Shop on PrimaryArms.com

American Made Red Dot Sights

/
Table of Contents

As far as firearm accessories go, optics will always be at the top of the list for almost every enthusiast. Today, as the optic landscape has evolved, there are a plethora of high-quality American-made options to choose from. However, when looking specifically at reflex sights, there really aren’t that many American-made reflex sight options. 

For many enthusiasts, especially those in the United States, purchasing American-made products is a priority, with this sentiment carrying over when shopping for a new optic. As such, they often look towards one of the several high-quality optic manufacturers in the industry, many of which have branches based in the U.S.  

However, despite being based in, or having branches in the United States, most of the reflex sights on the market are either made in different countries or just assembled in the U.S. with foreign components. While these optics are still a solid choice to consider, they aren’t entirely American-made. 

COM Practiscore Comp red dots 01

American-Made Red Dot Sights 

Reflex sights have been, and will continue to be, some of the most sought-after optics on the market, renowned for their adaptability, speed, and target acquisition capabilities. Because of their popularity, there’s long been a demand for American-made reflex sights by American gun-owners, a sentiment that’s been around for quite some time. While foreign reflex sights are by no means a bad option, many American enthusiasts tend to prefer American-made products for several reasons.  

Advantages of Choosing American-Made Reflex Sights 

American-made optics are often constructed from high-quality materials and are most often subject to numerous quality control checks to ensure that they’ll be resilient enough to withstand harsh conditions during training or duty use.  

Additionally, American optic manufacturers often lead the industry with innovative designs and technology. American brands like EOTech are a notable example of this, as they were the forerunners of holographic sight technology. Today, they’re still one of the only manufacturers producing such optics.  

Lastly, supporting American-owned manufacturers resonates strongly with American customers, as they not only get the products they want, but they also directly support American industries too. It’s also worth noting that whenever customer support is needed, it’s generally easier to get a quicker response from domestic manufacturers.  

Best American-Made Reflex Sights 

Although there aren’t as many American-made reflex sights compared to the numerous foreign models, there’s still an assortment of solid options to choose from. Brands like Trijicon and EOTech stand tall, offering a plethora of top-tier reflex sight options for both rifles and handguns, while brands like Primary Arms Optics have recently begun producing American-made reflex sights as well. 

Primary Arms Optics 

PA PLX HTX 1 ACSS

Primary Arms Optics PLx® HTX-1™ 

Known for producing a plethora of high-quality optics and other gear, Primary Arms Optics is a solid brand to consider when shopping for reflex sights. Despite being most well-known for their line of variable power and prism scopes, their reflex sights make for an excellent addition to any setup. New to their lineup is the PLx® HTX-1, a revolutionary and American-made enclosed emitter pistol red dot sight.  

One feature that sets the HTX apart from other enclosed pistol optics is its mounting capabilities. Unlike other pistol optics that only use one mounting footprint, the HTX-1 uses a modular chassis system that essentially makes it compatible with almost every currently existing mounting footprint. So, no matter what pistol you’re running, so long as the slide is cut to accept an optic, the HTX-1 is more-than-likely compatible with it. And not only will it be compatible, but it will have a co-witness with standard height iron sights, making it one of the lowest centerlines of any enclosed reflex. 

In addition to its unique mounting system, the HTX-1 is equipped with AutoLive® motion-activation for improved battery life, and it comes with the ACSS® Vulcan® reticle system, or a simpler 4-MOA dot depending on your preference. If you aren’t already familiar with it, the ACSS Vulcan reticle system is the only reticle of its kind. The ACSS Vulcan reticle comes with a center dot as well as a much larger outer circle that’s only visible when your aim is off-center, guiding you back to the center dot. One of the biggest challenges for those new to running pistol dots is finding the reticle under stress, and with the Vulcan’s intuitive design, it’s no longer an issue. 

Trijicon 

Trijicon needs little to no introduction, as their reputation for producing some of the industry’s highest quality optics often precedes them. Known originally for the ACOG, their reflex sight options have become some of the most widely used optics in America, with models like the MRO, RMR, and RCR being some of the most notable. 

PAG TrainingDay 77 1 1

Trijicon MRO 

The Trijicon Miniature Rifle Optic (MRO) is one of the most popular red dot sights on the market. Constructed from a forged 7075-T6 aluminum housing, it does an exceptional job of protecting its core components. The windage and elevation knobs sit flush to the optic housing, keeping them protected from any impacts, plus it weighs in at just 4.1 ounces without a mount. It comes standard with a 2-MOA red dot reticle, and it has a wide field of view thanks to its 25mm objective lens. Additionally, it has 8 brightness settings, including 2-night vision compatible ones, which can easily be adjusted with the optic’s ambidextrous adjustment knob.  

Additionally, there’s an upgraded variant of the MRO called the MRO HD. The MRO HD is similar in design to the standard MRO; however, it’s a more premium option that offers better glass clarity, as it was built specifically for optimal clarity when using a magnifier. Also, instead of the standard 2-MOA dot reticle, the MRO HD comes standard with a circle dot option.  

COM Trijicon Zev Surefire 09 4

Trijicon RMR 

The RMR has consistently remained one of the industry’s most popular mini-reflex sights. Currently on their second generation, the RMR Type 2 is a lightweight option designed for speed, weighing only 1.2 ounces with the battery installed. Adding to its appeal, it has an exceptionally long battery life, offering up to 4 years of continuous use depending on your brightness setting and shooting environment. Additionally, it’s available with either a 1-, 3.25-, or 6.5-MOA dot reticle, and is available in multiple finishes. 

Like the MRO, the RMR also has an upgraded HD configuration. The RMR HD uses a top-loading battery design instead of a bottom-loading one, so you won’t need to remove the optic and re-zero it whenever you change the battery. Additionally, the RMR HD’s objective lens is much wider than the standard RMR’s, and it uses higher quality tempered glass for a much clearer and wider field of view. Lastly, instead of coming with just a dot reticle, you have the option to switch to a circle dot reticle if you’d prefer. 

image 288 png

Trijicon RCR 

One of the newest additions to their lineup is the Ruggedized Closed Reflex sight, better known as the Trijicon RCR. Simply put, it’s one of the most durable pistol red dot sights available, designed specifically to withstand professional use in harsh environments. As such, it’s more resistant to shock and fog, plus, it’s waterproof up to 66 feet. 

Essentially, you can look at the RCR as an enclosed emitter version of the RMR. It comes standard with a 3.25-MOA dot reticle, and it has a similarly long battery life of upwards of 6 years. The RCR even uses the same mounting footprint and has the same deck height as the RMR. As its name suggests, the RCR utilizes an enclosed emitter design, with the optic housing being constructed from forged aluminum. To keep it securely mounted to your pistol, the RCR utilizes Trijicon’s Super Strong Patented Capstan Screws. So, if you’re looking for an optic that has the same benefits as the RMR but is fully enclosed, the RCR is the move. You can even use different Trijicon mounts to use it as an offset or PDW sight too.  

EOTech 

Few optic brands are as recognizable as EOTech. Since the introduction of their first holographic sight in the mid-1990s, they’ve gone on to produce a plethora of different reflex sights, such as the ever-popular EXPS and XPS series holographic sights, as well as their newer EFLX mini-reflex sight. 

COM Noisefighters Cliffhanger 01 1

EOTech EXPS and XPS Holographic Sights 

The EXPS and XPS series are two of EOTech’s most prominent holographic sight options. Compared to other reflex sight options, holographic sights work differently from how red dots work. Whereas reflex and red dot sights collimate the light onto the lens of the optic, holographic sights bounce the light off several surfaces to create a hologram reticle. The EXPS line consists of some of EOTech’s flagship models, coming standard with built-in QD mounts that give them a lower 1/3 cowitness with standard height iron sights. XPS optics are similar, but they sit lower since they don’t have a QD mount, giving them an absolute cowitness with standard irons, though there are EOTech mounts that can raise the height of these optics.  

Aside from these differences, both optics offer a near-identical degree of performance. To start, they’re incredibly durable, resistant to shock and fog, as well as being submersible up to 33 feet. Coming with 20 daylight and 10-night vision settings (only on night vision compatible models), they have a runtime of 600 hours when on brightness setting 12, though they can last upwards of 1,000 hours depending on your settings. Both EXPS and XPS optics can come with a multitude of reticles, but they most commonly house EOTech’s circle dot reticle which is comprised of a 1-MOA center dot and a 68-MOA outer circle. 

As we mentioned, these optics offer 10 different night vision settings, and since they use a hologram reticle, the reticle stays clear and crisp under NODs, so they can easily be used in low-light environments or complete darkness. Standard reflex and red dot sights can offer great night-vision performance too, but we go more in-depth on their performance, as well how holographic sights compare, in our guide, “Can You Use a Red Dot Sight in Low Light?”.  

image 287 png

EOTech EFLX 

Although EOTech is known primarily for their holographic sights, one of the more recent additions to their lineup is the EFLX mini-reflex sight. The EFLX is packed with features that make it a more-than-suitable sight option for those looking for a new handgun optic. One of the standouts features of the EFLX is its field of view. Its larger rectangular objective lens gives it an incredibly wide field of view, allowing you to quickly pick up your sights when aiming—even further, it has the same aspect ratio as EOTech’s Holographic Weapon Sights. 

Aside from this, the EFLX utilizes a durable aluminum housing, a top-loading battery tray, and mounts to pistols using a common mounting footprint. Adding to its allure, its battery life can last upwards of 20,000 hours, and depending on which model you look at, it comes with either a 3- or 6-MOA red dot reticle. Overall, the EFLX is a solid mini-reflex sight that’s viable in all applications. 

Conclusion 

American-made optics will always be at the forefront of the firearms industry, as the most notable American-made reflex sight brands continue to produce a plethora of industry-leading optics that offer consistent performance and reliability.  

Although narrowing down your search to only include American-made optics does lessen the total number of options to pick from, you still have a great selection of options available to you. For rifles, the Trijicon MRO/MRO HD will serve you well in all applications, as its durable and lightweight construction offers incredible utility and agility. Though slightly heavier, EOTech’s EXPS and XPS holographic weapon sights are still an accurate choice that offers unparalleled night vision performance and exceptional durability.  

Your handguns won’t be left out either, as Trijicon, EOTech, and Primary Arms Optics each produce incredible mini-reflex and pistol red dot sights. Both the Trijicon RMR and EOTech EFLX are solid open-emitter mini-reflex sights, boasting wide fields of view and exceptionally long battery lives. However, for a more robust option, the Trijicon RCR and Primary Arms Optics PLx HTX-1 remain as some of the most sought-after American-made enclosed emitter pistol sights, offering enhanced resilience and other unique features.  

At the end of the day, if being made in America is on your list of priorities when searching for an optic, there are plenty of top-tier choices to choose from. If you’re still on the fence about which optic is the right one for you, we recommend checking out our guide, “5 Things to Know When Buying a Red Dot Sight”.