While searching for an RDS for my p365XL I wasn't able to find a lot of great comparisons between these optics. Much of the information is available, but not all in one place.First, a disclaimer that I'm not going to speak on the durability of either of these optics. I only have a couple hundred rounds through each. It should be mentioned that nothing, either during my time using these optics, nor during my research, did I find any reason to believe they have any widespread issues. I also understand both companies to be quality organizations, both products have great warranties, and I'm sure both Swampfox and Holosun would be quick to fix any legitimate issues you might have. I'm also not going to comment on price, as both products are sold at comparable pricepoints, and actual dollars spent ranges more on what deals you can find than the actual MSRP.SWAMPFOX SENTINEL (AUTO BRIGHTNESS)The fit and finish of the optic is very good. The width is essentially perfect for the p365xl, with zero noticeable overhang on the slide. It's extremely compact, and added zero discomfort or noticeable weight while carrying. The installation was very easy. It was more difficult to remove the stock sight plate from the 365XL (which must be removed via screws underneath the slide) than it was to install the optic.The housing feels thin but strong - and there is an additional metal shroud available to purchase from Swampfox if you want to add strength.The dot itself was a little disappointing to me. The reticle can't be changed, so what's available is a single dot that's slightly larger that I would have wanted, and a slight distortion or noise to the outer edges of the dot itself. Having said that, I'm being very very nitpicky. The dot is more than clear enough to get on target with a sight picture that far exceeds irons.I would categorize my major criticisms of the Sentinel into two categories: it's missing some of the features of the 507k; and the auto brightness. The first category i'll detail in the next section.The auto-brightness feature, for anyone unfamiliar, utilizes a small photo eye on the left side of the optic housing to sense ambient light. It then adjusts the brightness of the dot automatically. This feature is what sold me on the optic initially. I drive quite a bit, and I had some concern that a purely "shake and wake" optic might wake constantly on the road, and drain the battery more quickly. Knowing that when the photo eye is in a holster or car safe, which are both essentially completely dark, the dot would be at minimum brightness, and therefore conserve battery. The problem I have with the feature is twofold:First, during dryfire holster drills (thank you MantisX), every now and then if I mess up my draw and didn't get a good grip, my thumb would find its way onto the photo eye and the dot would basically disappear. This is entirely poor technique on my part, and not a fault of the optic. But, the 365XL is a tiny pistol, and during quick unholstering sometimes you find yourself with a less than perfect grip.Second, and more importantly, when the photo eye senses low ambient light, it dims the dot considerably. This is a real problem when the eye (and you holding the pistol) is in a dark room, looking at a brightly lit target. I initially discovered the problem while doing dryfiring drills in a dark room, aiming into a brightly lit adjacent room. The reticle becomes invisible. A similar effect happens when in a dark room aiming onto a surface that's lit by a bright flashlight. I don't keep a gun-mounted light, but I do practice the "Harries method" with a handheld flashlight, which, being right-handed, places the flashlight on the side opposite the photo eye. So the optic thinks its dark, and adjusts the dot to a point where it's difficult to see. This, to me, is a major issue.I would have simply exchanged the auto brightness version for a manual brightness Sentinel, if it weren't for some of the added features of the 507k. Overall it's a great optic.Holosun 507k v2Fit and finish are quite good. The housing is more substantial than the Sentinel, so there is a slight overhang on either side of the 365XL's slide. However, this doesn't add any noticeable difference in handling or carrying.The reticle can be changed. The version I purchased has three options: a red dot, a circle, and a circle with a dot in the middle. This is a cool feature, however, for me the single dot is by far the most useful. It's tiny and clear and easily visible. The circle reticles however consumes the majority of the glass. This acts as more of an obstruction to the sight picture than a helpful feature for me. For those with aging eyes however, I could see how this could be a positive.The major benefits over the Sentinel are twofold.First, because you need to remove the rear irons of the 365XL in order to mount an optic, you lose the ability to cowitness. That is, the dot is now your only sight option. The 507k however has a notch in the rear of the housing that mimics rear irons. It's not perfect - the "U channel" is much wider than stock irons, so it's not a perfect match with the stock front sight. It's also quite shallow, so you're not able to truly cowitness. It does however do what you need it to do, which is act as an emergency frame of reference for aiming if the optic malfunctions.Second, the battery is side-loading. So while you're likely only going to change the battery once per year or so, you never need to remove and re-zero the optic.ConclusionI'm a fan of both products, but for me, with a 365XL, I'm going to be using the 507k for all the above reasons. I am a fan of Swampfox as a company, and will continue to try their products for other firearms. via /r/CCW https://ift.tt/3hPRNMr
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