If you don’t shoot a Trijicon MRO then screw you! Just kidding, but it is seriously one awesome red dot. It manages to combine the key factors that red dot shooters are looking for into an attractive, rugged, and yet lightweight package. Keep reading to to see our detailed review.
This review wouldn’t be possible without Trijicon generously sending out one of their MRO’s for me to test. They also included two of their new mounts that are just hitting the markets, for evaluation.
Key Points
- Extremely Clear Dot
- Best Price Point of any quality optic
- Rugged Housing and Mounting Solution
- The Full Co Witness mount is best for most AR15 applications
Overview
Red dot sights are optics that have proven their track record over the last decade, and are regularly used by specialized police and military units, because of their speed on target and reliability.
These sights are without a doubt the fastest on target, and fastest to transition between targets. They tend to lose out when you start to stretch engagement distances past 200-300 yards.
That is not to say you cannot engage past that point, as I have personally witnessed targets being hit at 400 plus yards, but target identification becomes very difficult at that distance.
Technical Specifications
The Trijicon MRO is built to be a durable combat optic which means it needs to be incredibly shock resistant, and it needs to have amazing battery life, both of which it has. It also has a larger objective lens diameter which sets it apart from the Aimpoint micro series of red dot optics. Check out the stats below.
The first stat that really jumps out for tactical and competitive shooters is the extended battery life. You can leave this dude turned on for 5 years at normal daylight settings!
Next the 25mm lens is key for both groups of shooters because it lets in much more light, aiding low light shooting performance. This also increases field of view which is great for acquiring targets, and making quick target transitions.
Through testing, I’ve found that the actual dot is a little bit crisper than other red dots I’ve used in the past, namely the Aimpoints and the EOTech series. It’s not huge difference, but a reduction in flare and halo around the dot can help in making surgical shots.
There are also two night vision settings for those face shooters out there who will be using this optic in conjunction with night vision devices.
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Mounts
Trijcon sent the optic with two types of mounts for me to evaluate, the AC32070 Full Co Witness mount, and the AC32079 Low Quick Release mount. These mounts are both light weight aluminum mounts that are mountable without the use of tools. More importantly Trijicon states that they can be removed from the rail and remounted, while retaining the MRO’s zero.
I found these mounts to be good quality. They attached to the base of the MRO with four screws, using the included alan key. You can finger tighten them, or you can use an 11mm wrench to torque them down further, if you like.
I tried both mounts and I prefer the full co witness mount for rifle applications, specifically if you grip the rifle with thumb over bore, or if you mount lights/lasers on the 12 o’clock position on the rail.
If you use the low mount you will find that your thumb covers the lower portion of the sight picture. If you mounted a DBAL or PEQ15 on the top you would probably cover about half of the viewable area.
I think this mount would be ideal for weapon systems such as shotguns, or piston driven AR’s that have a naturally higher mounting position.
Comparisons
This optic has some great features and has impressed everyone who helped me test it, but how does it stack up against it’s competition? In my opinion, very well.
The Aimpoint T2 is the main contender. It is a quality optic, and I’ve used many of their optics for years with great success, but I do feel that Trijicon wins in a side by side comparison.
The T2 has a 20mm lens which limits low light performance and field of view. It does make the optic about a half ounce lighter, but who can even feel a half ounce on the gun?
In my opinion durability is the same between them. Both companies drop test their optics to mil standard and beyond, and both optics are waterproof past 50 feet under water. Both are equally tough.
The biggest difference between the two is price. The lowest price you can get for the Aimpoint T2 with a full co witness mount is about $800. The MRO with a full co witness mount is less than $450.
That is almost half price, and there is no way you can convince me that an Aimpoint is twice as good when it doesn’t have some of the best features that the MRO does.
Final Thoughts
If you are a tactical face shooter, or play one on TV, this is the optic for you. There are many red dots on the market, and few of high quality. The list becomes even smaller when you ask for a high quality red dot optic at a decent price. In fact I think that becomes a list of one, with you guessed it, the Trijicon MRO as the last remaining contestant.
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