Topless – that’s what Grace Optics calls the design of their M1 red dot sight because as you can see in the pictures, it lacks a top strap of the housing over the window. The advantage of this design is that it provides a less obstructed field of view which should result in faster target acquisition. Grace Optics claims that despite this open-top design, the M1 sight is still very robust because “the glass is very strong and the side bars make it just as strong as any other sight on the market“.

The Grace Optics M1 is a non-magnified open-emitter reflex sight available with 3-MOA or 6-MOA dots of both red and green color options. The dots have 10 illumination settings including two night vision modes. The brightness level is selected via the two rubberized buttons located on either side of the housing. The sight is powered by a single CR1632 battery and has an advertised battery life of 10,000 hours. The access to the battery compartment is from the top of the housing which will allow changing the battery without removing the sight from the firearm. The windage and elevation are adjustable within a 50 MOA range. This sight utilizes SIG Sauer Romeo 1 mounting footprint and comes with a Picatinny rail adapter. The Grace Optics M1 sight is waterproof with an IPX7 rating (withstands submersion to 1-meter depth for 30 minutes). It weighs in at one ounce and has the following dimensions: length – 1.6″; width – 1.3″; height – .8″, lens size – 24mm.

Grace Optics M1 (left) compared to a conventional micro red dot sight.

The Grace Optics M1 red dot sight is listed on the company’s website at an MSRP of $199.95.

I really like outside the box designs like this. The less obstructed field of view should be a benefit for novice and experienced shooters alike. Of course, the open-top design is likely not as robust as conventional closed top sights when it comes to impacts from the top. However, the M1 sight has quite a thick lens and what I’d really like to see is an endurance test showing what kind of abuse the exposed lens can withstand. What do you guys think about Grace Optics M1 reflex sight?

Pictures by Grace Optics, www.grace-optics.com