I’d agree for the stuff that’s in the $250 price range but that’s why I’m very interested by the Vortex Crossfire. You can get that for under $130 and it includes a low and lower 1/3 mount. Looks perfect for my .22, AK, and 870.
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The mounts that come with the Holosun are straight up weak sauce. I remove them and leave them in the box.
The one Holosun that I kept sits on a range toy, and it’s perfectly fine for that application.
There are a number of “almost ready for prime-time” budget Chinese made red-dots that for me, all fall in the same quality bracket. Holosun has been very basic, and their quality is coming up. Primary Arms, same thing, and from all things I have heard, made by the same company. Personally, both are ahead of the Vortex Sparc and Crossfire. I have not looked at the more expensive Vortex red-dots, because I have not liked what I saw on the first two brands. I would put Tacfire and NCStar below any of the aforementioned red-dots and clearly hobby scopes.
I would note that the Holosun and Primary Arms red-dots have seen to have held-up just fine with the right mount for range use, three-gun, etc. Absolutely no issues. We do not recommend them for Law Enforcement, however, since we have seen them fare as well as others, like Aimpoint and Trijicon in the field torture testing. FWIW. 
You have made similar comments a couple of times without elaborating.
Why do you feel that Holosun and Primary Arms are better than the Vortex offerings?
Much of the choice is preference and opinion, to be sure, and different people will have different opinions. I do not want to impune Vortex, as they have some great qualities, and many will choose Vortex and be very happy. Some is personal bias, to be sure, in terms of image clarity and reticle quality. I also recognize that facts and circumstances may change over time. Feel free to throw rocks at me if you disagree. I am putting the sum of my experiences into a generalization, which may or may not be qualitatively accurate, but we all have opinions and biases from direct experience and what we have observed, learned and heard.
I have seen mention of larger numbers of returns on the Vortex. To their credit, both Vortex and PA have great warranty and return service. I see Holosun and PA being more innovative in the design and reticle choices (opinion), and I have seen quality inch-up with each of those brands. Vortex, on the other hand, is hit or miss (opinion). They have no brand identity (opinion) and they have products that range from hobby to best in class. I very much like and support the PST and Razor lines, although, even at those levels, I see more reports of failures than other competing brands within the PRS community (which, is btw, very supportive of those brands). I am not sure why, but again, warranty service is outstanding with Vortex.
We have done some testing for our tactical community on scopes, and also reference the testing of others, for which we refer to as the “throw it down the driveway” testing, which is the standard we use for our mil/LE customers whose lives may (and often do) depend upon their scopes and red dots. None of these brands mentioned meet that criteria, and some we have not actually tested, but did not meet other entry criteria. For those needs, there is a very small subset that we recommend and sell. Most notably Trijicon and Aimpoint in the smaller point and shoot optics. Some others in the RMR and low-powered scopes.
Hope this helps. If not, just take it like a belly-button. One guy’s opinion, and we all have one and not really sure what to do with it.
If someone is happy with Vortex, I would not argue, and I am sure he / she will do well and enjoy his or her optic.
Got it, thanks. I was unclear if your views were opinion or from real world issues. I have a better understanding of where you come from now.
Here is a funny torture test of the Vortex that I found on YouTube.
Pretty pointless test as he never shot it to confirm zero after each “torture”.
Yea, sure, good luck with that. Sometime before firearms are completely banned you MIGHT find something on sale…Have you noticed ANY SALES on ANYTHING associated with guns in the last 6 months? That would be a NO. Roll the dice that Biden isn’t elected, what’s the worst that could happen? Lol…
You’re quoting a a statement made over two years ago.
The firearm and accessories market is different now than what it was when the quoted material was stated.
Well, great green Zombies!
I replace all mounts and get a Geiselle or Bobro. Seems crazy that you spend the same on optic and mount, but we do it all the time on Rifle and more on scope. Mounts are their weak point for sure.
My fav T1 knock off is the Sig Romeo 5. I run a Holosun on a competition handgun and it has been great.
PB
Ive used my Holosuns long enough that I extensively trust them. I got my first one around 2017, and its been rock solid on the same battery through multiple cases of ammo. One of my holosuns rides on a CZ scorpion that I shoot PCC with. Blockbacks like that gun are known to be hard on optics, and I haven’t had an issue ever. This opinion isn’t just my own though and good trainers like Aaron Cowan and John Lovell; also say that holosun is flat out GTG. Both the micro red dots and pistol optics have proven themselves. Everyone saying they are hobby grade optics, just hasn’t done any serious social shooting since 2016.
The HS 515 line has me interested. And the 530.
I have to decide between the battery compartment on the side vs battery in tray that uses tiny screws w/solar power enhancement and slicker housing.
Also red vs green and alluminum vs titanium and quick release vs more rigid mount.
This would also be for an AR10.
I cant find the difference between the 515 and 530 series except the 515 is advertised as 20mm and the 530 30mm.
But the weight is shown as about 7 oz for both. I don’t understand that.
I want the lighter one and the one with the strongest mount, with a smaller silhouette,
And be waterproof.
Don’t know where your looking but the Holosun HE515CT-RD is 4.06 oz and the HE530C-RD is 6.77oz. Both are rated IPX8.
Thanks!
Why would anyone buy a Holosun over an Aimpoint?
Sir, do you have a moment to speak with us about our Lord and Savior Holosun? Would you like to be baptized in the Holy Wuhan water in the name of the Shake Awake, the solar panel, and the circle dot reticle? Did I mention it takes Aimpoint mounts?
Cheap or poor usually covers it.