Gun owners know just how important it is to have a reflex sight you can rely on, and I’m here to tell you that the Holosun 510C stands out from its competitors. This hands-on review will prove me right.
FYI, prices and ratings are accurate as of time of writing.
Holosun 510C Reflex Red Dot Sight for Longer Barrels
Highlight: battery life is up to 50,000 hours, depending on the settings.
Helpful review: The Vortex red dots aren’t sexy, and they don’t have a sexy history, but they can hit a nickel at 25 years, and the indoor range guys love you when you do that.
The new Holosun 510C can beat the lot of them. The construction, features, and other stuff will put this affordable option above the rest. The Holosun 510C worked co-witness with the BUIS that came on my B&T GHM9. Getting the reticle on target took a considerable amount of turns left and then back to the right to fix the windage, but the up-and-down or elevation was on the money.
When it comes to ease of use, the Holosun 510C excels. Its 'shake awake' feature ensures it's always ready to go, making it a convenient choice for any gun owner.
The Holosun 510C has a function that outperforms both the RMR and the Vortex options; the auto-dimming feature is amazing. Turn that function, and you can move from dark to light, and even look from a dark area into a light area. Without the UTO dimming feature, you can lose the red dot or reticle, it will wash out in the bright light. Speaking of reticles, the Holosun 510C offerings are very handy. The two MOA dots will help with targets further away, and the 65 MOA reticle gives fast target picture acquisition at closer range or moving targets, like turkeys in heavy brush.
The reticle options on the RMR and the Vortex options do not have multiple options to fit the needs of the shooter. The Holosun 510C has the two reticle options that I talked about. On the subject of reticles, since that is the only thing that will draw power from the battery, the design is supposed to have a very long life. The battery is accessible without removing the optic and comes with the required TORX wrench and a spare battery. If you have built-in storage on the gun, you will be able to change them. If the battery does fail, you have the replacement on hand.
The Holoson 510C has one of the only solar functions in modern optics. In the worst-case scenario, if the battery fails, the reticle will work in the light of day or with very powerful lighting handy. If you are working through the end-of-the-world zombie apocalypse or whatever nightmare you are dealing with, this optic can still perform.
The true value of this optic is a no-brainer; the Holosun 510C is half the price or better than the MRO or RMR. The Holosun 510C has more features in general and a more rugged design. There is a torture test from Alabama Arsenal, including pouring water on the optic, throwing it 20 feet in the air, and letting it bounce against the pavement; they even threw it in the freezer and tried to pound nails with it. Then, to make things completely crazy, they shot it with a shotgun, and according to them, it still holds its zero.
The Holosun 510C comes with a quick-release mount, saving about 150 bucks; if you buy the other red dots and the expensive crowd of optics, the mount is extra. The quick-release mount that comes with the optic has a perfect BUIS witness, but mine was a little loose when first installed. The kit came with the tools to tighten the mount; it took one turn, and it clamped down with Amazonian force. It is absolutely solid now, and it is still easy and smooth to release with the convenient latch keeper.
The sight picture is incredible; the thin profile sides and large window view give looking through this optic a natural feel, and you do not chase the reticle around trying to find it. The zero parallax makes it so there is no "toilet paper tube" view to deal with, like some other red dot optics. If you shoot with both eyes open, you hardly notice the frame. You just see the entire view, and there is a reticle to place the shot on target; you have a perfect field of view. I am building a Scorpion next, and I am going to buy one for that build as well. From where I stand, I can't see anyone or any manufacturer coming up with anything better for the money. — Noah O. Thompson
Get it from Amazon now: $309.99 & FREE Returns (or $484.99 for a combo Amazon deal with a Flip-to-Side Magnifier)
