When I entered the firearms industry, the concept of a pistol optic was largely relegated to competition shooting. The consensus for many was red dot pistols were not a practical option for a duty, combat, or concealed carry pistol. Ironically, this narrative mirrored the stories I heard from those who witnessed the introduction of red dot and holographic optics on rifles in the 80s to early 90s. Furthermore, another concern in the early days was what to do if the optic fails. While a fantastic design, any tool, mechanical or electronic, can fail. Suppressor height sights were the answer for pistols to co-witness with a red dot. As time has unveiled, red dot optics have become a viable, and reliable, tool to add to a fighting pistol or rifle.
The Red Dot Predicament
Prior to ever wearing a badge, I recognized the importance of being competent with a fighting pistol as an armed citizen. While I can’t provide a specific round count, I would estimate I have 40,000 or more rounds behind a pistol. This repetition and confirmation of repeated sets of draw, sight alignment, and sight picture, followed by target engagement creates some hurdles in transitioning from iron sights to a red dot.
The primary issue I, and many other shooters, encountered with attempting the transition to a red dot is the elevation of the optic compared to standard iron sights. One of my earliest encounters with a red dot was a Glock 19 milled for a Trijicon RMR with suppressor height sights. The first thing I noticed was I had to adjust my sight picture upon presentation to the target to compensate for the elevated sight. This change in sight picture, while a small adjustment, requires retraining to remain effective during presentation of the firearm on the target. I weighed the options of buying the gear or continuing the training I sought. At the end of the day, training took priority and I continued to focus on my skillset over gear — until recently.
Mounting the Holosun SCS
Holosun has rapidly become a force in the red dot market in recent years. Offering a variety of quality pistol optics, they have progressed into a recognizable and reputable name in the firearms market with affordable pricing. Holosun has continued this trend with the SCS at a going price of $350. To begin describing the SCS, we have to discuss what it is — and isn’t.
Traditionally, pistol optics are mounted through two methods: a mounting plate to adapt the specific optic hole pattern to the pistol hole pattern or a pistol slide milled for that specific optic mounting configuration. The adaptor plate design has some drawbacks. For instance, the adaptor plate on a Glock MOS is only 3/32” thick. Under exposure to repeated recoil, the minimal purchase between the mounting screws for the optic and the adaptor plate presents some potential failure points. While not common, stripping of the plate or screws can occur.
The direct mount option minimizes this issue by directly mounting the optic to the slide and allows for greater depth for the screws to mount to the firearm while removing an additional point of failure on the firearm. The Holosun SCS utilizes a direct mount design specific to the mounting pattern for commercially available optics-ready firearms. Holosun began the SCS lineup with the Glock MOS. Since then, they’ve added options for the HK VP9, Smith & Wesson M&P 2.0, Sig 320, and Walther PDP 2.0.
Sight Picture
The sleek minimalist design of the SCS allows for a low-profile mount for the aforementioned optics-ready pistols. It’s not interchangeable between different makes and models due to the specificity of the hole pattern for the available platform. In essence, an SCS manufactured for the Glock MOS platform is only compatible with the MOS. The design and low profile of the SCS allow it to mount low enough to be compatible with standard factory sights. I’ve been preferential to the Ameriglo Hackathorn sights for many years and was thrilled to see them remain on my pistol with the addition of the SCS on my Glock 17 Gen4 MOS. This feature assuaged my earlier concerns about a change in sight picture from years of training with standard sights.
The Holosun SCS is not a “red” dot optic. The SCS utilizes a green multi-reticle design with options between a 2 MOA dot, 32 MOA circle, or both. Its slim design features a single button on the left side of the slide. A single long press cycles between the reticles and can turn the optic off. A brief press cycles the optic between fixed brightness and variable brightness based on the user’s preference. The fixed brightness setting is handy but I’ve not seen a necessary application for it. I’ve used the optic in low light, daylight, backlight, and with the use of a weapon light. I’ve not had an issue acquiring the sight under these environments when using the variable brightness setting.
Powering the Holosun SCS
In the past, pistol red dot optics ran on CR2032 batteries or analogs to provide power to the light source. Battery life has become quite impressive but, from my experience, annual battery changes are still recommended. Under harsher conditions, such as extreme heat and cold, batteries may need to be changed more often.
The Holosun SCS utilizes an internal rechargeable battery and solar panel for sustained battery life. This design is most likely a factor in the minimalist footprint of the optic but this is my opinion. The optic’s titanium housing and design weigh in at 1.3 ounces whereas a Trijicon RMR Type 2 weighs in at 1.2 ounces — before the inclusion of the CR2032 battery. Holosun advertises a range of discharge for the battery between 10,000 and 200,000 hours depending on the environment and reticle selection. Since acquiring the optic, I’ve not had an issue with maintaining a charge nor has dimming of the reticle occurred. The SCS has a built-in notification to flash the reticle intermittently if the battery is insufficiently charged (20%). In six months, I’ve been satisfied with the battery performance since I’ve encountered zero issues with the battery life. Only time will tell if or when I may need to take advantage of Holosun’s limited lifetime warranty to swap the internal battery.
Care and Maintenance
An issue inherent to reflex red dot sights is the exposed glass for reflecting the diode. The reflexive glass tends to collect dust and dirt over time. I’ve used C-More, Trijicon, Burris, and Vortex reflex sights with similar issues. This isn’t necessarily a design flaw as much as it’s a critical component of care and maintenance. If the optic is on anything more than a range trophy, I would recommend checking the optical window frequently to ensure dust, debris, or water is not interfering with the glass or diode.
I’ve run the optic on my duty firearm for over six months now. Over the last few months, my area had some snow and precipitation as to be expected from a bipolar Midwest winter. During those months; snow, ice, and water entered into the window and diode. This caused the reticle to “starburst” from the interference. This was easily resolved by consciously checking the optic and ensuring it wasn’t obstructed by moisture. Wiping the window with a soft cloth or Q-tip was an easy solution to that problem. As a duty firearm, this is more of an issue inherent to reflexive optics than if the firearm is concealed.
If the firearm is concealed, I would recommend checking the optic window daily prior to holstering and at the end of the day to ensure no debris obstructs the view. This is analogous to routine maintenance and care of your firearm. There’s no free lunch when receiving the benefits of certain equipment as there is always a trade-off. The benefits of faster target acquisition and the ability to make longer-range shots on target are balanced by the need to do more frequent maintenance. In essence, don’t expect to buy a Ferrari and not get the oil changed on it at shorter intervals to maintain expected performance. I keep a pack of Q-tips next to my pistol rack to have at the ready if the window needs a quick cleaning.
Impressions
As I touched on earlier, I’ve carried the Holosun SCS as a duty weapon for the last six months on the graveyard shift. I’ve used the optic in that environment, indoor, and daytime conditions with no complaints. Over the last six months, the optic has had approximately 2,000 rounds through it with no observable point-of-aim/point-of-impact shift. I’ve had to focus on retraining myself to look for the dot, not the sights, when presenting to the target. This has been an easy transition with dry fire practice from the holster and because I was able to keep the original sight profile before the addition of the optic.
I’ve run this setup through several drills over the last few months and the improvement in hits at distance has been noticeable. Hits on an 8” plate at 50 yards were intermittent with iron sights but have become routine for me at that distance. Obviously, the optic isn’t a crutch and my fundamentals have to be sound to make impacts. Nevertheless, on my best days, 50-yard hits from the draw are not out of the question in under five seconds.
One of my favorite skill drills is Larry Vickers’ 10-10-10 drill. The drill is shot at 10 yards with 10 shots with a 10-second par time on a B8 target. All shots need to be in the black, with an approximately 5-inch diameter. Vickers recommends running the drill from the low ready. For my purposes, I ran the drill from a Safariland ALS holster to replicate realistic shooting conditions. With iron sights, I ran the drill in 9.06 seconds with one miss, a plus one-second penalty, for a total of 10.06 seconds. When I ran the drill with the SCS, my time dropped to 7.86 seconds with zero misses.
Is the Holosun SCS a good optic?
The Holosun SCS has proven itself to be a capable optic. The limitations presented with its specific mounting design are not problematic when considering the benefits received with the lower profile, internal solar-powered battery, and multi-reticle design. Just as the Trijicon RMR opened up the industry to the prospect of a reliable pistol-mounted optic, the Holosun SCS shows promise to be the next evolution in handgun optics by offering a lightweight, compact, durable, and reliable design that doesn’t break the bank.
I rely upon this optic daily for my safety as well as the safety of others. Ultimately, gear doesn’t translate to skill. The optic isn’t a crutch, but a valuable tool to expand a shooter’s capabilities with distance, precision, and speed. The Holosun SCS offers exactly that.
