Sightmark MTS Mini Solar red dot sight
Sightmark’s MTS Mini Solar red dot sight offers near-unparalleled operational capabilities thanks to its double power source, with a powerful solar panel backing up the battery
Sightmark MTS Mini Solar red dot sight
Sightmark was one of the very first companies in the field of sport optics to integrate solar power in their products as a back-up to battery power, and definitely the first to make it an effective, solid feature that would meet the ever-changing needs of users instead of keeping it confined to little more than an inefficient, curious gimmick good for advertisement and not much else like a few others did.
The Sightmark MTS Mini Solar red dot sight, an evolution of the Element Mini Solar model, is a prime example of how Sightmark was able to elaborate and perfect the integration of solar power on their red dot sights dedicated to hunting and defensive firearms as well as to modern sporting rifles and Police patrol rifles.
The Sightmark MTS Mini Solar is definitely a diminutive package, being built on a matte black aircraft-grade aluminum alloy chassis that’s 75 mm / 2.96” long, just short of 7 cm / 2.71” high and 41 mm / 1.64” high, weighing in at just 156 grams (5.5 oz). Despite the size and weight, the MTS Mini Solar will perform just as well on battue hunting rifles and shotguns as on pistol-caliber carbines, short-barrel rifles and AR-15 or AKM-based semi-automatic modern sporting or patrol rifles – and being IP67 certified to withstand immersion in water, to be dustproof, and to withstand recoil up to .338 Winchester Magnum, this small red dot sight can definitely take a beating and soldier on.
The glare-proof 22mm lenses are protected by flip-down black synthetic lens covers. Controls are extremely simple on this one: two capped, 1-MOA-per-click turrets, located on top and on the right side of the body, allow the 3 MOA red dot to be adjusted on a 120 MOA range in elevation and on a 160 MOA range in windage.
Two rubberized buttons located on the left side of the body allow the users to manually turn on or off the red dot, and to set it brightness to ten different levels. Additionally, the MTS Mini Solar sight integrates Sightmark’s exclusive Eclipse Light Management System (ELMS, first introduced in 2020 with the Sightmark Volta red dot sight) that will automatically adjust brightness depending on environmental light conditions.
This means that hunters on the field, sport shooters at the range and law enforcement officers on patrol will find their optics adjusting automatically to match changing situations, always offering the best balance between power consumption and visibility without requiring the user to fumble with buttons when there’s no time to waste.
A small solar panel built-in on top of the MTS Mini Solar sight body also dubs as the environmental light sensor for the ELMS system; the main power source consists of a single commercial CR2032 “button” type battery, hosted in a compartment with a hinged door on the right side that can be accessed without requiring the removal of the Sightmark MTS Mini Solar from the firearm it’s mated to.
Thanks to the seamless integration of battery and solar power sources, when used outdoors in most conditions the Sightmark MTS Mini Solar can work on solar power alone without draining the battery. Depending on the selected brightness setting for the red dot and on the environmental light conditions, a single CR2032 battery can offer from as little as 150 hours upwards to 200,000 hours (that’s well over 20 years!) of continuous runtime.
The Sightmark MTS Mini Solar red dot sight comes issued with two Picatinny mounting options: a flush-fit interface and a cantilever, absolute co-witness raised interface that’s perfect for modern sporting or patrol rifles and for use with accessories such as flip-to-side magnifiers, clip-on thermal or night vision devices, and more.
Sightmark’s technology and manufacturing did a complete 180 in the past decade; from being known for their somewhat lackluster quality, Sightmark’s optics have grown to earn a reputation as solid budget mid-range market alternatives that will satisfy the needs of a vast majority of commercial users when it comes to hunting, sport shooting, duty, or personal and home/property protection – and the MTS Mini Solar red dot sight is no exception.
