If you’re into outdoor shooting, like hunting, for example, equipping your gun with a reflex sight could massively improve your aim and speed.
Reflex sights are a kind of red dot sights, so they have illuminated images that help you shoot your target easily and quickly, in a field of 100 to 150 meters. Plus, you are able to shoot with both eyes open when you use a gun equipped with a reflex sight since there is no eye relief.
There are different types of reflex sights, different colors, shapes, distances, point sizes, and point sharpness. This will depend on your personal taste, but also on which gun you use and what kind of sport you use it for.
There is a lot of information about reflex sights out there, so it’s easy to get overwhelmed. That’s why we’ve compiled a list of the best reflex sights on the market, so you can equip your gun with the best of the best.
At the end, we’ve also included a quick FAQ section so you can find the answers to all the possible questions you might have about reflex sights.
Overview of the 5 Best Reflex Sights
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1. Feyachi Reflex Sight
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2. CVLIFE 1X22X33 Scope Reflex Sight
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3. Crimson Trace CTS-1550 Ultra Compact
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4. Sightmark Ultra Shot R-Spec Reflex Sight
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5. Sightmark Ultra Shot R-Spec Reflex Sight
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Individual Reflex Sight Reviews
Winner: Feyachi Reflex Sight
This is our winner for sure when it comes to the best reflex sights available out there. The Feyachi reflex sight model is great for hunting, provides you with quick target acquisition, and so much more.
Keep on reading to find out why this is our favorite in our selection.
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Featured specs
Sport Type: Hunting
Material: Stainless Steel
Compatible Devices: Rifle, Shotgun
Night vision: No
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Benefits
There are many benefits to the Feyachi reflex sight model. It’s shockproof, waterproof, and super light as well. Also, you’ll get an amazing sight with this one. It’s probably the best model on our list for that. So, in other words, it’s ideal for hunting.
It has a 33mm lens, which will help you to have a quick target acquisition. Plus, you maintain a wide field of view so that you’re still aware of what’s happening around you. Eye-relief will also help a lot with target acquisition. This model is also extremely easy to mount.
Another benefit is that wherever the point or other image is, that’s where the bullet will go. So you have great precision and speed with this reflex sight, which is why it’s our winner on this list. Plus, if you want a reflex sight ar15, that’s the model for you.
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Drawbacks
Unfortunately, like any reflex sight, there are some drawbacks to it. One drawback of this model is that the battery life isn’t too long. Also, it’s good for hunting, but it wouldn’t be good for professional shooting.
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Extra features
The reticle of this reflex sight has four different styles, so you can pick the one you prefer that is adapted to your shooting situation. You can get several combinations; crosshair/dot, dot, circle/dot, and crosshair/circle/dot. You can also use a green or red light, so you have that choice.
There are four reticle patterns, which include dot, bullseye, cross, and starburst. This reflex sight model also comes with a sturdy rail mounting system, so you know this will last longer and that it is, in fact, shockproof.
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Buying advice
If you want a reflex sight that will give you an amazing sight and great precision, as well as speed, this will be the model for you. It has so many benefits that we named it our winner.
If you’re looking for a reflex sight ar15, this is the one for you. But don’t expect anything too professional, and be ready to change the batteries often.
Runner-up: CVLIFE 1X22X33 Scope Reflex Sight
The CVLIFE 1X22X33 scope reflex sight is our runner-up, for sure.
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Featured specs
Sport Type: Hunting
Material: Aluminium
Compatible Devices: Rifle, Handgun
Night vision: No
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Benefits
This model has a dual reticle: green and red. So you can change that as well as the patterns of the reticle, as it has four of them.
So it’s perfect for a cloudy and a sunny day at the same time, which is pretty rare for reflex sights. The model above, for example, wouldn’t fit both. The CVLIFE model has five brightness levels for each color, red and green.
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Drawbacks
The major drawback of this reflex sight model is that it won’t fit every gun. So do check if this model fits your gun, and take the time to do that. If it fits your gun, this is one of the best reflex sights there are out there. But if it doesn’t fit, it will definitely not be a good reflex sight for you.
The adjustments can have some troubles too, but at the same time, this is such a cheap model that you kind of expect that. So it’s up to you if this is bothersome to you or not.
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Extra features
This reflex sight model has a 33mm reflex lens aperture, which provides you with a large field of view and doesn’t restrict your sight as much as other reflex sights. This means this model will be particularly good for moving targets and rapid-firing in general.
Some people like this model even better than a vortex reflex sight!
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Buying advice
If you need a reflex sight that can handle different shooting scenes, this will be the model for you. It can adjust to a sunny and cloudy day and have different brightness levels.
The problem is that it won’t fit every gun and that the adjustments can be a bit tricky to learn at first. But if you’re ready to do some research and spend some time learning about this reflex sight model, it will definitely be worth it.
Alternative 1: Crimson Trace CTS-1550 Ultra Compact Open Reflex Pistol Sight
If you want a mini alternative to these first two models, we recommend the Crimson Trace CTS-1550 ultra compact open reflex pistol sight. This mini reflex sight will be the only one in this list that fits on a pistol. So if you have a pistol, keep on reading.
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Featured specs
Sport Type: Outdoor Sports
Material: Plastic
Compatible Devices: Handgun
Night vision: No
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Benefits
This mini reflex sight has many benefits. First, it’s compatible with a handgun, so if you prefer shooting with that, this is the best reflex sight for you, as it will improve your target acquisition.
It’s also very easy to use, as there is a built-in sensor with ambient light. This adjusts the brightness of the red dot automatically, according to the surrounding light conditions. It will even save up the battery’s life since the reticle will automatically turn off when in total darkness. It’s well thought-through.
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Drawbacks
The main drawback of this mini reflex sight is that it will be useless at night. But at the same time, it’s not designed for night use, like other models on this list. The problem here is not just that it won’t work at night, but also that it won’t really be effective in low-light conditions.
So if you use this pistol for self-defense, it won’t be really useful if there is no light.
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Extra features
As you can imagine, this mini reflex sight is very light since it has to fit on a pistol. It also has a great added feature of a co-witness notch, which gives you multiple aiming options and will provide you with a sense of more security.
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Buying advice
This mini reflex sight is really well thought out. It saves up battery life and automatically adjusts the brightness levels, which the other models in the list don’t do.
But if you intend to get a mini reflex sight for your pistol to improve your self-defense, be aware that it won’t work at night or in a low light setting.
Alternative 2: Sightmark Ultra Shot R-Spec Reflex Sight
This is another alternative, if you want a reflex sight for a shotgun specifically.
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Featured specs
Sport Type: Climbing, Hunting, Tactical, Military, Airsoft
Material: Aluminium
Compatible Devices: Shotgun
Night vision: No
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Benefits
This reflex sight for shotguns has four different reticle options, has digital brightness and color adjustments, and a long battery life. This is probably the model on our list that has the longest battery life. It also tells you when the battery is low and will indicate the different levels of battery life.
Also, it offers a great sight, which is essential for any type of shooting, as you know very well.
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Drawbacks
This reflex sight requires some time to get used to, especially in terms of the adjustment system.
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Extra features
This model has a scratch-resistant lens and has an auto shut-off to save up some battery. So it’s durable.
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Buying advice
If you want a reflex sight for a shotgun, go for this one; you won’t regret it. The adjustments can be a learning curve, though.
Alternative 3: Sightmark Ultra Shot R-Spec Reflex Sight
You might think we’ve made a mistake here and that this is the same reflex sight model as the previous one. Well, it isn’t. It has the same name, but it’s for both a rifle and a shotgun, not just for a shotgun. Also, the dimensions aren’t the same.
This is the last alternative that we suggest in our top five list of the best reflex sights to equip your gun with. So let’s dive in a bit more and find out about its benefits, drawbacks, extra features and give you some buying advice.
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Featured specs
Sport Type: Hunting, Tactical, Military, Airsoft
Material: Aluminium
Compatible Devices: Rifle, Shotgun
Night vision: No
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Benefits
This has the same benefits as the model above, as the only difference is that this model can be put on a rifle, and the dimensions are slightly smaller. Also, the battery life lasts a long time, which is ideal for any kind of shooting sport.
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Drawbacks
The material of this reflex sight can be a bit unstable, so be careful when you first install it.
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Extra features
Despite being a bit unstable at first, this model is easy to detach and remount quickly.
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Buying advice
If you want the same model as above but for a rifle, this will be the right reflex sight for you. Just be careful when mounting it.
Reflex sight FAQs
Now that you know the type of reflex sight you and your gun would need, you might still have some questions. For example, which is better, reflex or red dot? What is the lightest reflex sight? How far is a reflex sight good for? And many more.
In this FAQ section, you’ll find the answers to all the possible questions you might have about reflex sights in general, so you can be confident in your decision to purchase one of the top 5 reflex sight products above.
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Which is better: reflex or red dot?
At first, you might wonder which is better; reflex or red dot? And, what even is the difference between a reflex or a red dot? All red dots are reflex sights, but not every red dot sight is a reflex sight. Don’t worry if you feel a bit lost there. Basically, all reflex sights are a type of red dot sight. The real question is if it’s better than other red dot types.
Holographic and prismatic sights are also in the same category as red dots. But what are red dots exactly? Red dots are any kind of gun optic which project, as you will have guessed it, a red dot. Sometimes, the dot could even be green, but you get the point. It’s an illuminated image that will serve as a point of reference for your aiming point.
And sometimes, it’s even more than just a dot that serves as an aiming point. It can be a circle, a circle with a dot, chevron, or crosshair. Red dot sights are actually a type of reflex sight.
A disadvantage of a reflex sight compared to other red dot types is that it isn’t magnified. That means that you can only shoot in close quarters. If that’s what you’re looking for, a reflex sight will be great for your gun. Otherwise, you’ll have to choose another type of red dot.
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What is the lightest reflex sight?
Many manufacturers claim they have the lightest reflex sight, but this can obviously keep changing from time to time.
As of now, in 2021, the lightest reflex sight on the market is probably the Bushnell Advance Reflex Sight. This reflex sight is micro-sized and is so small that it can fit on a pistol. It also has the lightest red dot, besides probably being the smallest on the market.
Keep in mind that this can change as models evolve quickly on the market.
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How far is a reflex sight good for?
If you need to shoot at short or medium distance, a reflex sight will be perfect for you. That usually means an operational distance of approximately 100 to 150 meters. It’s great for quick-sighting and to aim quickly, without having to close both eyes since there’s no eye relief.
Reflex sights are also good for Close Quarter Battles, which are in confined spaces, as you can probably imagine. The smallest and lightest reflex sights can have a distance of 15 to 25 meters, but that will be if you’re into skeet and trap shooting. So it depends on what kind of shooting you do and what kind of gun you want to equip.
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Are reflex sights good?
There are many advantages to reflex sights. They’re usually low-cost, they can be battery-free, and it is really quick and easy to acquire your target with them. Usually, they are small and lightweight too, which can be very practical. Also, since there’s no eye-relief, that means you can shoot with both eyes open and move your head while still having a clear picture.
The only problem with reflex sights is that they’re not magnified, so you’ll be limited in your shooting area. You can only shoot in close quarters. But if that’s what you’re looking for, you should check out our top 5 best reflex sights above and pick the one that’s most appropriate for your gun and your use.
So yes, reflex sights are great if your shooting distance is short or medium, or if you’re in Close Quarter Battles. Not only that, but they’re also lightweight, they’re a great low-cost option, and they make targeting very easy.
If you’re into hunting, for example, a reflex sight will be great to equip your gun, as well as other dynamic shooting disciplines. With a reflex sight, you can have operational distances of 100 to 150 meters.
You can also do skeet and trap shooting with a reflex sight on your gun at 15 to 25 meters. For this distance, it’s best to get a mini reflex sight. To know which would be the best reflex sight for your gun and your type of shooting activity, check our top 5 recommendations in the list above, as well as mini-reviews that will decide which is the best reflex sight for you and your gun.
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What are the different types of reflex sights, and how do they work?
A reflex sight, as explained in the first question, is a type of red dot sight. As for what reflex sights there are, there are two types: exposed reflex sights and tube reflex sights. Reflex sights are cheaper than other red dots types, so they’re a great low-cost option.
An exposed reflex sight has one single lens, which is positioned at the front of the scope. It also reflects back the dot you can see. It has no eye relief since it’s wide open, which means it’s really quick to acquire your targets with this type of reflex sight.
On the other hand,a tube reflex sight has two lenses, so it looks a bit more like a traditional scope. As for the light, it is projected from the rear lens and then projected onto the front lens. Even though it has two lenses, this is still a reflex sight, so it has no eye relief either. So it’s quicker and much easier to acquire your targets with. This won’t be as fast as with an exposed reflex sight.
So for this reflex sight, there will be a small LED light that creates a point of light, which is then reflected against a mirror, which is then thrown back and projected onto the front lens and acts as a luminous aim/target point.
You can get several colors projected, different distances, and different point sizes and sharpness levels. This will depend on what kind of shooting you do, what kind of gun you own, and your personal preference. To see which reflex sight would suit you and your gun best, check out our top 5 above so that you can find the best reflex sight for you out there.
Conclusion
Hopefully, you found a reflex sight suitable for you and your gun in our list of the five best reflex sights. Now you will know which is better for what, whether you need a mini reflex sight, a reflex sight for a shotgun, a feyachi reflex sight, a dupe to a vortex reflex sight, or a reflex sight ar15. We’ve got it covered in our post.
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