Holosun 407C X2 Review- 12K Rounds Later
*Updated February, 2024*
I’ve been carrying the Holosun 407C X2 daily since 2021 and have over 12,000 rounds through it at the time of writing. Below is my experience with it over a few years and a few thousand rounds. Consider this a Holosun 407C X2 Review, just 12k+ rounds later. The vast majority of these rounds have been shot on an HK VP9, and while this is not a VP9 review, I think it’s worth noting the platform this has run on. The other thing to keep in mind is that since I mounted this on the VP9, I have not swapped it or removed it. It has remained mounted through the entire 12,000+ rounds. As a result, I can’t speak to loss of zero based on mounting and re-mounting. I’m running the 407C on a stock HK Optic Plate (#2) and have blue Loctite on the screws.
A Good Sized Window Eases Target Acquisition
The 407C has an ample window for picking up targets and making transitions. The Housing is thicker than some of the other models like the K series or the Carry series, but given the window size, it melts away pretty quickly and doesn’t obscure the target. The optic itself is big enough that it overflows the sides of the slide, and with the plate, can feel like it sits high on the VP9. I could see this being off-putting to some, but it hasn’t bothered me.
Another item that comes up frequently is the blue tint. The 407C has a noticeable blue tint. While it’s not as obvious in the photo, it is easy to notice in person. For some, this is a dealbreaker. Again, this isn’t a but issue for me, and the increased battery life is worth it for me, but it’s something to be aware of.
I’ve had no issues with the window over the 12k round count. It has no scratches or cracks, I’ve had no issues with delamination or the coating coming off, and other than some dust and lint, it looks identical to how it was when I purchased it. I’ve carried it daily for a few years, and while it’s not taken any particular abuse, I have run multiple classes with it and has been subject to the normal wear of the aforementioned round count and daily carry. It has a few scratches and dings on the black housing, the typical cosmetic stuff that comes with regular carry.
Decent Dot That Has Been Eclipsed by Newer Models
The dot is a 2 MOA red dot, and it does what it needs to. It’s relatively easy to acquire and is precise enough to make shots out to 100 yards doable. I’ve noticed that the dot isn’t quite as crisp as some of the newer enclosed dots. The dot on the EPS and EPS Carry look much crisper to my eye, even when comparing the larger 6 MOA dot.
I’ve found brightness to be hit or miss on the 407C. I generally run the dot bright, so it’s visible in direct sunlight. While that works just fine, and it certainly has the brightness to handle direct sun, it blooms really badly in dark settings. Now I can hear what you are about to say already: Of course it blooms badly if you have the brightness too high. And yes, this is true, however I’ve noticed on both my EPS and EPS Carry, I can run the dot on direct sun brightness without it blooming so badly that I can’t see it in the dark. Is this due to the enclosed emitter? A new style of emitter? Chinese magic? I don’t know, but I think it’s worth noting that in comparison to newer models, I prefer the dot and brightness.
Battery Life Is Exactly What You Need
Doing a Holosun 407C X2 review, there is an obligation to talk about battery life. There isn’t much to say about the battery life because it’s been so good. While you should swap batteries every year, I’ve gone two years without a battery change and I’ve had zero issues. The side loading battery tray makes it easy to swap, and despite daily carry, my battery life has been measured in years. I think a big part of this is both the emitter and battery tech, but the shake awake goes a long way. Even if you carry from 7am-7pm every day, that’s still 12 hours where your optic isn’t on every day, which heavily extends the life of the battery. I suspect you could get pretty close to five year rating Holosun gives for this optic.
What about the solar panel? In a word, it’s been pointless. In the few years and thousands of rounds, I’ve never used it. I’ve never needed it. When I did try it out, I found that the brightness was so low as to be unusable in any but the darkest setting, which would then…not activate the solar panel. In short, I just don’t think the solar panel is worth it, and on optics where there is a choice, I’d suggest saving your money and going with the non-solar version.
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But How Has it Held Up?
The Holosun 407C X2 has held up very well for regular use over a few years and 12k+ rounds, however I have started to see issues with it losing zero.
I’ve had a few issues in the time that I ran this optic. All of them were in a class setting, where ther ewas significant shooting. In the first instance, it was a class running some different firing positions. Finishing up a rep, I had two shots hit low, off the target. While I’m not above throwing a shot now and again, I stopped and took a carefully aimed shot and it still dropped. I checked the witness marks and the screws and mount were both good. At that point, I grabbed my multi-tool and clicked the elevation up two clicks. My next shot, as well as that of the instructor was direct on a 1 in square from 7 yards. Two clicks would not have been enough to bring the dot up, given how low I was hitting. Was this just me sucking? The optic? A fleeting issue with the emitter or the turret? I don’t know.
Fast forward to February of 2024, I took Scott Jedlinksi’s 3 day Modern Samurai Project class. On day one, we zeroed the optics and mine was fine. On day two, I started my first drill of the day and was hitting about an inch high. The group was great, literally chewing a hole out of the paper, but just about an inch high. Given I’d just zeroed the gun the day before, it was odd it was hitting so high. It needed a few clicks, but that brought it back into alignment. Fast forward to the next day, I started running a drill and I was hitting left. Again, my group was great, but it was about an inch or two left from where I was aiming. Again, a few clicks over and I was back on target.
It is unlikely these issues would cause a problem in a real defensive circumstance, but they aren’t great to see out of an optic with this age / round count. I’ve got witness marks on my screws and plate, and nothing has shifted.
Given the multiple instances of loss of zero, I will likely be retiring this purely to a training optic / role and putting a different optic on my gun for carry. I would have expected this optic to last longer than 3 years / 12,000 rounds, so we will see how my other Holosun optics fair.
*Update: I’m leaving the below paragraph in italics as it represented my position before the two loss of zero incidents in the class in January.
Other than this one oddity, I’ve not had a single issue with it. Given I’ve had firearms that needed their sights drifted from the factory to get them to accurately hit and I’ve seen students lose front sights, I’m not particularly worried about this from a reliability standpoint. I’ve found the optic to be as reliable as I need, and even in the circumstance in the class above, were this to happen in a real defensive situation, I still would have made hits from 10 yards. I would fully expect this optic to run another few years and over 10k more rounds without issue. *
A note on mounting: I mentioned previously that I run the dot on a stock HK optic plate, and I’ve had zero issue with either the Holosun or the plate backing out. I’ve witness marked the screws on the optic, and they remain firmly in place. I’ve also marked the plate and have seen no shift from it.
Holosun 407C X2 Review – What’s the Verdict?
Ultimately, while I think Holosun 407C X2 is a good optic, I can’t recommend it due to the issues I’ve seen. If you are looking for an open emitter optic, I think the 507 may be a better option. I like the Holosun EPS for a closed emitter, and all things being equal, I’d take the EPS over the 407C. That being said, all things are not equal: The 407C regularly runs for $100 less than the EPS or the 507 Comp. Is that $100 worth it? It depends on your situation. Is money tight? Are you in a situation where you are likely to occlude the optic? Is the dot clarity and brightness transition a big deal to you? Is your gun natively cut for an EPS? Can you live with the potential loss of zero issues after a few years and 12,000 rounds? I don’t know the answer to these questions for you, but for me, I’d take the EPS over it.
As with all gear discussions, gear can be an important enabler, it can remove barriers, but ultimately training trumps gear. Want to get better? Come train with us.
Any gear mentioned in this post was purchased for my personal use. I have not been compensated or incentivized by any company for any product reviews, highlights, or opinions.
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