Red dot sights with enclosed design – as a box or tube – or with an open design have gained a firm fan base in recent years, whether for sports shooting, hunting or for law enforcement and military use. The dots or circles mirrored onto the lens in different shapes and sizes in the aiming optics, also known as reflex sights, help with rapid target acquisition, minimise parallax aiming errors and adaptation problems in the event of deteriorating eyesight or unfavourable ambient light. In other words, they help with factors that often make shooting with open sights difficult.
The Holosun HM6X magnifier in detail and an overview of other products from the manufacturer
Holosun has also been a supplier since 2013, demonstrating high manufacturing and optical quality at favourable prices. Using the new Holosun HM6X magnifier as an example, we would like to introduce you to the current product range and the company.
The HM6X, the further development of the 3x magnification predecessor, the HM3X, has a recommended retail price of 429.90 euros, weighs just under 300 grams and measures 110x46x64 mm. Designed as a tube, the magnifier sits on a QD mount for Picatinny rails that can be flipped to the left or right when not in use, depending on the type of gun or the shooter's preference. The magnifier is placed at a minimum distance behind a reflex sight. Thanks to the QD mount, the device can also be quickly and repeatedly removed from the rail when it is not needed and remounted, which in the first case naturally reduces the weight of the gun optics setup accordingly. Optically, dioptre setting can be adjusted between -3 and +3. The very clear lens ensures the best possible light supply through both devices. Compared to the HM3X, the eyebox and eye relief have been increased in the new development, so that the user now has even more flexibility in the mounting position.
The height of the sighting line in the magnifier must be adjusted to the reflex sight placed in front of it for the largest possible round target image, which in the HM6X is done using an inner spacer for elevation. Individual aiming preferences such as Absolute Co-Witness or "Lower 1/3" can also be set on Holosun sights and magnifiers. With Absolute Co-Witness, the red dot and the mechanical front sight point to the same target position when looking through, while with Lower 1/3 the red dot sits slightly above the front sight. As far as the quality of the magnifier is concerned, the housing of the HM6X is made of 7075 aluminium, it has an IP67 protection rating (can be completely submerged in water for a time) and, like all Holosun devices, comes with a three-year warranty.
The HM6X magnifier was of course primarily designed to match the extensive range of Holosun red dot sights. We did the maths: there are a good dozen variants of the top-of-the-range Holosun Elite series, plus almost 30 devices and accessories from the Holosun Classic series. For example, with the red dots whose model number begins with a 5, the "Multi Reticles System" allows you to switch the reticle between a 2-MOA red dot, a 65-MOA/32-MOA circular dot, or a combined circular dot reticle. Other useful features include the Solar Failsafe function, in which solar cells continue to power the illuminated dot in the event of a battery failure, and the Shake-Awake function. With this function the integrated motion sensor immediately activates the LED even with the slightest movement of the device. In sleep mode, it is deactivated again to save energy.
Some background information on Holosun and how you can find out more about this manufacturer's optical sights
The California-based company has its products manufactured to high standards in Taiwan and China, which is confirmed by numerous orders from law enforcement agencies worldwide. The Videos & Tests section of the www.holosun.eu online shop is particularly informative, with numerous mounting tips and explanations. If you have not yet decided on a model or a reticle, you can use the “Try out reticle” function to literally get an idea or try out the reticle colors and sizes on various test backgrounds. Holosun's current product catalog (German/English) can be downloaded as a PDF here, and all instructions can also be downloaded online.
