Best Holosun Optics: Red Dots for Rifles, Pistols, & Shotguns [Guide]

Holosun made a name for itself by offering quality optics and innovative features available at prices the average shooter can afford.

They've kept the ball rolling ever since, and there are some wild pieces of new tech on the horizon. The optics we came to love along the way are just as good as ever.

These aren't just good for the money, they're solid optics that might be a better choice than some of the higher-priced options on the market, depending on how you use them.

Over time, I've come up with my favorite Holosun optics, so let’s talk about which ones stand out above the rest.

Holosun Optics Comparison Chart

How We Tested the Best Holosun Optics

The Pew Pew Tactical staff has been shooting with Holosun optics for years, and we've gotten familiar with the products, their capabilities, and their limitations.

You'll notice that we got hands-on time with almost all of these optics and have the pics to prove it. The one exception is the new hotness from Holosun, the DPS-NV. It's a promising piece of new tech that's too cool to be ignored. And don't worry, we'll get range time with it as soon as we can!

Best Holosun Optics

1. Holosun EPS/EPS Carry - Editor's Pick

Editor's Pick

Holosun EPS

$399

at Midway USA

Prices accurate at time of writing

$399 at Midway USA

OpticsPlanet (see price)

Kygunco (see price)

Specs

• Best Use: Pistol
• Footprint: RMR (EPS), Shield (EPS Carry)
• Reticle: 2-MOA dot, 6-MOA dot, or multi-reticle
• Battery Life: 50K hours
• Weight: 1.4 oz

Following the popularity of sights like their 509T and 512C, Holosun invested even more in the enclosed emitter market with the launch of the EPS (Enclosed Pistol Sight).

While the 509T proved to be a great design, many users found that the mounting solution was not ideal for use on handguns.

Holosun took this user feedback and created two enclosed pistol dots, with the full-size EPS using the 507C/Trijicon footprint and the EPS Carry using the 507K/Shield footprint.

This means you can get all the durability and ease of maintenance of an enclosed emitter dot and do so on your carry gun without fuss.

These are fantastic optics and have proven to be extremely popular since their launch last year.

They are available in 2-MOA dot-only, 6-MOA dot-only, and multi-reticle versions.

Editor's Pick

Holosun EPS Carry

$329

at Primary Arms

Prices accurate at time of writing

$329 at Primary Arms

Brownells (see price)

Sportsman's Guide (see price)

Midway USA (see price)

Don't forget to check out our complete review of the Holosun EPS Carry or rate it below!

2. Holosun 507Comp - Best for Competition

Best for Competition

Holosun 507Comp

$369

at MidwayUSA

Prices accurate at time of writing

$369 at MidwayUSA

Firearms Depot (see price)

Kygunco (see price)

Palmetto State Armory (see price)

• Best Use: Pistol
• Footprint: RMR
• Reticle: 2 MOA Dot with 8/20/32 MOA circle
• Battery Life: 50K hours
• Weight: 1.7 oz

It's all in the name...the 507Comp was designed with competition shooting in mind.

This lightweight red dot features a massive viewing window and a 2 MOA center dot with three different outer ring sizes you can choose from (8, 20, or 32 MOA).

Like most Holosun optics, you're still getting that 50,000-hour battery life and shake-awake tech that is definitely appealing, not to mention a side-loading tray for easy battery swaps.

Buttons are very tactile and on par with the regular 507, but with the added feature of being a tad bit recessed. What does this do for shooters? It prevents accidental presses, which is especially helpful during matches where you're running and gunning.

The downside to the 507Comp? No solar failsafe. Bummer.

Despite that, this optic is an excellent addition to any competitor's arsenal...especially at its price of under $400.

3. Holosun 507K - Best for CCW

Best for CCW

Holosun 507K X2

$295

at Kygunco

Prices accurate at time of writing

$295 at Kygunco

Amazon (see price)

MidwayUSA (see price)

Specs

• Best Use: Pistol
• Footprint: Shield
• Reticle: 2-MOA dot, 32-MOA circle, or both
• Battery Life: 50K hours
• Weight: 1 oz

Adding optics to handguns is more than a fad – it’s likely the future of handguns in general, including small guns.

Sig Sauer, Glock, Ruger, Beretta, and more are equipping their smallest pistols with red dots. Though this is still a growing market, Holosun has conquered it.

And time and time again, the Holosun 507K has proven to be the toughest option available for concealed carry.

The 507K is a tiny little fella using the Shield footprint. It's light, packs three reticles, and offers two-button controls.

Why two buttons?

Well, it makes navigating your brightness levels a lot easier. It sucks to miss the setting you want and then travel through all the settings once more.

That comes in handy because the 507K utilizes 10 daylight and 2-night vision settings.

Imagine cycling through 12 settings just to get to the perfect one.

Or imagine needing to dial down, but you have to dial up to get back around to the low settings. Nah, I ain't about that life.

The latest 507K models (2018 and up) come with a lock-out mode that locks the buttons and prevents accidental presses --- awesome since these optics are often carried in a deep concealment manner.

If you want a capable concealed carry optic for the world of small guns, then the Holosun 507K is tough to beat.

4. Holosun 507C X2 - Best Mini Red Dot

Best Mini Red Dot

Holosun 507C X2

$309

at OpticsPlanet

Prices accurate at time of writing

$309 at OpticsPlanet

Midway USA (see price)

Brownells (see price)

Primary Arms (see price)

Specs

• Best Use: Shotgun, full-size pistol
• Footprint: RMR
• Reticle: 2-MOA dot, 32-MOA circle, or both
• Battery Life: 50K hours
• Weight: 1.5 oz

When you step up to full-sized handguns or even long guns, the Holosun 507C X2 has your back.

It's a mini red dot in the same realm as the Trijicon RMR, Leupold Deltapoint, etc. It fits the Trijicon footprint, so you have access to tons of mounts, precut pistol slides, and more.

I took advantage of the 507C's footprint by using the Scalar Works Sync mount and tossed it on my Benelli M4.

In this role, it shines.

It shrugs off 12-gauge recoil and provides me a co-witness capable sight for shotgun tasks. I also make use of the multi-reticle system here.

That 32-MOA dot is perfect for shotguns. I put it where I want buckshot to be, and within 15 yards, I know the pellets from my home defense load will land in that circle.

This way, I know where every pellet is going.

Oh, and guess what? It can be powered by the sun or artificial light! The solar panel on top provides that battery backup Holosun is known for.

Who wouldn't want a little backup on your repeating claymore? While it's great on shotguns, many people have turned to the Holosun for their handguns.

It's a rock-solid choice for various roles and is likely Holosun's most popular optics.

Our favorite model of the 507C is the ACSS model from Primary Arms. Check out our full review here.

Best Mini Red Dot

Holosun 507C X2 – ACSS Vulcan Reticle

$280

at Primary Arms

Prices accurate at time of writing

$280 at Primary Arms

OpticsPlanet (see price)

MidwayUSA (see price)

5. Holosun 509T - Best Mini Enclosed Emitter

Best Mini Enclosed Emitter

Holosun HE509T X2

$429

at GunMag Warehouse

Prices accurate at time of writing

$429 at GunMag Warehouse

Midway USA (see price)

Kygunco (see price)

Specs

• Best Use: Pistol, carbine
• Footprint: 509T (RMR adapter plate included)
• Reticle: 2-MOA dot, 32-MOA circle, or both
• Battery Life: 50K hours
• Weight: 1.72 oz

Pistol-sized optics are starting to lean slightly into the realm of enclosed emitters. Enclosed emitter designs up the reliability significantly.

Aimpoint started it with the Acros, and Holosun followed with the 509T.

With a standard mini red dot, the open emitter typically isn't an issue but the chance of failure is slightly higher.

Dirt, snow, rain, and anything else can get between the emitter and the lens and block the LED or distort it. With the enclosed-emitter 509T, this isn't an issue.

The 509T also packs three reticles: a 2-MOA dot, a 32-MOA circle, and a combination of the two.

We see a slight blue tint through the glass but it still provides impressive clarity. At the same time, the 509T stays rather small and compact for pistol use.

Since the optic is enclosed, it would even be at home on a subgun or rifle. The durable design ensures it's always reliable.

The 509T is perfect as an offset optic for use with an LPVO or prism optic. And it packs the solar panel we all know and love.

Additionally, it's fairly lightweight but ultra-rugged due to the titanium hood. It's on the high side price-wise, but it's the cheapest duty-ready enclosed optic.

6. Holosun 510C - Best Full-Size

Best Full-Size

Holosun HS510C

$309

at Amazon

Prices accurate at time of writing

$309 at Amazon

Midway USA (see price)

OpticsPlanet (see price)

Specs

• Best Use: Carbine, PCC
• Footprint: QD Picatinny mount
• Reticle: 2-MOA dot, 65-MOA circle, or both
• Battery Life: 20K-50K hours
• Weight: 8.3 oz

Do you ever want the benefits of an open emitter optic on a rifle or long gun? Well, it's available in the form of the Holosun 510C.

While an enclosed emitter offers a reliability bonus, we shouldn't ignore the benefits of open emitters full-stop.

The HS510C offers you a lighter-weight optic with enhanced peripheral vision. Additionally, one lens helps clarity ... and clarity matters.

Not to mention the HS 510C provides you with an affordable, full-sized option for the open emitter world.

We get the multi-reticle system, solar panel backup, and shake-awake technology -- perfect for home defense and competition use.

In fact, it seems to be a favorite of the USPSA PCC crowd. It's big, easy to see, and gives you a fast shooting, easy-handling optic.

The little 510C packs 10 daylight and 2-night vision settings.

Holosun made the mount proprietary, and it's better suited for optics that require AR height. It might be a little tall for some guns, but not terribly so.

Holosun offers a spacer to push it up if you want it a little taller.

Interested? We have a full review of the 510C here!

Honorable Mentions

7. Holosun DRS-NV

Holosun DRS-NV

$999

at Amazon

Prices accurate at time of writing

$999 at Amazon

OpticsPlanet (see price)

Midway USA (see price)

Specs

• Best Use: Carbine, PCC
• Footprint: Picatinny mount
• Reticle: 2-MOA dot, 65-MOA circle, or both (day) cross, T (night vision)
• Battery Life: 6-8 hours
• Weight: 18.5 oz

One of the most exciting developments in the world of red dots is integrated night vision. It's not something we knew we needed, but it's great to have the option!

In daylight, the DRS-NV works like any other enclosed-emitter optic. It comes with Holosun's Multi-Reticle System that lets you choose from a 2-MOA dot, a 65-MOA ring, or both.

When the sun goes down, you can take advantage of built-in night vision with a 1,024x768 sensor, 60 fps, 8x digital zoom, and recording capability with onboard storage. Night-vision reticles include a simple cross or T. The future is now!

Just how practical is this capability? That remains to be seen but we're drying to find out for ourselves with a hands-on review.

Final Thoughts

Holosun is crushing sales in the U.S. optics market. Surprise, surprise, giving the consumers what they want at a reasonable price point is popular.

With a variety of options on the table, there’s bound to be a Holosun red dot suited for just about every need you have.

What say you, folks -- love 'em? Hate 'em? Let us know what you think below! For more on red dots, check out our roundup of the Best Red Dot Sights.

Latest Updates

• June 2025: Removed the now-discontinued AEMS and 403.
• May 2024: Added the Holosun DRS-NV.