Review of the Holosun HS503GU Circle Dot (Black)

Hopefully this may be of interest to some of you guys and girls.

I like red dot sights a lot for close in shooting (0 - 200m). Yes I also use numerous normal scopes.
I am currently running the following red dots at the moment on various rifles, pistols and shot guns.
2 x C-more
3 x Vortex Spark 2
1 x Vortex Razor
1 x Burris Fast Fire 3

After reading the reviews, I have just bought a Holosun HS503GU Circle Dot from NZAR15.com.

https://nzar15.com/store/red-dot/745...ircle-dot.html

Initial thoughts:
- Well packaged and very easy to use.
- Has great features like auto on / off and can switch between just the red dot and the circle dot easily.
- Comes with both a low mount and hi riser for a AR15.
- The low mount is really low so I have mounted it on my Mossberg 930 SPX shotgun to break it in.
- I will also try it on my 9mm carbine, 223 and 300 blackout over the coming months.
- Negatives are none of the caps or lens covers are tethered.

Anyway as I give this a thrashing over the next few months, I will let you all know how it goes.
First up will be a couple hundred rounds of shot gun this weekend.
This normally highlights if the scope is crap or not.

Attachment 47889Attachment 47890Attachment 47891Attachment 47892Attachment 47893

How does it compare price wise to other leading brands?

I have an eotech 552 on my AR. I like it a lot despite the negative press eotech has had recently. I have had no issues with mine.
Always keen to look at other alternatives if it does shit out.

Sent from my SM-G900F using Tapatalk

Its half the price off the likes of Eotech and Aim Point.
Looking forward to giving it a go with the shot gun especially with the circle dot setup.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Simon

Its half the price off the likes of Eotech and Aim Point.
Looking forward to giving it a go with the shot gun especially with the circle dot setup.

---

Looking forward to your report back when you have put it thru it's paces.

I only bought the eotech as I got it cheap and it's out of the sandpit with battle scars.

Looks pretty rude all scratched and faded on my new JP😆


Sent from my SM-G900F using Tapatalk

The YT reviews from Military Arms Channel, Nutfancy etc all rave about them.
I'm very tempted.

I'll be watching this, big fan of small rds but can't justify aimpoint etc on everything!

I just bought the same unit, replacing a lucid hd7 on my .22 AR

It's a nice unit, crisp clear recticle and I like the eotech style that matches my eotech XPS-3. However it's nice to have the option of just a single 2moa dot as well.

I have an issue with my eyes, that makes rds sights not look like a crisp dot, but more of a star with a sunburst coming out of the right hand side. I have this issue with every rds I have ever tried, vortex, aimpoint, burris etc.
The only sights that do not have this issue for me are eotechs, doctor, and now the holosun. It's still there, but minimal unless I really crank up the brightness.
Now most people won't have any problems with this, but if you do I recommend the holosun as it's damn cheaper than an eotech.
An easy way to check is if you don't see a crisp clear dot, rotate the sight a full 360 degrees, if the flaring of the dot stays the same then it's not the sight but your eyes.

No issues with recoil or zero shift, not expecting it from a .22, I'll stick it on my .223 AR at some stage and try it out.
@res you are welcome to have a play when you are down this way

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by bluemonsta

I have an issue with my eyes, that makes rds sights not look like a crisp dot, but more of a star with a sunburst coming out of the right hand side.

---

Sounds as you may have astigmatism?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Ryan

Sounds as you may have astigmatism?

---

Yup, combined with age. Why is it when you are young enough to really enjoy these toys you are too poor to buy them?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by bluemonsta

I just bought the same unit, replacing a lucid hd7 on my .22 AR

It's a nice unit, crisp clear recticle and I like the eotech style that matches my eotech XPS-3. However it's nice to have the option of just a single 2moa dot as well.

I have an issue with my eyes, that makes rds sights not look like a crisp dot, but more of a star with a sunburst coming out of the right hand side. I have this issue with every rds I have ever tried, vortex, aimpoint, burris etc.
The only sights that do not have this issue for me are eotechs, doctor, and now the holosun. It's still there, but minimal unless I really crank up the brightness.
Now most people won't have any problems with this, but if you do I recommend the holosun as it's damn cheaper than an eotech.
An easy way to check is if you don't see a crisp clear dot, rotate the sight a full 360 degrees, if the flaring of the dot stays the same then it's not the sight but your eyes.

No issues with recoil or zero shift, not expecting it from a .22, I'll stick it on my .223 AR at some stage and try it out.
@res you are welcome to have a play when you are down this way

---

Dying to give mine a spin this weekend.
From past experience the old shotgun quickly determines of a red dot is crap or not.
Typically stuff starts falling off or they just quit going if they are not up to it.
Roll on Sat and Sunday.

Report time.
If NZAR15 had any more of these HS503GU sights in stock I would have just bought another one.
Yes that dam good.
Contemplating one of the solar versions now. Just waiting to hear back as to when the GU version will be in stock again.
Solar seems a bit of a gimmick and the battery compartment on the solar versions is a slide out tray rather than a capped turret.
Still it gets some very good reports around the web.

I have run red dots on a shot gun for many years but the circle dot leaves just a red dot for dead, for a shotgun at least anyways.
I wont be taking the Holosun of my shotgun any time soon hence why I want another one.

Was very easy to sight in.
I used buck shot at 15 meters on steel to do this.
The adjustment caps are a little hard to get off due to the extra protection around them but not too bad. I used the back if the caps to make the adjustment.
I don't see being an issue as once its sighted in they should not need to be touched again unless the sight is moved to another gun.
200 plus rounds of bird shot then followed on 6" plates and mini poppers.

Tested out the 10 min auto off feature.
It works a treat. 10 minutes of no movement and the dot turns off by itself.
Went to pick up the gun as gently as possible and as soon as I touch it, it turned itself back on.
Very cool.

Hopefully I have not made the photo too large below but this is looking at a Green (Club is short on white paint apparently) mini popper at 15 meters.
The shot pattern is about as large at the 65 MOA circle at this distance with my shotgun.
Makes for knocking these poppers down at speed child's play.
The dot can go very bright which is a big plus on bright days. Its about 1/2 way up the brightness scale in the photo below.
It lines up with the open sights on my shotgun perfectly which goes to show how low the low mount actually is.

Negatives are still the untethered caps and lens covers. Bound to get lost over time.
Otherwise I like it a lot and cant wait to give it another spin next weekend.
I will update this post after I have put more rounds down range.


Attachment 48058

Nice.

Side issue, how are you fining the 930 ? Thinking about getting one.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Kscott

Nice.

Side issue, how are you fining the 930 ? Thinking about getting one.

---

I really like my 930 SPX.
They have a great trigger, ideal safety location and are dead simple to operate.
I did have trouble with it on the first outing when the ejector broke.
http://www.nzhuntingandshooting.co.n...rt-fail-13698/
Was repaired under warranty so no real issue. I have put a heap of rounds through it since then with 100% reliability.

Mine feeds everything from full power slugs to the lightest skeet loads / hand loads around.
They are way shorter than your normal shotgun (18" barrel) but I like this as it makes it quick between targets.
7 + 1 or 2 capacity (Google Ghost Load) makes it hard to beat for a A cat gun.
I think NZ guns have the cheapest ones currently but they come up second hand every now and then.

Ken (NZAR15) has more of the HS503GU sights on order.
They should turn up reasonably quickly he recons so I will wait for the next shipment for my second unit rather than go for the Solar version.
Apparently they sold out super quick.
Surprise surprise.

Quick Update.
I really like this sight. New ones should be back stock in another couple of weeks according to Ken.
I will get another one to have a play with on my AR-15s that's for sure.
The one on my 930 SPX is not going to be taken off.

So I put another 150 birdshot, 50 buck shot and 20 odd slugs through it today.
Not a single problem as you may have guessed.

I have never shot a lot of slugs over the years but after today I have a new respect for them after shooting a number of fist sized groups at 50 meters.
They are surprisingly accurate.

What do you recon on running one in the bush?
I'm thinking of putting one on my rifle for driven boar in France, but with some quick change loup mounts so I can swap between this and me normal scope.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Sideshow

What do you recon on running one in the bush?
I'm thinking of putting one on my rifle for driven boar in France, but with some quick change loup mounts so I can swap between this and me normal scope.

---

I think it would be great.
Cristal clear glass and crisp red dot.
I whish I had one when I use to cull goats for the local farmers in my younger days.

Quick update.
100 rounds in the rain yesterday and another 100 this afternoon in the sun.
No issues at all. No fogging or zero shift.
The 12g shotgun is a great performer at the shorter ranges (0 - 100 meters) with the right ammo.
I can see why the USA cops have one in every patrol car.

Looking forward to grabbing another sight when they come back in stock. I will run one on one of my AR's, probably a 223 to start with. I have a 3 x magnifier so will be able to give it a crack at longer ranges as well.
The magnifiers show up the dot quality so it will be interesting to see how crisp the dot.

I spent some time today patterning some different loads (Reloads and bulk shop bought target stuff)..
Well worth doing if you have never done it.
My No 4 shot reloads had large holes in the pattern. Once my stocks of components have gone I will likely go to of the shelf bulk ammo.
There is only about a $15-20 difference in cost per slab so its just not worth it at the moment.

How do you compare it to the spark 2 ????

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by longrange308

How do you compare it to the spark 2 ????

---

Its better thus far. More durable and the circle dot combo is more versatile.
I have had three Spark 2s and all three have gone back at some stage for repair. I am running my remain two sparks on a 22 pistol and rifle.
They are good for what they are and I cant complain at the warranty support but at this point my vote goes to the Holosun.

These sights are now back in stock with NZAR15.
Just ordered my second sight which will go on one of my Ar15 223 or maybe my 9mm.
I will try it out using a 3x magnifier as well.
Will do a review once it turns up and I put some lead down range.

Just out of interest, what magnifier are you using?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by ubique

Just out of interest, what magnifier are you using?

---

Vortex VMX-3T.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gOipBF4O7Go

Not too bad. works well with my Vortex Spark 2s.
Have reversed the mount so it flips to the RH side instead of the LH side when not in use.

Like my new Holosun on my AR15 223 with the magnifier.

Attachment 49182Attachment 49183
Super bright sun today so the photo does not do justice to the dot but its super bright and crisp.

Shot some good 50 meter groups with and without the 3 x magnifier.
Group size does not really change even with the magnifier.
Attachment 49184

The dot through the magnifier is very crisp and round.
Better than the Spark 2s I have and every other Red dot I have ever used with a magnifier.
Going to shoot a service match with it next week with some luck.

One could make it interesting, zero it on the crosshair reticle dot, then figure out what the bottom of the circle meeting the verticals would be In inches and apply it to your ballistics of your rifle.... I'm thinking that's a great idea for those like myself who hunt the bush yet have clearings out to 300ish....I may be about to get a 303 and am considering it for this very purpose

I'm looking to pick up one of these of NZAR-15.
How have you found the optic after having it for a few months?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by ANTMAN

I'm looking to pick up one of these of NZAR-15.
How have you found the optic after having it for a few months?

---

Love them.
I still have my first one mounted to my shotgun. This will never be removed.
I removed my second one from my AR after a few weeks and went back to running a Vortex Strike Eagle. After one further range day I have put the Holosun back on the AR15.
For the short range work I do (0 - 200) I prefer the Holosun hands down.
The biggest advantage is the weight, size and flexible reticule.

Interesting review.
Have not seen this model before.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RXFxHlR7PaA

@Simon I see you have a vortex Razor also, how does this compare to a reflex style sight? Is does the larger housing get in the way in comparison to the razor?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Timmay

@Simon I see you have a vortex Razor also, how does this compare to a reflex style sight? Is does the larger housing get in the way in comparison to the razor?

---

The body of the Holosun does block your view somewhat compared to the Razor or C-more for example.
I ran the Holosun on my Stag 9T (9mm Ar15) and swapped it back to the Razor within a couple of weeks as I found the Razors view better for the close up shooting I was doing (0 – 50 meters).
The Holosun dot is super crisp compared to both the Razor or C-More so is better suited I think for slightly longer range shooting (0 – 200).
On the shot gun, I prefer the Holosun mainly because of the circle dot reticule which suits a shotguns shot pattern.
That reminds me I must take my shotgun out this weekend.

Update.
I have two of these sights and both have not missed a beat.
Well over 1000 rounds using one on my 930 SPX shotgun so more than happy.

Love red dot sights I have a real soft spot for Aimpoints. I currently have a patrol pro a and a H30S

Cheers Antz

Just picked up a Holosun , and it seems very nice so far , have not shoot it yet , but it seems to line up good with a Aimpoint 3x at the moment .

I would like the ACSS reticle to be available , and would like a 300blk BDC reticle .