Images by the author
Most red dots today are built around one goal: lighter and smaller.
The Griffin GHS goes in the opposite direction.
It’s heavier. It’s overbuilt. And the second you pick it up, you know it’s not trying to compete with minimalist optics.
The real question is simple:
Does that extra weight actually give you something in return?
Features and Specifications
Here’s a good place to list those…
Features
- 3 MOA Dot Reticle
- 1 MOA Adjustment Increments
- 10 Brightness Settings (8 Daytime, 2 NV)
- Parallax Set at 25yds
- Flip-Up Plastic Lens Covers
- Integrated Picatinny Mount (Co-Witness Height)
- Shockproof (1200 Gs)
- Waterproof (IPX7 – 1 meter for 30 mins)
- Fogproof Internals
- 8 Hour Auto-Rest with Shake Awake
- 50,000 Hours of Battery Life at Level 1 | 20,000 hours at Level 6 | 1200 hours at Level 10
- Perpetual Lifetime Warranty™ (2 Years on Electronics)
Specs
- Magnification: 1x
- Window Size: 38x28mm
- Lens: Multi-Coated Glass
- Dot Size: 3 MOA
- Adjustment Increment: 1 MOA
- Max Elevation Adjustment: 90 MOA
- Max Windage Adjustment: 90 MOA
- Battery Type: (1) CR123A – Included
- Brightness Settings: 10 Levels (8 Daytime, 2 NV)
- Weight: 12 oz
- Dimensions: 3.00″L x 2.00″W x 3.00″H
I put the GHS on my Trailblazer Firearms Pivot 9mm folding PCC.
This is one very nice, handy carbine. It also wears an Otter Creek Labs Universe-36 suppressor and a HiLight Tactical P4X weapon light. Yes, the light is upside-down. It’s made for a pistol, but the brightness-adjustable red dot is visible just above it and is easy to reach. This carbine has that little Pic rail up front in just the right spot. I also used a Wheeler Professional Bore Sighter to get the dot close to zero. Those things are great! This will make the perfect chicken coop protector. I am known to adapt what I have to what I need, like many of you…
Some Thoughts
– I like the fact that this sight is waterproof for at least half an hour. Even if you’re not trying to swim to your hunting area, you could be the victim of a quickly brewing rain shower. I remember when red dots for the civilian market first came out that some of them would quit if they got a little wet.
– Another thing I like is the fact that this sight is just about armor-plated. There’s a “roll bar” of sorts built into it that shrugs off dings, plus the attached lens covers should protect the lenses very well… if you use them. When down, they’re locked, and when up, one folds under the other one and both are all but flat on top of the sight – they don’t ride vertically, they’re mostly horizontal. There really is no excuse not to use them… they are well-engineered for nice ergonomics.
– A point I hit above is the sight’s weight. Twelve ounces isn’t a whole lot, but when you pick this sight up, you know you’ve got hold of something substantial.
– The dot itself comes in ten degrees of brightness… two for night vision and the other eight for daytime use. The arrow keys, although stiff, are easy to get to and to manipulate. You can just leave the sight on when you’re done using it, and it will shut itself off in eight hours, or you can hold the down arrow button and shut it off. The up arrow button will turn it on.
– There’s none of this “half-minute-of-angle” adjustment nonsense… each click is one MOA. If you are sighting in a long-range target, competition, or hunting scope, maybe that half-minute adjustment makes sense, but not on a 3-MOA-dot sight. I, for one, will never need to move my point of impact half an inch at a hundred yards using a 1x red dot scope. This is a sight for close-in-to-medium range hunting or targeting.
– Finally, mounting this thing is a piece of cake. Simply attach it to the Pic rail on your rifle or shotgun with the included Allen wrench. If you don’t need the height, you can remove the mount. They recommend 11 inch/pounds of torque for those smaller screws, and 35 inch/pounds for the mount screws. I found a really easy way to achieve those recommended torque settings… a Wheeler F.A.T. Wrench (Firearm Accurizing Torque) works very well. I have the set, with many bits. Set the handle to the torque you need and go at it. You won’t overtighten anything with this wrench.
Other Options
What if you already own a red dot but no mount, or you want to add a set of backup iron sights? They’ve got you covered. They sent me an example or two of each.
The first is a set of AR iron sights.
Here you have their M2 sight kit. This particular set is made for vertical installation, but you can also get sights made for a 45-degree offset for competition.
I also received two different-height mounts for an AR optic. Patent-pending modular base plate system that makes installing these sights a breeze.
Above images: griffinarmament.com
This is the 1.55” variant; they also sent a taller, 1.93” version. These are QD mounts, using an ACRO footprint. They make it simple to add an optic to your AR or similar long gun, and you can custom-tailor the height by buying exactly what you need.
Conclusion
Griffin Armament is known for quality optics and other shooting accessories. Their GHS Heads-Up red dot is a good example of that. Built like a truck, waterproof, shockproof, with attached lens covers… It’s a strong contender in the long-gun red dot department. I will truly enjoy using this sight on my Pivot. One thing’s for sure… this sight’s not going back!
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