Primary Arms (PA) has a vibrant optics line with a good reputation. They’re coming on strong for 2025 with a bunch of new releases starting with the PLx HTX-1 red dot sight. Not only does it have some great specs, but its also PA’s first American made optic, something that isn’t so common in the optics field today.

The PLx HTX-1

The PLx HTX-1 is an enclosed-emitter reflex sight with a patent pending Modular Chassis System (MCS). The new chassis is compatible with almost all existing optics cut pistols according to PA. It offers the lowest possible centerline and will co-witness with standard height iron sights. It comes an RMR Type A, RMR Type B (raised screw bosses), and GLOCK MOS mounting interface, giving you a wide variety of mounting options right out of the box. There’s also a SIG M17/M18 plate that’s only available for the military and law enforcement for some reason.

The sight is constructed from 7075-T6 aluminum with a black Type II hard coat anodized finish. It uses a 19.5 x 15.2mm narrow band glass reflex doublet with wide band A.R. coating as well as fully multi-coated lenses. The HTX-1 is both waterproof and shockproof. The sight is 1.78 inches long, 1.05 inches high and weighs only 1.74 ounces.

The HTX-1 has a side mounted battery compartment and runs on a single CR2032 3V Lithium coin cell. Battery life is 10,001 to 25,000 hours depending on setting. This is enhanced by Primary Arms Autolive motion sensing technology. It uses a 4 MOA red dot with 11 total brightness settings including 3 night vision settings. Brightness adjustment is through side mounted push buttons.

The PLx HTX-1 is the result of a three year program by Primary Arms to produce a made in USA optic. They’re backed by PA’s lifetime warranty and have an MSRP of $649.99.

PLx HTX-1 Specs

Battery Life: 10,001 – 25,000 Hours
Battery Type: CR2032 3V Lithium Coin
Brightness: 11 Settings
Click Value: 1 MOA
Color: Black
Emitter Type: Closed Emitter
Finish: Hardcoat Anodized
Material: Aluminum – 7075-T6
Mount Compatibility: GLOCK MOS, Trijicon RMR
Night Vision Compatible: Night Vision Compatible
Optic Series: PLx
Reticle: 4 MOA Dot
Reticle Color: Red
Weight: 1.74 oz.
Length: 1.78 in.
Width: 1.56 in.
Height: 1.05 in.
Warranty: Lifetime
Weight: 1.74 oz.
MSRP: $649.99

27 COMMENTS

  1. It does not matter what sight is on any gun I fire I still cannot hit anything smaller then a basketball ball six feet away.

  2. Interesting mounting system. PA generally sells good stuff for the price; but I think I will wait on a review or there before considering this one, in part because the mount approach is new.

    As noted by several above, it is rather spendy compared to say Holosun. But then some features, e.g. an enclosed emitter, might well be worth paying more for. And so is having the production as well as the design being done in the US, at least to me.

    What really interests me is how well the dot will retain zero after being removed and replaced. Apart from the possibility of having the same dot for different handguns be easier than current approaches, it might also make cleaning easier especially if you prefer ultrasonic cleaners.

  3. “.. its also PA’s first American made optic, something that isn’t so common in the optics field today.”

    its true that genuine all ‘American made’ firearm optics are not “so common”… in fact they don’t actually exist, and its the same with this sight.

    ‘legal truth’ (like that used in marketing hype) and ‘factual truth’ should not be confused as being the same when it comes to marketing hype.

    plus the price is outrageously over priced. When the cost of a single firearm component sight costs as much as a complete firearm its time for the ‘firearm industry’ to come to terms with reality of pricing people out of the market, especially for goods implied to be all ‘American made’ that aren’t factually

      • All Primary Arms red dot optics come from one of four OEM contracted sources, to which they are contract bound for production and sales of red dot optics:

        1. Shenzhen Aimbond Enterprises
        2. Mefo Optical Instrument
        3. Shanghai Benemo Industrial
        4. Sam Electrical Equipments Nantong

        All U.S. based firearms companies get around the ‘made in America’ thing by exploiting loop holes, mainly in one for four aspects so they can legally claim ‘Made in USA’ (or ‘Made in America’):

        1. where the foreign OEM is contracted as an ’employee’ thus as an ’employee’ its ‘company work product’ thus ‘Made in USA’ (or ‘Made in America’) because the company is based in the U.S. (for example, Swampfox uses this a lot.)

        2. Imported from the foreign OEM through a US based supplier entity thus ‘sourced in the U.S.’ so ‘Made in USA’ (or ‘Made in America’) can then be claimed.

        3. or the U.S. based company does a ‘partial assembly’ in the U.S. of the items from the foreign OEM supplier. This can be various actions but can be as simple as packaging/labeling for market as it counts as ‘partial assembly’. so ‘Made in USA’ (or ‘Made in America’) can then be claimed.

        4. or the U.S. company does a ‘complete assembly’, in the U.S., of a sort of ‘parts kit’ supplied by the foreign OEM and sourced through a U.S. based entity – to claim ‘Made in USA’ (or ‘Made in America’).

        So for example, under the loop holes, legally: A U.S. company can have their engineers that design the firearm optic, then its manufactured by the foreign OEM contractor and sent to the U.S. company to be marketed and the U.S. company can claim its ‘Made in USA’ (or ‘Made in America’) because of the work product by the U.S. company engineers.

        So in ‘legal truth’ – they are ‘Made in USA’ (or ‘Made in America’).

        In ‘factual truth’ they are actually made outside the U.S.

        For ‘Made in USA’ (or ‘Made in America’) companies are only required by law to tell the ‘legal truth’ in public claims and marketing and labeling, the ‘factual truth’ may be much different.

        According to their import records, their most recent import shipment was 12/28/2024.

        • Correction for: “All U.S. based firearms companies”

          should have been: All U.S. based firearms optics companies

        • correction for: “(for example, Swampfox uses this a lot)”

          it should been: “(for example, Vortex uses this a lot.)”

          SwampFox uses a variation. Their engineers do the design, then its sent to the OEM in China which is ‘Shanghai Changhong Optoelectric’ who manufactures the optic and sends it back to Swamp Fox Optics in the U.S. to be marketed. ‘Swamp Fox Optics’ is their own company and U.S. based but the twist here is the ‘SwampFox’ brand name is actually owned by ‘Shanghai Changhong Optoelectric’ and its the ‘direct to consumer’ brand name for the China made optics sold in the U.S. …they also make optics for other leading firearms optics brands.

        • Note on above:

          I’m not saying the PA ‘PLx HTX-1’ is 100% made in China. But, there’s a pretty good bet its got a lotttt of ‘China’ in it even if it is their ‘first American made optic’ so still has a ‘made in China’ aspect there also.

          • Stop talking out of your a ss.

            For a product to be called Made in USA, or claimed to be of domestic origin without qualifications or limits on the claim, the product must be “all or virtually all” made in the U.S. The term “United States” as referred to in the Made in USA Policy Statement and the Labeling Rule, includes the 50 states, the District of Columbia, and the U.S. territories and possessions.

          • They’ve been pretty clear talking about how the components of the optics, including the lenses, are American manufactured. Unless you’re just accusing them of being liars.

  4. ya would think for $649.99…you could also get it with green dot.

    and…no…it is not true that green dot sights cost more because the green emitter diode costs more or more costly to produce etc… thats a story thats been peddled too long In the firearms industry. it was true about 30 years ago, but not today.

  5. No Matter How Much You Hate the ATF, It’s Not Enough.

    Washington Gun Law President William Kirk, sits down with Mark Manely of Maryland, who you may recall from a previous video, was raided by the ATF. After destoying his home, and holding his entire family at gun point, what did they come away with? Absolutely nothing. Why? Because Mark Manley is lawful and repsonsbile gun owner. Which brings us full circle to the fact that no matter how much you hate the ATF, it is still not enough.

    h ttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xYLsTwAyuh0

  6. Trump has done more for America in 4 days than Biden did in 50 years.

    h ttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xO3Od3_5pAk

    • OBiden, however, has spent FIFTY TWO years in DC actively working against the US national interests and enriching himself. The SOB did diddly FOR America

  7. The Bad Orange Man is Back!!! (note: alternative title would probably be Joe lies again, and again, and again…etc… and preemptive pardons)

    h ttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9HyUSl-S1G8

    (note:

    About those preemptive pardons Biden issued … they might not be valid after all.

    According to SCOTUS precedent in Burdick v. U.S. … an individual receiving a presidential preemptive pardon must first ‘publicly’ confess to an offense against the United States before the preemptive pardon is valid and before the preemptive pardon is issued and accepted.

    Constitution Article 2, Section 2 did not give Biden the right to preemptively pardon anyone unless they had first publicly confessed to an offense against the United States.

    Should President Trump’s DOJ decide to investigate the Biden family, Fauci, Milley, or the members of the Jan. 6 Committee, these individuals could be prosecuted until they publicly confessed to an offense against the United States.

    However, even if they did confess, Trump’s DOJ could still pursue the matter to invalidate the preemptive pardons, arguing that Article 2, Section 2 did not give President Biden the right to preemptively pardon anyone. That issue would eventually be heard in the Supreme Court.)

  8. Trumps DOJ already stopping the Biden lawfare… Judge Dismisses Lawfare Against Doctor Who Exposed Secret Trans Procedures On Kids.

    “A judge dismissed the Department of Justice’s case against a doctor who uncovered secret transgender procedures on kids, assenting to a motion from President Donald Trump’s Department of Justice.
    …”

    h ttps://thefederalist.com/2025/01/24/judge-dismisses-lawfare-against-doctor-who-exposed-secret-trans-procedures-on-kids/

  9. I’d like to see the overlap for people who complain about Chinesium optics and the price of US made optics.

    You want to MAGA? Pay the patriot premium and buy made-in-the-motherfucking-U-S-A.

  10. Jacksonville Cop Fired After Shooting Motorist With His Own Gun. (staring Stupid.. in ‘Stupid Is As Stupid Does The Movie’)

    h ttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bFHwR7Ebwdk

  11. Price is DOUBLE what Holosun charges for their enclosed optic and about 25% more than the Aimpoint COA that was just released.

    Hard pass.

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