Braxton Taylor
It wasn’t all that long ago when anyone mounting an optic, ANY optic on a rifle, pistol or shotgun was sneered at. These days, a red dot or some other sighting system is the norm for a rifle, common on a pistol and they’re beginning to be seen more and more on defensive shotguns as well. Here’s what’s new in red dots for 2024.
Holosun | Ronin AEMS Max
Offering the largest objective lens of any of the company’s optics, the Max is Holosun’s AEMS expanded to gigantic proportions. Its controls are hard to miss, but so is the target. The Ronin AEMS Max features an LED-based reticle available in red or green, and the unit includes Solar Failsafe and Shake Awake technologies.
Magnification: 1X
Viewing Window Dimensions: 40×46 mm
Reticle: 65-MOA circle with 2-MOA dot, 2-MOA dot, 65-MOA circle
Length: 2.51 inches
Weight: 10.4 ounces
MSRP: $635
(909) 594-2888; holosun.com
Lucid | E7
A reflex optic with a blue reticle makes a lot of sense. A blue-dot reticle is easy to use with night vision and is faster to spot than either a red or green dot. Add in 50,000 hours of battery life, an easy-to-use interface and the popular Acro footprint, and you truly have a blue-light special.
Magnification: 1X
Viewing Window Dimensions: 21×18 mm
Reticle: Lucid M5
Length: 1.78 inches
Weight: 2.65 ounces
MSRP: $299
(307) 463-2633; lucidoptics.com
Meprolight | M22
The latest reflex sight from Israel boasts fiber-optic illumination by day and tritium vials by night, meaning that it will perform in any lighting condition with no need for batteries, ever. The transition between the two systems is instantaneous and automatic. Its rugged, battle-proven construction meets or exceeds rigorous standards to thrive in the harshest environments.
Magnification: 1X
Viewing Window Dimensions: 25.4×20.3 mm
Reticle: 3-MOA red dot, 10-MOA triangle
Length: 3.9 inches
Weight: 9.1 ounces
MSRP: $449
(717) 985-4488; meprolight.com
Riton | 3 Tactix EED
An enclosed-emitter dot sight helps keep your optic free of dust, moisture and other things that could spoil your aiming point. The 3 Tactix EED combines that style of dot with an Aimpoint Acro footprint and adds in plates for the Glock MOS and Trijicon RMR mounting systems to give you a rugged optic that can attach to a wide variety of firearms.
Magnification:1X
Viewing Window Dimensions: 21×16.5 mm
Reticle: 3-MOA red dot
Length: 1.73 inches
Weight: 1.83 ounces
MSRP: $349
(855) 397-4866; ritonoptics.com
Simmons | Pro Target Tube Red Dot
Looking to get into the world of red-dot sights without burning a hole in your wallet? The Simmons Pro Target Reflex Red Dot has the features you need in a dot sight, like a bright, 4-MOA dot and variable brightness settings. It mounts on a Picatinny rail and does so at a price that leaves you plenty of cash for practice ammo.
Magnification: 1X
Objective Lens Diameter: 20 mm
Reticle: 3-MOA red dot
Length: 2.6 inches
Weight: 4.2 ounces
MSRP: $69
(800) 221-9035; bushnell.com
Steiner | T1Xi
In addition to its choice of three reticles, the Steiner T1Xi offers enhanced versatility in the form of 11 illumination levels—including nine day/night- and two night-vision-compatible modes—all at the push of a button. It also boasts a 50,000-hour run time on a single CR2023 battery.
Magnification: 1X
Objective Lens Diameter: 24 mm
Reticle: 60-MOA circle with 2-MOA dot, 60-MOA circle, 2-MOA dot
Length: 3.2 inches
Weight: 5.4 ounces
MSRP: $795
(888) 550-6255; steiner-optics.com
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