Holosun HS407C-X2 review: the 507C without the circle
Our verdict: 4.5/5. The HS407C-X2 is the quiet value play in Holosun's full-size lineup. It is the same open-emitter, RMR-footprint sight as the far better-known HS507C-X2, with the same 50,000-hour CR1632, the same Solar Failsafe and Shake Awake, the same 1.5 oz IP67 housing, and one difference: you get a plain 2 MOA dot instead of a selectable 32 MOA circle. At around $190 that is about $47 less. If you were never going to use the circle, this is the smarter buy, and almost nobody talks about it.
Owners rate it 4.8/5 across 144 verified reviews on OpticsPlanet. Price verified August 18, 2026; confirm the current price on the retailer page.
How we reviewed it: a research-based review built from the retailer specification sheet and the verified owner-review record. We have not bench-tested this unit ourselves; the score is our editorial opinion and owner ratings are shown attributed to their source. See how we evaluate.
What it is
The HS407C-X2 is Holosun's full-size open-reflex pistol dot: a 1x sight with a single 2 MOA dot, an aluminum 7075-T6 housing, a top-mounted solar panel and the RMR footprint that most milled slides and offset rifle mounts are cut for. It is the simplest member of the "C" family. Everything Holosun is known for is here, Solar Failsafe, Shake Awake, a 50,000-hour CR1632 and IP67 sealing, without the reticle menu.
The one thing that separates it from the 507C
This is the whole story of the sight, so it is worth being blunt. Line up the two spec sheets and they match on every row until the reticle: same open emitter, same RMR footprint, same CR1632 rated 50,000 hours behind the same solar panel, same shake-awake, same 1.5 oz of IP67-sealed 7075-T6, same 1 MOA clicks, same 50 MOA of travel. The 507C gives you a selectable 2 MOA dot, a 32 MOA circle, or both together. The 407C gives you the dot.
So the question is not which sight is better built. It is whether you will use the circle. A 32 MOA ring is genuinely faster to catch on the draw, and plenty of shooters want it. If you would set a 2 MOA dot and never open the menu again, the 407C is the same optic for about $47 less, and that gap multiplies if you are outfitting more than one pistol. We put the two side by side in Holosun 407C vs 507C.
The solar and shake-awake combination is the real feature
A defensive optic is only useful if the dot is on when you need it, and Holosun attacks that from two directions at once. Shake Awake sleeps the sight when it sits still and wakes it on the slightest motion, so you never think about a switch. Solar Failsafe runs the dot off the top panel if the battery is dead. Together with a CR1632 rated around 50,000 hours, this is a sight you mount and forget. An owner who runs both this and a 507C put it plainly.
“I have this and also the 507c. I don’t think I can go back to a red dot that you have to turn on and off. The shake awake has never failed and it’s great not having to think about turning the red dot on and off. The red dot itself is a nice size at 2 moa and I can pick it up quickly.”
Most helpful positive review, an owner of both sights, via OpticsPlanet
Mounting: RMR footprint, but bring your own plate
The RMR footprint is the reason this sight fits so much: any RMR-cut slide and any standard RMR-pattern offset or riser mount will take it. Owners report clean installs on Glock MOS slides, Canik pistols and aftermarket slides, with zero holding and tactile, precise adjustments. What is not included is the mount: OpticsPlanet lists "Mount Not Included", so budget a plate matched to your specific pistol cut, and heed the owner who suggests test-fitting screws for your slide before final torque.
“Installed easily on my Strike Lite Slide! Definitely worth every penny. Test the screws to see what fits best given the slide cut. Held zero, no shifts. Adjustments were tactile, and precise.”
Chris, verified owner (GA), via OpticsPlanet
What owners flag, plainly
It is not perfect, and the complaints are consistent enough to take seriously. The most helpful negative review reports that the brightness buttons sit too close together, which makes changing settings while looking through the window awkward, and that the battery compartment screw worked loose and was lost. That second point echoes the 507C, where owners note the battery-tray screw is small and easy to strip if overtightened. Separately, one owner points out a real optical limit: with a weapon light running and auto-brightness engaged, the dot can wash out in low light.
“The buttons to change the dot are too difficult to adjust, they are to close to each other and trying to view the dot and adjust the brightness is very difficult. Also the screw for the battery compartment fell out and lost.”
Most helpful negative review, via OpticsPlanet
“Unbeatable optic for the price. The auto off and shake awake functions are extremely handy and the red dot is bright enough even on the sunniest of days. Can get washed out quickly in low light if you have a weapon mounted light and have the auto bright feature.”
Alex, owner (NY), via OpticsPlanet
Trade-offs, plainly
- One reticle only. If you want a circle-dot for fast close-range acquisition, you want the 507C, not this.
- Open emitter, so the window can theoretically be blocked by heavy mud, snow or lint. It is not a sealed, enclosed sight.
- The brightness buttons sit close together and are awkward to work while looking through the glass.
- The battery-tray screw is small; owners have stripped or lost it. Do not overtighten.
- No mount or plate in the box, and OpticsPlanet states no warranty on this listing, so confirm coverage with Holosun before you buy on that basis.
Key specifications
| Magnification | 1x |
|---|---|
| Reticle | 2 MOA dot |
| Emitter | Open |
| Footprint | RMR |
| Window size | 0.63 x 0.91 in |
| Illumination | Red Super LED, 650 nm |
| Brightness | 10 settings (2 night-vision) |
| Adjustments | 1 MOA clicks, 50 MOA W/E travel |
| Parallax / eye relief | Parallax-free, unlimited eye relief |
| Battery | One CR1632, ~50,000 hours, Solar Failsafe |
| Power saving | Shake Awake |
| Housing | 7075-T6 aluminum, anodized |
| Weight | 1.5 oz |
| Sealing / shock | IP67 waterproof, 5000G vibration rated |
| Operating temp | -30 to 60 C |
| In the box | Sight, T10 L key, manual, lens cloth (no mount) |
OpticsPlanet also lists a second configuration, the HS407C-X2 bundled with a black OpticGard scope cover, at around $210. The sight itself is identical; you are paying for the cover.
Should you buy it, and what else to consider
- Buy it if you want a proven full-size Holosun on the RMR footprint, run a plain 2 MOA dot, and would rather keep the $47.
- Spend up to the HS507C-X2 (around $230) only if you will actually use the 32 MOA circle-dot. See 407C vs 507C.
- Go smaller for a slim carry gun: the RMSc-footprint HS407K-X2 and Vortex Defender-CCW fit slides this sight will not.
- Go cheaper with the ADE Trumpet PRO (around $120) in our best red dot sight guide.
FAQ
Is the Holosun 407C a good red dot?
Yes, and it is arguably the best value in Holosun's full-size lineup. Owners rate it 4.8/5 across 144 verified reviews on OpticsPlanet, and at around $190 it gives you the same open-emitter RMR-footprint hardware as the better-known 507C: a CR1632 rated 50,000 hours, Solar Failsafe, Shake Awake, a 1.5 oz IP67 7075-T6 housing and 1 MOA clicks. The single difference is the reticle. If you want a plain 2 MOA dot rather than a selectable circle-dot, you are paying about $47 less for the same sight.
What footprint does the Holosun 407C use?
The RMR footprint. OpticsPlanet lists it explicitly, which means the 407C drops onto any slide milled for a Trijicon RMR pattern and onto standard RMR-pattern offset and riser mounts for rifles. Two practical notes: no mount or adapter plate is included, so budget a plate matched to your pistol's cut, and one owner advises test-fitting the screws for your specific slide cut before torquing down.
Is the Holosun 407C an enclosed emitter?
No, and this is the most common mix-up about it. OpticsPlanet's spec table lists the emitter type as Open and the product description calls it an open-reflex sight, the same construction as the 507C. The exposed emitter can theoretically be blocked by heavy mud, snow or pocket lint. If you specifically need a sealed, enclosed-emitter Holosun, the 407C is not it.
What is the difference between the 407C and the 507C?
The reticle, and essentially nothing else. The 407C gives you a single 2 MOA dot; the 507C adds a selectable 32 MOA circle and a circle-dot mode. Both are open-emitter, both use the RMR footprint, both run a CR1632 for about 50,000 hours with Solar Failsafe and Shake Awake, both weigh 1.5 oz in an IP67 7075-T6 housing, and both adjust in 1 MOA clicks with 50 MOA of travel. We compare them line by line in our 407C vs 507C guide.
How long does the 407C battery last?
Holosun rates the single CR1632 at about 50,000 hours, and two features mean you rarely think about it: Solar Failsafe runs the dot off the top-mounted solar panel if the battery dies, and Shake Awake wakes the sight on the slightest motion and sleeps it when still. One owner who also runs a 507C says the shake-awake has never failed him and that he cannot go back to a dot he has to switch on and off.
More: best red dot sights · 407C vs 507C · best pistol red dots · best red dot for a Glock · Holosun HS510C review · Holosun HS507COMP review.