The firearms industry is being overtaken by micro and mini red dots. Every company has its own red dot. They all claim to be the best. Let’s face it, they all are the exact same thing. The Grace Optics M1 is an exception to this rule. Grace Optics M1 is a standout among the rest. It has better components, clearer glass, and more attractive designs. Some are more affordable than others, but it is becoming a personal preference market to buy red dots due to how similar they are. It is a dot projecting onto glass. How do you redesign that? Grace Optics, a small Michigan optics company, says “Hold my beer” and has a big goal. They wanted to create a better design for an RDS system using their M1 red-dot view. The M1 was nicknamed the Topless sight because it literally has no top. It does not have a top strap to cover the window. It provides a wider field of view and is therefore more appealing. This allows for faster target acquisition and a larger overall sight picture. Grace Optics claims that the M1 sight is robust despite its open-top design. “The glass is very strong and the sidebars make the sight just as strong as any other sight.” Details about the Grace Optics M1 Optic. The Grace Optics M1 is an open-emitter, non-magnified reflex sight. It is available in 3-MOA and 6-MOA dots in both red and green colors. The dots also have ten illumination options, including two night-vision modes. Two rubberized buttons on each side of the housing allow you to adjust the brightness level. The sight is powered by a single CR1632 AA battery and can last for up to 10,000 hours. The housing has a battery compartment at the top. This allows for quick battery changes without having to remove the sight from your firearm. With a small flathead screwdriver, adjustments can be made within a 50-MOA area. The sight comes with a Picatinny rail adapter and a Sig Sauer Romeo 1 mounting foot. Grace Optics told me that they are working on the optic to be available in a Trijicon RMR footprint model. Grace Optics M1 sight is IPX7-rated waterproof. This means that it can be submerged up to 1 meter in water for 30 minutes and still function. It is very lightweight at 1 ounce. Grace Optics M1 red dot sight is priced at just $199.95, which is a great price and budget-friendly. Established If you’re like me, it would be difficult to trust a new optic company until they have a track record of producing high quality products. Grace Optics isn’t new. Grace Engineering has been a manufacturing company for over 60 years. Grace Engineering has been manufacturing parts for various firearms companies since its inception. They have been and still are a family-owned-and-operated company out of Memphis, Michigan. Grace Optics has been passionate about Americans hunting and being allowed to exercise their Second Amendment rights. Grace Optics explained to me that the company was founded with the goal of making a product that is both better than their competition and more affordable. Nate Grace and Matt Grace are experts in engineering and have more than 20 years experience in the firearm industry. They provide viable solutions and have helped solve complex problems. The M1 is in my hand. I loved the unique design from the moment I first saw it. It seemed that the M1’s less obstructed field of view would be a benefit to both novice and experienced shooters. The M1’s thick glass was the first thing I noticed. It didn’t distort my view or the dot, however, to my surprise. I didn’t have a pistol that would fit a Romeo 1 so I replaced the red dot on my CZ Scorpion Micro by the Grace M1 red dots. Grace Optics ships the M1 with the Picatinny mounting plates that fit perfectly on top of my Scorpion. The Scorpion is a striking looking bird, and the M1’s topless design complimented it well. It worked just as well, I must say. The M1 design gives you more field of view with less obstruction. The difference was obvious immediately, but it took me a while to figure out how to acquire the dot. Because my eyes weren’t used to the lack of a top bar to stop them, I kept looking at the glass. It was a great experience once I understood it. The 3-MOA dot was just right for me. I was amazed at how much of the target I could see through my glass, which was more than I was seeing with other red dots. I was able see everything above the center mass mark by aiming at center mass on a standard silhouette target. I didn’t notice it getting lost on other red dots, until I used Grace Optics M1. Grace Optics M1 has no boundaries. Although I didn’t torture-test it, it seems to be quite durable. It is thick so I was concerned about the glass breaking. It should be able take reasonable impacts at this range, however. I’m not sure if I would rack slides off the front M1. The topless optic is a great choice if you’re looking for a small red dot to add to your range gun, or just for fun. Grace Optics M1 is a beautiful optic that offers a view without boundaries. Grace-Optics.com has more information. Grace Optics M1 Magnification: 1X
Lens Diameter: 24mm
Overall Length: 1.6 inches
Overall Width: 1.3 inches
Height:.8 inches
Weight: 1 ounce
Waterproof: IPX7
Illumination Settings: 10 w/ two night-vision settings
Run Time: 10,000 hours
Footprint: Sig Romo1 This article originally appeared in the Personal Defense World April/May 20,22 issue. Subscription is available in print and digital editions at OutdoorGroupStore.com. Or call 1-800-284-5668, or email [email protected]. Continue Reading Search The post Going Topless – The Grace Optics M1 Takes the Top Strap appeared originally on Personal Defense World.
