So you want to join the British 22nd S.A.S. Regiment. Then you had better become very familiar with the Shield CQS (Close Quarter Sight). This is one of the primary sights used by the S.A.S., and after examining the features of the CQS I can understand their affection. Shield advertises the CQS as the “smallest, lightest, and toughest” reflex sight in its class, offering a full field of view (FOV) for target acquisition and parallax free shooting.

The Shield CQS sitting on the (2) included spacers, is still very compact.

The extremely small profile of the CQS is ideally suited for special forces or SWAT operations with a greatly reduced risk that the sight will snag on operator gear. Despite its small size, the CQS is remarkably fast on target, and the lighting and dot options are easily configured for operator preferences. The CQS was specifically designed for military applications (00-35 DEFSTAN in the U.K.), so there are no worries about its ruggedness and durability.

The newest addition to the CQS is the SIS Bullet Drop (BD) Reticule selection. This is a great addition that allows the shooter the ability to more confidently engage longer range targets. There are two (1) MOA bullet drop dots below the primary (2) MOA dot.

View of the Shield CQS red dot (kind of).

According to Shield representative, Trapr Swonson, the primary (2) MOA dot is designed to be zeroed at 200 yards, with the first BD dot set for 400 yards. A 200-yard zero should match up with a 50-yard zero, allowing for close quarters shots. Swonson claimed he was consistently hitting a 12″ x 16″ steel target at 400 yards using the top BD dot after zeroing the CQS as described.

The Shield CQS has several mounting options. Note the (2) additional CQS on the side rails.

Though specifically designed for 5.56mm/.223 caliber platforms, the CQS can be used on a variety of rifle, shotgun, or pistol options.

Shield CQS Features Include:

• Length – 2.05 inches (52mm)
• Width – 1.50 inches (38mm)
• Height – 1.2 inches (30mm) without mount
• Weight – 2.3 ounces (66 grams) including battery, without mount
• Dual Optic with anti-reflection coating
• Lens – Clear reflex with 1x magnification, parallax-freeHousing – Hard anodized aluminum, matte black finish, night vision compatible
• Light Source – Red light emitting diode (LED)
• Brightness Settings – (12) total, (3) for night vision (NV)
• Brightness Adjustment – automatically adjusts to ambient lighting (on current setting)
• Auto Shut-Off – After 5 minutes in complete darkness (not night conditions)
• Dot Options – SIS CD (Center Dot) Option – (1) MOA, (1) MOA + 65 MOA ring; (8) MOA, and (8) MOA + 65 MOA ring
• Dot Options – SIS BD (Bullet Drop) Option – (2) MOA dot; (2) MOA & Drop dots (2); (2) MOA + 65 MOA ring; (2) MOA & Drop dots (2) + 65 MOA ring
• Battery – (1) 3V lithium battery, CR2032
• Battery Life – (1) year average use, (3) years – night vision use (lower light settings)
• Adjustments – 0.50 MOA adjustments per turn; (24) MOA adjustment with complete rotation
• Waterproof –
• MSRP – $450.00.

The Shield CQS has several mounting options, with (2) included spacers:

• Picatinny Low
• Co-witnessed Picatinny
• Browe BCO
• Zeiss ZO 4x30i & 6x36i
• Trijicon ACOG
• MP5.