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Holosun Showcase: Optics for All Occasions
Holosun has been hard at work delivering us some of the most innovative optics and accessories since 2013. It’s crazy to think it was just a few years ago that I tried my first Holosun optic and now, I own more Holosun optics than any other single brand.
Recently, Holosun has entered the weapon light space as well, so you know I had to give one of its lights a test. I was not surprised to find myself enjoying the light, which made my list of recommended Holosun products grow yet again.
I figured instead of putting out a bunch of individual reviews, a simple showcase with a plethora of information in the same article would be helpful for some folks. Let’s take a look at some of my favorite products from Holosun.
The new 507Comp is large and in charge on top of the M&P M2.0 Metal!
OPTICS, LIGHTS & MORE OPTICS
Regardless of if you’re shooting handguns, rifles, or shotguns, Holosun should have you covered for whatever you may need. I haven’t been lucky enough to try the entire Holosun lineup, but the following goodies I have, along with a few others. This isn’t a sponsored article just throwing out popular products either. I own each one of these, have tested them, and continue to run them on one firearm or another.
Holosun AEMS (Advanced Enclosed Micro Sight)
I was actually looking at picking up an EOTech EXPS3, when I came across the AEMS. The Solar Failsafe technology really caught my attention, in addition to it also being night vision compatible. Then, when I saw the price coming in at a few hundred dollars less than the EOTech, which didn’t have any solar functionality, it was an easy decision to go for the AEMS.
I’m sure glad that I did too. I’ve probably ran the AEMS on various rifles for a couple thousand rounds and have yet to have any issues. I haven’t had it long enough to say if the battery really lasts 50,000 hours, but I can tell you I haven’t had to change the battery yet. The Solar Failsafe on this particular optic will supplement your battery as opposed to run your optic completely, like some other models can. Either way, it’s a huge bonus.
In the event you do need to change the battery, it’s side-loading so you don’t have to remove and re-zero the optic.
To assist with the battery life, it also has Shake Awake to detect motion for both turning the optic on and off. It will turn the optic off after 10 minutes by default.
We can’t forget about the reticle itself. You’ll have fast target acquisition with a 2 MOA Dot inside a 65 MOA Circle. There is a green and red option, but I went with green as I find it quicker and easier to pick up.
If you’d like to read more about the Holosun AEMS, click here.
Reticle: 2 MOA Dot & 65 MOA Circle
Reticle Color: Green or Red
Window Size: 1.1” x 0.87”
Brightness Settings: 8 Daylight & 4 Night Vision
Power Source: Solar & Battery
Battery Type: CR2032
Battery Life (Hours): 50,000
Adjustment per Click: 0.5 MOA
Housing Material: 7075 T6 Aluminum
Weight: 3.9 Ounces
Submersion: IPX8
Holosun SCS (Solar Charging Sight)
The SCS is actually one of my favorite optics on the market, not just out of Holosun’s lineup. It’s a direct attachment optic, meaning there is no longer a need to find the correct adapter plate to mount it to your gun of choice. Holosun has models for full-size Glock MOS pistols, full-size M&Ps, the Sig P320, Walther PDP and the H&K VP9. I have a Glock and a M&P model, both of which have performed great.
The way that Holosun cut the optic to match the slide serrations on the Glock is some awesome attention to detail.
The star of the show with this one, as you can probably guess by the name, is the solar charging technology. Unlike the AEMS above, this solar charging system can potentially operate your optic indefinitely. Having a prepper mindset myself, so I love the idea that I may never have to change a battery or charge it manually. It’s also extremely durable thanks to a grade 5 titanium housing, which adds to the expected longevity of it.
I also really like the multiple reticle system which lets you choose between a 2 MOA Dot, a 32 MOA Circle or a combination of them both.
These specs are based off of the Glock MOS model, so small differences may be present across the other models.
If you’d like to read more about the Holosun SCS, click here.
Reticle: 2 MOA Dot Only, 32 MOA Circle Only, 2 MOA Dot with 32 MOA Circle
Reticle Color: Green
Window Size: 0.58” x 0.77”
Brightness: Self Adjusting Brightness Control with Override Function
Power Source: Solar & Battery
Battery Type: Internal Rechargeable Battery
Battery Life (Hours): Unlimited
Adjustment per Click: 1 MOA
Housing Material: Titanium
Weight: 1.3 Ounces
Submersion: IP68
Holosun P.ID (Positive IDentification)
Switching it up for a minute from optics, the P.ID is Holosun’s entry into the weapon mounted light arena. There are four different models, each offering different features, but for the sake of this article, I’ll be referring to the base model as it’s the one I own.
The paddles used to activate the P.ID have nicely textured grooves cut in them.
I’ll be honest, it’s not the most feature-packed light, but I don’t think it was meant to be, given the price point. You can typically find the P.ID floating around $100, which I think is a steal. It puts out 1,000 lumens on high or 500 lumens on low.
It has a rechargeable battery that comes with a magnetic charging cable. The magnetic cable is much easier and less likely to break than the old-school micro-usb type.
On the bottom of the light, directly by the trigger guard, you can see the two prongs for the magnetic charging to attach to.
Durability seemed to be on top of the design requirements as it has a 7075 T6 aluminum housing and is IP68 waterproof rated.
Lumens: 1,000 Lumens
Brightness Settings: High & Low
Power Source: Rechargeable Battery
Battery Type: 18350
Battery Life (Hours): Up to 1 Hour
Housing Material: 7075 T6 Aluminum
Weight: 5 Ounces
Submersion: IP68
Holosun 507Comp (Competition)
This is the newest offering from Holosun, which I admittedly just got in, so I’ve only been able to hit the range twice with it. Even with the short amount of time I’ve had it, I’ve really come to appreciate the larger window size and reticle options.
The window is huge, coming in at 1.1” x 0.87”. For comparison, the SCS for the M&P has a window size of only 0.77” x 0.58”. It may not sound like a large difference, but it definitely feels like one when you see them in person.
The 507Comp is just a litttttttle bit bigger…O.K., it’s a lot bigger!
Similar to the SCS, you can alternate between reticles to fit your needs at the time. You can choose between a 2 MOA dot, an 8 MOA circle, a 20 MOA circle and a 32 MOA circle, or several combinations of them. I’m personally favoring the 2 MOA dot with either the 8 MOA circle or the 32 MOA circle at the moment.
Even bright daylight, the reticle is very easy to pick up.
You’ll get a 50,000 hour battery life, but there is no solar failsafe on this one sadly. That is definitely one thing I wish that I did have. But it does at least have the Shake Awake technology to help with the battery life.
Reticle: 2 MOA Dot & 8/20/32 MOA Circle
Reticle Color: Green or Red
Window Size: 1.1” x 0.87”
Brightness Settings: 8 Daylight & 4 Night Vision
Power Source: Battery
Battery Type: CR1632
Battery Life (Hours): 50,000
Adjustment per Click: 1 MOA
Housing Material: 7075 T6 Aluminum
Weight: 1.7 Ounces
Submersion: IP67
FINAL THOUGHTS
There you have it, my current top picks from the Holosun catalog. If you haven’t given Holosun a shot, like I didn’t up until a few years ago, I suggest that you do. Worst case, the optic or light you decide to test is not for you and you go back to your old trusty favorites. Either way, keep on training and expanding your skills!
