Sig Sauer Romeo 5 Red Dot: First Look

The folks at Sig Sauer have been making a lot of noise the last few times we have seen them at SHOT Show and there is a good reason for the hype. Sig Sauer has named their red dot line of optics all with the moniker of  “Romeo” and the entire line has been turning some heads in the industry. We have looked at the Sig Romeo 7 optic back in early January of 2017. The Romeo 7 is Sig Sauers full sized optic with a 30mm tube and integrated mounting system, but Sig Sauer makes a smaller, more affordable little brother to it and has named it the Romeo 5. The Sig Sauer Romeo 5 red dot might be the best kept secret in the entire line of Sig Optics.

The world of affordable red dot optics is getting very crowded but there is plenty of room for the Sig Sauer Romeo 5 especially for those shooters who want a great warranty, simply designed controls and a sleek low profile optic. In order to see why we here at the site are so enamored with the Sig Romeo 5 we have to take a look at the technology and specifications that the Sig engineers have packed into this optic. It maybe only a one powered optic with a  20mm objective lens but don’t let the small size and light weight fool you into thinking it’s not a serious optic that feels right at home on any military sporting rifle.

SPECIFICATIONS 

Model: Romeo 5

Manufacturer: Sig Sauer Electro Optics

Objective Lens Size: 20mm

Weight: 5.1 Ounces

Length: 2.47 Inches

Width: 1.5 Inches

Height: 1.52 Inches (Minus Base)

Brightness Settings: 

• 8 Daytime
• 2 Night Vision

Red Dot Size: 2 MOA

Battery: CR2032

Battery Life: Up to 40,000 Hours

Misc Features:

• Waterproof
• Lifetime Warranty
• Features Sig Sauer MOTAC , Automatic On/Off Feature
• Comes standard with a low and a high base pad
• Can be found for $169.99

IMPRESSIONS

So far we have had the Sig Sauer Romeo 5 for about a month and have been testing it on several semi automatic rifles, among them the Sig Sauer Model 556 Classic SWAT, a Smith & Wesson M&P15-22 and two different styles of AR-15 rifles chambered in .223/5.56 mm. As of the writing of this article we have put approximately 500 rounds of .223/5.56 and 1500 rounds of .22LR down range while using this optic. Our initial impressions so far is that the Romeo 5 is more user friendly and actually more fun than the bigger Romeo 7 that has been next to it through all of the testing and evaluations. The controls and simplicity of the windage and elevation controls separates it from the Romeo 7.

We have found that when testing two optics side by side even if they are made by the same manufacturer it’s much easier to come up with a list of likes and dislikes between the two. Its a simple case of compare and contrast but it makes reviewing them easier. There are areas where the Romeo 5 just shines, one of those areas is when it comes to controls. There are no rotary dials or dedicated on/off buttons on the Romeo 5, all of the controls are nicely placed on top of the optic. The procedure for turning on the Romeo 5 is very straightforward, press down on both the + and the – buttons on top for around two seconds and the optic turns on, to shut it off simply repeat the steps, it doesn’t get much easier.

If you want to make the 2 MOA dot brighter push the + button and cycle through the eight settings. If you want the dot lighter, press the – button and adjust the intensity lower. The elevation adjustment screw is located on the top of the optic just behind the brightness controls and the windage controls are located on the side of the optic near the battery cover. The battery cover is what you would expect, a standard round metal cover with a slotted face that allows users to open the cover using any number of flat objects.

All in all the Sig Sauer Romeo 5 is a great optic for people who want simple controls, a lifetime warranty and a price point that won’t break the bank. I own or have owned a ton of optics to include the Trijicon MRO, Aimpoint Patrol, Eotech 512, and Bushnell TRS-25 to name a few and the Romeo 5 is as good as any of them, and when you add the Trijicon MRO to that list you can see its in some serious company. The folks at Sig Sauer Electro Optics were nice enough to send the Romeo 5 with two different height bases and I’m honestly not sure if that is standard or an option, if it’s standard that’s a nice feature.

We are only scheduled to perform a 120-day test and evaluation period on three models of optics we recently received from Sig but I’m so happy with this one that I am just going to use my own hard earned cash and purchase it directly from Sig. I have the perfect rifle for this tiny lightweight optic to sit on and it will provide my nephews hours of fun at the range I can almost guarantee that. If you are looking at red dot optics you really should take a look at the Sig Sauer Romeo 5 in person at your local gun shop. You might just find a great optic that will allow you to save more of your money for ammo or other accessories.

What red dot style of optics are you running on your rifles? Are you happy with your Trijicon? Have you had problems with your Eotech’s? or maybe you are looking to buy your first red dot optic? I know this sounds preachy, but why spend money on lesser quality optics when you can get this one for under $170.00 online? What do you think of the Sig Sauers Romeo 5? Is it a hit or a miss?

Link to Romeo 5 at www.BHPhotoVideo.Com ($169.99)