TFB Review: Strike Industries Hexion Tech Seeker Red Dot Sight

As a guy who’s been shooting iron sights on handguns since the mid-’90s, it took me a while to adapt to pistol-mounted optics. This was due to procrastination and resistance to putting in the time it takes to adjust. But all these high-speed heroes couldn’t be wrong, so I wound up spending countless hours in the living room drawing and dry firing at characters on the television screen until I could pick up that dot quickly and consistently, subliminally convincing Becky of my deep-seated distaste for the housewives of whatever city she happened to be watching that day. In time, I started to prefer shooting with an optic, as being target-focused made more sense to me, and everything started moving a little faster. Great, now I want a dot on all my handguns and those that come in for review. Do you see where I’m going here? This can add up quickly. That’s where the Hexion Tech Seeker comes in and does so at an MSRP of $99.95.

Who is this for?

Let’s get this out of the way. We all have our go-to guns and tend to treat them more discerningly when it comes to outfitting optics and other accessories, especially when we’re talking about our everyday carry or nightstand firearm. So let’s avoid our soapboxes today and see this optic as what it is: an inexpensive option for those on a budget or who like shooting with a red dot but don’t necessarily want to spend top dollar equipping every handgun they own. For me, it was my   Smith & Wesson Performance Center M&P9 M2.0 Full Size Metal Carry Comp that I loved to shoot but did not have a spare dot for. So when Strike Industries, the exclusive distributor for Hexion Tech, asked me if I wanted to try out the Seeker, I thought, “Can’t hurt, right?”

Mounting, Brightness, and Reticles…

The Hexion Tech Seeker RDS is a compact and modular open-reflex sight with an RMR footprint that can be used on handguns and long guns thanks to a plethora of RMR mounting solutions, including the Strike Industries Riser, Reflex Exoskeleton, and Ambush 45-Degree Optic Mount provided to me for this review. Eight brightness settings and four interchangeable reticles make target acquisition with the Seeker easy, from a more precise 3 MOA dot to a 40 MOA circle dot, a 50 MOA cross reticle, and a combination of all three.

Brightness is adjusted via tactile up and down buttons on the left side, and cycling through reticles requires either of those buttons to be held down for approximately two seconds. Manual shutoff is possible by pressing both buttons simultaneously, but the Hexion Tech Seeker features battery-saving technology that powers down the reticle automatically after two hours without motion. The sensor will automatically reactivate the reticle upon any movement.

Durability and Battery Life…

The efficient micro-LED used in the Seeker promises to ensure years of maintenance-free use. I’ve only been testing it for a few weeks and have not experienced any issues with battery drain, flickering, or shifting of zero on my Smith & Wesson M&P9 or when using the Strike Industries 45-degree and riser mounts on my BCM RECCE 14 and Sig Rattler. The Hexion Tech Seeker uses a top-mounted CR2025 to avoid removing and re-zeroing the optic when changing the battery, which is rated up to 30k hours when using the dot and drops down to 5-6k hours when using other reticle options.

I haven’t been purposely beating up on the optic, but I did throw it in a toolbox mounted to my M&P9 as I did some off-roading on the ranch out to one of my shooting spots a few times. Again, I didn’t experience any issues. I should note that while Hexion Tech advertises the Seeker as being highly impact-resistant, three optional shrouds will be available to purchase soon at Strike Industries: small, medium, and a large option that features a rear lens to emulate a closed emitter. Keep in mind that it is not the same as an actual nitrogen-purged closed emitter optic and you should keep an eye on it to ensure that moisture does not build up inside.

PRODUCT DESCRIPTION:

 - Modular Red Dot Sight

- Optional Shrouds (S/M/L)COMING SOON

- RMR Footprint / Large FOV

- 3MOA Red Dot

- 4 Reticles (Dot/Circle/Cross/Combo)

- Motion sensor for auto-activation and shut off

- Battery life lasts up to 30,000 hours

- Limited Lifetime Warranty

PRODUCT SPECIFICATIONS:

 - Length: 1.93"

- Width: 1.28"

- Height: 1.03"

- Weight 1.24oz

PACKAGE CONTENTS:

 - x1 Seeker Red Dot Sight

- x1 CR2025 Battery

- x2 Flat Head Torx T10 M3 x 7.5 mm (Pre-Coated 3mm)

- x2 Flat Head Torx T10 6-32 x 7.5 mm (Pre-Coated 3mm)

- x1 Tool T10 and PH00

- x1 Loctite

- x1 Battery Separator

Shooting…

I tried the Hexion Tech Seeker first on my Sig Rattler using the Strike Industries R.E.X. Riser system, which consists of the base that grasps the top rail of the rifle and a 3-slot Picatinny riser that attaches to it. Strike Industries provides a small spacer that I used as well, bringing overall height to absolute co-witness level. The Seeker attaches to a universal mounting plate, which mounts directly to the Picatinny riser. Having gotten used to higher mounts, this took me a minute to get used to, and I’m always a little skeptical when it comes to layers upon layers in a mount, but the concept held solid, and there is a reason for the madness: options. This setup allows you to choose between two heights, while the universal plate will fit most slide-mounted optics.

Next, I tried the Strike Industries Ambush 45-Degree Optic Mount. The mount itself acts as your recoil lugs, fitting snugly into the Picatinny slots of your top rail. This low profile feature is useful when trying to get in tight to your primary optic in either the front or rear without coming in contact. Again, the plate used on the Ambush 45-Degree is universal for compatibility with the Aimpoint Micro, C-More, Deltapoint Pro, Doctor/Noblex, RMR, Shield, and all SIG SAUER open reflex sights. The placement of the Seeker with this Strike Industries mount was quite nice under use, with a quick roll of the rifle bringing the red dot right into my line of sight. This would likely be my second favorite way to run the optic.

Personally, I’m happy thus far running the Hexion Tech Seeker on my M&P9. That’s where I needed an optic, and this is a low-cost solution for getting that done. When trying to take a couple of images through the optic, I noticed a slight bluish-green tint in the glass that I honestly did not pick up on while shooting. I feel like the camera exaggerates it more than the eye tends to see. I’m not sure about the exact materials used or coatings, but the housing is definitely aluminum, and the elevation and windage adjustments are easily engaged using a shell casing. Under most lighting conditions, I tend to keep the Seeker on brightness level five, but the dot does get plenty visible at higher settings under the brightness of unobstructed daylight. 

Conclusion…

I could either be a great person to review this optic or an awful choice because a $99 red dot would not typically be on my radar or my shopping list. Wanting to put an optic on my M&P9 and not having one was a dilemma that may have taken me off my snobbish optics pulpit long enough to see the practical value of an option like the Hexion Tech Seeker from Strike Industries, and I no longer feel that hole in my heart when I see the pistol on my wall. I’m happy to keep shooting the gun with the Seeker and am likely to look into some suppressor height sights, just in case. All in all, I have to say that I’m impressed with what you get at this price point, and I'm likely to take this gun out on the range more often as it was always fun to shoot, but now that much more.

Does a solid pistol dot option for $99.95 appeal to you, or does the price put it in the no-go column? Now that we’re all used to shooting with optics on our handguns, do you prefer to have them available whenever possible? Comment below and let us know your thoughts on that and the Hexion Tech Seeker available now at Strike Industries.

For more information about the Hexion Tech Seeker, any of the mounts mentioned in this review, and the entire lineup of Strike Industries parts and accessories, visit   strikeindustries.com.