Is the Holosun Worth Your Money?

This is a guest post by Andrew Bettsholosun

Holosun’s slogan on their home page is “Military grade optics without military grade price.” That’s a pretty high bar to meet. To be sure, there is no universal standard for “military grade” but it seems fair to expect that most people would interpret that as being roughly equivalent to Aimpoint. The styling of Holosun’s optics is obviously reminiscent of Aimpoint and the mounts are even compatible, so it would appear that Holosun is trying very hard to give the impression that their products are equivalent to Aimpoint’s without the price. Is it fair to say they are equal to Aimpoint, though?

So it is clear that the Holosun is not the equal of Aimpoint or other truly military grade optics. You know what they say about things that sound too good to be true. Still, the Holosun offers a feature set that is very attractive at a price point that is a fraction of the price of optics that have a NSN. The compact size, compatibility with Aimpoint mounts, and most especially, the motion sense power on feature are welcome features. The HS503GU referenced in this capreview is supposed to have a 50,000-hour battery life, but with auto off at ten minutes and with the sight waking itself up at the slightest movement, it seems not to matter much how long the battery will last. These two features working together mean that the sight just isn’t on for long but it behaves as though it were simply on all the time.

The location and function of the controls are also greatly appreciated. One of my biggest complaints about the EoTech was that it would not “remember” the last brightness setting you used. You had to adjust the brightness every time you turned it on. The Holosun automatically comes on at the brightness level that you last used. Set it and forget it, as the commercial says. I was also impressed by the driver bits incorporated into the windage and elevation screw caps. Remove the cap, flip it over, and use it to adjust the screw. It’s so simple and elegant it makes one wonder why every sight doesn’t incorporate this feature.

The only drawback that I have been able to identify is that the sight isn’t as waterproof as claimed. It is possible that I just got two lemons in a row, but that in itself indicates a problem. The representative I spoke with assured me that img_0687-2the sight is supposed to meet the IP67 standard and encouraged me to submerge this third sight. I have not done so yet but I did have it on my rifle for several ammunition tests in the pouring rain. I left the lens caps off and the sight and rifle exposed to the rain for several hours and it is still working as it should. If you are not locking out of a submarine for a midnight insertion off the coast of Durkhastan, the HS503GU will probably meet your needs nicely.

While the submersion failure is a little disappointing, it is a good opportunity to highlight the integrity of the company. I purchased the sight with my own money, but they were well aware that I intended to make a YouTube video and blog post about it and they did not send me a handpicked T&E sample. I would not have known any differently if they did, but they just sent what they had on hand as though I were any other customer and I appreciate that.

There is an elephant in the room that really needs to be addressed. There are several sights on the market that look img_0435very much like the Holosun and have similar features. Primary Arms and the Sig Romeo are probably the most well-known. While Holosun is understandably vague about business relationships, a source at Holosun did confirm that the parent company that owns Holosun is the “OEM manufacturer of optics for other companies.” We can only speculate on which companies those are, but by all appearances, the Sig Romeo is essentially the same sight but with an inflated price tag due to the Sig Sauer name.

If your line of work requires a battle tough sight, you may want to look at Aimpoint or Trijicon. If you want a sight for a home defense rifle, hunting, or other moderately hard use, the Holosun should fit your needs well. As always, training and mindset are the factors most likely to determine your ability to survive. Get professional training and work hard to maintain and improve your skill set.

 

Andrew Betts served with the Arizona National Guard for over 12 years, including a tour to Afghanistan. Visit his YouTube Channel for more great shooting information.

Photo credit – The Chopping Block @ YouTube

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