For most buyers the right Holosun comes down to three questions: which footprint your slide or rail takes, whether you want an open or an enclosed emitter, and whether you want a dot or a circle-dot. On a full-size optics-ready pistol that usually means the 507C (RMR footprint, solar backup, 2 MOA dot and 32 MOA circle); on a slim carry slide, the 507K or the enclosed EPS Carry; and on a rifle, the open HS510C or one of the enclosed AEMS and ARO sights.
The range is large, but it is built from a small number of platforms repeated in different colours, reticles and housings. Once you can see the platforms, the choice gets much shorter.
Key takeaways
- The 507C X2 and X3 fit the RMR footprint and add Solar Failsafe and Shake Awake; Holosun quotes 50,000 hours for the X2 and 100,000 hours for the X3, both at setting 6.
- The 507K, 407K, EPS and EPS Carry use Holosun's own K footprint, not the RMR footprint, so check your slide cut before you order.
- The EPS family is fully enclosed and rated IPX8, while most open Holosun pistol sights are rated IP67.
- For rifles, the HS510C is the big-window open option and the AEMS and ARO lines are the enclosed ones; most run on a CR2032.
- Holosun sells the same platform in red (RD), green (GR) and, on many models, gold (GD).
How Holosun names its sights
You do not need to memorise the naming system to buy well, but three parts of it save mistakes. The first digit tells you the reticle: a 4 (407C, 407K) is a single dot, while a 5 (507C, 507K) adds Holosun's Multi-Reticle System, so you can switch between a dot, a circle or both. A C suffix marks Solar Failsafe, and a K marks the compact carry models on the K footprint. The colour suffix at the end (RD, GR or GD) settles the emitter colour. Every prefix and suffix is decoded in our Holosun model numbers explained guide.
Holosun pistol optics
Pistol sights make up most of the range. Here are the core platforms, with specs taken from Holosun's own product pages:
| Model | Footprint | Emitter | Battery | Solar | Water rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 507C X2 / X3 | RMR | Open | CR1632, side tray | Yes | IP67 |
| 507K X2 / 407K X2 | Holosun K | Open | CR1632, side tray | No | IP67 |
| 508T X2 | RMR | Open, titanium | CR1632, side tray | Yes | IP67 |
| 509T X2 | 509T (RMR plate included) | Enclosed | CR1632, side tray | Yes | IP67 |
| EPS Carry | Holosun K (RMSc plate included) | Enclosed | CR1620, side tray | No | IPX8 |
| EPS CORE | RMSc | Enclosed | CR1620, side tray | No | IPX8 |
| SCS range | Slide-specific or K | Open or enclosed by model | Internal rechargeable | Solar charging | IP67 to IPX8 |
Full-size and duty slides
The HS507C X2 is the do-everything choice for an RMR-cut slide. It has the 2 MOA dot and 32 MOA circle, Solar Failsafe, Shake Awake, a lockout mode and 10 daylight plus 2 night vision settings. The newer HS507C X3 keeps the RMR footprint and CR1632 but quotes 100,000 hours at setting 6 and changes the brightness ladder to 8 daylight plus 4 night vision settings. If you want the RMR footprint in a sealed housing, the HE509T X2 is enclosed, and Holosun includes an RMR adapter plate in the box.
Slim carry slides
The HS507K X2 brings the same Multi-Reticle System to a smaller body on Holosun's K footprint. Holosun lists no solar panel on the 507K or 407K. For a sealed carry optic, the EPS Carry is fully enclosed and rated IPX8, and it ships with an RMSc-to-K adapter plate. The EPS CORE mounts directly to the RMSc footprint. The differences between the three EPS models are set out in our EPS vs EPS Carry vs EPS CORE comparison, and the pistol red dot footprint chart shows which cut takes which sight.
The solar-charging SCS
SCS stands for Solar Charging Sight. It has no user-replaceable battery: an internal rechargeable cell is topped up by the solar panel, and Holosun quotes up to 20,000 hours of reserve. Most versions are made for one pistol family, such as the SCS MOS for Glock MOS slides, so match the model to your pistol rather than to a footprint.
UK note
Most handguns are prohibited in Great Britain under section 5(1)(aba) of the Firearms Act 1968, so pistol optics here are mainly bought by airsoft players, gallery-rifle shooters, holders of Section 5 authority and shooters in Northern Ireland, where the separate Firearms (Northern Ireland) Order 2004 has no equivalent general handgun prohibition. Confirm your own position with your police firearms licensing department.
Holosun rifle optics
For AR-pattern straight-pulls, carbines and shotguns, Holosun offers three routes.
- Big open window: the HS510C is an open reflex sight with a 2 MOA dot and 65 MOA circle, solar backup, a CR2032 in a side tray and a quick-detach Picatinny mount at 1.41 inches. The HE512T uses the same idea in a Grade 5 titanium housing and is rated IPX8.
- Enclosed micro: the AEMS family is fully enclosed. The AEMS PRO X2 adds the Multi-Reticle System and solar backup to the plainer AEMS CORE X2, which has a 2 MOA dot and no solar panel. Both sit on a 1.63-inch lower-third mount.
- Enclosed tube style: the ARO (Advanced Rifle Optic) line, such as the ARO EVO 2 MOA, has a 26 mm window, is rated IPX8 and runs on a CR2032 with Solar Failsafe.
Most of these pair with the HM3X flip-to-side magnifier, or the HM6X if you want 6x. Browse all Holosun rifle red dots or the wider AR-15 optics range.
Red, green or gold?
Most platforms come in red, green and, increasingly, gold. The optics and electronics are the same; only the emitter changes. Many shooters find green easier to pick up against bright backgrounds. It is a personal call, and worth trying both if you can. Browse Holosun green dot sights or the gold dot range.
The Holosun features that matter
- Shake Awake: the sight sleeps when still and wakes on movement. Holosun notes that if you switch the optic off manually, Shake Awake will not wake it, so leave it on and let it sleep.
- Solar Failsafe: in Auto mode the reticle is powered by light and brightness follows ambient light. In darkness, Auto mode dims to a night-vision setting you cannot see with the naked eye, so switch to manual mode for dusk.
- Multi-Reticle System: dot, circle or circle-dot at the press of a button. The circle is 32 MOA on the pistol sights listed here and 65 MOA on the 510C and AEMS PRO.
- Side-loading batteries: every battery-powered model in the table above has a side tray, which lets you change the cell without removing the sight and losing your zero.
For the cell each model takes, see our red dot sight battery chart.
Which Holosun should you buy?
- RMR-cut full-size slide: 507C X2, or the 507C X3 for the longer quoted battery life.
- RMR cut, sealed emitter: 509T X2.
- Slim carry slide: 507K X2 (open) or EPS Carry (enclosed).
- AR-pattern rifle, open window: HS510C.
- AR-pattern rifle, enclosed: AEMS PRO X2 or ARO EVO.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between the Holosun 507C and 507K?
The 507C fits the RMR footprint and has Solar Failsafe. The 507K is smaller, fits Holosun's K footprint and has no solar panel. Both use a CR1632 and the same 2 MOA dot and 32 MOA circle.
Does a Holosun K-footprint sight fit an RMSc cut?
Not always directly. Holosun supplies an RMSc-to-K adapter plate with the EPS Carry, while the EPS CORE mounts directly to RMSc. Check your slide against our footprint chart before ordering.
Which Holosun sights are fully enclosed?
Of the models covered here, the EPS, EPS Carry, EPS CORE, 509T, AEMS and ARO lines are enclosed, along with the SCS Carry and SCS 320. The 507C, 507K, 508T, 510C and 512T are open reflex sights.
Do Holosun sights work with night vision?
Most models listed here have dedicated night vision settings: 2 on the 507C X2 and HS510C, and 4 on the 507C X3, EPS family and AEMS PRO X2. The SCS range uses automatic brightness instead, and Holosun does not list night vision settings for the SCS Carry.
Shop this guide
- Holosun Pistol Red Dot Sights — the 507C, 507K, EPS, 509T and SCS families
- Holosun Rifle Red Dot Sights — the HS510C, AEMS and ARO lines
- Enclosed Red Dot Sights — sealed emitters for wet and muddy days
- Holosun Optics — the full range, including magnifiers and weapon lights
