Is the Pinty Pro Micro Red Dot worth the money?
I’ll get right to the point here: No, this optic is hot garbage.
It’s MSRPs at $40, and boy, that’s exactly what it’s worth. Maybe even less. I probably wouldn’t even buy it in the first place.
As always, I have the compulsive need to talk about why cheap optics are not something to be relied on for personal defense.
They perform well in the short term sometimes, but their long-term reliability is shaky at best.
This optic, however, will not be able to be tested in the long term since it shattered during my very first drop test, from waist height no less.
Let me show you…
Here’s my Pinty Pro Micro Red Dot Sight 3 MOA Review
| Features | Micro Red Dot |
|---|---|
| Brand | Pinty |
| Color | Black |
| Magnification Range | 1x |
| Reticle Type | Dot |
| Illumination | Yes |
| Weight | 3.3 Oz |
| Length | 2.3 in |
| Fog Proof | Resistant |
| Waterproof | Resistant |
| Shockproof | Resistant |
Glass Clarity and Dot
Glass clarity was one of the first issues I had with this optic.
The glass itself is fine, although it does have a good bit of a greenish-blue film. It’s not overly distracting or hard to use, just something worth mentioning.
The issue is that the shooter side glass is annoyingly reflective.
It’s pretty distracting to have the entire back half of your optic reflected on your glass.
I will say it wasn’t quite as bad during the day, but lower light settings will cause some issues with this.
The dot is fine. It’s a dot, it’s red. Nothing too special here.
Mounting Options
This red comes equipped with a picatinny rail mount that can be removed for direct mounting to a pistol.
I tested this optic on a rifle so I’m only focused on the picatinny mounting option.
At first, it felt solid, with no play at all, which is more than I can say for a lot of cheaper optics.
But all good things must come to an end. A couple of magazines of 5.56 was all it took to rattle this thing loose.
Beyond that was the fact that after my first drop test the optic was real close to straight-up falling off my rifle. More on that later.
Accuracy and Zero
Coming hot off the heels of my Ozark Armament LPVO review, the Pinty Red Dot (does this optic even have an official name?) was a breath of fresh, but brief, air.
Like many cheap optics, zeroing this thing in was a hassle. I think I just hate zeroing optics.
The unspoken problem with this is getting a good zero cost ammo. If you’re buying cheap optics, you might also not have the cash to blow on ammo.
Optics that are inconsistent during the zeroing process is literally costing you more money the longer you need to putz around with the dials.
You’re shooting cash down range.
Once I got dialed in at 25 yards, I could contain my rage at the zeroing process and get to work.
Groups were decent at around an inch or so. This is a 3.5 MOA optic, so this isn’t a precision shooter’s tool.
It was honestly perfect in that short little period. I won’t lie, it feels good to put holes in paper with an absolute lemon of a sight.
Things changed rather abruptly at the 200-round mark.
My dot just shut off. I gave it a good couple of smacks, but no dice. This put me in a rather foul mood. I’m not the only one this has happened to either.
Once you get past all the airsofters’ reviews (no offense, I love airsoft) and potentially paid reviews, you’ll find that this is an alarmingly common problem.
I try to give every optic at least 1000 rounds, but this thing wouldn’t even let me get a quarter of the way through my testing.
That leads me to today’s biggest headline…
Durability
Oh boy, there’s a lot I want to say and none of it is professional or appropriate.
Up to this point, I haven’t had this many catastrophic failures on an optic.
Having an optic shut off on you randomly while you’re just casually plinking is a huge red flag. And I’m saying that as a seasoned red flag ignorer.
You don’t even want to know about the drop test: it was absolutely atrocious, shameful even.
A single drop from shoulder height basically exploded the Pinty red dot, turning my cheap little sight into a glass bomb.
The top of the housing was completely caved in.
I was honest-to-God surprised by this. I’ve never had an optic pop like this.
I reckon this is what you get when you only spend $40 on an optic.
At no point should you be considering this optic for anything outside of airsoft. Maybe you can get away with putting it in a .22, but if you drop it, you’re out of luck.
You can’t hedge your bets on this thing.
It could be the best optic in the world with the greatest glass clarity and accuracy, but that doesn’t mean anything if it breaks at the touch of a light breeze.
If you’re considering this optic for a fighting rifle or pistol, take my review as a plea not to buy it. You’re putting yourself in a bad situation.
Who’s This Optic Good for Then?
There is one immediate thought that pops into my mind:
Airsofters.
This optic (and Pinty optics in general) are well suited to be placed on replica firearms and can be perfectly functional for force-on-force airsoft games.
You don’t need to put a painfully expensive optic on the line and you can easily replace it if it gets broken.
Beyond that you might be able to get some use out of this red dot if you throw it on a .22. I didn’t get this opportunity since my optic quit its day job and became a broken paperweight.
I even read a couple of reviews talking about this optic failing even on smaller calibers.
You’ve been warned.
Should You Buy Pinty Pro Micro Red Dot?
Good lord, no chance this thing gets my endorsement. You should stay, far, far, away from red dots as cheap as this.
Here’s why:
- Durability
- Reflective Glass
But if you still want to check it out, here ya go:
- RED DOT SIGHT: This compact reflex sight by Pinty offers a red dot reticle with 5 levels of brightness to work in bright and dim lighting with equal ease; enjoy a wide field of view in any setting...
- USER-FRIENDLY DESIGN: Easily adjust for windage and elevation with the provided tools; slot on and off any firearm with standard Weaver or Picatinny rails thanks to the detachable rail mount; and...
- BUILT TO LAST: This pistol and rifle sight's anodized aluminum construction resists shock, wear, tear, and corrosion at a lightweight 3.3 ounces; the carefully ground lenses are fully multicoated to...
What Do You Think?
I hope you enjoyed my bash session on the Pinty Pro Micro Red Dot Sight review.
Now I’d like to hear from you:
What has been your experience with cheap optics like this? Are you a fan of Pinty Optics?
Let me know by leaving a quick comment down below.
What in hell are you doing dropping the damn red dot. Bet it didn’t do your gun much good either. Get a job in the California compliance dept. They don’t rate anything worth crap.