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Holosun hasn’t been shy about innovating in the red dot optic space. At Range Day 2022, they unveiled one of the more innovative red dots on the market. The new Holosun SCS is new in a lot of ways. First, like the AEMS, it ditches the numerical moniker and adopts an acronym. SCS stands for solar charging sight. Holosun’s always been a big fan of solar power on their optics, but the Holosun SCS takes it to new levels.

The Holosun SCS uses the sun and that’s it in terms of power sources (Travis Pike for TTAG)

The Holosun SCS is entirely solar charged. The optic contains a battery that’s entirely charged by the sun or ambient light. That battery comes fully charged from Holosun and will last 20,000 hours on a full charge.

I don’t know much about batteries, but according to the Holosun rep, the battery charges somewhat slowly through the solar panel. This preserves the battery’s life long term. It takes seven days to fully charge the battery from a completely dead state.

That big solar panel gathers a whole lot of light (Travis Pike for TTAG)

For the mathematically challenged, twenty thousand hours translates to over two years. That’s a hefty amount of time for a solar-charged battery.

The Holosun SCS – The Power of the Sun

The Holosun SCS red dot sight uses a big solar panel planted to the rear of the optic, and it’s nice and large. I imagine it has to be. The optic only has a single button. It turns the optic on and off and swaps reticles from the 2 MOA dot to a 32 MOA circle with 2 MOA dot. The intensity and brightness of the reticle are determined by the ambient light.

I typically don’t like red dots that automatically adjust their brightness, mainly for the fact that they suck when using weapon lights. In a dark environment, the dot will be dim by automatic adjustment, and a bright white weapon light will wash the dot out.

The Holosun SCS uses multiple sensors so weapon lights won’t be an issue when it comes to auto adjustment.

They don’t tend to adjust to the light ahead of them. The Holosun SCS utilizes multiple sensors that ‘talk’ to each other. This allows the dot to adjust to a weapon-mounted light without issue.

Since the optic lacks buttons and a battery, it sits super low. Low enough that you don’t need suppressor height sights. Drop it on your Glock or PF940V2. On the Glock 45, the stock Glock sights sit high enough to cowitness with ease. It’s rather nice not to have to spend 100 bucks or so on suppressor height sights.

The Holosun SCS sits low enough that it cowitnesses with stock iron sights. (Travis Pike for TTAG)

Boom, Bang, Pow

The Holosun SCS worked well in my limited time with it so far. The big green 32 MOA circle and 2 MOA dot shine brightly and are nice and crisp. They’re easy to see and crystal clear.

The footprint varies by weapon and matches the universal footprints used by systems like the GLOCK MOS. The optic’s footprint will match the gun with plans for the GLOCK MOS series, the S&W, CZ, Masada, and more in the future. Holosun even ensures the SCS housing matches the serrations of the gun.

 

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20 COMMENTS

  1. So you’re saving $50-$100 on sights and $50-$100 on optics plates.
    How much does this optic cost?
    I know they’re durable – everything Holosun makes has survived Aaron Cowan’s gauntlet.

  3. Optic ready M&Ps come with tall sights from the factory. This red dot is only handy if you’re starting from scratch or you need to solve a Glock problem. A lower profile would be nice though.

  4. Impressive. This is the next step in taking a red dot optic from being an add on to being integrated. I like it.

    Shouldn’t be long before MFG’s are offering products like this fully integrated right out of the box. It’s the path of the future…

  5. I like the looks of it but not a fan of the idea of solar powered (charged) gun optics although the idea is nice.

    But… I am a little confused over something. In one part you write:

    “The optic contains a battery that’s entirely charged by the sun or ambient light. That battery comes fully charged from Holosun and will last 20,000 hours on a full charge.”

    then in another part of your review you write…

    “Since the optic lacks buttons and a battery, it sits super low. Low enough that you don’t need suppressor height sights.”

    well, if the optic lacks a battery then what battery is being charged by the solar?

    • It’s a fixed battery like your mobile, instead of one you replace. So it doesn’t have to have a battery slot that would make it thicker. Plus a fixed batter can be in a nonstandard shape instead of a round button cell.

        • All batteries degrade over time. I had an expensive piece of equipment with a “fixed” battery. I ended up having to replace it after a few years. When I went to replace it a second time, no batteries could be found since it wasn’t standard and they stopped making that particular model. Now I have a $3,000 paper weight.

        • OK, after doing some more research this does indeed have an internal battery.

          No manual override. Its auto adjusting so you will need to take what it gives.

          PingPing on the HoloSun assembly line in Chy-Nah sends her ‘like you big time Ameraca numba one hotdog rockit ship for money’ greeting.

  6. So it has an internal battery. Ok, so who is going to leave their gun out in the open, unattended, in the sunshine for DAYS to charge? I’m sorry but I’m a responsible gun owner with kids. If it’s not on my person than it’s locked up in my gun safe IN THE DARK. I would assume most pistols not in a safe would be hidden in a dark closet or dresser drawer too. How’s that going to charge? In some states it’s illegal to leave a unlocked handgun accessible and lead to criminal charges. In all states you can be liable in civil court if someone mis uses your unsecured weapon. Put a damn easily replaceable battery in it.

    • “…who is going to leave their gun out in the open, unattended, in the sunshine for DAYS to charge?”

      You beat me to it. This product is a hard pass for me.

    • You could put a cable lock on it and sit it in the window inside for a day exposed to sun light.

      Ya’ll do know that sunlight is not the only thing that can be used, right? The term “solar” here is just an expression, it doesn’t need to be sun light.

      Ordinary room light will do it. For example, put it under a turned on table lamp inside for a day or so.

  7. actually tho, this does have an interesting feature. Its made for the Glock MOS system, and it sets low enough with that where one can co-witness with the regular sights so no suppressor height sights needed.

    But this is negated as a ‘feature’ for me, although something like that is needed and many want it, because of the solar and no manual adjustment.

  8. Hmmmm. Maybe take the slide off and only put THAT in the sun?

    Also don’t let it run all the way down. Kinda like your iPhone. Or tablet.

    Other makers will follow this. No doubt.

    Sheeesh.

    • Or put it under under any lamp or light source inside your house- it works just like a solar calculator. Basically, any time the panels are exposed to light they are charging the battery- it’s very straightforward and simple.

      I’m surprised by the number of people who are desperately searching for issues with this idea.

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