7 Best Red Dot for Ruger 10/22 Charger

Shoot like a pro: Unveil 5 Best Red Dot for Ruger 10/22 Charger in 2023.

I’ve spent significant time in the range, honing my skills and experimenting with various firearm accessories. Over the years, my Ruger 10/22 Charger and I have been on countless adventures together. 

I’ve been through different of sights, each promising to be the game-changer. But amid the sea of options, one red dot sight truly delivered an unrivaled shooting experience – the Trijicon SRO. It emerged as a clear winner, and today, I’ll take you through why it was my top pick.

This blog aims to help you make an informed choice by sharing hands-on experiences, critical insights, and the unique advantages of these sights.

My Top 7 Best Ruger 10/22 Charger Red Dot Sights

1. Trijicon SRO – My Top Pick

The Trijicon SRO is a high-end, robust reflex sight built for precision, speed, and easy usability.

Durable Construction: The 7075 T6 Aluminum housing of Trijicon SRO offers top-of-the-line durability, making it nearly indestructible.

Exceptional Field of View: The SRO’s large, unobstructive field of view offers a crystal clear image, allowing you to precisely spot your target.

Red Dot Variations: With three different dot sizes – 1 MOA, 2.5 MOA, and 5 MOA – you can choose the perfect dot size for your shooting style and conditions.

Easy Access Battery: The top-loading battery design allows for quick and convenient battery changes without having to remove the optic.

Adjustable Illumination Control: Easy-to-adjust illumination controls with 8 levels provide optimum visibility in a variety of lighting conditions.

Why I love it: The Trijicon SRO impresses me with its combination of robust construction, ease of use, and innovative features. The clear red dot, the broad field of view, and the battery design are just unbeatable.

My Experience

From my personal experience using it with my 10/22, the Trijicon SRO performs exceptionally well in diverse shooting conditions. Whether it’s long-range shooting or speedy target acquisition, this sight has always come through.

Pros

• Extremely sturdy and durable construction
• Large and clear field of view
• Clear and precise red dot in three size variations
• Convenient top-loading battery design
• Easily adjustable illumination controls

Cons

• Quite pricey, which might be a concern for some.

2. Sig Sauer Romeo 5 – Best Optical Clarity

The Sig Sauer Romeo5 is a versatile, reliable, and budget-friendly red dot sight that offers excellent performance in various conditions and lighting settings.

Spectra-Coat Lens: The Romeo5 uses a Spectra-coat, an ultra-wide broadband, anti-reflection lens coating that reduces surface reflections for an optimal light transmission, offering impressive clarity and visibility.

Bright and Adjustable Red Dot: With its crisp and adjustable red dot, the Romeo5 delivers excellent target acquisition speed and precision, providing a significant edge in both close quarters and medium-range engagements.

High Durability: With its shockproof, waterproof, and weatherproof design, the Romeo5 demonstrates exceptional ruggedness and durability, ensuring reliable performance even in the harshest conditions.

Easy Elevation and Windage Adjustment: The elevation and windage turrets are very easy to adjust, with the screw-on covers serving as a makeshift tool for tweaking, making zeroing and maintaining accuracy a breeze.

Why I Love It: I am particularly impressed by the Romeo5’s MOTAC feature. The fact that the sight automatically turns on when I pick up my Ruger 10/22 Charger and shuts off when idle is an ingenious energy-saving feature that I absolutely love.

My Experience

In my weeks of testing the Romeo5, I found it to be an excellent sight for the Ruger 10/22 Charger. It proved itself to be highly reliable, offered clear visibility in different light conditions, and its robust construction held up under heavy use.

Pros

• Excellent optical clarity with Spectra-coat lens
• Adjustable red dot for customized targeting
• Easy elevation and windage adjustment

Cons

• Limited reticle options
• Battery can be a bit tricky to remove
• Some users might find the dot too large for ultra-precision shooting

3. Burris Fastfire III – Best Compact Optic

The Burris Fastfire III is a versatile, compact red dot sight with a rugged design and superb optics for all types of shooting activities.

Optics Quality: The Fastfire III boasts high-grade optical glass providing excellent brightness and clarity. The Hi-Lume multi-coating ensures great performance even in low-light conditions while effectively eliminating glare.

Brightness Settings: The Fastfire III has three manual brightness settings and an automatic setting that adjusts the intensity of the dot based on the environment’s lighting, ensuring a clear view of the dot in different lighting conditions.

Unlimited Eye Relief: Designed for unlimited eye relief, the Fastfire III allows you to shoot with both eyes open, a great advantage for situational awareness.

Durability: This unit is built to withstand tough conditions. It is waterproof, resistant to recoil, and has proven its robustness even after dropping from considerable heights.

Why I love it: I love the Burris Fastfire III for its blend of performance, durability, and value. The crisp, round red dot, clear optics, and unlimited eye relief combined with its durability and lightweight design makes it a favorite.

My Experience

Throughout my usage on the Ruger 10/22, I found the Fastfire III reliable and easy to use, with a clear, bright dot that held zero well. I’ve tried it on different firearms and it has consistently delivered excellent performance. 

Pros

• High-quality optics with Hi-Lume multi-coating
• Compact and lightweight design
• Durability and water-resistant
• Top-access battery cover for easy battery replacement
• Burris Forever Warranty

Cons

• The unit has to be cycled through all brightness settings to turn off
• Limited reticle choice
• Battery compartment can be hard to access

4. Vortex Crossfire II – Best Value for Money

The Vortex Optics Crossfire is a robust, functional, and cost-effective red dot sight designed for quick target acquisition and consistent accuracy.

Clear Glass and Crisp Reticle: The Vortex Crossfire boasts high-quality optics, offering clear glass and a sharp, 2 MOA red dot reticle for precision and quick target acquisition.

Durability: With a waterproof and fog-proof O-ring seal and sturdy construction, the Crossfire stands up to harsh conditions without compromising performance.

Adjustable Brightness: With 11 different brightness settings, including two that are night-vision compatible, the Crossfire adapts easily to various lighting conditions.

Exceptional Battery Life: The Crossfire’s CR2032 battery can last up to an incredible 50,000 hours, significantly reducing the need for frequent battery replacements.

Why I love it: What sets the Crossfire apart for me is its balance of performance, durability, and affordability. It offers clear optics, withstands demanding conditions, and remains reliable, all while staying budget-friendly.

My Experience

During my time with the Crossfire, I found it to be a solid performer in various shooting scenarios. From close-range quick target acquisition to precise long-distance shooting, the sight exceeded my expectations.

Pros

• High-quality, clear optics with a sharp 2 MOA reticle.
• Exceptional battery life lasting up to 50,000 hours.
• Robust, waterproof, and fog-proof construction.
• Adjustability for various lighting conditions with 11 brightness settings.

Cons

• The illumination knob’s placement and limited rotation could be improved.
• The sight window could be larger for an improved field of view.
• The sight’s housing is a bit bulky and takes up a fair amount of down range field of view.

5. Vortex Strikefire II – Versatile Reticle Option

The Vortex Strikefire II is an affordable yet high-performing red dot sight, offering robust construction, clarity, and versatility for your Ruger 10/22 Charger.

Exceptional Clarity: Thanks to its fully multi-coated lenses, the Strikefire II offers super clear glass clarity, enhancing your ability to identify and engage targets.

Flexible Reticle: This scope uses a 4 MOA red dot reticle that can switch to green, accommodating those with specific vision issues and offering versatility in various lighting conditions.

Durable Construction: Crafted from an aluminum alloy, this scope is not just strong but also lightweight. O-ring seals and nitrogen purging make it waterproof and fogproof, respectively.

User-friendly Controls: The on/off button and brightness adjustment buttons are conveniently located, making it easy to adjust settings even while looking through the scope.

Parallax-Free: The Strikefire II offers a parallax-free experience, ensuring quick and accurate targeting.

Why I love it: I love the Vortex Strikefire II for its performance, durability, and ease of use. It’s simple to set up and adjust, offers a clear view, and works in various weather conditions. The option to switch from red to green dot is a great addition, making it versatile and user-friendly.

My Experience

Using the Strikefire II on my Ruger 10/22 was a breeze. The clarity was great, and the dot was easy to see in all light conditions. The setup was straightforward, and the scope held zero excellently even after several rounds.

Pros

• Super clear glass clarity
• User-friendly controls
• Durable and weather-resistant
• Versatile with red and green dot reticle
• Holds zero well

Cons

• The location of the on/off button may be less convenient for left-handed shooters
• Potential lens flare at certain angles.

6. Vortex Venom – Highly Durable

The Vortex Optics Venom is a compact, lightweight, and durable red dot sight with crystal clear visuals and long battery life.

Top-grade Aluminum Construction: Built from 6061-T6 Aluminum, this sight is rust-resistant and promises increased durability. It’s also shockproof and water-resistant, making it a reliable companion in various weather conditions.

Lightweight and Compact: Weighing only 1.1 ounces the Venom is a convenient carry. Its size doesn’t compromise its performance and is perfect for mounting on both long guns and handguns.

High-Quality Glass Clarity: Equipped with a broad field of vision, this sight offers exceptional clarity. Its lens is coated with a multi-layered anti-reflective sealant that maximizes light transmission, offering a clear sight even in challenging lighting conditions.

Convenient Battery Access and Longevity: The Venom uses a CR-1632 battery which lasts between 150 to 30,000 hours based on the illumination setting. Additionally, the battery compartment is conveniently located on top, allowing for easy replacement without the need to remove the sight.

Why I love it: The Vortex Optics Venom offers a blend of performance and value. It’s packed with features that are hard to find in its price range. Whether it’s the excellent battery life, the superior build quality, or the clear optics, the Venom delivers on every front.

My Experience

During my testing period on the Ruger 10/22, the sight was consistent, dependable, and held its zero admirably even after 100 rounds. I found the automatic and manual brightness settings very useful, helping me to adjust quickly according to the lighting conditions.

Pros

• Durable and lightweight
• Excellent battery life with top-loading access
• Clear and broad field of vision
• Affordable price for its range of features

Cons

• Protective cover could be improved
• Slightly small viewing window
• The CR-1632 battery can be challenging to find
• Battery compartment is tightly packed.

7. Bushnell Trophy TRS-25 – Budget Friendly

The Bushnell Trophy TRS-25 is a compact, affordable, and durable red dot sight offering high performance and value.

Multi-Coated Lens: The lens has a multi-coating that gives excellent clarity and contrast, ideal for all lighting conditions. It features an Amber-Bright high contrast lens coating, which helps reduce reflections.

3 MOA Red Dot Reticle: The red dot is small, clear, and perfect for rapid target acquisition without obscuring your target. The sight also comes with 11 brightness settings, allowing for versatility in different lighting environments.

Unlimited Eye Relief: With unlimited eye relief, the TRS-25 allows for comfortable viewing and easy two-eye use, no matter the distance between your eye and the scope.

Weatherproof Construction: The TRS-25 is entirely waterproof and fog-proof, thanks to O-ring seals and nitrogen purging. It’s sturdy enough to handle any weather conditions, which makes it an excellent companion for outdoor shooting sessions.

3,000 Hour Battery Life: With a battery life of up to 3,000 hours on a single CR2032 battery, you’ll have plenty of use before needing a replacement.

Why I Love it: I appreciate the TRS-25 for its high-quality features at a budget-friendly price. Its remarkable durability, combined with the clear reticle and multi-coated lens, makes it a go-to sight for any shooting scenario.

My Experience

My experience with the TRS-25 on my Ruger 10/22 has been fantastic. The unlimited eye relief provides a comfortable shooting experience. Despite the budget-friendly price, this sight has weatherproofing features typically found in more expensive models.

Pros

• Affordable without compromising quality
• Clear 3 MOA red dot with 11 brightness settings
• Durable and weatherproof design
• Unlimited eye relief for comfortable viewing
• High battery life

Cons

• The red dot can become a bit fuzzy at the highest brightness settings
• The elevation and windage adjustments are coarser than in some other scopes

Final Verdict

After thorough testing and extensive use of various red dot sights on my Ruger 10/22 Charger, I have reached a final verdict. Among the options discussed, the Trijicon SRO emerges as the clear winner and my top choice. 

If you prioritize top-notch performance and are willing to invest in a high-end sight, the Trijicon SRO is the ultimate winner and my recommended choice. 

Ultimately, the best red dot sight for your Ruger 10/22 Charger will depend on your individual shooting style, preferences, and budget. Consider factors such as construction quality, field of view, reticle options, ease of use, and price. Each of the reviewed sights has its unique advantages, making them suitable for different shooting scenarios.

FAQs

Should I put a red dot on my 10/22?

If you use your Ruger 10/22 for close-range applications, then you need a red dot. It’s cheaper, lighter, and acquires targets faster.

What is the best red dot dot size?

The best red dot dot size depends on your shooting goals. A 3 MOA dot offers a balance between precision and speed, while larger dot sizes like 6 MOA are easier to find quickly.

What size red dot is best for a handgun?

The most popular MOA size for a pistol-mounted red dot sight is 6 MOA. It allows for quick target acquisition and is easy to find when drawing the handgun.

What size red dot is best for self-defense?

For self-defense, a red dot sight with a 3 or 3.5 MOA reticle offers a good balance between precision and speed. It allows for accurate shots within the standard parameters of a handgun.