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Trijicon MRO [Review+Video]: Go-To Duty Red Dot

Crazy durable, clear glass, insane battery life, and large field of view. We love the Trijicon MRO and we hands-on test it for everything that matters.

Is the Trijicon MRO’s combination of fast target acquisition and a huge FOV in a rock solid package enough to justify the price?

Trijicon MRO with BCM Recce 16
Trijicon MRO with BCM Recce 16

Let’s find out!

If you’ve been with us for any length of time you’ve probably noticed that we’ve done our fair share of optics reviews.

All of the ACOGs
All of the ACOGs 👀

Sometimes it’s a little difficult to find something new to talk about with optics that aren’t necessarily groundbreaking…but still combine durability, function, and affordability into a package that we think is worth telling you about.

And personally, we find that the MRO (or Miniature Rifle Optic) falls pretty squarely into that specific niche.

Trijicon MRO BCM Gunfighter

In fact, it’s sort of sitting in a bit of an in-between, in a few different ways.

Best Green Dot
409
at Optics Planet

Prices accurate at time of writing

Prices accurate at time of writing

Available Coupons

Let’s walk through some comparisons, view-throughs, and numbers to see if it’s the right duty-rated optic for you.

And yes…we have a full video review as well!

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Range Time

The MRO is obviously much smaller than red dots like the larger Aimpoints or EOtech’s holographic sights, but is still slightly larger in profile than a lot of the micro red dots that have become quite popular.

Trijicon MRO Size Comparison with Other Optics
Trijicon MRO Size Comparison with Other Optics

Though it does generally have a wider field of view than the majority of Aimpoint Micro T-1 type optics out there. 

Trijicon MRO Compared to Sig Romeo 8
Trijicon MRO (R) Compared to Sig Romeo 5 (L)

Featuring 6 levels of adjustable brightness and two levels of night vision compatibility, the MRO is an optic that boasts total visibility in bright daytime conditions.

Which if you’ve watched any previous optic reviews I’ve done, tends to be a sticking point that causes me to bitch a lot. Not an issue here, thankfully. 

We’ve actually got two distinct models of MRO here – both red dot reflex and green dot reflex variants.

I personally think it’s worth noting that the green dot variant’s actual shade of green used in the reticle is slightly different than what I’ve seen anywhere else.

447
at Amazon

Prices accurate at time of writing

Prices accurate at time of writing

Available Coupons

Most optics that come in a green flavor tend to have a very aggressive ‘neon’ green tinge to them, and the MRO is a bit more of a subdued ‘lemon lime’ green, if that makes any kind of sense.

Trijicon MRO Green Dot Color Demonstration Versus EOTech
The EOTech’s specific flavor of green.

I actually prefer the MRO’s color to the neon green dot after spending some time with it, as I feel like it winds up being much easier to pick up against the various shrubbery we’ve got out in the desert at our local shooting spot.

Trijicon MRO Green Dot Color Demonstration
Seen here with the camera unfocused on the dot so as to blow it up and better show off the specific color.

Additionally, without turning this into a science lesson about how the human eye works, the color green is up to 30x more visible to the naked eye in bright daytime conditions than the color red, which your eye is generally going to pick up more easily at night.

This isn’t a universal fact and everyone is going to be different, but if you find yourself struggling to pick up red dots during the day, consider giving a green dot optic a try and seeing if it works better for you. 

The MRO features a 2 MOA dot and is offered in a variety of different mounting solutions – from a super low profile mount all the way to a taller, 1/3rd co-witness type mount.

We’ve got a Midwest Industries 1/3rd co-witness mount with a QD latch on our red MRO, and a stock Trijicon full co-witness mount that utilizes Torx screws on the green dot.

92
at Amazon

Prices accurate at time of writing

Prices accurate at time of writing

Available Coupons
Trijicon MRO Midwest QD Mount
Trijicon MRO Midwest Industries QD Mount

Personally, we like the QD capability of the midwest mount, but if you’re not moving the optic around often, this likely won’t matter too much for you.

The MRO’s brightness adjustment knob is actually pretty huge and sits right in the center of the top plane of the optic.

Trijicon MRO Brightness Adjustment Knobs
Trijicon MRO Brightness Adjustment Knobs

It’s actually kind of nice having the thing that you’re likely going to be manipulating the most being the object that’s easiest to grab on the optic, rather than having your brightness relegated to a small side knob with oversized windage and elevation adjustment turrets.

Additionally, the red dot’s battery lasts a pretty impressive 5 years, with the green dot MRO clocking in 1 year of run time due to the nature of lasers or whatever.

The windage and elevation adjustments are recessed into the body of the optic itself, and turn with either a flathead or a thumbnail quite smoothly, adjusting for 1/2 MOA per click.

Trijicon MRO Windage and Elevation Adjustment Knobs
Trijicon MRO Windage and Elevation Adjustment Knobs

As mentioned, your field of view through the MRO is going to be a bit larger than something like a Sig Sauer Romeo 5 (full review) or similar microdots on the market right now.

Although it’s a tiny bit smaller than something like a full-sized Aimpoint PRO (which you can check out a review of here) though it is significantly lighter.

Trijicon MRO Compared to Aimpoint PRO
Trijicon MRO Compared to Aimpoint PRO

Torture Test

We recently took some high-end optics out to test and shoot up. The MRO was one of them.

Trijicon MRO Being Dropped
Trijicon MRO Being Dropped

It of course survived water submersion and also heating/cooling to -40 degrees and 140 degrees, respectively.

It faltered a tiny bit on the drop test onto a rock since the point-of-impact shifted to the high-left a few MOA. You’ll still be fine with torso sized targets!

Trijicon MRO POI Shift
Trijicon MRO POI Shift

It then survived through rat shot, .410 #9 birdshot, and 12ga #7.5 birdshot.

Trijicon MRO 12ga Birdshot
Trijicon MRO 12ga Birdshot

However…it did finally succumb to .22LR Minimag.

Trijicon MRO .22 LR Killshot
Trijicon MRO .22 LR Killshot

But so did everything else from EOTechs to Sigs. Only the mighty ACOG survived (sorta).

All in all…still super robust and I’m confident of having it on a duty rifle for myself.

Check out the full destruction in High End Optics Torture Testing.

Group Shot of Destroyed Optics
Group Shot of Destroyed Optics

By the Numbers

Reliability: 5/5

We had zero issues at any point during our testing phase with the MRO – about ~1,000 rounds all told. Good to go!

Durability: 4/5

The MRO took a considerable amount of abuse during our High-End Optics Torture test, surviving a drop impact on a rock, rapid heating and cooling sessions, and being nailed by .22 rat shot, .410 bird shot, and 12ga bird shot. The optic was eventually felled by .22LR Magnum, but most other optics included in the test were as well. Bravo!

Fit / Feel: 5/5

Again, no complaints whatsoever here. The optic feels great and has the standard Trijicon flourish and toughness. The windage and elevation adjustment knobs click firmly, and the MRO interfaces with picatinny rails with no issues.

Value: 4/5

At anywhere from $370-400 street price, the MRO certainly isn’t inexpensive, but it’s also not gonna put you out of a home either. Personally, we all feel that the price is pretty reasonable considering the toughness and performance you’re going to get out of the MRO.

Overall: 4.5/5

All in all, if you’re looking for a higher-end optic on the smaller side, but perhaps slightly larger than your average microdot, we’d say take a look at Trijicon’s MRO.

Conclusion

The Trijicon MRO’s combination of absurd battery life and brightness, stellar glass quality, bombproof construction, a decently wide field of view and a green dot variant all for somewhere in the ballpark of $400 or so makes this a no-brainer if you want those things and have the cash to burn. 

Trijicon MRO on BCM Recce 16 Desert 2
Can you tell we like BCM yet?

Also, we’re going to murder one on camera soon during a high-end optic torture test, so be on the lookout for that snuff film sometime in the near future.

Best Green Dot
409
at Optics Planet

Prices accurate at time of writing

Prices accurate at time of writing

Available Coupons

Didn’t catch the video yet? Do it!

Did you choose a more bomb-proof optic or did you pick up one of the more wallet-friendly options? Let us know in the comments! To get fully decked out with optics, take a look at the Best Pistol Red Dots or our huge Best Red Dots article!

Tested Pistol Red Dots
Tested Pistol Red Dots

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9 Leave a Reply

  • Commenter Avatar
    Joe

    The real battery life of the green dot is 4 days. Taken from trijicon website when left on at highest setting. When left at setting 3, about 1 month. This means I have to actively turn it off and on everytime I touch the gun, which I don't have to do for any other modern red dot optic (holosun, sig), who have shake awake. Trijicon is also VERY intentionally deceptive bc the numbers they advertise for their battery life is "if left on continuously at setting 3". Problem is setting 3 is not usable, even in a pitch black room. Then the jump from setting 3 to setting 4 is enormous. This means, they purposely made setting 3 unusable in order to make it seem like they're battery life is competitive. In reality, there are only 3 usable settings in this optic, 4, 5, and 6, so you'll always be on one of those 3 settings. The REALISTIC battery life for the green dot for continuous running is 2 months MAX if you keep on setting 4.

    March 2, 2022 6:00 pm
  • Commenter Avatar
    Bob

    Trijicon product is now known for experiencing high drift of aim point over time and temperature. Yes, they were sued and applied a fix, but if you read their website, the optic can still experience high drift. Any comment regarding this optic? Anything from Trijicon?

    February 26, 2020 6:48 am
    • Commenter Avatar
      Ian

      I'm not positive, but I think you might be incorrect. I think the company you're thinking of is L3 EoTech, not Trijicon. I do know for certain that EoTech was sued for that issue, but I've never heard of Trijicon being sued on that basis and haven't bumped into anything on their site referencing that.

      June 5, 2020 8:10 am
  • Commenter Avatar
    Anthony

    I dont recall if you guys did a review on the Nikon SPUR. I have one and I like it, but I wont tourture it like a reviewer would. Since I have to replace it and my money tree is more like a bush, thats more like twig without leaves. On par with Charlie Browns Christmas tree.

    February 26, 2020 6:44 am
  • Commenter Avatar
    R

    Years ago... 6,7,8.. dunno, I moved up from a toy red dot (That I just gave away) to the Aimpoint Pro. Then when I needed one for another rifle, I just bought another and another. All 3 have been flawless and I like commonality between rifles

    Battery life is good as often turn them down. I know I have left a battery in for 3 years but then changed it due to the fact that the spare batteries I had bought were aging as well so I changed it out. I don't like the Aimpoint batteries AT ALL( 1/3N) I buy batteries every year or so (3) so I always have spares, and I try to buy as far out a date as I can find the latest I have are 2028 so Now I have been catching up on the past ones so I just change them out every year or so. (why not) but the odd battery that fits nothing else is the biggest down side to the PRO.

    I round counted out my 1st BCM upper so I gave that away and bought a new upper that the old Aimpoint was then mounted on. It's been though at least 4 circles of hell carried daily in truck and tractor, dropped in everything from snow to manure and showered off. I just don't see the need to change it for a different type.

    February 25, 2020 6:27 pm
  • Commenter Avatar
    Mike

    Got a mro not long after they came out. Now after a few thousand rounds I'm still happy with it. I have added a 3x magnifier to the mix, on a good day can now reach out to 300 yards. Money well spent.

    February 25, 2020 5:34 pm
    • Commenter Avatar
      Aaron

      I have a magnifier with my MRO too. The optic red dot is crisp. But while using the magnifier, the dot turns into a 1/4 circle. I’m wondering if I don’t have the magnifier centered properly. Working on it today… have you had this issue specifically with the MRO?

      July 4, 2021 12:18 pm
      • Commenter Avatar
        Charles Loudermilk

        The magnifier is meant to be coupled with the MRO HD version. The non HD version has this visual fault. I had to upgrade to HD for the Magnifier

        December 1, 2022 6:07 am
  • Commenter Avatar
    Joshua Rhodes

    I chose a more bombproof red dot aimpoint t2 mounted on a larue lt660 and it was dead center at 100 yes no adjustment blew my mind

    February 25, 2020 3:36 pm
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