los Angeles Sheriff's Department has actually approved the use for Holosun 407/507/508/509.