Hey shooters! Welcome to my Sig Romeo 5 review 2023.
The problem with red dot sights is that they are either poor in quality or come with a hefty price tag.
But, if you want a red dot that is tough and durable and also doesn’t break your bank, you have come to the right place.
I have a dedicated research team that has spent hours on the subject. Also, I have added my experience with the optic in writing this Romeo5 review.
So, read this Sig Sauer Romeo 5 review if you are hesitant to buy this optic.
What Is Sig Romeo 5?
Sig Rome 5 is a part of the very popular Romeo series of Sig Sauer. It is best known for its affordability. But being affordable doesn’t mean it lacks quality; it holds zero, survives abuse, and works in dropping rain and freezing temperatures. The Sig Romeo is a popular optic and has overwhelmingly positive reviews.
How Does It Work?
The Sig Romeo 5 has both manual and automatic on/off. If you keep the Motac on, the dot will turn on when it senses movement. If you want to operate it manually, the process is very simple.
- To turn the optic on, press and release either of the brightness adjustment buttons.
- To turn the optic off, press and hold either button for over 1 second.
Sig Sauer Romeo 5: Specifications
Sig Romeo 5: Features
Below mentioned are all the features of the Sig Romeo 5.
1. Durability And Toughness
The Sig Romeo 5 has an Aircraft-grade Aluminum housing with rubberized illumination adjustment buttons on the top. The Aluminum housing makes the Romeo 5 durable and rugged.
I will take reference from the Alabama Arsenal Youtube video to see how durable this optic is?
Impact Testing
The guy in the video tests the Romeo 5 by throwing it 10-15 feet up in the air and letting it hit the ground. He repeated this ten times. As a result of this testing, there was no damage to the Romeo 5, and it held zero.
All-Weather Suitable
The next feature that adds to the reliability of the Sig Romeo 5 is that it is suitable for all weather conditions.
Firstly, Sig Sauer Romeo 5 has an IPX 7 waterproof rating. This rating means that your Romeo 5 is submersible up to 1 meter in water for 30 minutes.
But I won’t just rely on the manufacturer’s numbers but on some real-life testing to know how far this claim is true. Again I will take reference from the Alabama Arsenal video.
He submerged the optic into a cup of water for an hour to test the waterproof rating. As a result, there was no fogging on the lens, and it worked fine.
Another thing he did with the optic is that he kept it in a freezer overnight, and in the morning, it held its zero.
So, pouring rain or freezing temperature would not affect the efficiency of your Sig Romeo 5.
2. Simple And Intuitive Controls
The Sig Romeo 5 has two rubberized buttons on the top of the optic for controlling the brightness. One for negative and another for positive. Two different buttons for increasing and decreasing the dot intensity make it easier to control the brightness adjustment.
Some optics like the Deltapoint Pro have a single button for brightness adjustment. If you want to decrease the brightness, you must increase it to the maximum and then decrease it.
Also, these buttons are recessed, which protects them from any accidental change in case you bump your optic.
You have an elevation turret on the top of the optic and a windage turret on the side.
The elevation and windage turrets are capped, and you can use the caps to make the adjustments on both. They are also labeled from the inside. You can do this or use the Torx tool included in the box. I prefer the tool for making adjustments on my Romeo 5.
3. Battery Life
The SIG Romeo 5 has 40,000 hours of battery. With this battery life, you know your optic will not be dead where you need it the most. So you can depend your life on it.
This ridiculous amount of battery life is what you get with high-end optics like Aimpoint T2.
Part of the reason for such a long battery life is the MOTAC that helps preserve this optic’s battery life.
I change the batteries on my Sig Romeo once a year to be safe. Otherwise, you can run it up to 4 years without any issue. It uses CR2032, which is commonly found.
4. Motion Activated Illumination
The Motion Activation Illumination or MOTAC is the feature of Romeo 5 that I am most excited about. You might already know it as the “Shake Awake” feature of the Holosun optics; this one is similar.
How the MOTAC works is that it turns off the red dot when it doesn’t sense any movement for about 120 seconds.
This feature is amazing for several reasons. First, it prevents battery wastage. I was super excited about it because most of the time, I can’t remember to turn my optic off once I have used it; the MOTAC does it for me.
It is part of the reason that the Romeo 5 has 40,000 hours of battery life; it is the kind of battery life you get with Aimpoint optics which is more than double in price of the Romeo 5.
Secondly, you know that your optic will be on when you need it the most. Especially when you put it on your defense gun, and you hear some noise at night, you don’t need to fumble around trying to turn your optic on; it is already on. This feature increases your safety multifold.
One thing I was apprehensive of when with the MOTAC is how much time it would take to turn itself on. What if it takes too long to turn on? But honestly, I have never been able to outrun it. I have tried many times to pull my gun up before the dot turns on but have never succeeded. It’s ALWAYS, ALWAYS ON.
You can also turn the MOTAC off if you don’t want it on all the time. For example, if you are traveling with your red dot, the vehicle’s movement will keep the red dot continuously on, which can lead to a lot of battery wastage. So, the Romeo 5 gives you a choice to completely off the MOTAC and use your optic manually. These little details can make an optic worth buying over another.
The MOTAC system is what makes most people like me excited about buying this red dot. My many shooter friends say that they chose to buy the Romeo 5 over other similar-priced optics because of the MOTAC feature.
5. No-Hassle Battery Replacement
Along with the windage turret is the battery compartment. With the side battery compartment, you can change the optic’s battery without removing it from the gun.
When optics have a battery compartment below the optic, you must remove the optic from the gun, change the battery, re-attach and re-zero it. The side battery compartment saves you from all this hassle.
So, with 40,000 hours of ridiculously long battery life, you don’t change your battery often, but even when you have to do it, the process is very simple.
6. 10 Illumination Settings
The Sig Romeo 5 has 10 illumination settings: 8 for daylight and 2 for night vision. With all these brightness adjustment options, you can choose the brightness on your dot according to the lighting conditions. You are not stuck with one option.
You can have suitable dot intensity indoors, under a bright, scorching sun or a dimmer evening sun. You also have 2 settings for night vision which is a great option for nocturnal shooters.
Also, the dot on the Romeo 5 is very bright; it’s not a dull color, and it’s visible.
I keep my Romeo 5 at 7-8 brightness when I use it outdoors.
7. Clear Glass
Red dot sights need some blue tint on the lens for long battery life. That‘s why you see the bluish tint in optics. But this affects the glass clarity. So, one way to have clear glass and good battery life is Motion Activation Illumination.
The Sig Romeo 5 has exceptionally good glass with a very little blue tint. This clear glass gives a good field of view. Optics with similar battery life, such as the Vortex Crossfire 2, Holosun 403, and 503, have very apparent tint.
But, the Romeo 5 boasts the same battery life minus the blue tint. It has managed to get this with MOTAC. The motion activation allows you to have a long battery life without the blue tint.
So, clear glass and long battery life are the best of both worlds.
8. Clear And Crisp Dot
The Sig Romeo 5 has a 2 Moa dot which is very crisp. We all have seen those fuzzy red dots that makes it extremely hard to get a precise shot. The Sig Romeo 5 spares you from this problem; you have a nice, clean, and crisp red dot that helps you to get precise shots; you can shoot quickly and accurately.
My friend Michael has astigmatism and told me that the Romeo 5 gives a perfectly crisp dot. You know your dot is crisp when you have astigmatism and still see a clear dot.
Even if you put the Romeo 5 dot under magnification, it doesn’t lose its precision like other cheap dots. So, the 2 Moa dot on the Sig Romeo 5 is crisp and precise and gives accuracy.
9. Includes Two Mounts
Another thing that makes the Romeo 5 great is that it comes with a high mount and a low mount.
This feature makes the red dot versatile; you can use it with different platforms. The high mount is great for co-witnessing on an AR-type platform. And the low mount is for platforms where you need your line of sight lower than an AR-15. So, it will work on everything from an AR to an MP5.
The fact that it comes with two mount types makes the optic ready-to-use and versatile.
10. Easy Installation
The Sig Romeo 5 installation is very easy. It comes with the tool that you need for installation on your gun. It takes less than 10 minutes to install this optic to your gun.
11. Ready-to-Use
The Sig Romeo comes with two included mounts and the installation tool. So, it is ready to go right out of the box. You don’t have to spend any extra money to buy mounts. It’s amazing to have the optic and the setup at such an affordable price.
12. Best Value For The Money
Sig Romeo 5 has the best value for the money. We certainly have some options even cheaper than the Romeo 5, like the Sig Romeo MSR and the Bushnell TRS-25, but they don’t give you the amazing features that the Romeo 5 does.
The Sig Romeo 5 also gives great durability, which I have explained above. So, the Sig Romeo 5 is the best blend of quality, great features, and price.
It has motion activation, a clear and crisp dot, a clear lens, and a solid and rugged build. You get all this for about 150 dollars or less, depending on where you buy it.
Moreover, Sig Sauer’s Limited Lifetime warranty backs all this up.
The Sig Romeo is the standard for budget optics with all these great features. Good luck finding a red dot at the same price that performs better than the Romeo 5.
Is It Cheap Chinese Junk?
One argument the naysayers would give you against the Romeo 5 is that Holosun makes it in China.
The Romeo 5 is made by Holosun, but it is in no way a Holosun replica; it has different features and specifications. Also, it is not cheap Chinese junk. It’s hard to find a batter dot at the same price.
So, it is a useless concern.
What Comes In The Box?
- The optic
- Optic’s manual
- CR2032 Lithium coin cell battery
- A lens cloth
- A lens cover
- 2 Mounts
- T10 Torx installation tool
What Is It Used For?
Home Defense
The Sig Romeo 5 is the ideal choice for personal or home defense. It has Motion Activation Illumination, which makes it always ready to go. It has a durable and rugged build, and 40,000 hours of battery life make the optic reliable. You know it is something you can trust your life with.
Range Shooting
If you ask yourself what you need in a range optic, the answer would be good battery life and the ability to hold zero. We know the Sig Romeo 5 has an insane 40,000 hours of runtime and holds zero. Also, it can shoot up to 150 yards. So, the Romeo 5’s shooting range, battery life, and ability to hold zero make it suitable for shooting at the range.
What Won’t You Like About The Sig Romeo 5?
It’s very hard to find a problem with Romeo 5. But one thing you might dislike about this optic is that the night vision transmission is not as good as you would have with higher-end optics like the Aimpoint T2. But you are also not paying the price you pay for the Aimpoint.
Sig Sauer Romeo 5 Alternatives
Aimpoint T2
Aimpoint T2 is an alternative to Romeo 5; both have 2 Moa dot and more than 4 years of battery life. Both red dots work efficiently and hold zero.
When you compare the price of the two, you get the Aimpoint T2 for more than double the price of the Sig Romeo 5. Also, the Aimpoint T2 doesn’t come with a mount; it adds more expense to an expensive optic.
So, it’s hard to justify the extra dollars you pay for the Aimpoint T2.
Romeo MSR
Another alternative to the Romeo 5 is the Romeo MSR. This optic is from the same brand but is slightly less expensive than the Romeo 5.
When you compare the two optics, the MSR doesn’t have the auto-shutoff feature, so its battery would drain faster. You get only 20,000 hours of battery life compared to the 40,000 hours of the Romeo 5. Also, it doesn’t include the low mount like the Romeo 5.
Bushnell Trophy TRS-25
The Bushnell Trophy TRS-25 is slightly less expensive than the Sig Romeo 5, but like the Romeo MSR, it doesn’t have the auto-shutoff and has only 5,000 hours of battery life.
Sig Romeo 5 Pros And Cons
Pros
- Durable
- Affordable
- Battery life of a high-end optic
- Works in all weather conditions
- Easy battery change
- Clear glass
- Crisp dot
Cons
- The included mount feels cheap
- Night vision is not as good as a high-end optic’s
Conclusion
Red dots are the most effective optics choice for a civilian defense firearm. But, it’s always a struggle between buying something durable or affordable. In this Romeo 5 review, I have explained why Romeo 5 is worth buying.
The Romeo 5 is durable and tough. It can work in pouring rain as well as freezing temperatures. It has MOTAC or Motion Activation Illumination that gives the optic 40,000 hours of battery life.
The Romeo 5 has 10 brightness adjustment settings that make the optic suitable in all light conditions.
It has a clear lens that gives a good field of view. And the 2 Moa dot is clear and precise and gives accuracy in shooting.
The Romeo 5 comes with a high and a low mount, making it ready to use.
So, the Romeo 5 is not just durable but also very affordable.
FAQS
Does the Romeo 5 mount on a Bushmaster AR 15?
Yes, it does.
Is the Romeo 5 parallax-free?
The parallax on the Romeo 5 is negligible.
What is the battery life of the Sig Romeo 5?
40,000 hours
