Red Dots with RMR Mount: The Best Options on the Market

If you are looking for an RMR mount optic, you have a lot of choices. What are the best ones, and what is an RMR?

The RMR, or Ruggedized Miniature Reflex mount, is stable and fast to install and remove. Many companies make handguns with an RMR base because these sights are so popular.

Some existing optics can be converted to use an RMR mount. Some RMR mounts also adapt to fit a Picatinny rail, giving you even more mounting choices.

In this article, we will look at the best RMR dots available in the market.

What Exactly is an RMR?

RMR stands for Ruggedized Miniature Reflex sight.  The RMR is for red dot and reflex scopes. This article uses the term red dot to refer to either optic. The RMR is a plate or the underside of the red dot scope. It has 2 holes for mounting screws on each side of the plate about halfway along the length.

The plate or underside has 2 sockets that line up with pins on the front corners of the gun or the slide in the case of an autoloader.

Trijicon created RMR. Other optics makers may use this term to say their mounting system is compatible with the RMR.

Mounting

The screws and the pins make a secure and stable platform for attaching the scope. The advantage of this system is the ease of mounting and removing. Remove the screws and take the sight off.

An RMR plate can have a Picatinny rail mount. This means the sight can be placed on a Pic rail quickly and removed just as quickly. This is also a very secure way to mount the sight.

The RMR is very popular on semi-auto handguns. The RMR does require the slide to have a proper mounting cutout. Many companies are making handgun slides with an RMR machined into it.

Top 5 RMR Optics

Here are the top RMR optics. These are designed for handguns, but they will work on long guns as well.

1. Most Compact Red Dot: Trijicon RMR Type 2 3.25 MOA

The Trijicon RMR Type 2 leads the pack. 

At 1 inch tall, this is a compact red dot. You can get smaller, but those are harder to use. This one is good for concealed carry.

The 3.25 MOA dot is in the middle of the dot sizes. Red dot dots range from 1 MOA to 6 MOA. An MOA is 1 inch at 100 yards.

Features and Specifications: 

• This middle-sized dot is ideal for shooting at 3 gun and speed competitions.
• The optic has 8 brightness settings, including a super bright, which you will need on very bright days.
• It has a 3.25 MOA dot. 
• It also adjusts to the ambient lighting after 16.5 hours.
• If you leave the scope on, it will reset the brightness level after that time. This means when you set the brightness, you do not worry about it fading out like your smartphone does in bright sunlight.
• Trijicon says the CR2032 battery will last more than 4 years with continuous use. Reality says the battery probably won’t make it that long, but certainly, you will get more than a year.
• If you use the gun for home defense, this is handy. Turn the scope on and forget about it. 
• Another thing that makes the Trijicon series so popular is the lockout mode. When set, this prevents accidental changes to the optic’s settings. Do not worry about bumping the W/E adjustments and knocking your zero off.
• This optic is not night vision compatible.

It’s important to note that if you are mounting on a Glock MOS, Springfield OSP, Walther PDP, or H&K VP9 Optics Ready, you must get the Trijicon AC32064 RMR mounting kit.

Pros

• Fast target acquisition
• Good for home defense
• Fast mounting and removal
• Long battery life
  

Cons

• Requires a battery for the dot to work
• 3.25 MOA dot is moderately large
• Not night vision compatible
• Auto brightness is not as good as promised

2. Best Battery Life: Holosun EPS 6 MOA Dot

The Holosun EPS 6 MOA Dot is second on the list because it is a tough scope and has some excellent features. Many pros prefer the Holosun. Let’s look at its features and specifications.

Features and Specifications

• It has a huge 6 MOA dot. This is a benefit and a drawback at the same time.
• The 6 MOA dot means the scope is suited for close-range and speed shooting. If you try to reach 100 yards, that 6 MOA dot covers six inches of the target.
• The big dot lets you get on target faster than a smaller dot. You also lose the precision that comes with the smaller dot.
• It has a shake-awake feature. When the scope is moved, the dot lights up. You can turn this off.
• If you use a gun for home defense, it stays in standby mode until you move it. When you need it, the light comes on.
• This also means the scope will pretty much stay on if you use this as an EDC. However, the battery is good for several years, so the dot staying on is not a concern. 
• This Holosun is night vision compatible with 4 settings for that. Otherwise, it has 8 brightness settings.
• It uses the CR1620 battery. Holosun says you can get 50,000 hours from the battery. Realistically, expect a bit less, but 2 years is possible.

Pros

• Fast target acquisition
• Excellent for home defense
• Fast mounting and removal
• Long battery life
• Night vision compatible
  

Cons 

• Requires a battery for the dot to work
• Huge 6 MOA dot

3. Best for Home Defense – Swampfox Liberty & Justice 

The Swampfox Liberty & Justice red dot will set you back less than the Holosun or the Trijicon, making it a popular choice for the budget-minded. 

Features and Specifications

• You can choose from six models, all with a 3 MOA dot. 3 have a green dot, and 3 have a red dot.
• At just 1 inch tall, the Swamp Fox allows some guns to co-witness with iron sights. If you have raised iron sights for a can, it will co-witness.
• The low profile also makes this a good choice for shooting suppressed handguns.
• The optic is compatible with ALS series duty holsters, so you do not have to shop for a custom rig.
• It uses a CR 1632 battery. Swamp Fox says you can expect 4,000 hours at maximum brightness. The battery lasts longer with a lower intensity. My experience says 4,000 hours is a stretch.
• This one also comes with a motion-activated switch. It does have an override for that setting.

Pros

• Fast target acquisition
• Good for home defense
• Fast mounting and removal
• Motion activated on/off
• Fits ALS holsters
• Co-witness with high sights

Cons 

• Requires a battery for the dot to work
• 3 MOA dot is moderately large
• Not night vision compatible

4. Best for Target Acquisition – PMD504 Multiple Reticle

The VOTATU Multiple Reticle has 2 things that set it apart from the competition:

• Reticle choices
• A rear iron sight notch

Reticle Choices – Features and Specifications

• While reticle choices are common in red dots, they are not universal, and the Votatu offers these choices.
• The single 2 MOA dot is ideal for shooting. As the dot is small, compared to others, this makes the scope a good choice for a hunting handgun. The dot and ring make it easier to line up on a target when hunting.
• The plain ring is good for shotguns and bird hunting. You can get the bird in the ring and lead before pulling the trigger.

Notch – Features and Specifications

• The rear iron sight notch also serves to protect the elevation adjustment. This is a real innovation in red dots, especially with the RMR footprint.
• The low profile allows a co-witness, but making that RMR slot in a gun often removes the rear sight. The Votatu corrects that problem. You may need a slightly higher front blade than what comes with your gun for the most effective use.
• This optic is well-suited for suppressed shooting.
• It has 10 brightness settings. 
• You should get 20,000+ hours of use from the CR 1632 battery at the lowest setting. On full brightness, the battery probably will not make it a year.
• The optic comes with the shake and wake feature. When it is moved, it goes to the last brightness setting. The scope goes into sleep mode at 225 seconds.

Pros

• Fast target acquisition
• Good for home defense
• Fast mounting and removal
• Motion activated on/off
• Rear cut for iron sight use
• 3 reticle choices

Cons 

• Requires a battery for the dot to work
• 3.25 MOA dot is moderately large
• Not night vision compatible

5. Most Long Lasting – Cyelee CT2 Micro

The Cyelee CT2 Micro comes in a red dot or green dot. Everything else is the same.

Features and Specifications:

• It has a 3 MOA dot powered by the CR 1632 battery. You will get more than a year’s life from the battery on the lowest brightness setting.
• The scope is also motion-activated. If you use your gun for home defense, this is ideal.
• The low profile means the optic is well suited for concealed carry, even an appendix carry.
• It comes with a Pic rail mount that has an RMR footprint on the top. If you need just the RMR mount, you have to order that separately.
• The scope cover is a wonderful addition. When I leave a gun sitting for a while, even in a drawer, the lens collects dust. You do not need that distraction in an emergency.

Pros

• Fast target acquisition
• Good for home defense
• Fast mounting and removal
• Long battery life
• Red or green dot
• Pic rail included

Cons

• Requires a battery for the dot to work
• 3 MOA dot is moderately large
• Not night vision compatible

How to Choose the Best RMR Optics

The best RMR optics are durable and have a long battery life. Sometimes, they can work with a magnifier, sometimes not. 

1. Durability

Very cheap RMR optics will simply not hold up to the rigors of shooting and hunting. You need something that can take abuse and keep working.

If you carry a sidearm with an RMR optic, it must handle the bumps and knocks of everyday life. It may seem protected with appendix carry. You’d be surprised how much your torso bounces and bumps around daily.

Those bumps and knocks are worse if you hip carry inside or outside the waistband. Outside the waistband, carry is worse when it comes to being knocked around.

2. Battery Life

Fortunately, most red dots have a long battery life. Some even say the battery will last as long as 40,000 hours at the lowest intensity.

One year has 8760 hours. So, a battery could last about 4 years with continuous use. Reality says the battery likely will only last for a while. Therefore, getting a battery with at least 10,000 hours is best.

Some red dots have a movement-activated switch. If the scope moves, the dot comes on. If you carry with a red dot, it turns on each time you move. The switch is very motion-sensitive. If you use the gun for home defense, the dot will stay off until you move the gun. Regardless, I recommend changing the battery every year. Batteries are cheap.

3. Magnifier

Most red dots work with a magnifier on long guns. Handguns generally need more space for a magnifier. The pistol-length carbine rifles are an exception because they have enough rail to attach both.  Most magnifiers also need a Pic rail for mounting.

An additional challenge of using a magnifier is the height. Some magnifiers have a mount that raises them. If you get that, you must ensure the red dot is raised enough to line up correctly.

4. Night Vision

Some red dots are compatible with night vision, and some are not. Unfortunately, the RMR mount makes adding night vision more complicated. 

If you have a semi-auto with the RMR cut, you must get an adapter mount to hold the night vision device. The RMR cut will not support both devices.

Night vision adapters are often specific to the NV device you get. So, I cannot make recommendations on a mounting system.

Another drawback to the NV is the bulk. The mount adapter and the NV device add significant weight. The additions also make concealed carry incredibly difficult. Finding a mass-market-made holster is also very difficult.

Conclusion 

These are all excellent red dots, though we highly recommend the Trijicon RMR Type 2 3.25 MOA. The RMR footprint is easy to use and a secure way to attach these optics. The RMR is so much easier to use than dovetails.

A chief advantage the RMR has over a Pic rail is height. Your optic can be lower on the gun with the RMR. The RMR mounting system also weighs less than a rail. With handguns, small weight changes matter.

If you shoot a suppressor, you may need to raise the height slightly. You may not need to raise it, depending on how big the can is. This is the sole drawback I see to the RMR.

As these are red dots, all use batteries. While the battery life may be measured in years, you should change the battery once a year to ensure it is fresh.