There’s a lot of red dots out there. And probably even more GUIDES to finding the perfect red dot.

What sets this guide apart?

We have everything in-hand and tested them across tons of rifles, shotguns, and pistols.

A Couple AR-15 Scopes & Red Dots

By the end you’ll know the best red dot for your specific firearm AND budget. Plus some of the great reasons to even use a red dot in the first place.

Best Red Dot Sights For Your Gun

1. Aimpoint PRO

The Aimpoint PRO is our Editor’s Choice if you want the very best red dot that can handle everything from range plinking to all-out war.

Aimpoint PRO Testing

Literally bomb-proof with 30K hours of continuous use…you can just leave it on and forget it. And then change out the batteries every few years.

Aimpoint PRO, 3x Brighter Dot

Plus it has a crisp 2 MOA dot (dot will cover 2 inches at 100 yards), is night vision compatible, waterproof up to 150 feet, and has an operating range of -49 to 160 degrees F.

If you need more than that…then I don’t know what to tell you!

We now have a YouTube review of it as well after 3+ years of testing and thousands of rounds.

And check out our full-on written review of it where we bash it real good with a hammer. It kept zero and didn’t even hiccup.

2. Bushnell TRS-25 AR Optics

We understand not everyone has $400 to spend on a red dot. The Bushnell TRS-25 is our go-to for something around $70.

Bushnell TRS-25

It’s served me well on my first AR and now currently lives on my AK pistol…which has even more recoil.

Bushnell TRS-25 on AK

3000 rounds total (with 1000 on the harsher recoiling AK and still going strong…plus some rain here and there.

Not the greatest glass but she’ll work!

If you’re thinking of going even cheaper…don’t!

This is the lowest I would go for something that will stand up to range plinking here and there.

Don’t get the TRS-25 with a riser…it’s terrible! I highly recommend getting it with the UTG 1″ Riser so it’s the perfect height (1/3 cowitness) on an AR-15.

UTG Riser (Slim Version)

Check it out more in our Best Under $100 Red Dots article and video. Or now the standalone review of the Bushnell TRS-25.

3. Trijicon MRO

Another favorite is the Trijicon MRO which sits in the same price range as the Aimpoint PRO at around $400.

Trijicon MRO Midwest QD Mount

However, it comes in a smaller profile AND a larger field of view.

Beefy and now an often chosen duty optic…the MRO gives you 6 daylight settings and 2 night vision with 5 years of battery life at a medium setting.

Trijicon MRO Red Reflex Sight in Desert on Steel

It survived a lot of punishment in our High-End Optics Torture Test…from water immersion to drop test, heat/cold cycling, and being shot with a variety of loads.

Trijicon MRO 12ga Birdshot

And it took them like a champ with only a slight shift in POA with the drop test.

Want a place where we sum it ALL UP? Check the full Trijicon MRO review plus video:

It comes in a variety of mount flavors from no mount to 1/3 cowitness and full cowitness. We prefer the 1/3 cowitness so you can still use irons as a backup but they aren’t in the way. Best Green Dot Trijicon MRO 429 at Optics Planet Prices accurate at time of writing View Details 429 at Optics Planet Compare prices (3 found) Prices accurate at time of writing

4. Sig Sauer Romeo5

The Sig Sauer Romeo5 takes our current Editor’s Pick for Best-Bang-For-the-Buck red dot at around $140.

Sig Romeo 5

Clear and crisp 2 MOA dot, 8 daylight settings and 2 night vision modes, and motion on/off.

The daylight settings are enough for our desert days and you get 40,000+ hours of batter life at the medium setting.

We’ve put a lot of rounds through several units and you can check out the full Romeo5 review here.

What do you think of the Sig Romeo5?

Readers' Ratings 4.96/5 (701) Your Rating?

5. Trijicon RMR Type 2

Now we’re entering the realm of micro red dots…or red dots that fit on your pistol.

We’ll start with the Gold Standard…the Trijicon RMR Type 2 ($469).

RMR Type 2 on Polymer80 Glock

If you’re serious about a red dot enabled fighting/competition pistol…you go with an RMR.

RMR Type 2 with Suppressor Height Irons

Trusted by professionals and has the most widespread “cut” for pistol slides so if you’re upgrading your slide it will likely be RMR cut.

RMR Type 2 Sealing Plate and Milled Slide

4 years of battery life (always keep it on) plus night vision compatible.

Find out more about the RMR Type 2 in our Best Pistol Red Dots article.

6. Vortex Venom

Now how about a pistol red dot for the rest of us? Enter the Vortex Venom ($230).

Vortex Venom Mounted on Buckmark

It’s the lowest and smallest of the bunch that we tested. Plus it comes with a Picatinny rail mount for other pistols and even rifles.

Tested Pistol Red Dots

We like the Venom over Vortex’s older Viper because it comes in two dot sizes (3 MOA or 6 MOA) and has slightly better reviews. Check out our video on both:

If that helped, please subscribe to our YouTube channel since we’re adding new videos every week!

It’s “cut” is not as widespread as the RMR but there’s adapters for out-of-the-box optic-ready slides such as the Glock MOS and M&P Core.

Or you can always get a Outer Impact dovetail mount.

Vortex Venom on Outer Impact Mount

Check out the install in our video:

Learn more about the Venom and the other pistol red dots in our Best Pistol Red Dots article.

7. EOTech EXPS-2

This one is technically a “holographic” sight. The technology of showing the reticle in front of your eyes may be different…but it still does the same thing as a red dot.

The EOTech EXPS-2 ($490) is my go-to for a serious rifle. As it is for a lot of our military.

EOTech EXPS2-0

EOTech pioneered the reticle that has become synonymous with other holographic sights. The large 68 MOA circle and small 1 MOA center that gives you both quick acquisition and precise targeting.

Battery life is less for holographics overall. The EXPS2-0 has 600 hours…but you get a much larger view window and the great reticle.

We took an EXPS model and also subjected it to untold horrors in the High-End Optics Torture Test.

EOTech EXPS 3 .22 LR Killshot

It survived everything (with no POI shift in the cold/heat cycling) until the .22LR Mini-Mag which took down all but one optic.

But due to the holographic technology which doesn’t need the rear glass…it still technically worked.

Learn more in our Best EOTech Holographic Sights.

Three EOTechs, Back

8. Holosun 510C

And you know I wouldn’t leave you hanging without a more affordable holographic option…

Holosun’s 510C ($299) combines the typical holographic reticle with red dot technology. Now you get tons of hours, a great view window, and the ability for quick snap or more precise shots.

Holosun 510C Reticle

Plus…it even has a solar panel to not use up battery power during the day. Not that you have much to worry about…it’s rated for 50K hours.

Check out more pics and videos of the 510C in Best Holographic Sights.

Why Do You Want a Red Dot?

Now that we’ve gotten our favorite picks out of the way…why would you even want a red dot? Haven’t iron sights worked for hundreds of years?

Well…there’s always room for improvement!

PWS MK116 Mod 2-M with Goodies

1. Eye Relief

This means you don’t need to have a set distance of your eyeballs from the sight. More apparent for scopes…but it’s also a thing you deal with on iron sights.

2. Parallax Free

This means when you move your head around…the red dot still stays on target. This combined with eye relief gives you a lot more freedom in position.

3. Co-Witness

You always want a backup since electronics can fail…even if you go with the gold standards.

Red dots let you either absolute co-witness or lower 1/3 co-witness with your existing iron sights.

Co-Witness, Absolute vs Lower Third

I prefer the lower 1/3 so you don’t always see the front post in your face until you drop a little lower and WANT to see it.

You can select the specific co-witness height based on models and riser heights. Don’t worry…we cover everything in the in-depth articles!

4. Both Eyes Open

Lastly…you can keep both eyes open with red dots which opens up your entire field of view. No more squinting behind your irons and ignoring potential threats on the side.

Conclusion

There you have it…our picks of the best red dot (and holographic) sights for all types of guns. Here are the specific articles we referenced if you want to see more in-depth reviews.

How did we do…anything else you’d add to our list? If you’re looking for something with a little more magnification…check out our Best AR-15 Scopes & Optics or more general Best Rifle Scopes post.