The Holosun HS510C Reflex Sight is one of the most competitive sights in its class.
It has more features and incredible durability for half the price as some of the most popular optics available.
This puts the 510c at the head of the pack for many shooters.
Outpacing the budget optics and even many of the more expensive ones, makes this an excellent choice for rifle and carbine applications.
In this Holosun 510C review, we will cover the specifications and top features of this optic in as much detail as possible, going in-depth to look at the benefits this optic has to offer shooters.
We’ll see what some other shooters have to say and answer some of the more common questions asked about this Red Dot Sight (RDS).
Strapped for time? You can skip this detailed review and head over to Amazon.com or opticsplanet.com for a hassle-free buying experience, with fast shipping and an excellent price!
Holosun HS510C Review
The Holosun 510C is an open reflex style red dot sight machined from lightweight aluminum.
This optic weighs 4.94 ounces measuring 3.3 (in) x 1.68 (in) x 1.78 (in).
Target acquisition is achieved effortlessly through a crystal clear .91 (in) x 1.26 (in) viewing window.
The 510c comes standard with Holosun’s multi reticle systems.
The optic operates on a single CR1632 lithium coin battery providing an estimated 50,000-hour battery life using the mid-brightness setting.
Price and quality make the Holosun 510C an excellent red dot sight option for rifle, carbine, and shotgun for close quarter short-range engagements.
Holosun 510C Mounted
Established in 2013, Holosun quickly set a track record for designing and manufacturing competitively priced optics with innovative features that often beat out the competition.
Headquartered in Walnut, California, Holosun is known for pushing the envelope with operator level quality and reliability, without the price.
The Holosun 510C is a testament to this value, delivering on that promise of quality and affordability.
Bottom Line Up Front
The Holosun HS510C has garnered high praise from shooters and deservedly so. It is versatile and will fit on a variety of shooting platforms, with features that make the 510C ready when you are- wherever and however you need it.
Its ruggedness and reliability will hold up to severe punishment that other sights wouldn’t survive.
We recommend this optic in a heartbeat, and its hundreds of user reviews speak for themselves.
Whatever your shooting discipline, the Holosun will help you shoot quicker, smoother, and more accurately than just plan iron sights.
This optic exceeds, and in many cases sets, the standard for this RDS class.
So if you’re a plinker, law enforcement professional, competition shooter, or anyone in between this optic would make an incredible addition to your rig.
Primary Features of The Holosun HS510C
Design
The reflex sight is manufactured from aluminum, making it lightweight and durable.
This is accompanied by a titanium hood for the sight window, adding an extra layer of protection. It weighs just 4.94 ounces with the battery installed.
The 510C boasts an MAO (Micro Arc Oxidation) surface treatment finish to even further reinforce the frame of the optic. This helps it to withstand greater impact and heat, giving it up to twenty times greater resistance to degradation.
You can read more about: research study detailing MAO https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6163964/)
With an IP67 rating, the optic resist water intrusion at a depth of one meter for up to half an hour.
The HS510C will withstand inclement weather and other high moisture environments just short of extended periods of diving, meaning that water damage is unlikely for most users.
The Holosun measures at 3.3”x1.68”x1.78”, making it longer than some other RDS optics, but not so large that it is overly heavy or unwieldy. The sight window is .91”x1.26”.
The optic incorporates an incredibly useful solar panel failsafe, extending battery life potentially well beyond the max battery life of fifty thousand hours.
The failsafe can power the sight when batteries are not available as long as there is some ambient light present, making this an ideal optic for survivalists and duty use.
Reticle
The Holosun 510C comes with three different reticle selections. You have the option of a 2 MOA (Minute of Angle) reticle, a 65 MOA circle, or the 65 MOA circle with the 2 MOA dot inside.
Many shooters report that the 65 MOA is most helpful in a home defense scenario, allowing the shooter to see through the reticle for easier target confirmation and acquisition.
You can also purchase the 510C with a green reticle, the HE510C-GR.
Reticle for the HS510C Model
Reticle for the HE510C-GR Model
The 2 MOA dot may be more suitable for mid to long-range engagements. We do believe that reticle choice is really a matter of shooter preference, so you can use the setting you are most comfortable with.
The optic has a total of 12 brightness settings, 10 of which are various levels of brightness for daytime use. The sight has 2 different brightness settings for use alongside a night vision system as well.
Shooters have the choice between a continuous run mode in which the optic will switch between battery power and solar power depending on ambient light conditions.
Autorun mode is the default power setting for this optic. To change the brightness settings manually, shooters use the (+) and (-) buttons on the side of the reticle.
The default reticle setting is both the 65 MOA circle and 2 MOA dot, to cycle through the reticle options the user must hold down the (-) button for three seconds.
The sight is powered by a single CR2032 battery. The battery tray is located on the side of the optic, so there is no need to remove the optic to change the battery! This is an increasingly popular feature that many shooters are demanding.
At the maximum setting, the estimated battery life for this optic is around twenty thousand hours. This is extended by the solar panel, allowing for indefinite use without the battery in proper lighting conditions.
When the battery gets low, the reticle will begin to blink very slowly to alert the shooter that a new battery is needed.
The Holosun uses motion sensor technology, a great feature that extends possible battery life even further. The red dot sight will power down after 10 minutes of no movement and will wake back up at the last brightness and reticle settings prior to engaging sleep mode.
Users can tailor the optic to go to sleep after 10 minutes, one hour, or twelve hours of no movement.
The elevation adjustment screw is located at the top of the optic, while the windage adjustment is on the right side. The switches are operated by using a T10 L Key, included with the purchase of the sight.
Adjustments for the windage and elevation on the 510C are .5 MOA per click, giving this optic the capability of being fine-tuned to a more accurate level than some other optics in the market. It has an adjustment range of +/- 50 MOA.
Mounting
The 510 comes with a quick-release mounting system that can be mounted to any standard Picatinny rail system and without tools! This allows the sight to be easily mounted or detached from your weapon system, giving you the option of quickly switching to another optic or moving the optic to another shooting platform.
Holosun 510C mounted on a Glock Roni Conversion
Details
Included with your purchase:
Need a copy of the HS510 User manual, you can get it here.
Sight Specifications:
Reticle | 2 MOA Dot & 65 MOA Circle | |
Brightness Setting |
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Light Source | Super LED | |
Magnification |
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Unlimited Eye Relief | Yes | |
Parallax Free | Yes | |
Multi-Coatings | Yes | |
Battery Type | 50,000 hrs | |
Adjustment per Click | .5 MOA | |
Windage Adjustment |
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Elevation Adjustment |
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Storage Temperature | -40°C~70°C | |
Working Temperature |
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Submersion |
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Housing Material | Aluminum | |
Surface Finish |
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Housing Color |
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Weight (oz) |
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Window Size | 0.91”x1.26” | |
Dimension (in) |
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Pros And Cons For The 510C
The Pros
Holosun HS510C has excellent battery life. Ranging from twenty thousand hours on the highest setting and fifty thousand on the lowest. This optic will last for longer than you could feasibly need it to.
On the off chance you get a dud battery or need to replace yours, this optic’s easy to access battery compartment makes switching batteries a breeze
Motion-activated “shake awake” technology is a relatively new innovation, and Holosun has a track record of being quick on the trigger for implementing the cutting edge of optics tech.
The 510C is no exception, as Holosun has added this critical battery saving feature.
The RDS has a very large viewing window, allowing a crisp and clear shooting experience that gives the shooter greater situational awareness and enhanced target acquisition.
The Holosun comes with three different options for a reticle. This provides the shooter with a good amount of choice to suit various different shooting scenarios.
The 65 MOA circle in particular is a shooter favorite for home defense and close-range shooting.
The solar panel on board the sight is a game-changer for the battery life of this sight. The optic’s ability to switch to full solar power depending on ambient light gives the battery life an incredible boost.
The HS510C can also operate entirely on solar power as long as there is some light present in the shooting environment
With a waterproof rating of IP67 coupled with its incredibly strong aluminum titanium, MAO treated frame, this sight offers a staggering level of durability to hold up in even the most destructive of scenarios.
The Cons
The 510C is on the heavier side, weighing almost five ounces. There are lighter-weight options available if you prefer to have a much lighter optic.
While the Holosun 510C is a reasonably priced and affordable optic, it isn’t the cheapest optic available. There are cheaper sights, such as the Sightmark Ultra Shot M-Spec Reflex Sight, that offer a similar level of performance for a lower price.
Holosun’s limited lifetime warranty leaves some room for improvement, as it only covers the structural makeup of the material and not the optical system itself.
The optical system is covered only by a three-year warranty, so if the illuminated reticle goes out after a three year period, or if you buy second hand, the warranty won’t cover it.
Best Place to buy this optic
We recommend purchasing this optic on Amazon.com or opticsplanet.com. Both provide excellent customer service, fast shipping, and a great price!
Click here to purchase the Holosun HS510C from Amazon.com
Click here to purchase the Holosun HS510C from Opticsplanet.com.
FAQ
No, the battery is not rechargeable. The solar panel serves as a secondary power system that the optic will default to when possible to conserve battery life.
Technically the Holosun HS510C reflex sight is not a holographic sight like the EOTECH 512. A reflex sight uses a LED and an objective lens to reflect the reticle, while a holographic sight uses laser diodes and mirrors to project the reticle.
Holosun is an American company but does have some sights and components manufactured outside the US including China.
Customer Feedback for the Holosun HS510C
The Holosun 510C has 334 customer reviews with an average customer rating of 4.7 out of 5 stars on Amazon.com. Eight-six Percent of customer reviews are 5 stars.
Let’s see what other shooters have to say about this sight.
Quality: “The very best reflex sight on the market today. Doing a side by side comparison with an Eotech will hold Parallax perfectly. The Glass is excellent and it has already proven itself for durability. It is totally impossible to get a better sight for the cost.”
Price: “This sight is currently on my Rem 870, and can handle shotguns for the people that we’re thinking of that option. What I enjoyed the most was the 2nd setting which made the dot-like ghost rings, overall compared to an Eotech at this price l, I enjoy this more.”
Accuracy: “It’s a great sight for the money. Of course, I would love to spend less money. The lever attachment system is very convenient and I am very satisfied with its accuracy on my PSA AR-9.”
Warranty: “To the original owner, your Holosun product is warranted free of defects in materials and workmanship with the Holosun Limited Lifetime Warranty. This warranty specifically applies to the metal structure of the product and does not apply to the optical and illumination systems. The optical system is covered by the 5-year warranty. The illumination system, including electronics is covered by the 3-year warranty. Batteries are not covered under warranty.”
Variations and Alternatives to 510C
Variation of the HS510C:
The 510c can be purchased with a green reticle. The HE510C-GR model is part of the Holoson Elite series, it has a green reticle plus it is made from titanium and comes with Holosun Elite Warranty.
Alternatives to the Holosun HS510C Reflex Sight
One of our favorite sight in this class is a holographic solution, the EOTECH EXPS3 Get our full review of the EOTECH EXPS3 here.
For a cost-wise solution, you can opt for the Sightmark Ultra Shot M Spec. Check out our full review of the Ultra Shot M Spec here.
