Steiner MPS, the rugged red dot sight that withstands the rigors of everyday use in the field as well as in a competition

The Steiner MPS from the front left: very rugged outer frame, lens protected from above and below. Battery change is quickly possible from above, without disassembling the device.

The Steiner MPS from the right side: controls have been well integrated and do not protrude. The mounting plate placed underneath here is also barely noticeable.

The new Steiner Micro Pistol Sight (MPS) is expected to revolutionize the pistol red dot optics market, according to the manufacturer, thanks to its unique features derived from years of experience in both law enforcement and competition shooting. The MPS is designed to withstand the toughest demands of law enforcement, military operations, and even dynamic competition shooters, where the action is more peaceful but still involves a lot of shocks on the course.

Video: Introducing the Steiner MPS

The rugged, compact design of the all-new Steiner MPS Red Dots impresses

The wide window of the Steiner MPS (21 mm wide, 16 mm high) from the shooter's position shows how wide the field of view is. There are only smooth edges, no disturbing corners.

First, the exterior impression: all-metal construction, reinforced side walls, and a recessed window with a metal hood make this sight one of the most rugged and reliable pistol sights ever designed. 

The sight window is fully sealed and filled with nitrogen, protecting the roof-mounted 3.3 MOA light emitter from weather and water to a depth of ten meters. 

The battery compartment on the top allows for quick and easy battery changes without removing the optic, and a low sighting window near the slide, allowing for a flat sight line between the eye and the target.

The Steiner MPS, here mounted on a Beretta APX pistol, allows a flat view above the hand because of its compact design, which minimizes aiming errors and improves handiness because there are few protruding areas.

The flat mounting plate of the Steiner MPS with the screw-on clamp.

At 2 oz/58 grams, the MPS is compact and lightweight and offers a robust feature set with six brightness levels for daylight and two for night vision. Auto shut-off is user-selectable, and the battery lasts a full 13,000 hours at medium brightness. True 1x magnification and Steiner quality optics provide a sharp image for open-eye operation with full situational awareness. The MPS is compatible with most optics-ready guns and baseplate adapters on the market.

Steiner MPS Red Dot specs and price 

Our conclusion: the Steiner MPS is fully serviceable

For just under 500 euros, the Steiner MPS offers great value, especially when it comes to stability and robustness. Certainly, these factors are more important in LE/military use, where it's not uncommon for a red dot sight to scrape along the side of a building wall or for lenses to be cleared of clay and dirt. But because of the light weight and usability on most handguns, one or two action sport shooters might consider getting an MPS. Even the smallest Aimpoints are heavier, not to mention the more robust and significantly more expensive solutions like Leupold's LCD (intended more for long guns). The first tests will show how rugged the Steiner MPS really is in practice.