Before Holosun released the Advanced Enclosed Micro Sight (AEMS), the industry forced you to pick a side – you either bought a “brick” holographic sight or settled for a micro red dot. The AEMS was (and still is) a unique offer on the market, combining large window, crisp reticle, and sturdy housing. So if you’re considering the AEMS for your AR, AK, shotgun, or whatever modern sporting setup you need an optic for, here are some pros and cons you need to know about.
The Goldilocks Form Factor
The main reason why this rifle sight is so popular is its middle-ground form factor. With most rifle optics on the market, you either get a tiny 20mm tube (like an Aimpoint Micro or Sig Romeo 5) that feels like looking through a straw, or you get a massive holographic sight (like an EOTech or Vortex), which gives you that nice, wide field of view but adds quite a bit of weight.
The AEMS sits right in the sweet spot. It offers a large, square window similar to a holographic sight but keeps the footprint compact and lightweight. On a compact build, like an SBR or an AR pistol, it looks proportional. It doesn’t dominate the rail, yet when you bring the gun up, the housing practically disappears, allowing you to scan for targets without your peripheral vision getting blocked by the sight’s walls.
The aluminum housing itself is tough. People have run these on 12-gauge shotguns and dropped them on gravel without losing zero.
HOLOSUN AEMS CORE X2 Red / Green / Gold 2MOA Dot Rifle Sight
HOLOSUN AEMS PRO X2 MRS Enclosed Rifle Reflex Sight
$399.99
Price accurate at time of writing
Specs:
- Multi-reticle rifle optic
- Shake awake technology
- Solar Failsafe Technology
- Multiple Reticle System
- Multilayer Reflective Glass
- Titanium Housing (AEMS-PRO-X2-GD, AEMS-PRO-X2-GR)
- Holosun Super LED technology (AEMS-PRO-X2-GR)
Glass & Reticles
The next advantage is that the emitter technology Holosun uses in the AEMS is very sharp. Many shooters with astigmatism who typically see a starburst on other red dots say that the AEMS reticle stays crisp. The green dot version, in particular, gets high praise for clarity. If you opt for the multi-reticle system, that 65 MOA outer ring around the center dot gives your eye a solid reference point.
The Holosun AEMS also performs great under NV. The light transmission is awesome, making the optic a legit budget option for night shooting.
Comparing it to the older open-emitter Holosun 510C, the AEMS is a massive upgrade. Since it is a closed system (enclosed emitter), you don’t have to worry about mud, rain, or lint blocking the laser projector.
The Factory Mount Situation
The out-of-the-box mount is decent, but a lot of people swap it out because it sits at a height that doesn’t work for everyone. Due to the proprietary footprint, you can’t just slap it on a standard T2 riser.
Thankfully, the aftermarket has options like those from Scalarworks or ADM. The 1.93″ AEMS mount by Scalarworks in particular is good for most AR setups. However, if you are running it on something like an MP5 with a lower cheek weld, stick with the stock low mount.
If you choose to go with an aftermarket AEMS mount, you’ll need to factor extra $150 into your budget.
AEMS Core vs. AEMS Pro vs. AEMS Max
As of the date of this post, AEMS has three submodels – the Core, the Pro (often just called the standard AEMS), and the Max.
The Core strips away the solar failsafe and locks you into a single dot reticle. But the Pro gives you the solar backup (which acts as a capacitor if your battery dies), the circle-dot reticle options, and decent lens covers.
The AEMS Max is exactly what it sounds like – a massive window. We are talking about a 40% larger field of view compared to the standard AEMS. This optic is surprisingly light for its size. If you are a newer shooter, or if you are running a gun with heavy recoil, that giant window makes it hard to lose the dot during follow-ups. You would have to torque the gun to an extreme angle to lose your sight picture.
HOLOSUN Ronin Red Multi-Reticle 1x Micro Red Dot Sight
HOLOSUN Ronin Aems Max Green Multi-Reticle Solar Rifle Reflex Sight
$569.99
Price accurate at time of writing
Specs:
- Green Multiple Reticle System (MRS), 2 MOA Green Dot
- Ronin Dragon Logo Engraved
- Unlimited Eye Relief
- Shake Awake and Solar Failsafe Technology
- Multilayer Reflective Glass
- Super LED
- In the Box: Lower 1/3 Co-witness Mount, Clear Flip-down Len Covers, CR2032 Battery, Multi Tool, Lens Cloth
Holosun AEMS vs. Competition
Holosun AEMS vs EOTech Sights: The EOTech has zero parallax and a true holographic “floating” reticle, which is considered superior by many shooters. But the AEMS has 50,000 hours of battery life compared to the EOTech’s 1,000, and it has “shake awake.” For a home defense gun that needs to be ready 24/7, the AEMS wins on logistics.
Holosun AEMS vs Sig ROMEO4XT Pro: The Sig is a tank and uses a standard footprint. It’s probably the safer “duty” bet. But the AEMS is lighter and offers a better FOV. If speed is your game, the AEMS feels faster.
Holosun AEMS vs Aimpoint Duty RDS: The Aimpoint has the brand pedigree and proven combat track record. If you are parachuting into a warzone, take the Aimpoint. For 99% of civilian uses (range days, classes, home protection) the AEMS offers a better shooting experience for less money.
