#RDS

Aimpoint is often a name that is synonymous with the terms “expensive” and “high quality.” While many will more likely know them for just being plain expensive, I’ve come to recognize the Aimpoint series of red dot optics to be some of the best in the business in terms of durability, flexibility, reliability, and features. The Aimpoint Duty RDS was announced at SHOT Show 2023 and was billed as being a more affordable alternative to the more expensive Aimpoint Micro T-2. I’ve had a ton of recent experience with the Micro T2 through a couple of carbine classes I’ve been fortunate enough to take, and today I’m going to use that recent experience to compare it to the newer, and more affordable Aimpoint Duty RDS to see if the reduced price (MSRP of $499) is worth the reduction in performance that this particular optic offers.

Lead & Steel is a relatively unheard-of developer of optics and “other cool stuff too.” Recently the company announced the introduction and availability of their new Promethean LP-1 Duty Grade red dot sight which features a 30,000-hour battery life, options for a standalone dot or a CQB reticle similar to the EOTech XPS lineup, and a durable design featuring an extruded aluminum “crumple” hood to make it truly “duty grade.” This new optic is available for pre-order now at a special introductory price and will begin shipping in Q1 of 2022.

Equipping handguns with reflex sights becomes increasingly popular and quite frequently we learn about new players entering this market or companies expanding their offerings of optics-ready handgun products and sights. Primary Arms is no exception and they’ve recently released two new Classic Series handgun red dot sights – the Mini and Micro Reflex Sights. Let’s take a quick look at each of the new Primary Arms sights.

Bul Optics, a division of Israeli Bul Armory, has added the third sight to their line of handgun red dot sights. The new RDS is called MS-3. We’ve previously reported about the launch of this sub-brand and their MS-1 and MS-2 sights. Let’s see what features are packed in this new red dot and what are the differences compared to the other two products in the Bul Optics catalog.

Optics are a core part of any firearm build and the 12 Days of TFB Christmas is a great time to pick up a new optic for all those new rifles and pistols I know you have on your Christmas list. Hop of TFBTV and myself have been talking shop about the optics side of the industry for months now and I’m personally convinced that we are beyond spoiled for choice these days when it comes to both inexpensive and quality optics (sometimes both at the same time). EuroOptic is currently going through a pretty massive sale on all of their optics and we’re for sure going to take advantage of that! Whether you’re looking for a long-range scope for taking down game or a red dot sight to jump into the carry optics field then we should have you covered with today’s listings. Let us know if you find any great deals on optics you like down in the comments below! Oh, and don’t forget to work off that Christmas ham with some flat range training!

Israeli Bul Armory has announced the launch of the new Bul Optics sub-brand and introduced the first two products of the new brand – the MS-1 and MS-2 handgun reflex sights. Both MS-1 and MS-2 are open-emitter sights with the former featuring a more rugged hood design and intended for concealed carry use and the latter being competition sight with a larger window. Let’s take a look at the specs of each of the new Bul Optics red dot sights and see what are the other differences between the two models.

Kalashnikov USA has announced the release of their first optics product – a red dot sight called BARS Advanced Combat Micro Optic. This is a non-magnified open-emitter red dot sight that is advertised as an extremely rugged sight developed for the AK platform. Let’s see what features this new RDS packs.

Just this year, Midwest Industries launched a new type of M-LOK red dot sight mount that is compatible with the rails they make for Marlin lever-action rifles and Ruger’s PC Carbine.  The optic mount is made to attach to the rail via M-LOK slots and eliminates the extra space between the optic and barrel without having to use a Picatinny rail section.  By reducing the height of the red dot sight, it appears to allow for a better cheek weld with rifles that use traditional style stocks.  Let’s look at the specifications from Midwest Industries:

Leupold & Stevens has just announced that its award-winning Freedom Red Dot Sight will now be available in a Black Ring model. The Freedom RDS originally featured the company’s trademark gold ring encircling the objective lens bell. The Freedom RDS is designed for close-range, rapid target engagement.

Let’s start at the beginning, shall we?

Many new and improved products have been brought to market by Trijicon in the months leading up to SHOT 2018. Fans of the Trijicon HD iron sights will be happy to hear of the Trijicon HD XR night sights. The HD XR sights boast an expanded field of view and more precise targeting with the reduced size of the front sight (.122”) to nearly a third of the size of the original HD’s.

With Level IV armor rising in availability, calls for “overmatch”, and the increased presence of urban warfare, will designers be able to meet the requirements for future small arms? Forumgoer Poliorcetes raised this question in a discussion at the Military Guns & Ammunition forum:

The United States Special Operations Command (US SOCOM) is looking for a new variable-power rifle optic to allow users to engage targets out to 600 meters, while still preserving close-in capability. The solicitation, released last week on Fed Biz Opps, announces a Firm Fixed Price (FFP) Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) supply contract for up to $33.2 million dollars worth of the new optics. The draft requires offerors to provide 12 sample optics before December 8th of this year. The solicitation follows a pre-solicitation notice issued in July.

The Mepro Tru-Dot RDS red dot sight is now (officially) available in the United States. Its been about a year since TFB has a first-look at the sight, but The Mako Group has made good on its promise. Powered from a standard AA battery, the optic is designed for the simultaneous