Chris Redlich makes the most of the latest ZT red dot
A recent influx of review items from TSA Outdoors included the Trace red dot sight, the fourth such product I’ve assessed in the past two years. Prior to reviewing a red dot I considered myself a novice, yet having used them more and more I wondered why I hadn’t tested them sooner. So I jumped at the chance to review ZeroTech’s latest in compact red dot sights, the Trace 1×25.
Trace-branded products by ZT are numerous and cover a broad range of optics including standard riflescopes and red dot sights. To my knowledge they’re made in China to a high standard and, after enjoying my recent testing of the little ZT Trace Aspherical reflex sight, I was keen to put this new digital red dot to work.
Tech stuff
Built solidly from machined, high-strength aluminium and sporting a non-reflective matt black finish, it’s designed to be the perfect fit for any fast-wielding hunting rifle. Measuring 70mm long x 45mm wide, the Trace Digital red dot is a bit chunkier than other brands I’ve tested and dwarfs the tiny ZT Aspherical. Yet despite this comparison it’s still small enough to be classed as compact.
Importantly, it came supplied with clamps for high and low mounting alternatives. Most of us don’t have the luxury of owning an AR rifle (restricted to Cat. D licence holders), though high-rise mounts are included for those who require that style of platform for occupational purposes. I trialled these mounts on a .223 bolt-action rifle and found the height affected my cheek weld (or lack of).
The supplied multi-tool has all areas covered for adjustments, including the Torx tip for tightening the four screws of the dovetail clamp to the sight’s machined base. Interestingly, the dovetail clamp has two pressure springs which ensure even contact when tightening and conveniently pull the clamp free from the base during removal. A locating tenon fits precisely to any Weaver-style or Picatinny rail ,while the single steel centre screw locks the base in place. A simple thumb tighten of the multi-tool is all that’s required to ensure a secure fit, and I’d be confident in mounting it on a hard-kicking pig gun such as a lever rifle chambered in 45/70 Govt.
Purposed for reactive shooting, red dot sights are designed to be used easily and accurately with both eyes open. Unlimited eye relief is also achieved, regardless of mounting it anywhere on the receiver of a bolt or lever-action rifle, shotgun or pistol. I chose to position it forward of the ejection port on a .357 Magnum lever rifle, where it was simply out of the way and favourably placed for rapid sighting. From this position I was able to obtain a perfect sight picture and crystal clear red dot resolution.
Both lenses on this one are 25mm in diameter and give a straight through view of the target, while the 1x magnification (same as the naked eye) provides ample field of view for fast acquisition of game. Although not boasting the so-called prestigious HD moniker (high definition), the objective lens’ anti-reflective coating enhanced my view of most images and remained strong in low light.
The Trace illuminated red dot has a size value of roughly 2MOA on full brightness but appears to diminish when lowered. This is not unusual however, because the red dot can be rapidly adjusted to suit any level of lighting experienced out bush. To turn the sight on, briefly press either rubber-capped brightness button on top of the unit. Brightness intensity adjustment is self-explanatory (+ and – symbols) and I didn’t need the user manual to work that one out.
If the sight is left without movement for around three and half minutes it enters sleep mode, though slight movement will automatically turn it on again if the motion’s heavy enough to be detected. Honestly, the buttons are ridiculously easy to operate and a quick three-second hold on either will turn the unit off.
This one offers 10 brightness settings, though the top three were so bright they were actually distracting, with the lower five settings working well in all situations. A red dot sight won’t shine without power and located on the right side is the waterproof compartment for a single CR2032 3V battery. The little button battery is supposed to give years of use without changing, though ZT recommend that when the rifle’s stored for long periods the battery’s removed. And be careful of the cap’s seal when retightening, as the Trace along with all other red dots I’ve tested have notoriously skinny little O-rings which can misalign (or poke out) if the thread isn’t sitting precisely square.
The windage and elevation turrets are protected from snagging and tucked slightly within the confines of the machined aluminium body. The adjustment dials have a slot which turns with the supplied multi-tool or small flat-blade screwdriver. Both are clearly marked with directional arrows (U for elevation and R for windage), and positively click for each adjustment value of half an inch at 100 yards or roughly 13mm at 100m.
Sight and field test
A 357 Magnum rifle topped with a 1×25 red dot sight is by no means a long-range outfit. It’s intended more for running game at close distance, generally inside 100 metres or so, and I adjusted this one accordingly. For me, sighting-in rifles with a Picatinny rail is a swift process, as the mounts are true to barrel alignment and I was glad to have had one fitted.
After just a handful of shots, my wife Sue-Ann and I locked in the Trace’s turrets to a 50m zero in quick time. Once again, the little Rossi Puma shooting Remington 125-grain soft points impressed in the accuracy department, making me confident the MOP (minute of pig) we’d achieved on paper would boost our chances in dropping real-life feral swine.
It wasn’t from lack of trying, let me assure you, yet the local pig population had seemingly been avoiding us every time we pulled the lever rifle from the gun safe. Hares and rabbits weren’t so lucky but we were mostly chasing the hairy ferals for photos and, more importantly, experience in close-quarters pest control. It a took a western work trip to throw up the opportunity, one I intended to grab with both hands.
Both my son Carl and I were walking towards an area where he’d seen pigs a week earlier, when something unusual caught my eye. At least 400m away by the riverbank was a shape at the base of a tree which appeared to shift. I looked again, confirming it had moved once more, so I was now certain it was one of the pigs from last week. We closed the gap with the wind in our faces and used the tree line for cover to inch within shooting range.
Last light seems to linger on those far-west Queensland properties, though if we were going to make a move it had to be quick. The pigs had lingered not far from first sight as both Carl and I managed to drop a few before a hasty retreat to the riverbank. Fortunately for us, a chance at the same location presented with similar success just a few days later. We noted brightness level four had been our setting on the reticle from day one and, combined with the 25mm lens, there was no doubting target acquisition in low light at close range and, despite hours of constant use, the battery never faltered.
All up
The Trace 1×25 ticked all the boxes we’ve come to expect from a red dot sight and, while being marginally bigger than some of its competitors, came with a price tag that’s hard to ignore. I noticed they varied from dealer to dealer but averaged about $300 at time of writing. The Trace red dot functioned well at close quarters in low light during late hunts, never shifting point of aim. And should it succumb to an ‘injury’ while doing the hard yards, ZeroTech’s rock-solid warranty (as with all their products) ensures peace of mind. More at www.tsaoutdoors.com.au