Red Dot Sight Reviews

Computed ranking

Tube red dots, ranked

10 current tube red dots we have reviewed, ranked by their sourced reliability evidence and list price, with tables for weight, battery life, waterproofing, list price and warranty below.

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  1. #1 Aimpoint Patrol Rifle Optic (12841) 3 of 7 measures sourced
    • High reliability reputation, medium confidence
    • $512 list
    • Battery changes without removing the optic
    • Motion activation: unknown
    • Waterproof rating: unknown
    Read the review Source 1Source 2 Check price on AmazonCheck price on OpticsPlanet
  2. #2 Aimpoint Micro T-2 (200180) 3 of 7 measures sourced
    • High reliability reputation, low confidence
    • $951 list
    • Battery changes without removing the optic
    • Motion activation: unknown
    • Waterproof rating: unknown
    Read the review Source 1Source 2 Check price on AmazonCheck price on OpticsPlanet
  3. #3 Bushnell TRS-25 Red Dot Sight 7 of 7 measures sourced
    • Medium reliability reputation, medium confidence
    • $79.95 list
    • Battery changes without removing the optic
    • No motion activation
    • Splash or jet resistant (IPX4 to IPX6) (maker: "IPX5")
    Read the review Source 1Source 2 Check price on AmazonCheck price on OpticsPlanet
  4. #4 Vortex Optics Crossfire Red Dot Gen 2 (CF-RD2) 6 of 7 measures sourced
    • Medium reliability reputation, medium confidence
    • $219.99 list
    • Battery access: unknown
    • No motion activation
    • Claimed waterproof, no rating or depth published (maker: "Waterproof")
    Read the review Source 1Source 2 Check price on AmazonCheck price on OpticsPlanet
  5. #5 Primary Arms SLx MD-25 (Rotary Knob, Gen II) 6 of 7 measures sourced
    • Medium reliability reputation, low confidence
    • $159.99 list
    • Battery changes without removing the optic
    • Motion activation
    • Waterproof rating: unknown
    Read the review Source 1Source 2 Check price on AmazonCheck price on OpticsPlanet
  6. #6 Holosun ARO-CORE-GD2 (Gold Dot) 6 of 7 measures sourced
    • Medium reliability reputation, low confidence
    • $188.22 list
    • Battery access: unknown
    • Motion activation
    • IPX7 / IP67 (1 m for 30 minutes) (maker: "IP67")
    Read the review Source 1Source 2 Check price on AmazonCheck price on OpticsPlanet
  7. #7 Sig Sauer Romeo7 (SOR71001) 6 of 7 measures sourced
    • Medium reliability reputation, low confidence
    • $199.99 list
    • Battery access: unknown
    • Motion activation
    • Rated for immersion deeper than 1 m (maker: "IPX8")
    Read the review Source 1Source 2 Check price on AmazonCheck price on OpticsPlanet
  8. #8 Vortex Optics Strikefire II (SF-RG-501) 4 of 7 measures sourced
    • Medium reliability reputation, low confidence
    • $274.99 list
    • Battery access: unknown
    • No motion activation
    • Waterproof rating: unknown
    Read the review Source 1Source 2 Check price on AmazonCheck price on OpticsPlanet
  9. #9 Aimpoint Duty RDS (200759) 4 of 7 measures sourced
    • Medium reliability reputation, low confidence
    • $514 list
    • Battery changes without removing the optic
    • No motion activation
    • Waterproof rating: unknown
    Read the review Source 1Source 2 Check price on AmazonCheck price on OpticsPlanet
  10. #10 Aimpoint CompM5 (200320) 3 of 7 measures sourced
    • Medium reliability reputation, low confidence
    • $1,009 list
    • Battery changes without removing the optic
    • Motion activation: unknown
    • Waterproof rating: unknown
    Read the review Source 1Source 2 Check price on AmazonCheck price on OpticsPlanet

By weight (lightest first)

Maker-stated weight, lightest first. Makers do not all say whether the figure includes the battery; the configuration is shown on each row. Where several versions exist, the heaviest is used.

#OpticValueSource
1 Holosun ARO-CORE-GD2 (Gold Dot) 3.38 oz (configuration not stated) maker / record
2 Bushnell TRS-25 Red Dot Sight 3.7 oz (configuration not stated) maker / record
3 Vortex Optics Crossfire Red Dot Gen 2 (CF-RD2) 5.3 oz (configuration not stated) maker / record
4 Primary Arms SLx MD-25 (Rotary Knob, Gen II) 6.5 oz (configuration not stated) maker / record
5 Sig Sauer Romeo7 (SOR71001) 12.5 oz (configuration not stated) maker / record

Not ranked, weight unknown: Aimpoint CompM5 (200320), Aimpoint Duty RDS (200759), Aimpoint Patrol Rifle Optic (12841), Aimpoint Micro T-2 (200180), Vortex Optics Strikefire II (SF-RG-501).

By rated battery life

Each maker rates battery life at its own brightness setting, so figures are not comparable across makers. Optics are grouped in fixed bands and listed alphabetically within a band.

#OpticValueSource
1 Holosun ARO-CORE-GD2 (Gold Dot) 50,000 h rated maker / record
2 Vortex Optics Crossfire Red Dot Gen 2 (CF-RD2) 50,000 h rated maker / record
3 Sig Sauer Romeo7 (SOR71001) 62,500 h rated (medium setting) maker / record
4 Primary Arms SLx MD-25 (Rotary Knob, Gen II) 50,000 h rated maker / record
5 Vortex Optics Strikefire II (SF-RG-501) 50,000 h rated maker / record
6 Bushnell TRS-25 Red Dot Sight 5,000 h rated maker / record

Not ranked, rated battery life unknown: Aimpoint CompM5 (200320), Aimpoint Duty RDS (200759), Aimpoint Patrol Rifle Optic (12841), Aimpoint Micro T-2 (200180).

By waterproofing

Grouped by the maker's published rating: immersion deeper than 1 m (deepest stated depth first), then IPX7/IP67, then splash ratings, then an unrated waterproof claim.

OpticValueSource
Sig Sauer Romeo7 (SOR71001) Rated for immersion deeper than 1 m (maker: "IPX8") maker / record
Holosun ARO-CORE-GD2 (Gold Dot) IPX7 / IP67 (1 m for 30 minutes) (maker: "IP67") maker / record
Bushnell TRS-25 Red Dot Sight Splash or jet resistant (IPX4 to IPX6) (maker: "IPX5") maker / record
Vortex Optics Crossfire Red Dot Gen 2 (CF-RD2) Claimed waterproof, no rating or depth published (maker: "Waterproof") maker / record

Not ranked, waterproof rating unknown: Aimpoint CompM5 (200320), Aimpoint Duty RDS (200759), Aimpoint Patrol Rifle Optic (12841), Aimpoint Micro T-2 (200180), Primary Arms SLx MD-25 (Rotary Knob, Gen II), Vortex Optics Strikefire II (SF-RG-501).

By list price (lowest first)

Maker list price in US dollars from the maker's own page, lowest version first.

#OpticValueSource
1 Bushnell TRS-25 Red Dot Sight $79.95 list maker / record
2 Primary Arms SLx MD-25 (Rotary Knob, Gen II) $159.99 list maker / record
3 Holosun ARO-CORE-GD2 (Gold Dot) $188.22 list maker / record
4 Sig Sauer Romeo7 (SOR71001) $199.99 list maker / record
5 Vortex Optics Crossfire Red Dot Gen 2 (CF-RD2) $219.99 list maker / record
6 Vortex Optics Strikefire II (SF-RG-501) $274.99 list maker / record
7 Aimpoint Patrol Rifle Optic (12841) $512 list maker / record
8 Aimpoint Duty RDS (200759) $514 list maker / record
9 Aimpoint Micro T-2 (200180) $951 list maker / record
10 Aimpoint CompM5 (200320) $1,009 list maker / record

By warranty grade

The brand's warranty grade from our warranty comparison, which scores the published terms; brand level, not per model.

#OpticValueSource
1 Vortex Optics Crossfire Red Dot Gen 2 (CF-RD2) Vortex Optics warranty grade A maker / record
2 Sig Sauer Romeo7 (SOR71001) Sig Sauer warranty grade A maker / record
3 Primary Arms SLx MD-25 (Rotary Knob, Gen II) Primary Arms warranty grade A maker / record
4 Vortex Optics Strikefire II (SF-RG-501) Vortex Optics warranty grade A maker / record
5 Bushnell TRS-25 Red Dot Sight Bushnell warranty grade B maker / record
6 Holosun ARO-CORE-GD2 (Gold Dot) Holosun warranty grade C maker / record
7 Aimpoint CompM5 (200320) Aimpoint warranty grade C maker / record
8 Aimpoint Duty RDS (200759) Aimpoint warranty grade C maker / record
9 Aimpoint Micro T-2 (200180) Aimpoint warranty grade C maker / record
10 Aimpoint Patrol Rifle Optic (12841) Aimpoint warranty grade C maker / record