Thoughts on the Holosun 515 red dots?

[mattmcg]

Been an Aimpoint user for a long time with multiple T1s and T2s and never strayed for over a decade. I was at the range the other day and a friend introduced me to his Holosun 515. I heard they were made in China so summarily dismissed them but after giving it a hard look and messing around with some of it's buttons, seems like there is a lot of innovation there that could be picked up on by Aimpoint.

Would love to hear other's experience with these optics. Certainly like the price, features, and hate the country of manufacture. Thoughts?

 

[DustyGmt]

I have the PA AMD- red dot, I believe it is just a rebranded holsosun and is for all intents an aimpoint clone. I bought one for one of my first AR carbine and didn't have aimpoint money so I settled on one of them after watching at least 10 videos on them and lots of them were people testing them to extremes and for longevity, function, etc...

I like it very much, it has held up well, probably around 3K rds of 5.56 and it it's kept zero. I will say, if you decide to get a Holosun or Primary Arms definitely get a quality mount, one with two crossbolt fasteners like any T1 mount has. I bought the primary arms mounts and they have one crossbolt and on one of my PA micro dots I must have over torqued just a lio bit and under recoil the mount failed. It was probably my fault but still, the mount is weak ime.

My PA dot looks nice and crisp and the glass is clear enough and there are good brightness settings and even in bright sunlight the middle settings are adequate, unlike some entry level red dots that get washed out easily by daylight even on the highest setting.

I haven't tested the 50K hour battery life as I don't leave mine on but others report good battery life longevity. I know it looks an awful lot like an aimpoint and functions more or less like an aimpoint, it isn't an Aimpoint. I have since got an Aimpoint and obviously prefer it as I just know it is basically.....scratch that, literally bomb proof. I wouldn't hold out for bomb proof reliability in the Holosun or PA red dots.... it's a good dot though. The holosun and the PA I have experience with. The OEM mounts seem kind of flunky though, definitely buy a nice $70-$100 mount.

 

[CapnMac]

Being PRC-made does cause more than some cringe, but, the price point is the price point.
And, the 590 series is amazing.

If it means anything, PRC subcontracts precision work to other places, like Taiwan and South Korea, and brands it as "prc made." This emulates how they shop the low-tech stuff out to Bangladsh, Laos, and the like, for the labor savings.

Holosun appears to be the gem in the pigsty of PRC products. Dunno why nor how that is.