Initially, I wasn’t the biggest fan of pistol optics like the Holosun HS507C when they first came out. I have too many hours of muscle memory behind iron sights, and finding the reticle on these sights often slowed me down. To be completely honest, I outright dismissed them as a fad after spending just a few minutes behind a Glock with an RMR attached.
I found, like many other shooters with a ton of experience behind iron sights, that every time I raised the gun up I’d lose the reticle and half to readjust until I found it. This obviously negated every advantage of running an optic, and it made me wonder if anyone made an optic that solved this issue. Apparently, two companies collaborated on just such an optic. The Holosun HS507C-X-ACSS Mini.
Holosun HS507c ACSS
The Holosun HS507c ACSS is a micro red dot designed from inception for use on pistols. Despite this, it serves equally well on close-range carbines, shotguns, and other firearms in need of a low-profile, lightweight reflex sight. At 1.5oz, it weighs next to nothing, but despite this is fairly durable and boasts 20,000-hours of operational time on a single CR1632 lithium-ion battery
It also includes several remarkable features like the Holosun-standard shake-awake technology, 7075-T6 aluminum body, and the side-load battery tray that allows shooters to swap batteries without removing the optic from its mount. But what makes this version unique, is the ACSS Vulcan reticle it uses that was developed by Primary Arms. It consists of a 10 MOA chevron surrounded by a massive 250 MOA circle. And no, that’s not a typo.
The circle is extra large to serve as a reference point for quickly finding the reticle under pressure and for shooters less experienced with optic-equipped pistols. In practice, if a shooter is doing everything correctly, they will never see the massive circle. But when shooting from an awkward position, or when a shooter misaligns the sights, they can rapidly correct themselves simply by finding the center of the circle. Lastly, if shooters don’t want the massive reference circle, they can toggle between reticles by holding down the minus button on the side for three seconds to disable or enable it.
Nuts and Bolts
The layout of the HS507c is pretty standard for Holosun micro reflex sights but still warrants mention. The aluminum body features a pair of rubberized buttons that adjust the reticle brightness on the left side. On the right side and top of the housing, there are two small screws that adjust windage and elevation. Each ‘click’ shifts the reticle one MOA at 100 yards and features a total of 50 MOA of adjustment from the center. So when zeroing a handgun with the HS507c at closer ranges like say, 12.5 yards, they’ll need 8 clicks per MOA to shift the point of impact one inch.
Additional design features include a water drainage hole on the side in case the optic becomes filled with water and a backup solar panel on top of the HS507c that provides power to the optic should the battery die.
Testing
For the diminutive Holosun optic, I chose to run it primarily on a Walther PPQ M2 steel-frame compact pistol chambered in 9mm. I felt the gun’s potential for fast follow-up shots would put the HS507c to the test, and help determine if the new ACSS Vulcan reticle is as good as people say. In this role, the Holosun was flawless. After firing 850 rounds of various types of 9mm ammo through the Walther with the 507c attached, it never lost zero, came loose, or even temporarily shut off. Truly a top-notch setup.
As for speed, the ACSS Vulcan reticle felt very natural and definitely helped me get on target quicker when firing from awkward positions like lying prone while shooting over a small barricade.
But I wasn’t content with simply testing the HS507c on a hefty 9mm handgun with minimum recoil, so I installed it on two long guns to see if it served well in those roles as well. I chose to use a low-profile mount and mount it first on my Arsenal SGL-31 AK chambered in 5.45x39mm, and then on my Benelli M4 12-gauge automatic shotgun.
In both instances, the reticle proved lightning fast, and the optic itself held up the recoil without any issues whatsoever. In fact, I was so smitten with the optic on my AK, that I placed an order for one of the excellent dedicated RMR-style mounts from RS Regulate the very same day! It just feels perfect on a mid-range carbine like the AK or a close-range weapon like the Benelli.
Is the Holosun HS507c ACSS worth it?
Is the Holosun 507c ACSS the perfect micro red dot? No, it doesn’t totally make iron sights obsolete. But it certainly is the perfect first red dot for inexperienced shooters.
Between the custom user-friendly reticle, the sight’s durability, and its very impressive battery life, shooters would be hard-pressed to find a better optic for the money. In fact, the only thing I’d like changed about the ACSS is the size, but even that’s not a big concern. Plus, as with any piece of electronics, with time, new versions will come out that are smaller, lighter and have better battery life. But in the meantime, the 507c ACSS makes for one hell of a handgun sight.
MSRP: $309.99
Final verdict: 10/10 would smoke-check steel targets again.
About Jim Grant
Jim is one of the elite editors for AmmoLand.com, who in addition to his mastery of prose, can wield a camera with expert finesse. He loves anything and everything guns but holds firearms from the Cold War in a special place in his heart.
When he’s not reviewing guns or shooting for fun and competition, Jim can be found hiking and hunting with his wife Kimberly, their son, and their dog Peanut in the South Carolina low country
