Any accessories you fit onto your rifle should be reliable and of good quality.
We reviewed the Trijicon MRO to decide if this optic would be the right choice for our rifle's rail.
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We investigated the specs, pros and cons, and the best uses for this optic. We also discuss the MRO HD, in short, to decide if it's a better option.
Trijicon MRO
Trijicon MRO Specs
- Eye Relief: Infinite
- Adjustment Options
- Parallax: Parallax free
- Windage: 70 MOA max (1 click =1/2 MOA)
- Elevation: 70 MOA max (1 click =1/2 MOA)
- Type of Reticle: 2.0 MOA red dot and 2.0 MOA green dot
- Image of Reticle
- Magnification: 1 X
- Focal Plane: N/A
- Objective Lens: 25mm
- Weight: 4.1 oz.
- Tube Diameter: 25mm
- Battery Life: Five years continuous use at day setting 3
Pros
The Trijicon MRO has many benefits. We have listed a few of these below.
Large Viewing Area
The reason for mounting a reflex sight is to increase your situational awareness and eliminate tunnel vision. You should use the sight with both eyes open, giving yourself a better field of view.
Fog and Waterproof
Trijicon originally manufactured sights for combat use by the USMC, so the sealed sight's quality isn't surprising. Trijicon has filled the recessed lenses with dry nitrogen to eliminate fogging. The tight seal makes it waterproof to 100 ft.
Photo credit: trijicon.com
Recessed Aim Adjusters
The recessed windage and elevation adjusters eliminate the risk of you bumping the sight and unintentionally changing the settings. The recessed design also means you have no caps to lose or dangle in your way. You can adjust the settings using a small screwdriver, coin, or the rim of a cartridge. The brightness setting is also conveniently situated on the top of the sight and can be used left or right-handed.
Brightness Settings
The MRO has eight brightness settings. The six brightness settings compensate for any daytime brightness level. The super-bright setting takes care of harsh desert sunlight. Beware when using the super bright setting; it reduces the battery life to just 25 days. You also have two settings for low-light use.
Versatility
You can mount the MRO sight on rifles, carbines, and shotguns. Trijicon also gives enthusiasts a choice of three mounting types. You can have a low profile, co-witness, or lower ⅓ co-witness mount to suit your shooting style and usage. A co-witness mount allows you to use the MRO in conjunction with the iron sights or pure reflex sight for shooting from unconventional positions.
Cons
The Trijicon MRO doesn't have many drawbacks as far as features, durability, and design go. Still, Trijicon can be held back on a few minor details.
No Lens Caps
The most delicate parts of any optical sight are the lenses, which are vulnerable to dust and abrasion. You can't aim through a dirty sight, and cleaning in the field is risky as you could damage the protective film over the lenses. The addition of flip-up plastic lens caps would have lessened the chances of dust and grime accumulating on the lenses and been a nice thought of Trijicon.
It Isn't Easy to Feel the Clicks on the Aim Adjusters
When adjusting for elevation and windage, the adjusters move too smoothly. It's too easy to move the adjustment too far. The Trijicon MRO isn't a sight that needs constant adjustment, so this is a minor point but still worth mentioning. You need to make your adjustments very carefully to avoid inadvertently overcompensating for elevation or windage.
Best Uses for the Trijicon MRO
The Trijicon MRO is parallax-free, meaning that the dot remains on the target whatever angle you look through the lens. The sight itself has no magnification, but you can use it with a magnifier. It has a 70 MOA maximum adjustment on the two turrets. The MRO scope gives you a 2 MOA at up to 300 yards.
At 4.1 oz., the sight is lightweight, and the 7075-T6 Aircraft grade aluminum body is highly durable. The well-sealed lenses are filled with dry nitrogen to prevent fogging. This sight's performance won't be affected by extreme temperatures making it suitable for almost any hunting type in any weather.
Photo credit: thetruthaboutguns.com
The wide field of view and parallax-free red dot allows for excellent overall situational awareness and quick target acquisition, even from unconventional shooting stances. The sight’s zero isn't affected by recoil, meaning you can use it on magnum caliber rifles and shorter weapons with high recoil.
The two settings for low-light or night use are ample for most nighttime shooting. The matte black anodized finish can take some bashing and still looks good without betraying you with glinting from a glossier finish.
The Trijicon MRO is a versatile multi-purpose sight that is effective for all calibers and most uses below 300 yards. You can mount this sight on any tactical or home defense rifle with confidence that it won't let you down.
The small size and tight sealing mean it's compatible with any rifle or carbine and makes it an excellent choice for hunting in all weather and environments. The resistance to recoil also means you can mount this sight on a shotgun or folding stock assault weapon without worrying that the sighting will move away from zero.
Is the Trijicon MRO Compatible With Any Rifle?
The best thing about the Trijicon MRO is its versatility. It's small enough to fit any rifle or carbine and accurate enough for almost any situation. As far as recoil goes, this sight is durable enough to outlast your shoulder and still keep its zero.
Photo credit: thegunzone.com
You can use this optic for any caliber or ammunition load, including shotguns, without affecting the performance. You have no magnification on the optic to use it at anything more than 300 yards range, but that accommodates most uses for a sight.
Trijicon supplies the MRO with a choice of three different mounting types, or you can buy it bare and choose your mount to suit your rifle. The mounts that Trijicon offers will suit any rifle or preferred shooting style.
What Do I Need to Know About Mounting the Trijicon MRO?
Mounting a red or green dot sight on a rifle is easy. The compact size of the MRO means you can mount it anywhere on the rail that gives you the best target acquisition. Trijicon gives you a choice of three types of mount for the MRO, allowing you to choose between a low mount, lower co-witness, or full co-witness to fit your aiming style.
The low and lower co-witness mounts ensure that the iron sights don't interfere with the dot. A full co-witness mount allows you to use the red dot in conjunction with your iron sights. Zeroing the MRO is also a standard procedure and won't cost you too much ammunition.
The factory setting should give you a grouping of two inches or less. Once you have put three rounds down the range, adjust your windage and elevation towers to line up on the point of impact and try another three rounds to check for accuracy.
The MRO's design means you can use it with both eyes open. The eye relief is constant and infinite, making this an extremely comfortable optic to work with and giving you a wide field of vision for target acquisition.
Who Should Not Buy a Trijicon MRO?
The MRO and other red dot sights aren't suitable for long-range shooting. If you regularly shoot at ranges greater than 300 yards, this optic type isn’t for you. Some people also have problems seeing the dot, which is the only option with the MRO.
If you find a dot distracting or difficult to see, you could try a different optic that uses cross hairs or hashes as the aiming point. The Trijicon MRO also doesn't magnify, although you can pair it with a magnification device. At 100 yards, you shouldn't need magnification. If you do, then consider a different type of sight or a more traditional scope.
Trijicon MRO vs Trijicon MRO HD: Comparison Overview
Trijicon's follow-up to the MRO is the MRO HD. The MRO HD is optimized for a magnifier and incorporates an adjustable 68 MOA segmented reticle circle around the standard 2 MOA red dot. Pairing the MRO HD with a suitable magnifier (Trijicon recommends their 3 x magnifier) allows you to use the MRO HD for long-range shooting.
The segmented reticle circle also gives you a better reference to focus on the dot quicker. Some people find the circle distracting, but you can set the optic not to display the circle. Unfortunately, the battery life is significantly reduced on the HD version, giving only 75 days with the reticle and 2.5 years for the red dot only. If you shoot regularly, then the standard MRO may be a better option as the teeth that hold the battery in place are delicate.
The only advantage of the HD over the standard MRO is the magnifier, allowing you to use it for long-range. Suppose you prefer to keep your rifle light and the rail uncluttered. In that case, the MRO remains the best option for everything except shooting over 300 yards.
Conclusion
The Trijicon MRO is an outstanding piece of equipment suitable for beginners or seasoned shooters. It's durable, shockproof, and doesn't fog up. The dot is visible in bright sunlight or at night, and it gives an excellent field of vision. The MRO's weight is negligible, allowing you to set it up further down the barrel if you prefer. The biggest downside to this optic remains the absence of lens covers.
People Also Ask
If you haven't used a reflex optic before or still have some questions about the MRO, our experts have answered a few questions below. It's always best to research properly before buying any equipment for your weapons since the last thing you need is for it to let you down at the wrong time.
What Kind of Warranty Does the Trijicon MRO Have?
The Trijicon MRO has a limited lifetime warranty on the body and a five-year warranty on the electronics. The warranty on the electronics is from the date of manufacture, not from the date of purchase.
Where is the Trijicon MRO Made?
Trijicon is an American company. All the parts for the MRO are assembled, engineered, machined, and designed in the USA. Trijicon has facilities in Michigan and California.
Does the Trijicon MRO Come With a Battery?
The MRO Trijicon comes with a lithium battery already fitted. You can use the optic straight from the package.
