#Reflex

I’ve had the opportunity to test out, shoot, and own pretty much every single iteration of the 9mm micro-compact category of pistols. Since the introduction of the SIG Sauer P365, every company has strived to match the groundbreaking and quite honestly “game-changing” features set that the P365 offered concealed carriers and shooters. While FN pistols haven’t been my favorite, there have been some notable releases like the FN Five-seveN as well as the 509 Tactical that have impressed me quite a bit with the Five-seveN being the dream gun of pretty much anyone who has watched Battle Star Galactica or played Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell. FN’s newest offering, however, doesn’t have the backup of the silver screen or the video game industry this time, but what does it have to offer? I’ve had my hands on an FN Reflex for a while now and today I’ll share with you my initial thoughts on it, and where I think it falls within the highly competitive market of micro-compact 9mm pistols.

Bushnell have released a new reflex sight called  RXM-300 which with a 28mm (1.1″) wide and 24mm (.945″) tall window is the largest open emitter red dot sight ever produced by the company. The RXM-300 sight was designed in cooperation with competition shooter KC Eusebio, however, it’s not a competition-only oriented product and is advertised as being suitable for virtually any application, from competition to self-defense. Let’s take a closer look.

FN has finally released an optics ready, double stack micro 9mm carry gun. The new FN Reflex is available with or without an optics cut, and with an 11 round flush fit or 15 round extended magazine.

Bul Optics, a division of Israeli Bul Armory, has released a new red dot sight called B.A.O-1 (BAO stands for Bull Armory Optic). This is the fourth handgun reflex sight released by the company since the Bul Armory announced its optical products sub-brand about a year ago. Let’s take a quick look at the specs and features of the new B.A.O-1 sight.

Developed with advice and suggestions from active duty medical personnel and made with the same high-quality materials and craftsmanship that High Speed Gear is known for, the new ReFlex IFAK is the latest plate carrier compatible piece of gear on the market. The new hanging IFAK pouch features an ambidextrous design, adjustable retention for the stored items, and will be compatible with a wider variety of plate carriers and chest rigs than other IFAKs already on the market.

In recent years, Holosun has significantly elevated the quality of their red dot optics from the strictly “budget” category to become legitimate serious contenders. Many of their products, such as the 507 series, are now worth mentioning in the same conversations with established standards like the Trijicon RMR. Primary Arms, who started as an optics company in their own right before expanding to be the full-scope supplier and firearms industry powerhouse they are today, share much in common with Holosun. Their early scopes were often relegated to the purely entry-level or plinker considerations sets and not seen as viable for more serious use. Over the years they have similarly grown their offerings and expanded into higher price points with notably higher quality levels to match.

To most shooters, Aimpoint is best known for optics like their rifle-mounted red dots such as the PRO (Patrol Rifle Optic) or the Micro series, and their increasingly popular ACRO P-1 pistol sight. In March 2019, TFB reported that the US Department of Defense would be purchasing $24 million worth of Aimpoint FCS13RE sights for the 84mm “Carl Gustaf” recoilless rifle system. According to the Aimpoint product page, these Dynamic Universal Reflex Sights can also be used on additional heavy weapons like the Mk19 40mm grenade launcher. Now with a June 22, 2020 press release, Aimpoint has announced the award of an additional DoD contract for even more of their FCS13RE sights. The release reads:

Russian state corporation Rostec has announced that they have developed the first Russian heavy machine gun reflex sight. This red dot sight is designed primarily for the .50 caliber Kord HMG that is widely used throughout the Russian armed forces both as a crew-served infantry weapon and mounted to various marine, aerial and ground vehicles. The new sight is developed by TSNII “Tsiklon”, which is a subsidiary of the  Ruselectronics Holding that in its turn, is part of Rostec Corporation.

Let’s start at the beginning, shall we?

Austrian optics manufacturer Kahles has released a new red dot sight called Helia RD. This is a non-magnified micro reflex sight with a 28mm width which makes it suitable to mount on handgun slides. Let’s take a brief look at the specs of this new sight.

Shield Sights have introduced a new ruggedised version of their Shield RMS pistol reflex sight. The UK company have announced a version of their RMS pistol sight which can be submered for up to 30 minutes and continue to work. With a aluminium body and a sealed casing the Shield RMS-W has a battery life of up to three year.

As we begin to thaw out of our winter dens (keep quiet, Southern States), we start to dust off our gear for the upcoming shooting season. And with the end of hibernation comes the lust for upgrading our guns and gear. While the draw to pickup a new rifle or pistol is always persistent, the appreciation of quality optics can sometimes be forgotten. So we thought we could list out some non iron sight options in TFB’s Optics Buying Guide.

Bushnell has two new red dots and and a tiny 1x prism sight that offer enhanced battery life, larger field of view, and, of course, the unfailing simplicity of a prism.

In what appears to be a direct response to the recent SOCOM-issued warning about EOTech holographic sights, and the US Government’s lawsuits against L3 Communications, the parent company of EOTech, the FBI has purchased and is now issuing Aimpoint red dot sights to its agents in the Hostage Rescue Team, and Defensive Systems Unit, according to a press release by Aimpoint, reproduced below:

I had the good fortune this week to be invited to a joint Remington and Trijicon Optics writers’ event. This event was held at the world famous Gunsite Academy in Paulden, Ar.