On The Range With The RMR

by
posted on September 28, 2011
** 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. **
keefe2015_fs.jpg (1)

While reflex sights are regularly used in competitions from Camp Perry to the Bianchi Cup, you don’t see them very often on law enforcement or defensive handguns. Michigan-based Trijicon—maker of the ACOG (Advanced Combat Optical Gunsight)—is hoping to change that with its RMR. In case you aren’t familiar with it, RMR stands for Ruggedized Miniature Reflex sight, introduced last year.

The benefits of using a reflex sight are obvious, as you are able to use a single reference point in a single focal plane to align the handgun on the target. This helps competitors get Xs—especially as their eyes get older—but they can be quick to acquire and can aid an armed citizen or police officer in getting a precise shot on target, even from a less-than-optimum angle. If you can see the dot through the RMR, you can put a bullet there.

The downsides to reflex sights on handguns have been that they obtrusive or not sturdy enough for duty use. On the RMR, Trijicon makes the housing out of the same forged aluminum as used on the ACOG, and with unit measuring only 45 mm in length and weighing 1.2 ounces (with the battery), it handily answers both concerns. Also its top is square, not rounded, so it holds up to abuse. I have broken a couple of the curved-topped units of varying quality on carbines.

Putting a reflex sight on a carbine or a shotgun has become commonplace, but not so much when it comes to defensive or law enforcement handguns. Trijicon is working with handgun makers to cut dovetails or relieve portions of the slide to lower the height of the unit. This would get the sight closer to the bore axis, which is always a good thing.

There are three different methods of illumination offered on the fully windage and elevation adjustable RMRs, starting, of course, with tritium and fiber optics. Then there is battery-powered, fixed-brightness LED and then my favorite, a battery-powered LED with eight different brightness settings. There are also different-sized dots available for each, with the 6.5 m.o.a. being my favorite.

The RMRs are not cheap ($550 to $675) and there is a little learning curve, but the RMR helps me do what my fading eyes sometime don’t allow—acquire a crisp and fast sight picture.

I was recently on the range at the Crucible in Fredericksburg, Va., with the guys from Trijicon, getting some familiarization on the Ruggedized Miniature Reflex Sight, and you can see Trijicon’s Tom Munson briefing me on the RMR and some range time with it in the accompanying video. Also we learned about some new products we are unable to talk about—yet. Check back here October 10 to see what’s next from Trijicon.

Latest

Taurus Expedition Rifleman Review 1
Taurus Expedition Rifleman Review 1

Rifleman Review: Taurus Expedition

Taurus entered the bolt-action rifle market with its Expedition, a Remington 700-pattern design that's built to be versatile and affordable.

New For 2025: Charter Arms Pathfinder II

Charter Arms updated one of the oldest models in its lineup with the new Pathfinder II, which features a lightweight 7075 aluminum frame, making it more well-balanced and easier to carry.

Review: Kimber 2K11

The 2011-style pistol was designed to address the capacity limitations of the single-stack M1911 platform, and Kimber's approach to the concept is its 2K11, a competition-ready offering with several notable features.

Favorite Firearms: A High-Flying Hi-Standard “A-D”

Manufactured in New Haven, Conn., in late 1940, this Hi-Standard pistol was shipped as a Model “A,” but a heavier Model “D” barrel was installed later to replace the original, light barrel, leading one American Rifleman reader to call it a Model “A-D.”

Ruger Helps Families In Need Through The Kids & Clays Foundation

In the effort to help tens of thousands of critically ill children and their families across the nation through local Ronald McDonald Houses, Ruger is among some of the industry’s foremost Platinum-level sponsors of The Kids & Clays Foundation.

Unlocking The Future: Smith & Wesson's "No Lock" Revolvers

The future is shaping up to be a good one for fans of Smith & Wesson revolvers. The iconic American company had released 14 new models thus far in 2025 at the time this was written mid-year. And, with one exception, they have all shared a common feature—no internal lock.

Interests



Get the best of American Rifleman delivered to your inbox.