Best Holographic Sights | 2022 Complete Buyer’s Guide

| Last Updated:
August 28, 2023

Are you looking for a holographic sight for your firearm? There are numerous options available, each with its own pros and cons. We’re going to thoroughly review some of the best currently available, as well as explain why they’ll probably improve your accuracy. Read on to learn more!

Best Holographic Sights Comparison Chart

IMAGEPRODUCT
  • Best Overall
  • Adjustable Brightness
  • Water-Resistant
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  • Best for AR-15
  • High-Quality Materials
  • Easy Windage and Elevation Adjusters
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  • Best For Pistols
  • Two Reticle Color Choices
  • Parallax-FreeFrom 30 Yards
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  • Best For the Money
  • Micro USB Port for Charging
  • Quick-Release Mount
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  • Best Bushnell
  • Weatherproof
  • Automatic Light-Adjuster
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  • Best Trijicon
  • Large MOA: 6.5
  • Unique Shape of Lens Increases Durability
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  • Best Under $100
  • Red and Green Illuminated Range Finder Reticles
  • Detachable Green Laser With Remote Switch
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What is a Holographic Sight?

Holographic sights are attachments to firearms that provide precise reticles for target acquisition. The reticle of this attachment is made via internal lasers which combine to form the reticle image. With one of the products below, you’ll see improved accuracy and faster target acquisition than you would receive from iron or red dot sights.

EOTECH 512 Holographic Weapon Sight

Holographic sights are usually used to help a shooter focus on targets far away and eliminate the need for eye relief; this is the measure of how close one’s eye can be to a scope’s surface before they lose the full picture offered by the scope. This type of product makes this distance a non-issue, allowing you to move your eye further or closer depending on your preference, while retaining the scope’s full field of view.

These come in a few different colors, but this is largely a cosmetic difference. Many of them will also offer controls to adjust for windage or elevation differences depending on your shooting environment.

What is the Difference Between a Red Dot Sight and a Holographic Sight?

Red dot sights and holographic sights both use lasers to create a reticle in order to improve your targeting accuracy. The holographic-type tends to draw more battery power than red dot ones, but this isn’t the biggest difference between the two.

Holographic sights are superior to red dot sights because they provide near immunity to the distortion created by parallax. Parallax distortion occurs when your eye isn’t perfectly lined up with the reticle. This can cause poor accuracy due to misalignment with the “line” that is formed from eye to reticle to target.

Holographic reticles are made by bouncing a laser around the inside of the scope, reducing this distortion even if you move your eye away from the optimal sighting position. This, in turn, keeps your accuracy more consistent even as conditions or your position changes.

Holographic-types are also a little more susceptible to temperature than red dots, so extreme environments will favor simpler versions like a red dot or iron instead of the more complex holographic sight.

Review of the Best Holographic Sights

Let’s take a look at some of the best on the market. We’ll explain what makes each model worthwhile, as well as any flaws they might have.

Best Overall:
EOTECH 512 Holographic Weapon Sight

Pros

  • Very Clear Picture
  • Tough and Long-Lasting
  • Ten-Year Warranty Provides Great Value

Cons

  • A Little Pricey

The EOTECH 512 is a phenomenal product due to its sleek design and excellent feature list. For starters, its brightness settings are adjustable in 20 different configurations, making it an excellent pick for both daytime and nighttime shooting. You can use this for indoor practice, outdoor practice, or combat and you can feel secure that the image will be crisp every time.

Windage controls and the on/off switches are located in convenient areas right around the base. It’s powered by common AA batteries that you can get at any store. A full battery will last around 70 hours and the reticle flashes to alert you to low power before you fully run out.

The reticle is extremely sharp at 1 MOA or Minute of Angle. The lower the MOA rating, the sharper the reticle and the less difference there is between reticle and bullet placement. This scope is a great pick for sharpshooters or on rifles that are going to be used to pick off targets at long range.

The scope is also water-resistant and made from durable materials that will last a lifetime; if it doesn’t, the purchase comes with a ten-year warranty out of the box, providing great value over time.

The EOTECH also comes with a mount for Picatinny or Weaver rails, allowing it to be compatible with virtually any firearm.

Bottom Line

This EOTECH model is a great pick that’s not too expensive but which still provides excellent quality and versatility. You can use this on any type of weapon, although rifles will get the most use out of its super-sharp, 1-MOA dot. It’s tough and water-resistant and sure to last for as long as the firearm you’ll mount it on.

Best for AR-15:
Burris Fastfire III with Picatinny Mount

Pros

  • Very Lightweight
  • Great Battery Conservation
  • Can Be Used as a Secondary Sight
  • Good for Pistols, Rifles, or Shotguns

Cons

  • Limited to Picatinny Mounting

This Burris Fastfire III is a great choice if you’ve got a wide variety of weapons and want to use the same attachment on them all. It’s an exceptional product that’s light enough to be used on smaller pistols as well as rifles. You can also use it as a backup for your primary rifle scope.

This product lasts for quite a long time due to its sturdy construction and its automatic brightness setting; this setting allows you to adjust its brightness independently also adjusts when it senses changes in the surrounding light level. This will preserve the battery over time. A low battery warning indicator is also featured to warn you when its time to switch them out.  When needed, replacement is easy due to the top access panel.

The dot reticle is 3 MOA, a nice balance between accuracy and target acquisition. It can be adjusted with knobs at its side for windage and elevation.

The Fastfire comes with a Picatinny mount for weapons that utilize that style of rail. This means that you are limited to this kind of mount, although the manufacturer does offer more specialized mounts if you prepare ahead and know what weapon you’ll be placing it on.

Bottom Line

The big draw of this item is that it can be used for so many different types of guns, provided that they take Picatinny mounting. It’s got great controls for fine-tuning your shooting experience and can extend the life of its battery because of its automatic brightness setting.

Best Holographic Pistol Sight:
TRUGLO Dual-Color Multi-Reticle Open Dot Sight

Pros

  • Very Affordable
  • Very Good Field of View
  • Reticle Choice Allows for Greater Contrast Between Target and Background
  • Anti-Reflection Coating on the Target Side of Lens Promotes Target Acquisition

Cons

  • Is Limited to Weaver-Style Mounting Rails

The TRUGLO Open Dot is perfect if you like wide-open pictures and lightning-fast target acquisition. Its tubeless design keeps your field of view very generous and exposed, making it ideal for shooting on long ranges or for use out in the wild, such as during a hunting trip.

The reticle can be switched between two different colors, red or green, making it easy to distinguish your target no matter what background they’re up against. The lens is coated with an anti-reflective material on the target side to minimize glaring and distractions as you gaze down the firing angle.

The lens can provide you with parallax-free sighting for up to 30 yards; this range is ideal for short-range rifles or for pistols. In terms of holographic versions, it doesn’t get much better than this. It’s relatively light and compact, making it great for smaller firearms like handguns.

However, a Weaver-style mounting system is integrated with this model, limiting its use to firearms which can accept those kinds of mounts.

Bottom Line

This TRUGLO model is great for wide-open shooting or use in the wilderness. It’ll see good use on pistols, too, thanks to its compact design and light weight. The lens and reticle are both optimized for great accuracy and fast target acquisition. You can even change the color of the reticle to make finding your target easier against a woodland background.

Best for the Money:
Vortex Optics Razor AMG UH-1 Holographic Sight

Pros

  • Very Tough and Durable
  • Great Picture Without Distortion or Fade
  • Mounting is Easy to Install on All Base Types
  • Extremely Efficient Battery Life Thanks to the USB Port and Battery System

Cons

  • Bulky and Too Big for Some Weapons

The Razor is an exceptional device that provides the best bang for your buck when it comes to holographic sights. For starters, it’s got a quick-release mount that can work on Weaver or Picatinny bases, making it suitable for virtually all weapon types. It is rather bulky, so for some pistols, it’ll be unusable, but for rifle-style weapons or shotguns, it’s an excellent fit.

This item is very tough and durable, and its windows are coated with XR Plus to make them scratch-resistant. The windows are shatterproof, too, and the interior is sealed for use in the water and the fog. You can easily take this anywhere and it’ll keep going.

This is especially true thanks to its long-lasting battery, which is very efficient by itself, but it also has a micro-USB port for charging on the go. This removes the need for replacing batteries all the time and instead makes it so that as long as you have a micro USB cable, you can use this product.

It comes with windage and elevation adjusters, of course, and its picture is fade-free and super-crisp. The reticle is in the traditional holographic pattern. Of course, this product is also parallax-free; it’s great for anyone who wears glasses or likes to sit in variable distances from the lens.

Bottom Line

This Vortex model is a great pick for rifles or anyone who likes to fire at long distances in the wilderness. It’s tough, dependable, and easy to recharge, and its battery lasts a long time even without the micro USB functionality it offers. The picture is clear and consistent. It’s not too expensive for all of these excellent qualities, too.

Best Bushnell Holographic Sight:
Bushnell Tactical First Strike Riflescope

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Pros

  • Very Compact and Easy to Install
  • Optics Transmit Light Very Efficiently
  • Reticle is Great for Target Acquisition
  • Battery Life Conservation Makes Using for Long Periods Viable

Cons

  • Limited to Picatinny Mounting Due to Integrated Design

Bushnell makes tons of riflescopes and optics for sports and hunting. We believe this is one of their best offerings.

Its reticle is rather large, but that’s intended to promote quick target acquisition. The larger the MOA, the easier it is to see the dot and line it up to your target. This product is wide and very clear because of its optics. They’re coated with special material to transmit light more efficiently than in many competitor scopes, reducing parallax and light distortion and keeping your sighting experience clean and clear.

The scope is compact and suitable for smaller or larger firearms, but it is limited to guns that can accept Picatinny mounting as its mounting base is integrated into the entire chassis.

The Bushnell First Strike Scope is very tough; it’s fully weatherproof and able to withstand a battering from wind, water, and shock. You can take this into a storm and it’ll be just fine.

Finally, the scope also boasts an impressive battery life because it automatically adjusts its brightness setting by sensing the surrounding light level. This can extend the overall battery life of the scope for several more months than it would reach otherwise.

Bottom Line

This is one of Bushnell’s best scopes due to its size and smart design. It’ll excel in situations where fast-firing is key and is small enough to fit onto handguns and smaller rifles. The product will last you a long time, both due to its great design materials and its battery, which conserves power by monitoring ambient light levels.

Best Trijicon Holographic Sight:
Trijicon RMR 6.5 MOA Adjustable LED Red Dot Sight

Pros

  • Buttons Are Very Easy to Push
  • Plenty of Adjustable Brightness Settings
  • Lens Allows for Minimal Color Change as Target Moves

Cons

  • Very Expensive

This product is a bit different from many others. The most noticeable aspect of this product is its large MOA dot, registering at six minutes of angle. This is an excellent large reticle for tracking fast-moving targets against a background that can rapidly change as a chase or hunt progresses. The rest of the scope is similarly designed for this kind of use.

The lens is multi-coated with materials to make it true-color. It can give you a clear visual down the sightline and keep the picture consistent and easy to track even as the background colors change while you watch your target. The lens is very sturdy and hard to break.

In fact, the entire product is hard to break thanks to its unique, patented housing shape. It’s made from an aircraft-grade aluminum alloy that’s shaped in a particular way to divert force away from the lens. This improves its overall durability if the lens is dropped or if blunt force happens to strike it.

It is further adjustable with windage and elevation buttons located on the side. These switches and the primary on/off switch are easy to access and manipulate. As you adjust the windage or elevation, the MOA changes by one per click, keeping variation linear.

Finally, there are eight different brightness settings, including two specifically for night-vision use and one that’s super bright for use during the sunniest conditions.

Bottom Line

This is an excellent choice if you’re going to be chasing targets through rapidly-fluctuating backgrounds. It’s designed to take a beating and keep going, if necessary, and its lens can filter out color changes as you track targets even as the environment changes. Brightness settings help with this, too and the 6.5 MOA reticle is perfect for lightning-quick target acquisition.

Best Under $100:
UUQ C4-12X50 Rifle Scope

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Pros

  • Very Sturdy and Weatherproof
  • Mountable on Picatinny or Weaver Bases
  • Easy Adjustments to Windage or Elevation
  • Easy Target Acquisition and Multiple Brightness Levels Allow Use Anywhere, Anytime

Cons

  • Very Large and Bulky, Unusable With Pistols

This is a long-range king and it’s under $100!

It’s got an electronic control system, for starters. This lets you modify the various settings, like reticle size and color, beforehand. You can detach a green laser from the overall frame and this laser reaches up to 300 meters away. It’s quite impressive and suitable for use with rifle-type weapons.

The scope itself gives between 4-12 times magnification, making it suitable for sharpshooting across vast distances. A 50-millimeter objective lens is better for close-quarters work or approaching targets, and these two lenses can be switched between very quickly and easily. Each is made with high-quality materials and eliminates parallax entirely, as well as the need for eye relief.

There are red and green range finder reticles included with this scope, and they’re adjustable among five different levels. This can make judging the distance between you and your target much easier than on your own. The scope is also very tough and is totally weatherproof. You can use this scope day or night regardless of season or distance. It’s extraordinarily versatile, given its low asking price.

Finally, this product can be mounted on either Weaver or Picatinny bases, so it’s great for virtually every rifle out there.

Bottom Line

If you’re looking to practice sniping or hitting targets from hundreds of meters away, you’ll want to pick this scope up. It offers so much for less than $100 it’s hard to pass it up. It’s weatherproof and delivers a great picture, and the various lasers it comes with are excellent for judging distance no matter the ambient light level.

Best Holographic Sight under $200:
Sightmark SM26005 Ultra Shot M-Spec

Pros

  • Quick Mounting Feels Smooth
  • Great Battery Life and Power Consumption
  • Very Durable Due to the Magnesium Housing
  • Excellent Experience Due to Unlimited Eye Relief

Cons

  • Can’t Use With Picatinny Mounts

The Sightmark offering is a great, all-around useful attachment that’s great for close-range use on a variety of firearms, so long as they accept Weaver mounts. This item won’t work for Picatinny mounting systems, but that’s the only real flaw it has.

Its pros are in spades. Its power consumption is extremely low, thanks both to its battery and the auto-shutoff feature that prevents the battery from being wasted after one hour of inactivity. It’s also quite waterproof, able to be submerged up to 40 feet.

The mount is quick to attach and detach as necessary, so using this on rifles is as good as on pistols. It’s very compact and light for its design, too, so pistol use is encouraged. The housing is extremely durable, made from a magnesium alloy. The lens is protected by a shield that doesn’t affect the overall picture.

Parallax and eye relief are both accounted for to present a fantastic image as you look down the sight. Controlling all of the features is a snap, as you modify its settings via digital switches rather than analog ones.

Bottom Line

The Sightmark is a good pick since it’s very affordable and comes with a host of versatile features that suit pistols and rifles alike. It’s great for use indoors or outdoors and provides excellent sighting even while consuming low amounts of power from its battery; this is a product that will last you quite a long time.

Best Truglo Holographic Sight:
TRUGLO TruBrite Multi-Reticle Dual-Color Open Dot Sight

Pros

  • Very Clear Picture and Easy Target Acquisition
  • Compact size makes it a good choice for any weapon
  • Field of View and Reticle Colors Allow for Easy Outdoor Tracking

Cons

  • Usable for Weaver-style Mounts Only

Another lightweight, pistol-friendly product is the TRUGLO TruBrite. It sports two reticle color choices to allow you to track targets even as their background changes rapidly; it’s an ideal solution for watching targets through thick green foliage, for example.

Further assisting with tracking is its lens, which was made with a clear window coated with an anti-reflective material to keep light from blinding you as you trace your target. The lens is parallax-free and provides detailed, crisp pictures no matter the distance or time of day. Its wide field of view is perfect for aiming down the sight either in the distance or up close and personal.

There are windage and elevation knobs on the sides that allow for modification based on changing circumstances around your shooting location. This item is compact and perfect for pistols or as a backup for rifles. However, it’s only usable for Weaver-style systems.

Bottom Line

The TruBrite is exceptional for both pistols or rifles and is extremely affordable. It doesn’t come with many advanced features, but it provides fantastic quality and tracking capability. The TruBrite does its primary job very well. It’s also very compact and durable.

Best Holographic Sight for Astigmatism:
Holosun HS510C Solar Power Holographic Red Dot Sight

Pros

  • Easy to Use and Operate
  • Battery Lasts For a Long Time
  • Good for Astigmatism Due to Wide Field of View and Multiple Reticle Choices

Cons

  • Relatively Heavy

Finally, let’s take a look at an item that doesn’t need normal battery power to keep working. The Holosun can absorb solar power as its primary source of energy, only switching to its backup battery during nighttime use or when the primary battery fails.

The picture is very wide and open, and along with its various reticle combinations, this scope is a good choice if you have astigmatism. You can fine-tune the reticle and sight experience for your particular vision needs. The reticles can be switched between a 65MOA circle with a 2 MOA dot, a 2 MOA dot by itself, or a 65MOA ring by itself.

The mount is easy to set up and integrate, although pistols might find this product a little too bulky and unwieldy for practical use. The rest of this item is very durable and tough as it’s made from a titanium alloy. Its hood is particularly shock-resistant.

Bottom Line

This is a great pick if you have astigmatism, thanks to its modifiable reticle and its very wide field of view. It’s easy to install and is sure to last for a long time, both due to its strong construction materials and its dual-battery design that takes power from the sun itself.

What Makes a Great Holographic Sight?

There are a few key features you should look for in every holographic sight you consider. These will prevent you from wasting time with lesser-quality models.

Parallax-Free or Eye Relief-Free

This type of device is used to eliminate common problems associated with other types, such as parallax or image distortion. You’ll want to find one that advertises these qualities, since they indicate that their use will improve your accuracy and overall experience.

Good Field of View

Good products in this category should offer excellent fields of view. Don’t pick one that narrows your vision to the point where you can’t see the entire firing range well enough for safety concerns.

Durability

You’ll want to find one that can withstand some years of use, otherwise you’ll end up needing to buy another in the near future. Even if a more durable one is more expensive, it’s smarter to invest in a high-quality product and save money in the long run.

Conclusion

Now you know exactly what to look for in a holographic sight. Anyone with a passion for marksmanship should invest in one of these attachments, as they improve the shooting experience notably. Although they come in a variety of shapes and types, we hope this guide was able to help you find the right holographic sight for your needs.

Michael Lutes

Michael Lutes is the managing editor and owner at Gun Mann. He is a veteran, gun enthusiast, 3 gun competitor, and 2a advocate. Mike has a passion for innovation and education across the industry to create great content, training, and insights from the best and brightest.

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