Editors’ Picks 2019: Leupold Freedom RDS

posted on March 27, 2019
** When you buy products through the links on our site, we may earn a commission that supports NRA's mission to protect, preserve and defend the Second Amendment. **
edpicks17.jpg

Leupold’s Freedom RDS is the embodiment of rugged reliability. A 1X 34 mm tubular red-dot sight, the Leupold DNA is obvious in the optic’s aesthetics—including the gold ring—and more importantly in its durability. A friend at Leupold made no bones about the fact that the Freedom RDS is so tough that the company’s heavy-recoil testing apparatus, nicknamed “The Punisher,” would likely break down before the red-dot if the two were paired in an endurance duel to the death. The scope comes ready for use in a robust rail mount that would be equally at home atop an AR rifle platform or a big-bore revolver. It features a 1-m.o.a. red, illuminated-dot reticle with eight brightness settings—controlled by the left-side activation button—and 1/4-m.o.a. adjustments for windage and elevation are facilitated by a capped turret and exposed, target-style dial, respectively. Leupold will also offer the Freedom RDS with a custom bullet-drop elevation dial calibrated for the .223 Rem. cartridge. The RDS is powered by a 2032 battery, and energy is conserved with Leupold’s proven motion-sensor technology which automatically turns the dot on and off based on movement. Best of all, the base model for this do-anything red-dot has a suggested price of just $299. leupold.com

Latest

IHTOG 1854 Lorenz Jagerstutzen 1
IHTOG 1854 Lorenz Jagerstutzen 1

I Have This Old Gun: Model 1854 Lorenz Jägerstutzen

The Austrian Lorenz Jägerstutzen was a unique variant of sharpshooting rifle that made it stateside during the American Civil War.

SHIELD Sights Celebrates 40 Years of Red-Dot Optics Innovation

SHIELD Sights is celebrating its 40th anniversary, marking four decades of British engineering, innovation and contributions to the evolution of modern red-dot optics.

TX Maxed: The Taurus TXM in 5.7x28 mm and .22 WMR

Using its TX series architecture yet again, Taurus is adding the 5.7x28 mm and .22 WMR to its chambering options with the new-for-2026 TXM.

Review: Federal's 6.5 Creedmoor +Peak Ammunition

Federal’s new 6.5 Creedmoor +Peak takes a long-range staple even farther.

New for 2026: Pulsar Thermion 3 Riflescope

Pulsar’s newest thermal scope offers longer range, sharper detail and expanded functionality.

AKs In The USA: The Current State of the American AK Platform

Despite it being the primary rifle of the enemy for most of its existence, American shooters have nonetheless warmed to the AK platform, creating an unlikely love story.

Interests



Get the best of American Rifleman delivered to your inbox.