Red dots on concealed carry guns have rapidly transitioned from a niche to a mainstream feature. The Holosun 407K X2 sets the standard for budget-friendly, durable, and compact pistol red dots. In this pistol red dot review, we’ll cover specifications, glass quality, battery life, carry viability, and the pros and cons.

What is the Holosun 407K X2?

The Honolsun 407K X2 is the latest version of the 407K compact open emitter pistol red dot sight. The 407K X2 is designed for small sub-compact pistols, such as the Glock 43x and SIG P365.

The 407k X2 improves upon the original 407K by changing the button layout and introducing a lockout mode to prevent inadvertent button presses while manipulating or carrying the pistol.

Verdict up Front

The Holosun 407K X2 is an outstanding sub-compact pistol red dot. With a 6 MOA dot, excellent battery life, and Holosun K footprint, it’s a top pick for EDC optics.

Best for: Concealed carry pistols, budget optics shoppers

Not ideal for: Hardcore duty use, users wanting multiple reticles

Specs & Key Features Table

Build Quality & Durability

The Holosun 407K X2 features a 7075-T6 hard-anodized aluminum housing with an open emitter. Adjustment buttons are rubberized with a clear tactile click when making brightness adjustments. Waterproofing is IPX67 rated for 1-meter deep water submersion for 30 minutes.

The Holosun 407K X2 uses the RMSc footprint, making it easily adaptable to most sub-compact optic-ready pistols. The footprint uses two recoil bosses, which help reduce stress on the mounting screws.

The optic glass is recessed to protect from impacts and features an anti-glare coating to reduce glare when shooting in bright sunlight.

A side-mounted battery tray makes battery changes a breeze. No need to unmount the red dot to change batteries is a big plus.

Glass Clarity & Reticle

The Glass on the 407K X2 is clear with no significant distortion. There is a slight blue tint to the glass, which serves to improve battery life. This is a common design choice in compact red dots, such as the Trijicon RMR. In actual use, I don’t notice the tint at all, and it’s well worth it to achieve a long battery life.

The 407K X2 is available with a red or green 6 MOA dot. I generally prefer red optic reticles for improved contrast, but if you like green, you have that option. The 6 MOA dot feels rightly sized for the intended purpose of a concealed carry micro red dot. The dot is small enough for precise hits out to 25 yards and large enough to be easily seen when shooting quickly at closer distances.

There is no multi-reticle option. I prefer single-dot reticles and have no use for anything else. If you want the option of a circle dot reticle, the Holosun 507K features this option.

There are 12 total brightness settings, with two specifically for night vision use. Battery life is up to 50,000 hours at brightness setting 6. At maximum brightness, the red dot is very bright. Setting 8 is the ideal setting for most lighting conditions, neither too bright nor too dim.

I have moderate astigmatism, and some red dots bloom pretty badly in certain lighting conditions. I find the Holosun 407K X2 to work better than many red dots I’ve used. Despite my astigmatism, the dot is very crisp for me in most lighting situations. The dot on the Holosun 407K X2 looks better to my eyes than those on the Aimpoint ACRO, Aimpoint T2, and Holosun 403R. Something about the 407K design makes it work well for my eyes.

Everyone’s eyes are different, so take this with a grain of salt. However, if you have astigmatism, the Holosun 407K X2 may work well for you.

Battery Life & Controls

The Holosun 407K X2 features up to 50,000 hours of battery life on setting 6. I like the red dot set to setting 8, but I will likely get over a year of battery life at this setting.

The 407K uses a size mounted battery tray for the 1632 battery. My biggest gripe with the original Trijicon RMR and some other pistol red dots is the need to remove the optic to change the battery. I appreciate not having to do this with the 407K X2.

Like many Holosun red dots, the 407K X2 features shake-awake technology. You can customize the auto-shutoff timer from 10 minutes to 12 hours.

One of the most significant upgrades on the X2 version of the 407K is the addition of a lockout feature for the adjustment buttons. The lockout feature allows you to secure the buttons, preventing inadvertent changes to the red dot brightness when carrying or manipulating the pistol. On the original 407K, I found myself accidentally clicking the buttons when racking the slide. The lockout fixes this issue.

The second main change from the original 407K is the switch to a horizontal button layout from the previous vertical layout. I don’t have a strong preference for either button layout, but the horizontal buttons seem less prone to being inadvertently pressed. With the lockout feature, this is not as much of an issue.

Mounting & Compatibility

The Holosun 407K X2 uses the Holosun K footprint. This is a modified version of the RMSc footprint, which utilizes two front recoil lugs instead of the standard four recoil lugs. If your pistol has an RMSc cut, the 407K will require an adapter plate.

Fortunately, there are abundant adapters available for most optic-ready pistols. The Holosun 407K X2 can be adapted to almost any gun with the correct adapter.

EDC Performance & Practical Use

The Holosun 407K X2 is a tiny and compact pistol red dot. It’s noticeably smaller than the Trijicon RMR or similarly sized compact red dots.

The compact size of the 407K makes it one of the best red dots for sub-compact EDC pistols, such as the Glock 43x MOS, SIG P365, or PSA Dagger Micro. The red dot sits low on the slide and isn’t much wider than the slide on most sub-compact pistols.

From a concealed carry perspective, I see little downside to the 407K X2. Whether carrying AIWB or strong side IWB, the red dot doesn’t lead to any printing and doesn’t negatively impact concealability in a meaningful way. The optic housing is smooth, and I had no issues with snagging while drawing or carrying a pistol with the 407K X2 mounted.

If you haven’t shot a pistol red dot before, I encourage you to give it a try. The Holosun 407K X2 is a cheat code compared to traditional iron sights. Shooting a pistol with a red dot requires some adjustment, but once you become accustomed to it, making fast and accurate hits is easier than with iron sights. At close ranges like 10 yards and in, the performance difference between a red dot and iron sights isn’t as dramatic. Pricision shots and shots at distance are where the red dot makes its presence known. Even with a compact pistol like the Dagger Micro or Glock 43x MOS, I can easily make hits on a 6-inch plate at 30 yards.

When shooting fast, the 6 MOA dot is easy to pick up and follow during recoil. I’ve shot approximately 700 rounds with the Holosun 407K X2 mounted on two different pistols, and the red dot has consistently maintained zero, even after using the optic to rack the gun on my belt and table during one-handed manipulation.

407K vs 507K vs Shield RMSc

The Holosun 407K X2 competes well with many micro pistol red dot sights. The 507K uses the same form factor as the 407K but features the multi-reticle system. Unless you absolutely need multiple reticles, the 407K is an excellent choice. The Shield RMSc while similar in size lacks the shake-awake feature of the 407K. The Shield RMSc also uses a bottom mounted battery. The bottom-mounted batter means you must remove the sight from the pistol to change the battery, forcing you to re-zero the sight after each battery change.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Compact and ultra-lightweight
• Long battery life with side tray
• Affordable without sacrificing quality
• Shake Awake + user-friendly controls
• Compatible with most micro-compact optics-ready pistols

Cons

• No multi-reticle system
• Slight tint in the glass
• Brightness adjustment buttons are small with gloves

Is the Holosun 407K Worth It?

The Holosun 407K X2 is one of the best micro red dots at the $200 price point for EDC pistols. For the price, you get outstanding performance that is on par with many pistol red dots at twice the price. The low entry price makes the 407K X2 an excellent choice for individuals new to pistol red dot sights or those looking to transition from iron sights. If you’re looking for a compact pistol red dot for sub-compact guns like the Glock 43x, SIG P365, PSA Dagger Micro, or similarly sized pistols, the Holosun 407K X2 is an excellent choice.

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