SOTAC Trijicon SRO Dot Sight Replica Review

This time, I'll be reviewing a replica of the Trijicon SRO red dot sight made by SOTAC.

This product is relatively affordable (6000 to 8000 yen), and its price range and ease of use are very similar to Tokyo Marui's Micro Pro Sight.

While Tokyo Marui's Micro Pro Sight probably offers more stable performance, its unique shape, the texture of its plastic exterior, and the fact that it's likely to be seen on many other people make the same thing. This product, however, is a replica of the highly popular Trijicon SRO dot sight, so I think many people will be interested in it, and I'll be reviewing it.

Outer box and contents

Let's take a look at the outer box.

The outer box is a plastic case. The packaging includes a sticker indicating the contents and specifications. The product specifications are listed, but I will explain them later while showing the actual product.

I will open it.

There were a lot of different things jumbled inside, so I'll take them out.

Contents list

The contents are quite luxurious, but as is common with Chinese replicas, there is no instruction manual.

Let's take a look at the types of screws included.

The package includes two Phillips head screws of different lengths, two longer hexagonal screws, and two shorter hexagonal screws.

If you have purchased this product and are concerned about any discrepancies in the contents, please refer to this information. However, please note that since this is a Chinese replica, the contents are often changed.

appearance

This is an overall view of the exterior.

We will examine the front, back, left, right, up, and down in detail.

The lens reflects a strong red light, suggesting it has some kind of coating (ruby coating?).

The lens you look through has a slight bluish tint. I'll write more about how the lens looks later.

Next, let's look at the left and right sides.

The right side features buttons for adjusting the left/right position of the dots (vintation) and brightness. The print is neat and tidy with no misalignment. And, as expected from a Chinese product, it boldly displays "Trijicon SRO".

Incidentally, the body appears to be made of machined aluminum (according to the outer box, A6061). Since it's machined A6061, it has a pretty good feel to it, but the actual product is forged from the super-high-strength duralumin A7075-T6, so the look and feel are different.

The left side has a dot brightness adjustment button (+). The QR code printed on the far right was invalid.

Next, let's look at the top and bottom surfaces.

The top surface has a battery compartment cover and a dot elevation adjustment. It says "1 click = 1 MOA," but since it's a Chinese replica, that's probably unreliable.

The back side uses the RMR mount standard. Upon investigation, the mount shape appears to be the same as the genuine article, so it seems that third-party mounts can also be used, which is fortunate.

Since I had the chance, I decided to open the back cover.

You can see the power supply, laser unit, left/right adjustment mechanism, and up/down adjustment mechanism. The circuit has a simple structure, and judging from the soldering, it looks like it was done carefully. The up/down and left/right adjustment mechanisms also have a decent structure and a wide range of adjustment, so zeroing shouldn't be a problem. Naturally, it doesn't have the waterproof, dustproof, or shockproof features of the real thing. Overall, it has a simple mechanism, so it should be easy to repair if it breaks.

Obviously, the actual product has a much more complex circuit and is equipped with O-rings and rubber bushing mounts for shock resistance and waterproofing, but since it costs over 10 yen in Japan, I feel like it's a completely different product and shouldn't be compared to it.

Before putting the back cover back on, please note that there is an insulating sheet like the one shown in the following picture, so be careful if you actually open it.

Next, let's talk about the size and dimensions.

While it's quite compact in size, it's larger compared to Tokyo Marui's micro sights, RMR sights, and doctor sights.

For reference, I've included the actual measured size and weight.

weight

Regarding the weight, this is without the mount attached, so when actually using it, the weight of the mount will increase to 44g.

Power supply, operation system

Use the included tool to open the battery cover and insert the battery (the included CR2032) into the device.

The included tool isn't very suitable for opening the battery cover; it's easier to use a coin or a flathead screwdriver.

The vertical and horizontal adjustments of the dot can also be made using the tool included with the unit.

The adjustment dial has a satisfying click and is easy to adjust. Even if you lose the included tool, you can adjust it with a flathead screwdriver or a coin.

The power switch is also used for the brightness level adjustment buttons located on the left and right sides of the unit. Pressing the + button turns it on, and holding down the - button turns it off.

Next, attach the rail mount.

Use the included mount and two long hex screws. Use the included hex wrench for installation.

Looking at the mounting, the unit is securely mounted to the rail mount. Be careful, as sometimes poorly made products can come loose.

This is the weight with the rail mount attached.

The mount weighs 75g, which is 31g heavier than the main unit's 44g, so it seems quite heavy.

Next, we'll attach the Glock mount. You'll need two short hex screws.

Just like with the rail mount, checking the installation shows that it's securely attached without any problems.

It's the weight.

At 53g, it's lighter than a handgun with a mounting rail. According to the catalog, Tokyo Marui's Pro Sight, a rival product, weighs 16g, which is considerably lighter than this one. These types of sights mount directly to the handgun slide, so weight directly affects operation and durability; therefore, lighter is preferable. However, this product is made of aluminum, not plastic, and is large, so there are unavoidable limitations.

Lens, how dots appear?

Now, let's take a look at how the lenses and dots actually appear.

First, here's a lens without any illuminated dots.

It has a slight bluish tint, but I think it's a good lens for viewing.

Regarding the blue tint of lenses, it's not a case of "blue lenses are bad, cheap ones are blue"; some manufacturers intentionally make them blue. I once heard from a sales representative at Sightron Japan that in bright sunlight, such as in snowfields or deserts, you need blue lenses to see the dots clearly.

Let's look at lens distortion.

The edges are slightly distorted, but the overall distortion is minimal. However, unlike scopes, red dot sights generally have less distortion, so this might be to be expected.

This is the lens size.

Despite its compact size, it has a fairly wide lens, making it easy to view.

Next, let's actually press the + button on the side of the device to light up the dot. There are five levels of brightness for the dot, so I'll include photos of each level.

Brightness level 1

Brightness level 2

Brightness level 3

Brightness level 4

Brightness level 5

There are 5 levels in total, and you can see the difference in brightness for each level (levels 4 and 5 are not). The actual product has a variety of modes, including dot size selection (1 MOA, 2 MOA, 2.5 MOA), 8 levels for each size, and two NV modes, but considering the price difference, it seems sufficient for use with airsoft guns.

The dots themselves look like perfect circles in the photos, but they appear slightly blurred to the naked eye (this might be due to my astigmatism).

Next, set the brightness level of the dot to 5 and try moving it up, down, left, and right.

First, shake it upwards.

Unfortunately, when I shook it upwards, the dots disappeared.

If you move the mouse upwards as long as the dots don't disappear, the area shown in the following photo seems to be the limit.

Go down to the left.

Swing to the right.

It's a shame that the dot disappears when you zoom in, but otherwise the dot is visible right up to the edge, so you can easily find it when you look at the site.

I tried lighting up the dot outdoors in bright sunlight (dot brightness level MAX).

The dots are a little dark and difficult to see (though it's not unusable). The test was conducted on a sunny day with strong sunlight, so it should be fine in less sunny outdoor conditions, such as in forest fields or indoors.

Mounting on a Glock

This product comes with a Glock mount, so let's try attaching it.

This product is compatible with the Tokyo Marui Glock 17 GEN4.

First, open the hold.

Remove the screw located on the back of the rear sight (the breech screw).

Remove the rear sight as well (it can be removed by pulling it upwards).

Prepare the SRO sight mounted on a Glock mount and the included long Phillips head screw, then attach it.

done.

Let's take a look at the mounting points for the mount and slide.

It fit perfectly into the slide with considerable precision.

Let's actually take a look at the site.

The dot comes into view naturally when you aim, which is quite nice. Naturally, it's much easier to sight with than iron sights.

The dot sight and mount add 55g of weight, but since it's near where you're holding the grip, the weight isn't really noticeable.

When actually tested, the Tokyo Marui Glock GEN4 works without any problems. While the stock recoil was sharp, the added weight of the red dot sight gives it more power, resulting in a more interesting shooting experience. However, although I haven't measured it, I think the fuel efficiency will decrease somewhat.

Based on my experience firing about one magazine, the recoil shock doesn't seem to cause the dot to disappear or shift. Looking at the mechanism, I'm not sure if it was intentional, but it uses a screw and spring to adjust the dot's position, and the spring provides tension to the screw, making it less likely for the dot to shift even if an external shock is applied (similar to a spring washer that prevents screws from loosening).

I tried mounting it on other Glocks I own, and it fit on the Tokyo Marui Glock 19 GEN3 and Tokyo Marui Glock 17 GEN3, but not on the UMAREX/VFC Glock 19X.

Upon investigating and observing the mounting points, it appears that there are roughly three types of rear sight mounting points for gas blowback Glock-type guns: the Tokyo Marui Glock 18C series, the Tokyo Marui Glock 17 GEN.3 series, and the Tokyo Marui Glock 17 GEN.5 series (this is a general trend, not limited to Tokyo Marui).

This included mount is compatible with the Tokyo Marui Glock 17 GEN.3 series. To distinguish it from other models, see the photo below, as the shape of the rear sight mounting area is different. If you are considering purchasing this, you might want to check the rear sight of your Glock (this is for reference only).

Also, the MOS on the BATON BG-17 could not be mounted because the diameter of the mounting shaft was different (BATON G-17 may have been modified). It could be used if you file down the shaft with a rotary tool, but I think it would be better to buy a compatible MOS plate from a third-party manufacturer.

Even if the included mount doesn't work, Trijicon RMR mounts are now sold for various models, not just Glocks, so you probably don't need to worry too much about it.

Summary

Based on my review so far, I think this is a pretty usable product considering its retail price of 6,000 to 8000 yen. It's quite good among the mixed bag of Chinese replicas (although the extent of lot-to-lot differences is unknown).

While the actual product is made of forged aluminum and looks quite different in appearance, this one is beautifully machined from aluminum and has a nice paint job. Functionally, it meets the minimum requirements, so there seem to be no problems (though the slight cropping of the dot is a bit disappointing).

In terms of durability, judging from the internal structure, it doesn't seem extremely low (though it can't be said to be highly durable either).

Another major plus is that it comes with accessories such as a mount, batteries, and tools, making it ready to use immediately when mounted on a Glock. It's great to have a complete product like this, as accessories often require additional components beyond the main unit, which can be a hurdle both mentally and financially.

Thank you for your time.

SOTAC SRO type red dot sight
It seems there are several other colors available besides black. Also, if you're considering purchasing it, the price varies from shop to shop, so it's a good idea to look around at a few different places.

SOTAC SRO type dot sight nylonMade
The functionality and performance are the same, but the body material has been changed from aluminum to nylon, making it lighter. Like the SRO type, it comes in multiple color variations, and the price varies from shop to shop, so if you're considering purchasing it, it's a good idea to check out several options.

I've reviewed other red dot sights as well, so please check them out if you're interested!