Why You Want an Enclosed Red Dot and The Best Ones Out There

Red dots for handguns come in two flavors, open emitter and enclosed emitter. The old standard is open emitters, which are fine 99% of the time. However, rain, snow, dirt, and debris can cause distortion issues with getting the dot to the lens, which could kill the optic’s reliability. An enclosed emitter entirely eliminates that problem, and that maximizes reliability. This is why enclosed emitter red dots are quickly becoming the norm.

If you want to maximize the reliability of your handgun red dot sight, then an enclosed emitter is the way to go. Today we’re looking at some of the best enclosed emitter optics.

Holosun EPS

One of Holosun’s latest optics is the EPS. At first glance, it kind of looks like a 509T, but when it hits your hand, you see an immediate difference. Mostly it’s the size of the optic. The EPS is designed for subcompact pistols and guns like the Sig P365. It uses the standard RMSc Shield footprint, which is the most common footprint on these micro-sized guns.

Holosun EPS Carry closed emitter red dot sight
The EPS is the smallest enclosed optic red dot on the market.

The EPS is the first and only optic I know of that provides an enclosed emitter on a pistol this small. It has changed the concealed carry game. On top of being innovative and new, the EPS is also a darn fine optic. It’s designed to be user-friendly. Holosun found a way to pack a battery compartment that is user accessible and easy to swap. The optic has huge controls for easy adjustments through its eight daylight and four-night vision settings.

There are several variants of the EPS at various price points. Different models offer multiple reticles, different reticle colors, solar fail-safes, and more. Each model offers 50K hours of battery life, a shake awake mode, and 7075 T6 aluminum housing. It’s tough and ready for your little pistol and whatever the world throws at it.

Steiner MPS

Steiner is an odd company. It’s owned by Beretta and always seems to be either ahead of the game or well behind the competition. The Steiner MPS is one of the rare products that are right on time. This enclosed emitter red dot was built to be a brick, and I mean that in the best way possible. It’s tough and built to last. The optic is all metal with a recessed lens to prevent foreign objects from reaching the glass.

Steiner MPS closed emitter red dot sight
The Steiner MPS has from the future vibes.

The MPS has a nice large lens that is 20x16mms. It’s certainly not designed for small, concealed firearms. The big, clear window makes the most out of a two-eyes-open shooting style, and shooters get a nice clear image and a crisp 3.3 MOA reticle. It has eight brightness settings with six daylight and two-night vision modes.

The MPS uses the Aimpoint Acro footprint, so plenty of plates and cuts, and adapters are available. It’s a smart design. The battery lasts 13,000 hours, has big recessed buttons, and an easily swappable battery. It’s also a fairly affordable optic for being an enclosed emitter design from a well-known and well-respected company.

Aimpoint Acro P2

The Aimpoint Acro started the entire idea of pistol-sized enclosed emitter red dots and is still the top dog when it comes to enclosed emitters. Aimpoint created the modern red dot, and this Swedish firm’s optics have become the standard red dot for most western military forces. They make darn tough optics, and the Acro P2 stands out as one of the toughest, more reliable pistol red dots ever made.

Aimpoint Acro P2 reflex sight, enclosed emitter
The ACRO started the enclosed emitter craze and perfected it with the P2.

If you shoot enough, you’ll break something. Guns, optics, lights, whatever they break. I’m not saying the Acro P2 will last forever, but it’s easily the toughest pistol red dot sight on the market. The optic can be submerged 35 meters, dropped, kicked, and choke slammed, and it will still function without complaint. It’s just damn tough and likely the best option for a duty red dot user.

The Acro P2 saw numerous improvements over the original model, namely battery life. The Acro promises a five-year continuous lifespan that Aimpoint users are used to. Beyond battery life, the layout has improved and been made more user-friendly. The lenses remain the standard for clarity, and the dot is a very crisp and near-perfect circle design. It’s not cheap, but it’s as close to forever as an optic gets.

Holosun 509T

The Holosun 509T was Holosun’s first attempt to enter the enclosed emitter world. It worked out quite well for them. The 509T is a full-sized enclosed emitter optic that packs the affordable price point and tons of features that Holosun is known for. The 509T packs two reticles, a solar fail-safe, shake-awake tech, and a rather smart, user-friendly design.

Holosun 509T X2 Red Dot Sight
The Holosun 509T is a compact optic that makes use of the RMR footprint.

One of the best decisions was to include a plate that can turn any Trijicon RMR cut into a Holosun 509T cut. Attach the plate, and boom, you can attach the 509T. On top of that, the multi-reticle system gave you just a dot or a 32 MOA circle which was friendlier for those with astigmatism. It also allowed the optic to break out of the handgun world and work well on shotguns and rifles.

The Holosun 509T is rock solid and reliable in its design. It’s relatively compact and easy to use. The price point is killer, especially with its many extra features.

Leupold Deltapoint Micro

A dark horse of the enclosed emitter world is the Deltapoint Micro. It’s the smallest red dot ever and features an entirely enclosed design. It replaces the rear sight of your pistols and provides a red dot that’s low enough to cowitness with your front iron sight. It’s a novel design, but it’s as small and compact as a red dot can get. You get all the benefits of an enclosed red dot but in the smallest package possible.

Deltapoint Micro enclosed emitter red dot sight on a handgun
The Deltapoint Micro is as small as a gun gets

The Deltapoint Micro deactivates after about five minutes of inactivity but springs back to life when it detects motion. A simple 3 MOA reticle guides you on target. The reticle features eight illumination settings and a maximum battery life of 100,000 hours on a low-intensity setting.

It’s one of the most innovative and interesting red dots ever created, and sadly, it only works with Glock and S&W M&P models.

Sig ROMEO2

The SIG ROMEO2 is my wildcard selection. It’s not an open or enclosed emitter optic. It’s both. The user can choose how they want to run the optic. You can run it open and maximize visibility or closed and maximize reliability. Users can install a shroud and a polycarbonate lens system to create an enclosed emitter miniature red dot.

Sig ROMEO2 enclosed emitter red dot sight
The ROMEO2 allows you to swap between enclosed and open emitter optics.

The ROMEO2 is extremely durable and built to last through the roughest conditions. It performs flawlessly in all light conditions. Bright and low light, as well as light coming from the sides, rear, and front. You’ll always be able to see your dot. The optic is drop-proof, impact resistant, and waterproof up to an IPX7 rating.

The ROMEO2 provides one of the most user-customizable experiences out there. It’s become my optic of choice for competition shooting. The big, wide, but very clear lens is perfect for fast shooting. A six MOA dot is easy to see, but there are other reticle options too. The ROMEO2 offers a lot of customization for an optic, and I appreciate customization.

Enclose It

Enclosed emitter red dots seem to be taking over. They add a little bulk and a little weight, but they offer a ton more reliability than standard red dots. If I had to make an educated guess, they’d become the standard sooner than later for serious use. Enclosed emitter optics are for me, but are they for you?

Am I missing something? If so, please share below!

Travis Pike is a former Marine Machine Gunner and a lifelong firearms enthusiast. Now that his days of working a 240B like Charlie Parker on the sax are over he's a regular guy who likes to shoot, write, and find ways to combine the two. He holds an NRA certification as a Basic Pistol Instructor and is probably most likely the world's Okayest firearm instructor. He is a simplicisist when it comes to talking about himself in the 3rd person and a self-professed tactical hipster. Hit him up on Instagram, @travis.l.pike, with story ideas.

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