Holosun 510C-GR Elite Rifle Scope Review: Holosun’s Very Best?

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By Joel Jefferson •  6 min read

To me, the scope is just as important as the rifle itself.

It’s an extension of the weapon. The weapon is only as good as the user, and the right scope ensures that I’m at my very best.

Holosun 510C-GR review

At first glance, the Holosun 510C-GR impresses with its rugged build, long battery life, and accurate reticle. 

It is reliable and doesn’t strain the eyes, and its relatively low price makes it a solid scope – on paper.

In this review, I’ll quickly run over all of the 510C-GR’s features, list out the pros and cons, and look at customer sentiments to help you determine if it’s worth your money.

SCOPE DETAILS
  • Ten daylight brightness settings
  • Three reticle modes
  • Two night vision compatible modes
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OpticsPlanet.com
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Holosun 510C-GR Review

Design and Durability

The body of the scope is machined out of a single piece of 6061 Aluminum, and the optic hood is crafted out of a titanium alloy, making it extra light. 

Both of these materials boast superior hardness and don’t rust, ensuring that the scope lasts for years.

The 510C-GR is waterproof and has an IP67 rating, which means it can handle submersion without any difficulties.

It weighs 8.3 ounces, which makes it slightly heavier than the average scope, but it’s still not heavy enough to be noticeable. 

You can use this sight in temperatures ranging from -22°F to 140°F, making it capable of full-field deployment.

SCOPE DETAILS
  • Ten daylight brightness settings
  • Three reticle modes
  • Two night vision compatible modes
Check Price on
OpticsPlanet.com
Check Price on
Amazon.com

Reticles

The 510C-GR is an LED-powered scope and comes with the default 2MOA dot sight and 65MOA ring reticle. The “GR” in the model name stands for green – the reticle is green.

It boasts a reflex optical mechanism, meaning that the reticle is superimposed onto the lens. This mechanism makes for easier and faster target acquisition, and the two night light options and ten daylight brightness options make the scope perfect for all light variations.

I find that green reticles are much easier on the eye than red ones, and the eye ease is compounded by the unlimited eye relief feature, ensuring that your eyes aren’t strained at any time.

It has three reticle modes, and you can switch between them by holding down on the “-” button for three seconds. The first mode is the default 2MOA dot coupled with the 65MOA ring reticle. 

The second mode shows just the 2MOA dot, and the third mode shows the 65MOA ring. 

I tend to stick to the default option.

Additionally, the scope can handle up to 1000g vibration, which ensures that you don’t have to adjust it every time you fire your weapon.

Power Source and Modes

The scope supports two power sources: the sun and the battery, which is nifty!

The two power sources extend the working period of the scope. It works with a CR2032 cell and can work for up to 50,000 hours per battery.

If you use just the dot, you can hit that benchmark, but if you switch to the full reticle, its battery life drops to 20,000 hours. To me, this is not a deal-breaker since carrying an extra cell isn’t an issue for me.

The 510C-GR has two power modes: auto mode and manual mode.

The auto mode selects the power source for the reticle and adjusts the reticle’s brightness to the ambient light of your surroundings. 

If the scope needs more power to illuminate the reticle, it will switch the power source to the battery – you won’t need to fiddle with the controls for anything.

You can use the manual power mode if you don’t mind relying on the battery completely or if your surroundings are dark, but I’ve never needed to use the manual mode myself.

Nonetheless, with the manual mode, you can select from 12 levels of reticle brightness and fine-tune your reticle by using the “+” and “-” buttons for three seconds.

The scope goes into sleep mode if it’s not in use for ten minutes, and turns back on if it detects movement. Holosun calls this the “shake awake” feature.

Pros and Cons

Pros

Cons

SCOPE DETAILS
  • Ten daylight brightness settings
  • Three reticle modes
  • Two night vision compatible modes
Check Price on
OpticsPlanet.com
Check Price on
Amazon.com

What People Are Saying About the Holosun 510C-GR

Customers love the features and the rugged construction of the scope – many feel like the 510C-GR is a better option over alternative scopes from RMR and Vortex.

Users report that the reticle is sharp and gets very bright and that there’s zero parallax when using it. The low price makes it the best affordable reflex sight around.

One customer uses it with a .45-70 piece, and reports that the recoil makes no difference to the scope whatsoever!


Other Facts About Holosun 510C-GR

Q: Is the battery rechargeable?

A: The scope uses a CR2032 battery, which is not rechargeable. However, sunlight can be a second power source and can help you extend operation time.

Q: Does it work with handguns?

A: No. You can mount the 510C-GR on a Picatinny rail or a Weaver rail – the scope isn’t like the Holosun 507C, which is compact and designed for pistols.

Q: How many reticles does it have?

A: It has three reticle modes – the 65MOA outer with 2MOA inner, the 2MOA inner, and the 65MOA outer.


Verdict

The 510C-GR is an affordable yet feature-packed rifle scope that boasts a sturdy built. It’s waterproof and remains accurate even when using it with a weapon with heavy recoil.

The 2MOA dot and the 65MOA ring reticle make for accurate shooting, and since it has multiple brightness settings and works well with night vision, you should have no problems using it anywhere.

It works perfectly in pretty much any kind of climate, and the long battery life coupled with solar power support makes it one of the most reliable scopes on the market.

It is perhaps the best value for money scope on the market.

SCOPE DETAILS
  • Ten daylight brightness settings
  • Three reticle modes
  • Two night vision compatible modes
Check Price on
OpticsPlanet.com
Check Price on
Amazon.com

Joel Jefferson

Joel is one of the original founders of SurvivalCache.com. After college, he joined the USMC where he served as an (0302) Marine Infantry Officer. Joel is an avid outdoorsman and spends much of his free time in the mountains. Joel’s hobby is researching survival gear & weapons as well as prepping. Read his full interview here.