Of the countless brands that make up the optic industry, Holosun is easily one of the top players in the game. For well over a decade, they’ve consistently put in a serious amount of effort into crafting innovative optic systems designed to offer nothing short of top tier performance.
Throughout the years, their lineup has expanded immensely, with it now being the home to a variety of premium optics. Among their vast lineup, Holosun’s pistol optics have remained some of their most popular, with models like the 507C being a standout favorite amongst enthusiasts.
Now, upon first glance, the 507C might look like every other mini-reflex sight on the market, but it’s anything but. These optics have a lot to offer; they come packed with a plethora of top-tier features that have kept them some of the most popular optics in the industry.
What is the Holosun 507C?
The Holosun 507C is an open-emitter mini-reflex sight designed primarily for handguns, and ever since its creation, it’s been one of the most popular pistol optics on the market. A relatively budget-friendly optic, they’re used for just about every application ranging from concealed carry to competitive and more intensive duty use. Plus, there are several variants of the 507C available, and they each have their own capabilities.
HS507C-X2
The 507C-X2 Pistol Red Dot Sight – 2 MOA is the standard variant of the 507C, and, as denoted by its “X2” monicker, it’s the latest iteration of the 507C series. As mentioned above, this optic has essentially set the stage for all subsequent 507C models, as it’s packed with Holosun’s premier features.
For starters, the 507C is a durable optic—it’s constructed out of 7075-T6 aluminum, the same metal most AR receivers are made from. As such, it’s incredibly lightweight, weighing only 1.5 ounces, and it’s ready for use in all conditions. From the factory, it comes equipped with Shake-Awake™ motion activation, a timed shut-off feature, and to top it off, it also has a built-in solar fail-safe unit, which can charge capacitors to take some of the load off the battery when shooting outdoors. So, even though it would already have a long battery life since it’s powered by a CR1632 battery, with all its upgraded features, it offers around 50,000+ hours of constant runtime.
Additionally, the 507C-X2 is available with different reticle options too. The standard model projects a 2-MOA dot, which has long-been the standard for most reflex sights. However, select 507C models made in collaboration with Primary Arms Optics, like the 507C-X2 Pistol Red Dot Sight – ACSS® Vulcan® Reticle, make use of the ACSS Vulcan reticle. The ACSS Vulcan is a unique reticle—it uses a center chevron instead of a dot for more precise aiming, and it also makes use of a large 250-MOA outer circle that’s only visible when your aim is off center. This allows you to quickly adjust your aim when it’s off-center, so if you lose the dot, you can easily get back on target with no issues.
Since the ACSS Vulcan reticle is a fair bit more complicated, the 507C Vulcan has a shorter battery life that typically lasts around 25,000+ hours. Still, that’s nearly 3 years of constant runtime, and considering it shares the same battery saving features of the standard, you won’t have to change the battery any time soon.
One last thing to mention is that both versions of this optic can come with green reticles instead of red ones. Now, there’s often a lot of debate amongst enthusiasts as to whether red or green reticles are better, and we go more in-depth on that topic in our guide, “Choosing Between Red and Green Dot Sights for Astigmatism”. Even if you don’t have astigmatism, it’s still worth giving a read if you’re on the fence about which reticle color to choose.
Holosun HS507COMP
Developed specifically for competitions, the 507COMP Mini-Reflex Sight is essentially a larger version of the standard 507C. Between the two, the 507COMP has a much larger objective lens measuring 1.1- by -.87 inches, giving you an exceptionally wide field of view. Plus, it comes equipped with many of the features included on standard 507C models, such as Shake-Awake motion activation, an automatic shut-off, and fully multi-coated lenses for optimal clarity. It doesn’t have a solar-failsafe unit, but it still boasts about a 50,000-hour battery life.
Aside from its size, one aspect that further separates the 507COMP from the standard 507C is its reticle. The 507COMP comes equipped with Holosun’s Competition Reticle System, or CRS. Instead of just projecting a dot or a circle dot, this reticle is made up of a 2-MOA center dot, as well as 8-, 20-, and 32-MOA outer rings. Being user-configurable, you can adjust this reticle based on your preferences, allowing you to pick and choose the combination that’s most effective for you.
As far as durability is concerned, the 507COMP boasts the same level of durability as the standard 507C. As such, if you wanted to use it in applications other than competitive ones, it’d still be a good pick. If you are primarily looking for a concealed carry optic, it can be suitable, but its larger size can print through clothes. As such, we recommend it for competition use primarily. With that in mind, if you’re building a competition gun, our guide, “Choosing the Best Pistol Red Dot for Competition Shooting”, offers more insight into what to look for in an optic.
Best Use Cases
As we’ve mentioned thus far, the Holosun’s 507 series optics are rather versatile, as they can effectively be used for EDC purposes, and for defensive and competitive applications too. While we went over the 507C’s capabilities above, it’s important to note that even though it was designed primarily for pistols, it can still be used on other platforms too.
On compact rifles, like PCC and PDW-style builds, enthusiasts often opt for pistol optics and microdots on account of their lightweight and wide FOVs. And with all the features packed into the 507C and 507COMP, they’ve become some of the go-to options for smaller carbines.
Regardless of which 507C model you look at, they all make use of the same mounting 507C/RMR mounting footprint. So, as long as you have the right mount, you can basically put these optics on any platform. For instance, popular brands like Scalarworks, Reptilia Corp, and American Defense are a few noteworthy red dot mount manufacturers that make dedicated Holosun mounts for use on compact rifles and PCCs.
Plus, mini-reflex sights like the 507C are commonly used as a backup sight on SPR and DMR builds. The same brands listed above, as well as many more, also make 507C mounts that allow it to mount atop variable power scopes, prism scopes, or even as a 45-degree offset. There’s even dedicated shotgun mounts available for these optics too.
Conclusion
The Holosun 507C is easily one of the top mini-reflex sights on the market. From its light weight, rugged reliability, and impressive number of features, it’s easy to understand why it stands out, even when pitted against a plethora of other top-tier optics.
For handguns, it’s an incredible option, as the standard 507C is equipped with incredibly long battery life, a rugged optic body, and you even have the choice to opt for the ACSS Vulcan reticle system too. This makes it an ideal choice for personal defense, duty, and simple recreation—that said, if you’re in the market for more of a dedicated competition optic, Holosun has you covered on that front too with the 507COMP. Its larger size gives it an impressive FOV, while its use of the CRS reticle gives each user the ability to tailor the reticle in a manner that best suits them.
Lastly, if you’re on the fence about whether the 507C is the right dot for you, we recommend checking out our other guide, “How to Choose a Low-Profile Red Dot Sight for Concealed Carry”. It goes in-depth on the intricacies of pistol mount heights, and it also covers many of the industry’s top pistol sight models.
