Holosun has certainly rustled some jimmies in the optics industry. Companies thought they could get away with making the same optic over and over, and Holosun swings in with well-made, affordable, and innovative optics, and the rest of the industry scrambles to keep up. Take, for example, the Holosun 507K series. Prior to the K series, red dots for subcompacts were somewhat fragile and tough to trust for duty. However, the 507K proved they could be small, rugged, and capable of self-defense tasks.
The Holosun 507K Rundown
The Holosun 507K fits the Shield RMSc footprint, which has become the standard for small guns and micro-sized optics. The 507K is 1.6 inches long, .95 inches tall, and .98 inches wide. It weighs only one ounce and a little more with a battery. The battery is a CR1632 and lasts 50,000 hours. Best yet, the optic has a battery tray mounted to the side of the optic, so there is no need to remove the optic to swap batteries.
Helping the little battery reach such heights is the fact it has a shake-awake feature that shuts the optic off in ten minutes but can be programmed to take 12 hours or even turned off completely. The K series of optics lacks the solar backup, likely because it’s so damn small. Good luck fitting a solar panel on an optic this small.
We get 12 brightness settings, which amount to ten daylight options and two-night vision options. The optic has two reticles which allow the user to pick from a 2 MOA dot or a 32 MOA circle. The 507K is a small optic but still a very capable and dependable option that is feature filled.
Getting In Reps with the 507K
As mentioned, I’ve had this optic for a few years now, and I’ve used it quite a bit. It’s been mounted to two platforms primarily, my P365XL and my Mossberg 940 Pro Tactical. Those are two very different weapons, and it’s given me a broad spectrum to review the red dot.
On a Handgun
On the P365, the Holosun 507K is an excellent companion. It’s ultra-small and very lightweight. The optic sits quite low, and the notch in the rear of the reticle acts like a rear sight that aligns perfectly with a slightly higher front sight. Since the P365 is mostly used as a close-range defensive firearm, either reticle works well with the gun. The 32 MOA makes it easy to hit man-sized targets at 25 yards very quickly, but the 2 MOA dot is less obstructive. And provides a less cluttered view.
The Holosun holds up to the G forces imparted by a reciprocating slide. It’s held together and held zero without an issue. I carried the 507K daily for two years, and it never failed me. It also came to life and was right where I left it in terms of power, zero, and brightness.
The two adjustment buttons are placed on the side and are very small. They are not exactly easy to adjust, but they certainly won’t be accidentally adjusted when carried concealed. The buttons are slightly recessed, and it’s a smart design for an optic that’s more likely to be carried concealed than any other way.
On A Shotgun
When the Mossberg 940 Pro tactical came out, I was impressed by the fact Mossberg used an integral cut to mount Shield RMSc footprints. At the same time, I acquired a Mossberg, I got a Holosun EPS, and swapped the 507K to my Pro Tactical. The 507K fits perfectly into the 940’s cut and sits nice and low.
Low enough that I could co-witness with the high visibility bead sight sitting at the end of the barrel. Low is good when it comes to shotguns and optics. You tend to want to avoid having height over bore issues with a gun designed explicitly for close-range shooting. If the 507K could keep working when dealing with the forces of the slide reciprocating, then it can deal with shotgun recoil.
That was no concern. What was beneficial was the big 32 MOA circle reticle. This reticle works very well with shotgun loads. I pattern my Federal FliteControl load inside of the 32 MOA reticle. I know that within 15 yards, every pellet stays within that 32 MOA circle. That’s beyond the longest shot I’ll take inside my house, so I feel confident in my total pellet accountability.
Shooting Red
The Holosun 507K is a very capable optic. It’s super reliable, extremely well-built, and works well on two very different platforms. It’s certainly versatile, and it holds up to heavy use without complaint. With the EPS Carry, the 507K might not be the best option out there, but it’s damn close.
