10 Best Red Dot Magnifiers in 2024 — Reviews & Top Picks

Last Updated on Jan 03 2024

Red dot sights are fantastic. They allow you to narrow in on your target quickly and can even increase your accuracy. But the limitation to red dot sights has always been their range.

With a red dot magnifier, you eliminate that drawback and get the best of both worlds: a red dot sight that speeds up close-range target acquisition without hindering long-range ability! But with so many choices out there, it can be hard to find the right red dot magnifier for what you need.

That’s why we tracked down and reviewed 10 of the best red dot magnifiers out there and even created a comprehensive buyer’s guide that will walk you through everything that you need to know!

A Quick Comparison of Our Favorites

The 10 Best Red Dot Magnifier — Reviews 2024

1. Falcon V1 3X Red Dot Magnifier — Best Overall /Best 3x Magnifier

If you’re looking for the best combination of price and performance, you’re not going to beat what the Falcon V1 Red Dot Magnifier offers. It comes with everything that you need to mount and use the magnifier, including the flip-out mount that allows you to get it out of the way when shooting at close range.

Another huge perk that this sight offers is the ability to mount with both an absolute co-witness and a 1/3 co-witness mount. Even better, the 2.5″ of eye relief is among the best that you’ll get with a red dot magnifier.

While the optics might not be as crisp as high-end options, this sight is more than enough to get the job done, and it’s far more affordable.

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2. Hammers 30mm Tub Magnifier Scope for Red Dot — Best Value

When you’re looking for the best red dot magnifier for the money, you want the Hammers 30mm Tub Magnifier Scope. It’s an extremely affordable option that’s easy to use. Not only that, but you can also quickly and easily make elevation and windage adjustments without affecting the zero of the scope.

But this is a budget sight for a reason, and the most significant factor is that it only comes with 2″ of eye relief. Even for a red dot magnifier, that’s incredibly sharp. Moreover, this sight doesn’t come with a flip-up mount, meaning it’s not easy to go back to a 1x magnification without the scope if you don’t need the extra power.

While you can invest in a flip mount to use with this sight, that adds to the cost. Overall, though, for the price, it’s a solid choice.

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3. Sig Sauer Juliet6 Red Dot Magnifier — Premium Choice

If you’re not worried about how much your new red dot magnifier will cost, it’s hard to beat the Sig Sauer Juliet6 Red Dot Magnifier. Unlike most magnifiers that only give you 3x magnification, this one gives you an impressive 6x power.

But all that extra power restricts eye relief a bit, bringing it down to 2.3″. While that’s not a ton, it is still about average for a red dot magnifier. Also, while this sight is undoubtedly expensive, it does come with a lifetime warranty, and the included 90-degree mount is top-notch. It allows you to quickly and easily slide the mount of the way so you can make both close and long-range shots with ease!

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4. Feyachi M36 1.5X — 5X Red Dot Sight Optics Magnifier

Feyachi is known for budget sights, and its red dot magnifier certainly fits the bill. It’s an affordably priced option that comes with a few extra features, despite the overall lower quality.

First, it’s the only red dot magnifier on this list that has an adjustable magnification option. It starts as low as 1.5x power, but it can go all the way up to an impressive 5x magnification.

However, while the lower power setting has adequate eye relief at 3.6″, when you reach maximum power, the 2.2″ eye relief is a bit sharp. But the biggest problem with this package is the mount. While it’s easy to flip out of the way, it’s lower quality and doesn’t allow you to use a 1/3 co-witness mount or lower.

In fact, unless you’re using an absolute co-witness setup, you’re better off going with a different red dot magnifier.

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5. AT3 Tactical RD-50 Red Dot Sight + 3X RRD Magnifier

When it comes to incredible deals, the AT3 Tactical Red Dot Sight and Magnifier combo may raise a few eyebrows. That’s because while it’s expensive, if you don’t need the red dot sight when considering the whole package, it’s a great deal.

Both the red dot sight and the magnifier are top-notch and come with a lifetime warranty. Moreover, the magnifier mount is easy to flip out of the way, and the entire setup is easy to use. The magnifier has 2.4″ of eye relief, which is a decent amount for a red dot magnifier.

If you still need a red dot sight and want a magnifier, you’re not going to beat this combo deal.

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6. Vortex Optics Micro 3X Red Dot Sight Magnifier

A huge name in the optics industry is Vortex Optics. With products like its 3x red dot sight magnifier, it’s not hard to see why. It comes with a lifetime warranty, but the product is such high quality, you’ll likely never need it.

Both the mount and sight are top-notch, and the optics has an impressive 2.64″ of eye relief. This magnifier is a bit expensive, but it’s worth every penny and is the last magnifier that you’ll ever need to purchase.

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7. Leapers FTS Magnifier with Red Dot Sight Combo

The Leapers FTS Magnifier and Red Dot Sight Combo is an outstanding deal. It comes with both the red dot sight and the magnifier, and it’s incredibly affordable if you need both.

But while this is an affordable combo, the 2″ of eye relief that the magnifier provides is more than a little sharp. Still, this isn’t a bad combo set; the only problem is that better sets exist and are available at a similar price.

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8. TAC Vector Optics Rubber Armored 3X Magnifier Red Dot Sight

An affordably priced option is the TAC Vector Optics Rubber Armored 3x Magnifier. While every other magnifier on this list comes with a Picatinny rail mount, this sight uses a Weaver mount. This is a less popular option, but if that’s what is on your weapon, you won’t need an adapter with this sight.

Moreover, the 2.4″ of eye relief is generous for a red dot magnifier, though it’s far from perfect. The biggest drawback to this sight is the mount itself. No matter what you do, it wiggles when you fire. It’s usable, but we recommend upgrading the mount at some point.

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9. TMS Tactical 3X Magnifier Scope Red Dot Sight

The TMS Tactical 3x Magnifier is an affordably priced option that delivers bright and clear images at 3x magnification. However, the mount that it comes with is extremely subpar. You can flip it out of the way, but it struggles to stay in place shot after shot. Still, you can always upgrade the mount; what you can’t upgrade is the eye relief.

This magnifier has a ridiculously short 1.75″ of eye relief, and that renders the entire optic almost unusable. You may not be spending much for it, but you’re also not getting much out of it.

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10. Meprolight 3X Magnifier Reflex/Red Dot Sights

The Meprolight 3X magnifier is not a terrible magnifier — in fact, it’s a reasonably good one. But this is a ridiculously expensive magnifier, even though it doesn’t do anything special.

It comes with a lifetime warranty and is bright and easy to see through. But other magnifiers offer this and don’t cost as much. The final nail in the coffin for the Meprolight 3x magnifier is the 2.2″ of eye relief. While that’s not the worst eye relief out there, you expect more if you’re spending this much.

Buyer’s Guide

If you’re looking for your first red dot magnifier or if you simply don’t know which specs matter, it can be hard to figure out what you need from the reviews alone. That’s why we created this comprehensive buyer’s guide to walk you through everything that you need to know before you order your red dot magnifier.

Why Do You Want a Red Dot Magnifier?

The most significant drawback for red dot sights has always been that they only come at 1x magnification. While adding a red dot magnifier won’t give you the same versatility that red dot sights offer at closer ranges, it does transform your red dot sight into a mid-range traditional sight.

So, you can still maintain all the perks that a red dot sight gives you at close range, and when you’re trying to shoot a target that’s farther out, you can switch to a magnifier to get the best of both worlds!

Mounting Your Magnifier

Before you order a magnifier, you need to ensure that you can mount it to your current setup. There are three different things that you need to check before doing so.

First, you need to ensure that the mounting system on your weapon matches the mounting system of the magnifier. Every magnifier on this list, except the TAC Vector Optics Rubber Armored 3X Magnifier Red Dot Sight, comes with a Picatinny rail mounting system. (The TAC Vector sight utilizes a Weaver mounting system.) If the mounting system doesn’t match, you’re not entirely out of luck; you’ll just need to purchase an adapter to make it work.

Second, you need to ensure that there are enough rails left on your weapon to mount your magnifier. This is rarely a problem with rifles, but if you’re looking to add a magnifier to a smaller pistol, it might be an issue.

Finally, you need to ensure that there is enough clearance to mount the magnifier. Unlike red dot sights that often come with low-profile mounts, most red dot magnifiers sit higher on your weapon. Since they need to line up with the red dot sight, that means you’ll likely need at least a 1/3 co-witness mount for your red dot sight. However, some red dot magnifiers require an absolute co-witness mount, so make sure you have what you need before ordering one.

Why You Want a Flip-Out Mount

By far, the most common type of mount for a red dot magnifier is the flip-out mount. There’s a reason that it’s the most popular, and that’s because it’s exactly what you want. These mounts allow you to “flip” the magnifier out of the way when you don’t need the extra magnification. Otherwise, when you add a red dot magnifier, you lose all the perks of a traditional red dot sight!

So, even though flip-out mounts typically require you to have a higher mount, it’s well worth the tradeoff, and it’s precisely what you want.

How Much Magnification Do You Need?

Unlike traditional scopes that come in tons of different magnification ranges, red dot magnifiers have a far more limited magnification range. Because of this, you shouldn’t expect to hit ultra-long-range targets, even with a red dot magnifier.

That’s why most red dot magnifiers come with a 3x magnification range. That’s enough to allow you to mid-range targets, but it’s not going to transform your weapon into a long-range machine.

However, if you are able and willing to spend a little more money, the Sig Sauer sight doubles that magnification to 6x. That gives you far more versatility.

What Is Eye Relief and How Much Do You Need?

Eye relief is one of the most important factors that you need to consider whenever you’re purchasing any optics. Eye relief refers to the distance that you need between your eye and the sight to get a clear picture.

This is an important distance because if you don’t have enough, the recoil from your weapon will send the optic straight into your eye.

While red dot sights offer unlimited eye relief, as soon as you add magnification, that’s no longer possible. Another drawback to red dot magnifiers compared to traditional scopes is the fact that they offer much sharper eye relief.

So, while we prefer eye relief of at least 3″ with a traditional scope, that’s simply not possible with a red dot magnifier. Instead, if you can get close to 2.5″ of eye relief, you’ve found a great choice.

The bare minimum that we suggest to keep yourself from accidentally smacking yourself in the face with the sight is 2″. We don’t recommend adding a red dot magnifier to a shotgun because the recoil is too much and will likely result in an injury.

A Note on Warranties

Anytime that you’re purchasing a new optic, you need to take a look at the warranty. While every company swears up and down that its product will last, only those that offer a warranty actually make any guarantees.

Without a warranty, if anything happens outside of the return window, you’re out of luck. That’s why almost all the top choices on this list come with a lifetime warranty. This is a big deal for a few reasons.

First, you don’t have to worry about replacing your magnifier, no matter what happens. While you might be spending a little more money now, it’s almost always a better deal in the long run. Moreover, the company doesn’t want to deal with the warranty process any more than you do.

Because of all this, the chances of you getting a high-quality product the first time will skyrocket with a lifetime warranty. Products with lifetime warranties offer fewer headaches and more savings over the long run, which is why they get a huge boost on the list.

Avoid the Scams

While we only source reputable brands and companies, that doesn’t mean you’re completely immune from scams. As long as you inspect your product as soon as you get it, though, you’ll be good to go.

There’s a popular scam that involves ordering a high-end product on Amazon while ordering a knock-off of the same product on a site like eBay at the same time. When the genuine article arrives, they “return” the knock-off to Amazon and hope that the warehouse employee doesn’t notice the difference.

Amazon is aware of the problem and is doing a better job cracking down on this, but it is something that you need to keep an eye on. All you need to do is inspect your product as soon as you get it, and if you have any problems, simply message Amazon, and they’ll resolve the issue for you and get you the genuine article.

Conclusion

Hopefully, our reviews helped you narrow down the perfect red dot magnifier for your weapon, but if you’re still a little unsure, why not go with the Falcon V1 3X Red Dot Magnifier? It’s our top choice for a reason, as it expertly combines performance and price.

But if you’re looking to save a few bucks, the Hammers 30mm Tub Magnifier Scope for Red Dot is an extremely affordable choice. No matter which optic you choose, you’ll be transforming your weapon into something more versatile, so what are you waiting for?

You might also be interested in: 10 Best Red Dot Sights under $300 – Reviews & Top Picks