The right scope can become a marksman’s lifeline, but with the market offering a sea of options, finding the right scope has become more challenging than ever.
HoloSun’s 503GU scope is considered one of the best red dot sights in the market under the $250 price point. It is easy to mount and zero and can be adjusted with ease.
Although it seems fantastic on paper, does it perform well in a real-life situation?
In this review, I’ll go over everything this scope has to offer and weigh out the pros and cons to help determine it’s worth your money.
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SKIP AHEAD
HoloSun 503GU Review
Although the sight is cheap, no compromises are made to its quality or performance.
Design and Durability
The scope is sturdy and easy to operate – to power it on, you click either the “+” or the “-” button, and to turn it off, you press both buttons simultaneously.
The scope comes set at zero from the factory, but you will likely need to adjust it yourself. Adjusting the elevation is easy – you can use the adjustment turret and the windage adjustment knob on the right to adjust the scope before use.
The rotations are audible, and each click has a value of 0.5MOA, giving you great control over the scope.
The sight comes with two different mounting brackets: the hi-rise and the regular mount.
The lens has a multi-layer anti-reflective coating, which helps minimize the reflection on the lenses, thus improving the clarity of the lens and also protecting it.
The multi-coat becomes especially useful with night vision and makes the lens scratch and dust resistant.
The coating, coupled with the fact that the scope is waterproof and has a working temperature of -10 to -50 degrees Celcius, enables you to use it in almost any climate.
Reticle
The HS503GU comes with a red reticle and features two modes. The first mode has a standard 2MOA dot coupled with a 65MOA circle reticle, and the second mode shows only the regular 2MOA dot.
Pressing the “-” button enables and disables the circle reticle, and although I prefer using the first mode, keep in mind that using just the red dot can save you a lot of battery.
You can adjust the brightness using the “+” and the “-” buttons. There are 12 brightness settings, and the HS503GU is on the 7th setting by default, which is neither too bright nor too dim.
The scope is also parallax-free, which can help keep eye-strain at bay and help you take better aim.
Power Source and Operation Time
The HS503GU is powered by the CR2032 battery, one of which can last between 20,000 to 50,000 hours.
Keep in mind that the battery can only hit the 50,000-hour operation mark on a single cell if only the red dot is used – the circular reticle must be turned off, and you must use lower levels of brightness.
However, CR2032 batteries are cheap and easy to come by, and carrying an extra battery is never a problem. Therefore, I prefer using the scope with the circular reticle turned on.
The automatic-off mode dramatically increases battery life. If the scope is left unused for ten minutes, the LED shuts off automatically.
Shaking it turns it back on.
Here is a great video review:
Pros and Cons
Pros
- Rugged build – conforms to HoloSun’s standards of performance
- Inexpensive – costs under $250
- Long battery life
- Works seamlessly with other attachments
- Adjustment caps protect it well
- Easy zeroing with click adjustments
- Battery saving auto-off feature
- Two reticle modes
Cons
- Brightness must be adjusted with buttons – dial would have felt more natural
- Some users complain that the Torx bolt and Torx key fail to fit each other
- No solar cell power
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What People Are Saying About the HoloSun 503GU
Customers love how easy to use the scope is, and also appreciate the fact that it comes with two mounts!
The different levels of brightness ensure that regardless of the surroundings, the reticle is always visible, and the multiple layers of anti-reflective coating improve the clarity further. It is rugged and durable, and customers report that it works perfectly years after purchase.
The batteries are easy to find and cheap, and although the scope does not have a solar panel like some of HoloSun’s other models, the long battery life more than makes up for it.
Customers find all of these features great, but what they love the most is the low price and the astounding value that comes with it.
The scope makes a great case on all three counts – price, features, and build quality, making it the go-to choice for many, especially those on a tight budget.
FAQs About HoloSun HS503GU
Q: What is the difference between the HS503BU and HS503GU
A: The difference is the placement of the battery compartment. The BU model’s battery tray is placed on the side of the optic. On the other hand, you must put the batteries in the screw-on cap on the right side of the optic on the GU model.
Q: Is the reticle etched?
A: No, the reticle is not etched. Once the batteries die, the scope is no better than a peephole
Q: How well does it handle recoil?
A: It can handle recoil well, and you won’t need to readjust the scope if you’re using a weapon with heavy kickback.
Q: Is the scope compatible with night vision?
A: The HS503GU works well with night vision and is perfectly compatible with the two lowest settings of night vision.
Verdict
The price tag is the biggest draw of all, but I feel you get more than you pay for.
It has two different dot settings, giving you the flexibility to use what you like best, and the rugged construction and anti-reflective coating make it a reliable scope to have.
The shake to wake feature, long battery life, the battery saver mode, and ease of adjustment make it a must-have for many.
If I needed a scope, and wanted to spend less than typical scopes, the HS503GU would be first on my list.
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Recommended
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