The Bushnell TRS-25 Red-Dot Sight Review

Back in the stone ages (the late 1980’s), when I was in the infantry, the state of the art was the M-16A2 service rifle, and all we had for long range marksmanship and close quarters battle were iron sights. Fast forward to the early 2000’s, and I was again in the infantry after a break in service. This time, however, we were issued the new M68 Close Combat Optic. The CCO was basically the military version of the Aimpoint CompM-4 red-dot, and it was a game changer. While the CCO didn’t necessarily make shooting more accurate, it made acquiring targets a lot faster- especially when the target or shooter were moving. When I left the military, I was definitely a red-dot fan.

I felt sure that a red-dot sight would be perfect for hunting, but most red-dots, like Aimpoints and EOTechs, were set up for AR-15s. Tactical red-dots tend to be too big, bulky, and overbuilt to adapt for hunting purposes. Then I found the Bushnell TRS-25. It’s perfect for hunting applications.

The TRS-25 is a compact red-dot sight where the body of the sight incorporates the mount into a one piece unit. There are no rings to deal with for mounting. Because the sight is all in one piece, you also don’t have to worry about leveling the sight when you mount it to a firearm. The mounting screw acts as the recoil lug when mounting to a weaver rail as well. Even though the sight weighs only four ounces, it can take repeated recoil. I shoot .338 Marlin Express with mine, and the mount has never loosened, and the zero has not moved.

The one complaint I had with the M68 CCO, was that the on/off switch was a weak point. Under the kind of use we would put it through in the infantry, the switch could fail. I had multiple occasions where I brought my rifle up, and because of a faulty switch, there was no sighting dot. Not so with the TRS-25. The power switch is also the battery box and brightness control. The whole thing is a very rugged, weatherproof, unit. I have never had an occasion where the switch has failed.

There are eleven brightness settings for the dot, which gives more than enough range to cover various lighting conditions- from full sun to darkness. The great thing about a red-dot is that in low light, you only have to be concerned with identifying your target, because you have a bright sighting dot, so you can get the most out of the times before sun up or after sundown.

As I said, red-dots don’t necessarily make your shooting more accurate, but they make target acquisition much faster. The key is, that with a red-dot you focus on the target, and don’t even look at the sight. This is very different from iron sights or conventional rifle scopes. With your eyes on the target, when you bring the rifle up and get cheek weld with the stock, the target dot should appear on your target. You don’t have to worry about centering the dot in the sight. Where the dot is on the target is where the round is going to go. The TRS-25 has no magnification, but depending on the caliber of your rifle, you should be able to land accurate hits anywhere from the muzzle to 300 yards. With mine at a 100 yard zero, I have no problem getting rapid hits from 25 to 200 yards. The target dot covers a three inch diameter circle of the target at 100 yards, so if you’re looking to shoot half inch groups from a bench, a red-dot may not be what you’re looking for. But, if you want to quickly acquire a shot into the vital zone of a moving game animal, the TRS-25 is the tool for the job.

As for durability, the TRS-25 is a robust rifle sight. The body is filled with nitrogen and sealed with O-rings. I hunt in Maine in snow, rain, and cold. I have never had issues with fogging, condensation, or water infiltrating into the sight. Battery life is exceptional, too. The TRS-25 uses one wafer battery. I usually change it out before going to Maine, and then use it for the year. I have never had the battery die. Cold has not effected battery life either.

All in all, the TRS-25 is a great compact red-dot sight. I have found it to compare very favorably to other red-dots I have used, but in a smaller package. And, where an Aimpoint can run anywhere from $400 to $600, the Bushnell TRS-25 goes for around $150. I highly recommend it.