Hello and welcome to another episode of Optics Trade Debates where we discuss the most common questions we receive from our customers. Today, we are going to talk about Leica Red Dot Sights.
Leica never produced anything in the segment of red dots, and we also know that the majority of European manufacturers also lack products in this area – Zeiss has two models, and Swarovski only has one. More or less, this category is dominated by Aimpoint. Lately, however, some new competitors came into the game and Leica was the last one to do so.
Leica showed the public this Tempus ASPH Red Dot Sight at IWA 2018 – this is their first try with red dots. Until now, they produced riflescopes and have been extremely successful with binoculars. They opted for an already well-accepted form of a reflex dot sight and tried to make them as good as possible.
Let us discuss the mounting solutions for a bit – it is the same as on Docter sights. The Leica Tempus is also supplied with two screws, which you screw onto the Docter platform – which is used with more than 60% of manufacturers.
Leica comes without a mounting solution – like the majority of red dot sights – and it uses a platform that is completely the same as Docter. There is a wide range of options on how to mount it.
Currently, there are two dot sizes that are always marked at the bottom (3.5 MOA = 10 cm / 100 m, and 2 MOA = 6 cm / 100 m). At the moment, those are the only two red dots sights available. The intensity can also be regulated on the two buttons on the left side, and it also has a system for an automatic turn-off if you store it in your gun cabinet or somewhere else.
The dot is powered by a single CR32 battery that goes in from the side – a good solution, so you do not need to remove the dot from the mount in order to reach the battery under the housing. With Tempus this is much easier because the battery is stored in the tray on the side, so you can replace it any time you wish. Lately, a lot of manufacturers go for this solution.
The Leica Tempus Dot is also completely waterproof. This is a great solution because usually, the dots that have the battery beneath the housing need a special gasket.
Regarding the dot size: 2 MOA (6 cm / 100 m), and 3.5 MOA (10 cm /100 m). What this basically means is that these red dots are only meant for rifles. They are also quite big and heavy, which has lately been becoming more and more popular. Some other, more hand-gun-user oriented manufacturers – like Seymour, even have 8 MOA dot sizes. These are meant for hunters and tactical shooters, but for the use on rifles.
The red dot comes with a cover, so it stays protected from some environmental effects – rain, snow, falling, etc. Lately, fully enclosed red dot sights are also quite popular (Steiner, Holosun, Aimpoint).
This is one of the best, if not the best red dot sight available on the market at the moment. The glass is quite big, it has almost no tint, it is extremely clear and it has no magnification. It is one of the most expensive reflex red dot sights on the market, and the quality is noticeable when looking through it.
It is made in Portugal, in Leica's factory. It is a fine-quality product and in use, you can see that the dot is fine-tunable. It is crisp and nicely-defined as a circle dot. This Leica Tempus has up and down screws for zeroing. What is interesting is that you can hear the clicks because, with most, you cannot – which is the biggest advantage, next to the optical performance. There is also one screw to lock the position and secure the setting.
What are the benefits of buying this product? The biggest selling factor is the general built quality and optical performance. The system for zeroing is also great – the best at the moment regarding reflex dot sights. Another upside is the use of the Docter mounting solution, and the battery is also great. The final upside is also the cover that does not interfere with the optical performance, but it does protect the dot.
For the downsides – it is extremely expensive, but the quality it comes with is also incomparable. It is a little too big for handguns (even if it is not meant for handguns). You are also not able to get it with a 7 MOA dot – just for diversity – some prefer bigger and some smaller dots.
All in all, it is a great product. It is a bit expensive, but it comes with amazing features and excellent quality. Now we know a bit more about the Leica Tempus, but if you have any additional questions or comments you can contact us at any time, and we will be happy to reply. Take care until next time. Bye.
Products mentioned in the Leica Red Dot Sights debate:
Leica Red Dot Sights: https://www.optics-trade.eu/en/dot-sights/shopby/manufacturer-leica.html
Leica Tempus ASPH: https://www.optics-trade.eu/en/leica-tempus-asph-red-dot-sight.html
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