As you’ve no doubt seen, Leupold just dropped their new DeltaPoint Micro. It’s something entirely unique on the red dot market and perhaps it’s difficult to perceive how it might work in the field. So . . . off to the shooting range we went.
With such a tiny window, would a sight picture through the DeltaPoint Micro be difficult to acquire? That, really, is the biggest question on everyone’s mind. Dan donated his GLOCK 43 (Leupold also has a version for Smith & Wesson M&P pistols) and a loaner DeltaPoint Micro and I set out to put it through its paces, which y’all can watch in the Rumble-hosted video above.
Unlike a typical reflex sight, the DeltaPoint Micro is a true “red dot sight” with its LED emitter fully enclosed by a front and rear lens. This protects the emitter from the elements, and the form factor creates a round tube through which to look.
This, really, is the key to the DeltaPoint Micro and the key to why I immediately found it so intuitive, fast, and easy to use. It’s a ghost ring sight placed in the notch of a traditional rear sight.
As you can see above, if you were to remove the tube housing portion of the Micro you’d be left with a fairly typical looking rear sight. It even has a recessed dot on each side post and can be lined up with a front sight dot in the normal, 3-dot sight fashion (as invented by HK for the P7, the best pistol ever made). Color fill those rear dots if you’re so inclined.
Instead of a notch in the center, the DeltaPoint Micro has a tube. Basically a ghost ring. Whether the red dot is on or off, you can shoot this thing like a ghost ring sight and it’s fast and easy. The front sight appears inside the rear ring every bit as fast, if not faster, than when shooting with standard iron sights.
For self-defense style shooting within five or so yards, simply getting the front sight anywhere inside that ghost ring is enough to put holes in a silhouette target. Fast and dirty and appropriate for center mass shots taken quickly.
Alternatively, if you’ve practiced enough to have any sort of repeatable firearm presentation, simply getting the target inside of the ghost ring frame is sufficient for this sort of use. This has always been my suggested close-range pistol dot practice: use the frame of the dot as a ghost ring and when the target appears inside the frame, pull the trigger. It works with typical micro reflex optics — pistol dots — and it works at least as well with the Leupold DeltaPoint Micro.
“Slow to find the dot” is the number one complaint of shooters attempting to get used to a red dot on a pistol, but at typical self-defense distances my suggestion is to forget about all that and ghost ring it. The smaller diameter of the long, round tube that is the DeltaPoint Micro makes it uniquely suited to this use. It’s more precise and draws the eye down its length more easily than a micro reflex optic’s frame.
When more precision is necessary, this is when you choose to care about the dot. Inside of about 15 yards I end up slightly more accurate when I’m shooting irons rather than roughly using a pistol dot (though the dot has the advantage that I’m better with both eyes open and focused on the target, not the front sight), but beyond that my confidence level of making accurate shots on a small target goes way, way up.
Five-inch target at 50 yards? 100? I wouldn’t put money on nailing that shot with standard iron sights. My eyesight simply isn’t good enough to see both the sights and the target well enough to get everything lined up precisely enough. With a red dot, though? You bet.
Especially a crisp, clean, deep red dot like the 3 MOA orb inside the DeltaPoint Micro. I can center this on the bullseye at 100 yards and, with a clean trigger press, have confidence in making that hit.
Ultimately, this is why I like to have a red dot on a carry / self-defense pistol. While I gain no advantage (nor suffer disadvantage) inside of what we’d consider typical self-defense distances, the dot expands my capabilities greatly when it comes to making precise shots at any sort of range.
Requiring no aftermarket slide or milling of the factory slide — the DeltaPoint Micro installs very easily into the factory rear dovetail — aligning with the height of a factory-height front sight, and eliminating the need for a sight-cut holster makes the Micro a far simpler upgrade than most pistol dots.
On the downside, I suppose, is that fitting a form factor to achieve all of those conveniences required moving the battery and brightness adjustment down behind the slide. Really a non-issue except when it comes to disassembling the internals of your slide should you need to clean the firing pin and such.
Granted, this isn’t something that’s frequently done, but given how the DeltaPoint Micro installs, it’s going require re-zeroing the optic or at least verifying your zero after re-installing it.
Pressing the button underneath the rear of the Micro adjusts the brightness of the dot. Hold the button for a couple seconds to manually shut it off. When pressed again in the future, it returns to your previous brightness setting.
Alternately, the DeltaPoint Micro has an internal motion sensor and will turn itself off if it stays still for a while. For instance, when you take it off your hip for the night. As soon as it moves again it comes back on. Clearly for carry use it should remain on and at-the-ready.
Frankly, I went into this review and testing process fairly skeptical. The small window size of the DeltaPoint Micro made me think it would be difficult to use. This was not the case at all.
In fact, I think I’m faster with the DeltaPoint Micro than I am with a micro reflex sight. Something about the round, tube shape of it and the fact that it lines up when I present the gun exactly as I would with normal sights — it’s at the same height, after all — makes it intuitive and fast. It may look weird, but it darn sure works well.
Specifications: Leupold DeltaPoint Micro
Reticle: 3 MOA Dot
Fit: GLOCK and S&W M&P now, with more (including Picatinny rail) coming soon
Brightness: 8 settings
Battery Life: 3.5 years at medium brightness
Dot Color: Red
Adjustment Range: 100 MOA elevation, 180 MOA windage
Material: Aluminum
Weight: 1.1 ounces
Warranty: Lifetime
MSRP: $519.99 (available for about $399 retail on Brownells soon)
Ratings (out of five stars):
Form Factor * * * * *
Quite the trick to pull off a red dot that aligns with factory sight height and uses the factory sight dovetail. The round tube shape of the DeltaPoint Micro makes its use intuitive and easy, and it works great as a ghost ring plus allows traditional 3-dot style alignment, too.
Optics * * * * *
Zero color shift. Clear glass, deep red color dot that’s clean and crisp.
Function * * * * *
The DeltaPoint Micro really surprised me. It’s far faster and easier to use than I expected. Sighting it in and adjusting the brightness is extremely easy, and the dot looks great.
Overall * * * * *
Other than having to remove the DeltaPoint Micro in order to detail strip the slide — granted, something I nearly never do — and a higher MSRP than I’d hope for, I have no negative feedback on this unique little optic. It’s very easy to install and use and I shoot amazingly well with it. Big fan.
Interesting optic.
Does it interfere with removing the slide for routine cleaning?
Did it “feel” any bulkier or klunky while carrying it in a holster?
How did it carry in appendix, inside and outside holsters?
According to Leupold’s installation vid, the battery cover must be removed in order to remove/replace the slide from/onto the frame.
Thank you for answering one of my questions. The quickie video I watched showed the employee removing the battery cap for battery replacement..only took a second or two. I did not watch the install video…only the promotional one…my bad.
It only weighs an ounce; it really isn’t noticeable. Perhaps with some AIWB setups it could push into you where it would otherwise be the rear of the slide or the beavertail or something, and now it’s the back of the optic. I didn’t notice it carrying strong side IWB.
I suspect some of the larger Glocks will not require the battery cover to be removed in order to remove the slide from the frame, but didn’t test. It’s very close to clearing without having to do that, even on the tiny G43. Regardless, it’s extremely quick and easy to remove the battery cover.
@Jeremy,
Thank you for addressing my concerns.
I wonder when they will have a version for the original P365?
2 questions: 1. Is this compatible with the Glock 42?
& 2. Is there a prospective version compatible with Sig P365 on the horizon?
THANKS!!
A solution to a non-existent problem. Wtf is wrong with regular iron sights nowadays anyway?
Not to be a jackass, but I think I addressed that pretty well in the review . . .
I don’t think Ray reads things before he comments on them. The world wants to know what he has to say to much to wait.
Nothing, especially for those of us that have an astigmatism, making red dot sights nearly useless.
I have a red dot on one of my hand guns and an astigmatism as well. If you are sharp enough to figure out that the irregular star object you see is consistent it is very useful. Much easier than the which blur do you choose game with iron sights. I still carry iron sighted guns more I am admittedly mostly point shooting under 20 feet.
Same here, and I have good success with red dots on turkey gun, AR and handguns. I have an original DeltaPoint on my Glockzilla 10mm longslide, it’s the class of all the red dots I own. I believe I would like this micro, may try it on my 19x.
I have astigmatism and presbyopia. I’ve switched to red dots and haven’t looked back. I use the delta point pro and Holosun 507c mounted on my cz p10 C and F. I struggled for several years with progressive lens and slow times at IDPA matches. Now I’m consistently scoring in the top 15.
a dot allows target-focused shooting rather than front-sight focused shooting (or shifting focus between target and front sight, all while aligning with the rear) – this is intuitive and objectively faster which is why when a competitor is allowed to use a dot, they use a dot.
A dot also provides illumination in all shooting conditions.
Nothing is “wrong” with iron sights but red dots are objectively superior. There’s nothing to argue there, it’s simply the way the human eye works.
As someone with failing eyesight I need all the help I can get…smaller ain’t better with me. Interesting nevertheless.
$400?!?!
Four HUNDRED dollars?!?!
…yikes!
While I agree that the price point is high, what you’re paying for is the research and development for an American made luxury item from a coveted company. If you want it and/or need it and can afford it, they blazed the trail, so they can charge what they want, and people will gladly pay it. If they decide to lower the price or if the market demands that they lower the price, then they will. They’ll probably end up with a military contract for this and that should help bring the price point down a bit, atleast until more panic buying ensues with the inbound biden administration.
A cheaper version will be on the market when the Chinese government steals the technology and one of their companies deposit to us without even a slight tariff to slow them down. Thank you, Hunter; thank you Big Guy.
Big Guy may have already signed an EO to force Leupold to hand over the plans
I’m seeing them for mid-$300.
When you factor in a DPP or RMR is $400-$500; plus optics cut
OR
A Holosun is $300, plus optics cut – this is about the same price or better.
I think I’ll stick with the Holosun 507K. Inline with the regular sights, has a ring and a dot for fast acquisition, is cheaper, thinner housing, and doesn’t stick out off the back end of the slide.
Context is everything, Rando. I have a Holosun 507C on a Glock 19. Love it on that big, milled slide for competition and carry. This little Leupold uniquely works on small pieces like my Glock 42.
Do i need to remove back battery cover every time i fire my hummer striking gun?
I like ghost rings. Without knowing the details, I’m wondering why a ghost rear sight couldn’t have a tritium dot suspended by wire or clear glass? Wouldn’t that essentially be a low-cost red (or green) dot sight, although not brightness adjustable?
I’m heading to the garage to make my millions. Y’all don’t tell anybody.
A ghost ring with a fixed dot would have parallax, so as you moved your head, the point if aim would change. That’s why ghost sights are still used with front sights. I”ve seem ghost sights with a couple tritium vials on the sides, or used with a luminous front sight. The reflex sights is a reflection, which compensates for not being perfectly aligned and doesn’t need the shooter to center the dot in the window.
Well crap. Guess I have to go to work.
Okay so the design challenge has been met in innovate fashion.
Still, selling that widget without at least a tiny pair of underpants to fit it is just plain public indecency.
I like it. Won’t need a new holster. Won’t hang up or get in the way and don’t need to waste money on a new gun or overpriced slide or slide cut. Its a winner.
When will they be available on main street?
Whoever designed that thing ought to be fired.
Is this device for striker fired pistols only, if so, will they have a hammer fired compatible one?
I don’t see how it would work with a hammer.
Which makes me sad.
dagnabbit.
Some hammers don’t extend out beyond the slide.
Hahahahaha! Thanks, I was having a bad day.
I expected that this would be more expensive than it is.
That thing looks redonkulous.
Some Holoson reflex sights have a 35MOA circle and dot. How does the window on this sight compare in size to that size circle? I think I would much rather use this sight on my P365 rather than buy a new slide and optic.
If and when Leupold makes one compatible with the P365!
I think the ghost ring design will be much faster than a circle dot emitter, especially in odd positions. I can see a home for this on a 43x. Bravo, Leupold.
With old age creating up I needed help. Got one. Easy install. Fast alignment. Put the red dot on the front sight and shoot. 50 % increase in accuracy at 21 feet. 9 and 10 ring on a silhouette at 70 feet. Faster recovery for subsequent shots. I colored the two dots on the rear but with a 3 year battery life and changing the battery annually, I may never need them. Mounted on a 43x. Have to remove battery cover and battery to remove slide. Alignment still good on reinstall. Did not require a holster change. To me, greatest thing since rock n roll.
Put the red dot on the target. TFIFY