HOLOSUN HS403B Micro Dot Optic - Red

Starburst while on one of the lower settings. Would get worse as I upped the brightness level. Customer service was prompt but talked down to me like I had never used an optic before. I took an Eotech off of one of my AR's and put this on because I liked the size of it plus the price. Customer service diagnosed my problem basically as user error, lol. I'm 61 years old and have been using these optics since they came out. This is by far the worst optic I have personally owned. I'm only out 150 bucks, no big deal, but the way I was treated from this company should tell you something about their customer support and warranty practices.

Quit working after a few months. Returned to manufacturer for repairs. Now where it becomes interesting. They shipped it back claiming it has been fixed. Still broken... They insisted the battery was installed incorrectly so I emailed them video showing battery installed correctly and no red dot in the optic. They called me asking if I turned it on.... that unit is supposed to turn on automatically by motion sensor, there’s no manual switch... maybe the product I got was a fluke, maybe it’s just a piece of junk. Applied for return, again... haven’t heard back. Horrible customer service. Stay away

I tried both the Sig Romeo5 and the Holosun 403b. After some testing and comparing, I ended up picking the Holosun over the Sig. Here's why:I like the co-witness of the Holosun more right out of the box (lower 1/3). This is more personal preference, but the Holosun comes right out of the box with the correct height mount for a lower 1/3 co-witness. The Sig comes out of the box with an absolute co-witness mount and you have to buy an extra mount if you want lower 1/3.The design of the Holosun is bit sleeker than the Sig. Because the Sig has the big battery cap on the side, it makes the Sig a little bit bulkier. The Holosun has a slick battery tray that pulls in and out of the side and isn't very noticeable.I like the function and feel of the Holosun top adjustment buttons more.They both come with easy windage/elevation adjustment knobs, so that's a plus for both of them.The glass and red dot on both of them are literally the exact same, so there is zero difference in that regard.The Romeo5 has two NV settings, but being that I'm now a civilian with no current NV capabilities and don't plan on having any in the near future, I most likely will never use them so they are useless for me.One thing I liked more about the Sig over the Holosun was the motion detection OFF feature. You can adjust the Holosun to turn off after 1 to 8 hours, the Sig comes with a non-adjustable 120 second turn off which I would prefer but it's not really that big of a deal since the battery life for both of these things are extensive.Hope that helps someone if they're looking at both and trying to decide which one to go with.

I order this model due to the price point, quality of features and multiple positive online reviews. You get a lot for your money.It has clear lenses, easy to adjust brightness settings and you can configure the sleep mode from 1 to 8 hours. When not in use, if left on, it shuts down and goes into sleep mode. It is factory set at 8 hours, but I dropped it down to 1 hour. When you do move the optic it turns on at the last brightness setting you used. Pretty cool.Two mounts are included, low mount for firearms like the Ruger PCC, 10/22, AK platforms and shotguns. High mount (already installed) for AR rifles and it places the optic at a lower 1/3. Other brands require you to purchase this higher mount separately. Both mounts are aluminum and have a single cross screw to attach to your rail. When I removed the high mount, I noticed the four screws that hold the optic to the mount had thread locker on them. Nice touch.Now onto the red dot. I am impressed. It is a small dot (2 MOA) and even on the brightest setting, there is little distortion. Other budget red dots I have purchase have starburst even on low settings. Yes, it could be my eyes, but this Holosun doesn’t do that. I shoot outdoors in sunny California. In bright sun light, the dot does not wash out.Only complaint was the battery tray. The screws are small (comes with screwdriver and tool to replace the included battery) and if you are not careful, you could strip out the screws. If I did, there is a spare battery tray included. Hopefully I won’t have to change it out for a few years because the battery life is excellent. If I buy another Holosun, it will be a model with the battery on the side of the optic for ease of use. Just a personal preference.I put it on top of the new Ruger PCC 9 takedown. The mount is solid on the rail and the optic does not get in the way of working the charging handle. Using the low mount, this set up does not allow for co-witness with the factory sights, not even a lower 1/3. At the bottom of the optic you can barely see the iron sights and it does not interfere with the sight picture.So for the price this is an excellent red dot sight. It meets all my needs for a budget red dot. If you are on the fence, don’t be, just buy it.

Quit working after only a few months. Dot no longer shows up. Tried changing the battery even through it's supposed to last years and still doesn't work. Worst part is I never fired a shot while this red dot was mounted. Or maybe the worst part is I emailed Holosun about my problem a month ago and have never heard back. Looks like I'm out $150 bucks.Update. Holosun replaced my original 403 with a new one. No problems with the replacement in the last year.