Reflex/Red Dot

Steiner Optics has introduced the MPS Rotary Switch, a compact enclosed red dot sight purpose-built for shotgun competition and dynamic sporting use. Based on the proven MPS platform, this new version adds a mechanical rotary switch with clearly defined tactile positions and three brightness settings (0–3). The simplified control layout is designed for fast adjustments on the clock, particularly in changing light conditions common to practical shotgun stages.

Vortex is no stranger to budget red dots, but for each year they release a new one, the tech and the presentation seem to get better and better without the price climbing too much. This year’s example is the new 2 MOA Triumph red dot. This new budget-friendly series is meant to appeal to newer shooters or those just looking for an inexpensive red dot to throw on a spare gun. Even though it is in the budget category, the red dot still comes standard with a lot of neat luxury features like a motion-activated auto-off that saves battery, 9 daylight and 2 night vision brightness settings, and a standard Aimpoint micro footprint.

Just after SHOT Show, Aimpoint announced the new COA R, a rifle-focused red dot sight built specifically for hunters who prioritize speed, durability, and a streamlined setup. The COA R carries over the ultra-compact, enclosed design of the original COA, tipping the scales at just 48 grams. It features a 3.5 MOA dot and an optical profile tuned for fast target acquisition at close range while still supporting precise holds at extended distances.

Expanding their RFX line of reflex sights, Viridian introduced at SHOT 2026 the RFX1, a green dot sight designed specifically for the Smith & Wesson Bodyguard 2.0 pistol. As you can see in the images, the serrations of the sight's housing as well as its contours match those of the pistol’s slide, giving the assembly a nice, streamlined look. With dimensions of 1.63" x 0.81" x 1.02" and weighing 0.53 oz, this optic is claimed to be the smallest reflex sight in the world.

EOtech’s slate of new releases for 2026 was very full. They had new scopes, IR lasers, silencers, and sights all on display. Let’s take a tour through the new offerings.

Holosun has a whole slate of new product releases for 2026. All of these new goodies were on display at their booth at SHOT Show 2026. Let’s take a tour of the new releases.

At SHOT Show 2026, Steiner introduced a new enclosed emitter handgun red dot sight called MPS-C. Based on the MPS design, this new red dot is noticeably shorter (1.89” vs 1.46”) and lighter (2.05 oz vs 1.13 oz) than its elder sibling. At the same time, the MPS-C has slightly larger objective lens dimensions (21x19mm vs 20x16mm).

Swedish optics pioneer and red dot powerhouse Aimpoint displayed the COA optic and wide range of newly available A-Cut mounting opportunities at SHOT Show 2026. This system was unveiled at SHOT last year but was exclusive to the Glock Gen 5 pistols at the time. Now, it is available across a broad portion of the market.

Back in December when Glock announced the new Generation 6 Glock 17, 19 and 45 one of the questions many asked online is will there be a GEN 6 COA? The COA, if you’re not familiar, is a collaboration between Glock and AIMPOINT which was launched at SHOT Show 2025.

This week at SHOT Show 2026 Shield Sights have just announced their new OMSx competition sight which combines the translucent roof design which was introduced last year on the OMSsc. The OMSx has the same wide viewing window as Shield Sights’ popular RMSx but combined with the translucent roof it creates the visual effect of an even larger window. Shield Sights say this allows shooters to pick up the dot faster and track targets more intuitively under speed and stress.

Red dot sights are growing more and more popular on pistols these days, but what if you want a green dot instead of red? A lot of people find the green dot offers better daytime visibility while helping you pick up the target more quickly, and also reducing eye strain. Meprolight has adapted its pistol-mounted dot optics, offering the MPO-S, MPO-F, MPO Pro F and MPO Pro S all with green dots.

Aimpoint has long been the gold standard for rugged, reliable red dot sights, and the original Duty RDS brought that legendary Swedish quality to a more accessible price point. As there are only so many things you can do with a red dot, I decided to make this review a bit more diverse. So I threw it into a lake for a day to see if the fish would eat it. I also mounted it with a 3x magnifier and used it with a Pulsar Krypton 2 thermal clip-on for some night-action. Let’s see how it performed.

C&H Precision (CHPWS) has announced an expansion of its pistol optics lineup, adding green-reticle variants across several of its most popular models. The new options are now available for the COMP, COMP Max, EDC, and DUTY XL optics, along with all Direct Mount Optics designed for select SIG SAUER, HK, GLOCK, CZ, Walther, Taurus, and Smith & Wesson pistols.

Viridian Weapon Technologies has introduced its newest rifle optic, the VENTA Green Dot, positioned as a compact sight for shooters who prioritize fast acquisition, minimal weight, and clear sight pictures. The VENTA is built around a 2 MOA green dot and a 1x22 mm fully multi-coated lens system designed to provide consistent clarity under a wide range of lighting conditions.

Photo Of The Day: Behold the SIG Sauer P320 X-Five Legion in its factory tungsten-infused “Legion Gray” finish, wearing an Aimpoint ACRO P-2. Skeletonized flat trigger? Yes, and this trigger breaks cleaner than most production guns have any right to. Just underneath, you can see what it looks like looking through the P-2 ACRO red dot, and while it works, the new and upcoming Aimpoint COA has such a larger window.

Aimpoint has released a new configuration of the ACRO P-2 red dot sight, featuring a 9 MOA aiming point intended for use on tactical shotguns. The sight was developed in response to requests from agencies seeking a simple, rapidly deployable optic for engaging small, fast-moving targets at short distances, including low-altitude drones. According to Aimpoint, the development process from initial request to prototype took four weeks.

Aimpoint has announced that its COA optic paired with the A-CUT mounting interface has been selected as Guns & Ammo’s Red Dot of the Year. The award highlights standout new products introduced in 2025, with the Aimpoint system recognized for its durability, optical performance, and secure interface design. Introduced earlier this year, the COA + A-CUT system was developed to streamline integration between the optic and host firearm. The Guns & Ammo editorial staff noted the system’s rugged construction, consistent clarity, and repeatable mounting solution following extended evaluation and field testing.

Behold the Aimpoint Centipede, something you have never seen before in TFB’s Photo Of The Day. We’ve strapped not one, not two, but three Aimpoint red dots onto the Picatinny rail of our trusty B&T APC9 Pro (#007). The B&T is the short-barreled edition, because who needs range when you’ve got redundancy?  

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.

I think we’ve all been there, or maybe the rest of you just have better taste than I do - Budget Optics. How cheap is too cheap? About a month ago, I was given the opportunity to test just one, but two MCG Tactical Stinger Combat Optics, which claim to be built to Mil Spec Precision so that they can survive the roughest conditions. Additionally, they claim in their copy that “it’s the same elite optic trusted by special ops, now available to civilians at a fraction of the cost.” Today, we’ll evaluate not only those claims but how the optic itself has actually performed so far.

As an experienced IPSC competitor, trying to specialize in the rifle and pistol caliber carbine (PCC) divisions, I've put countless optics through the test over the years, both for reviews and my own training. I've competed in numerous national and international events, including the first IPSC PCC 2025 World Shoot in the Czech Republic, where precision, speed, and reliability are non-negotiable. About three years ago, I purchased the Holosun HS510C from an authorized dealer at full list price (close to $550 at the time), mounting it on my competition PCC. A friend had the same optical setup, and I copied it. He has since moved forward to several other solutions and brands, but I kept my PCC the same.

The 300 Blackout cartridge was born for suppression, and it would be a shame not to. When I took these images, I didn’t realize how big the ASE Utra suppressor was in comparison to the rest of the rifle and the handguard. But it does do its job with five stars, quietly and effectively. Originally crafted by AAC, the 300 Blackout Honey Badger is now somewhat forgotten. But at the time, I just had to make a clone of this legend. This one runs a 7.5” Lothar Walther barrel. I was actually advised by ACC to go up in length.

Vortex is not done with their introduction of new optics and mounts, and this week is no exception. The Venom Enclosed Micro Red Dot is designed for reliable performance in all conditions. Its enclosed 6061 aluminum housing shields the optic from rain, dust, and snow, while the aspherical lens delivers a distortion-free sight picture with accurate color representation.

It’s probably that time of the year when we’re supposed to upgrade our firearms and optics. Vortex seems to think so, with the launch of the Vortex Defender-CCW and Defender-ST Enclosed Solar Micro Red Dots, said to be engineered for reliability in competition and duty. Their fully enclosed design shields against weather, holster wear, and accidental impacts.

You’re on the range and unbagging your brand-new rifle. The air is still, and the sun is high in the sky. You load and make ready. You aim, and with a press of the trigger, let the perfect shot off. The sweet smell of burnt gunpowder and gun oil enters the air, and the action cycles. For a moment, you’re satisfied with your rifle, until you begin to wonder if you made the right choice in optic type. The debate of a red dot and magnifier combo vs an LPVO has been had by many people, and to be honest, I’m not sure if I’m dedicated to one camp either. Let’s talk about some pros and cons, and why you might want to pick one over the other.

Trijicon has released a 3.25 MOA Green Dot variant of the RMR Type 2 Adjustable LED reflex sight. The Trijicon RMR (Ruggedized Miniature Reflex) is well known on the market, but until now it hasn’t been available with a green dot of this small size. Manufactured in the USA, the RMR Type 2 is constructed from forged 7075-T6 aluminum to MIL-spec standards. It has been tested in extreme conditions by U.S. Special Operations, law enforcement, and hunters.

It’s time for TFB’s Photo Of The Day and a series of extremely fresh images of the new Aimpoint Duty RDS MR multi-reticle red dot. This red dot sight was literally delivered to me earlier today, and I removed the current setup (an Aimpoint Comp M5b 2 MOA) from my B&T APC9. The Aimpoint Duty RDS MR runs a 2 MOA dot and or a 65 MOA circle. I begged for Aimpoint to send me a 3x Magnifier as well, and the wish was fulfilled, and I look forward to trying them together. First, time for some unboxing. If anyone cares, this is probably Aimpoint's best box ever, with a Police-blue interior.

I first saw them at the SHOT Show at the beginning of this year, but for some unknown reason, we forgot to cover their story. So this is DOT’s, or Dynamic Optronic Technologies, first appearance here at TFB, but most likely not the last. Just in time for this story, they now also offer their holographic sight in FDE - which I think looks great! The EHS-1 Enhanced Holographic Sight is described as a cutting-edge optic designed to redefine accuracy and reliability for both professional and enthusiast shooters. Priced at $599.99, the EHS-1 combines rugged construction with advanced features.

Officially unveiled earlier this week on August 27, 2025, by the Swedish red dot OGs at Aimpoint, the new Aimpoint Duty RDS MR brings new Multi-Reticle (MR) functionality to the compact red dot sight platform that is intended to be a slightly more budget-friendly yet feature-rich version of some of Aimpoint's other legendary red dot offerings. I was fortunate enough to receive a copy of the new sight just a day before launch day, and although my range time has been brief with the new sight. I figured it’d be a great idea to bring you guys a quick “first look” article to see what the new platform is offering vs the old, as well as what people can expect from one of Aimpoint's more affordable red dot options for rifles and shotguns.