https://gunmagwarehouse.com/blog/he509t-holosun-mini-enclosed-red-dot/?BY TRAVIS PIKE JANUARY 28, 2021
Holosun is making quite the name for itself. In the last few years, it’s been diving deep into the world of red dots. What started with your basic 30mm circular red dots ended with optics like the HE509T. It’s one of Holosun’s latest mini red dot sights, and it incorporates a wide variety of features not found in competitive options at a price below the competition. The HE509T is essentially a pistol-sized optic, but like most mini red dot sights, it can be used across a wide variety of firearms.
HE509T Specs and Features
Size-wise this little fella is 1.21 inches wide, 1.61 inches long, and 1.35 inches tall. At the weigh-in, the 509T comes in at 1.72 ounces. It’s tiny-ish.
Enclosed Emitter
There are smaller optics, but the HE509T is the second pistol sized optic I’ve ever seen that uses an enclosed emitter.
The enclosed emitter improves reliability and prevents reticle disruption.
Most pistol-sized red dots have an exposed emitter. If you place something between the emitter and the lens, the red dot disappears. So mud, dust, snow, and more could possibly get between the emitter and the lens and render the optic useless. This is not an issue with the HE509T. That makes the optics a bit bigger than most but offers a higher level of reliability.
Reticles
One big and often lovable feature that Holosun has been employing is a multi reticle system. The HE509T comes with two reticles. One is a 2 MOA dot, and the second is a 32 MOA circle with a 2 MOA dot in the center. Bigger reticles are faster at close range, smaller dots are better for longer range shots, but more on that later.
Settings and Power
The HE509T has ten daylight settings and two-night vision settings. The brightest setting is brutal. Like painfully so, which isn’t a bad thing when it’s bright outside. The HE509T certainly makes use of the Holsoun super LED.
The little HE509T is also equipped with a solar panel. This is a backup in case your battery dies, and while small, it is efficient.
The HE509T’s backup solar panel keeps the optic running when batteries die.
Construction
Finally, the T in HE509T stands for titanium. Titanium is an ultra-strong metal that just so happens to be ultra-lightweight. Holosun is the only company I’m aware of using titanium for mini red dots. This is an excellent material for a duty-based weapon optic.
Mount it!
The HE509T utilizes the Trijicon RMR footprint and comes with an RMR adapter to fit RMR cut pistol slides. A Glock MOS dedicated plate also exists.
The RMR footprint makes finding mounts easy to find.
Since the HE509T uses a simple RMR cut, you immediately have a ton of optic options open to you. This includes mounts for long guns in high and low varieties. Mine is mounted to a Trijicon RMR Picatinny mount and then mounted to a Scorpion. Don’t forget piggyback optics mounts, dedicated shotgun mounts, and more.
The HE509T At the Range
I slapped this little stinger on my Scorpion EVO S1 and loaded up a few hundred rounds divided by a few ETS magazines I’m also testing. The small nature of the Holosun HE509T and the enclosed emitter makes it an awesome choice for PCC subgun wannabes. It’s short and light, as subgun PCCs should be, and the enclosed emitter guarantees reliability when the weapon isn’t a covered and concealed pistol.
The side battery compartment makes swapping batteries easy.
Holosun gives you a small little tool for attaching the optic to your gun that doubles as a zeroing tool. It works extremely well for the tiny little dials sitting on the optic. Zeroing was quick and easy, and I just needed to dial left and up a hair, and I was on target at 25 yards.
I started shooting a variety of drills between 25 and 10 yards. I made several sprints to cover, ‘combat gliding’ and shooting towards the target, a modified El Presidente type drill, and generally tried to incorporate lots of movement in my shooting. The 32 MOA reticle was an excellent choice for close-range shooting with movement.
That big reticle leaps at you as you shoot and move. It’s tough to lose and easy to find should you lose it. That dummy-thick reticle gives you a lot of close-range speed and accuracy. From 25 yards to point-blank, the big reticle does a great job of getting you on target and allowing you to rapidly switch between targets.
It’s also addictive to keep on the gong and go ding ding ding like I’m trying to write one of those cringy Youtube songs with rifle steel.
Beyond CQB
I moved back to 50 yards, which is where the PCC/subgun category really rules. At this range, I did find the 32 MOA reticle is too big to see small targets. Now you say, a man-sized target would still be easily seen. Well, you let me know when you get in a shoot out with a guy who doesn’t make himself smaller. People hide behind cover and make themselves small targets, so being able to hit a small target is a critical skill to have.
The 32 MOA reticle can be crowded at longer ranges
So I instantly swapped reticles. The buttons on the HE509T are quite large and tactile, so they are easy to engage. Big buttons make swapping reticles quick and easy.
The big buttons make controlling the optic easy.
Once I swapped to the smaller 2 MOA reticle, I was able to get on target and ring steel for round after round without issue. The little reticle is bright and easy to see and doesn’t obscure your target.
The two reticle options really open up your ability to see and hit targets at various ranges.
Through the Lens
The HE509T is a handy little optic for a PCC or subgun style weapon as well as a pistol or a shotgun. The versatile reticle makes it simple to engage at various ranges. Looking through the optic delivers a clear sight picture that isn’t handicapped by a very noticeable tint.
The HE509T is an excellent optic. It’s easy to use, versatile, and it fits a wide variety of mounting options. It does all this at a price lower than the competition. The Holosun HE509T is packed with features and if you wanna tag one on your rifle, pistol, or check gun, check it out at the warehouse.
Travis Pike is a former Marine Machine Gunner, a lifelong firearms enthusiast, and now a regular guy who likes to shoot, write, and find ways to combine the two. He holds an NRA certification as a Basic Pistol Instructor and is the world’s Okayest firearm’s instructor.
