TFB Review: Meprolight MPO PRO-F Red Dot and MPO Backup Sights

If there is one thing on guns that I love almost as much as matching furniture, it’s matching optics. Too few red dot companies make their own, dedicated backup iron sights meant to work with their red dots. Luckily, much like me, the people over at Meprolight are also pretty fond of a good pair. Right alongside the release of the new Meprolight MPO MPRO-F enclosed red dot and the rest of the MPO lineup, Meprolight also released dedicated backup sights meant to work with the dots. I’ve taken the last few months to test out what it’s like to run a perfect pairing by using the MPO red dot and irons, and today I’ll share my thoughts with you about what it's like to buy and run this type of setup.

More Iron Sight Reviews @ TFB:

• TFB Review: Meprolight FABS Self-Illuminated Metal Flip Backup Sights
• TFB Review: Meprolight MEPRO FT Bullseye Front & Rear Sights
• Meprolight Introduces Hyper-Bright Sights for the IWI Masada Slim

Specifications:

• Footprint: RMR (MOS Adapter Available and shown here)
• Objective Lens Diameter: 0.95” W x 0.7” H
• Reticle Type: 3-Segment (selectable)
• Reticle Options: 3 MOA Dot, 33 MOA Bullseye with dot, 33 MOA Ring
• Reticle Color: Red
• Brightness Settings: 10 daylight / 2 night vision compatible
• Brightness Controls: Auto & manual
• Battery: 1x CR1632
• Battery Life: 20,000+ hours
• Windage/Elevation Adjustment: 1 MOA clicks
• Windage/Elevation Travel: ±30 MOA
• Waterproof Rating: IP67
• Fog Proof: Yes
• Weight: 1.4 oz (with battery)
• Material: 7075 T6 Aluminum
• Dimensions: Approximately 1.82" L x 1.25" W x 1.11" H

First Impressions

After I cycled myself through every available big window dot on the market, I started looking into enclosed optics. After having some less-than-stellar experiences with some earlier examples from otherwise great companies, I finally got a chance to check out the MPO PRO-F enclosed dot. Like other mailbox optics, the PRO-F isn’t exactly what I’d call a “good-looking” optic, and I personally find that enclosed micro red dots look best when mounted in tandem with a medium magnification optic. However, looks, as always, are secondary to purpose. The PRO-F, like others in the MPO line, is manufactured in the Philippines, which is the same country of origin as the now apparently discontinued AmeriGlo Haven.

The mounting system is quite interesting. The website lists “RMR” as the footprint, and most of us would expect that to mean the optic itself mounts directly to a pistol that has an RMR footprint. However, much like a few other examples in the enclosed dot scene, the PRO-F uses a plate system with the native plate being an RMR-pattern adapter. For our example today, I’m using the Meprolight direct mount adapter for Glock MOS pistols (made in China). However, this mounting pattern, when combined with the deck height of the PRO-F, means you’re going to need a solid set of purpose-built backup irons if you want a proper cowitness.

Moving on to the iron sights, they’re pretty much what I’d expect from a set of co-witness irons. They’re steel, which is a great choice for backup irons, and an upgrade from the stock Glock sights, which are sometimes polymer depending on the exact model you get your hands on. Installation is pretty easy if you’ve got the right tools, and I used the XS Sights Glock Sight Adjustment tool, which helps smooth out the installation process through mechanical advantage rather than raw monkey strength, a hammer, and a set of punches. Using the XS tool did leave behind some telltale brass markings, but I think this adds character.

The auto-brightness adjustment setting, on the other hand, could probably use some work. For regular range days, it's probably fine, but if you happen to find yourself indoors looking to shoot from a low-light area into a bright-light area, it seems that the sensor seems to favor the room that you’re in, rather than the source of the light you’ll be seeing. This is something that the Trijicon RMR HD handles very well with its forward-facing light sensor. Meanwhile, the PRO-F’s sensor, although mounted on the front of the optic, seems to be partially occluded by the slide of the Glock, which may be preventing some of the incoming light from tripping the sensor-controlled lighting. However, it's far more likely that the MPO PRO-F’s sensor is far less sophisticated (and expensive) than the one on the RMR HD.

Another handy thing that co-witness backup irons can do for you is help you get a quick zero on any new red dots you put on your handgun (provided your irons are properly zeroed). My PRO-F and the MPO Backup Irons seem to line up perfectly at about 25 yards, with a 7-yard group landing just a tad lower than my point of aim. Below is a 10-round group fired from 7 yards on a Re-Nine Safety silhouette target - for reference, the small circles are about 1” in diameter.

When it comes to durability and overall ease of maintenance, I haven’t noticed any undue wear or tear on the clamping mechanism that keeps the dot on the adapter plate. I regularly loosen and tighten the optic to the exact witness mark I’ve had on it since day one, and so far it seems to return itself to a close enough zero, and also has enough clamping force to not loosen over multiple range sessions. I’ve even managed to somehow dent the top of the aluminum body, but the optic doesn’t seem any worse off for it.

Low Light Performance

As stated earlier, the MPO PRO-F has a decent amount of adjustment (12 total) and can be dimmed to work well in low-light scenarios where even the iron sights start to become ineffective. The glass does have a slight blue tint to it, similar to RMRs, but this has almost no effect on performance when it comes to being able to properly ID your target/point of aim in low light conditions. I presume that the blue tint would offer some negatives when used under night vision, but if you’re using this setup under night vision, you’ll also run into another problem because of the iron sights.

The MPO irons are indeed capable of low-light performance. The tritium ampules in all of the Meprolight iron sights I’ve tried glow bright enough to be seen beginning at sunset, and this remains the case for the MPO Irons. Since these are meant to be used in tandem with your MPO red dot, they lack tritium ampules on the back and instead favor a serrated blacked-out styling, which reduces the overall amount of clutter when using the red dot and when using the irons under low light. On that note, the PRO-F enclosed does feature a small glowing hash mark on the back body of the optic, which can help you line up the sights. Overall, the package is about as good as it gets in terms of flexibility, whether you’re forced to use the irons or you have the luxury of using the MPO PRO-F red dot.

Final Thoughts

The Meprolight MPO PRO-F, paired with the MPO Backup Iron Sights, is one of the rare pistol optics setups that truly offers a complete, well-matched sighting solution all from one place. What stands out most to me is that Meprolight didn’t just produce a red dot optic—they engineered a dedicated backup iron sight set meant to work seamlessly alongside it, which is something I think a lot of customers will prefer over trying to mix and match optics and irons from different companies.

The MPO PRO-F’s multi-reticle system, bright and adjustable illumination, and rugged enclosed emitter housing make it as feature-rich as the next enclosed red dot on the market. At an average online asking price of about $350, this makes the PRO-F a competitive option when measured against other enclosed red dots. The irons, if you want them, will set you back another $60. I think this is actually quite a good deal if you’re looking for an enclosed red dot and a dedicated, purpose-built set of matching backup iron sights.