Tag Archives: gideon optics

Big Windows from Gideon Optics: Gideon Storm and Omega Red Dots

January 9, 2026Optics, Product reviewgideon optics, omega red dot, Red dot, storm red dotcoldboremiracle

Introduction

As my love for shooting develops more depth, I have greatly come to enjoy the use of red dot sights, particularly on my pistols. Today I am bringing you a look at two new to me red dots, both from Gideon Optics. Both of them use big windows for a broad field of view. First of the two is the Gideon Omega, which has been around for a while. The newer of the two sights is the Gideon Storm.

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While these two sights are similar, they have some distinct differences that might appeal to different shooters. We’ll go over the features of these two sights, and why you might select one over the other.

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Specifications

	Gideon Omega	Gideon Storm
Footprint compatibility	RMR	Delta Point Pro
Weight	1.6 Ounces	1.37 Ounces
Battery	CR1632	CR1632
Material	7075 Aluminum	7075 Aluminum
Reticle	3MOA dot or 45MOA circle/dot	6MOA Dot
Reticle Color	Red or Green	Red or Green
Click Value	1MOA	1MOA
Shake Awake	Yes	Yes
Waterproof	Yes	Yes
Lifetime Warranty	Yes	Yes
Dimensions	52.5mm x 30.7mm x 31.7mm	47.7mm X 31.2mm X 30.8mm
Screws Included	6-32 x 0.374″4-40 x 0.25″M3.5 x 0.6 x 11mm	M4x0.7×8.6mm and M4x0.7×10.1mm

On paper these two sights look pretty similar, and I would say they could easily share similar duties. The Omega is very similar in looks to the Trijicon SRO, the shape and everything makes it look like a clone. But the Omega offers a little diversity in reticle options, with its circle dot versus just the dot option. What it doesn’t copy is the impressive price, the Omega can be had nearly a quarter the price. The fine 3MOA dot of the Omega gives some dexterity in aimpoints, it’s easy to accurately pinpoint targets, or bracket the target inside the circle dot version of the reticle.

The Storm on the other hand, closely resembles my Holosun 507 Comp being just a bit smaller. It uses the more traditional square shaped display, versus the Omega’s rounded look. Both of these optics come with a selection of screws to make it easier to attach these optics to their base. They also come with a tool to both tighten the screws, as well as adjust the reticle of the red dot. The Storms big window and 6MOA dot are quick to get on target, and easy to find in a hurry.

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Both of these dots use Gideon’s shake awake feature, that preserves battery life by shutting down when motionless for 255 seconds. They instantly revive when any movement is made. The Storm red dot incorporates a rear sight notch, in the event the rear sight is removed when installing a red dot. Both units came with a picatinny base mount, should you wish to mount it to a rifle.

Mounting Gideon Red Dots

To experience these two red dots together, I decide to mount them to two comparably sized pistols. The Storm would get mounted to my Shadow Systems DR920, a nice clone. Meanwhile the Omega would be mounted to my Bear Creek Arsenal Grizzly 101, another clone of the popular Glock 17.

gideon, gideon optics, storm, storm red dot, red dot, rds, shadow systems, dr920, 9mm, nightstick, mounting, — both red dots came with tools and other extras for mounting options

Luckily I was able to find the right screws to mount both sights, and with a dab of blue loctite I tightened them down. Using the supplied tool, I adjusted the reticle to co witness with the iron sights. And it was time to hit the range.

On the Firing Line

We took both pistols to the range, and with a bucket of 115gr ammo, we went to town. We started with targets up close, 7-10 yards away. Later we would shoot more targets at further distances like 15 and 20-yards.

Presenting the pistols from the holster gave a good chance to evaluate how the larger windows aided in rapidly getting on the target. Using the different reticle options between the two gave interesting contrast. The finer dot was more concise, while the 6 MOA dot was easy to just cover the target and squeeze. I think I prefer the circle dot options though, this has been the case with other red dots with the option as well.

Over the course of shooting, I ran several boxes of ammunition through both pistols. I love shooting pistols, and using these two red dots added to the enjoyment. Their bright reticles showed up excellent in both bright afternoon light, and especially in the dull overcast skies. I didn’t experience any shift in the reticle once they were zeroed, we just plowed through the shooting.

Quality

Both of these dots come with a lifetime warranty, but so does everything these days. For that matter a huge portion of red dots come from China, and despite the taboo of 中国制造, so many of these red dots are more than adequate for the folks who use them. I couldn’t find anything about these dots to complain about, especially considering their price. The lenses were clear with no significant effect on my ability to find and engage the targets. The finish on the aluminum was fine, and I’d expect it last for the lifetime of the optics. The bright reticles looked good against my targets, and they were well defined with no worse or better bleed than others.

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Reliability

I saw no zero shift from these dots during testing, none that was discernible anyways. The control buttons were a touch squishy, but not bad. You can feel the click of each button when pushed.

Using side tray battery installation is a nice feature, and one that is becoming standard for most red dots. This makes it so you don’t have to remove the sight to change the battery. Using these dots over time will give more insight as to how well they are made and how reliable they will be. But I also have a Gideon Alpha that has been going for almost two years now, swapped across various pistols. It has neither gone dead or crapped out on me in any way during that time. I expect the Omega and the Storm will do the same.

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Value

Both of these optics offer a pretty good deal. I already mentioned the difference in price between some of these. That’s not to say I’m making a direct comparison between these optics and ones that cost three or four times their cost. But for what these red dots cost they are certainly a good value. The Omega can be had for $170 on Optics Planet, which is fifty-bucks less than you can get the Storm for $220 on Optics Planet. I expect many might make their decision based on budget, I myself am a little more about aesthetics.

Conclusion

If I had to choose between these two optics, it would be a little tough. The Omega is a better deal, but I prefer the look of the Storm. But whether you go for beauty or value, I don’t think you’ll be let down by either of these sights. Your choice between them might also be based on the footprint. If you’re lucky, you might have a pistol with a configurable footprint like my Ruger RXM and run either of them.

-CBM

Looking Through the Gideon Optics Guardian 1-6X24 LPVO

January 4, 2026Optics, Product review1-6, gideon, gideon optics, guardian, lpvocoldboremiracle

Preface

Gideon Optics draws its name from the the historical character in the bible. Leading the charge with affordable sighting options seems to be the mission for them, and today we are looking at another product from the manufacturer; the Gideon Optics Guardian 1-6X24 rifle scope. The Guardian is a low power variable optic (LPVO) which has become a very popular choice for carbine and short-range rifles. I’ve been a bit of a fan since I got my first LPVO, so as my collection grows with the Guardian 1-6 it already had a variety of competitors for comparison. In today’s review we are going to evaluate the Guardian 1-6 as it compares to other similar LPVO’s, and see if Gideons value makes it worth your consideration.

Gideon Optics Guardian 1-6

Gideon’s 1-6 LPVO joins a family of scopes including their 1-10 Guardian that uses a 34mm tube and exposed turrets. There are both FFP and SFP options in the 1-8 sized Guardian, so the 1-6 is in good company for sure.

Built on a 30mm tube, the Guardian 1-6 has a 24mm objective. The reticle is placed in the second focal plane, and has a very sharp red or green illuminated dot at the center of its reticle. Its controlled by a variable rheostat on the left-side of the turret housing. Additionally the reticle features a couple different hold points for either measuring or corrections. The low-profile capped turrets are .25 MOA per click, and reticle subtensions are in MOA as well.

The Guardian comes with a removable throw-lever installed to make quick changes in magnification. It can be purchased together with a Gideon scope mount for a discounted price as you’ll see here. As is typical in the optics market, the Guardian comes with a set of flip-caps, battery, and tools for zeroing.

Specifications

Magnification: 1-6x
Objective Lens Diameter: 24 mm
Main Tube Size: 30 mm
Turrets: Capped
Click Value: 0.25 MOA per click
Parallax Free: At 100 yards
Illumination Brightness Setting: 12 levels
Illuminated Dot Size: 0.6 MOA
Power Supply: 1x CR2032 3V Lithium battery
Shockproof: 1000G
Waterproof: IPX7
Elevation/Windage adjustment range: +/- 70 MOA (Total 140 MOA)
Field of View: 125.0 ft – 20.0 ft
Eye Relief: 3.9 in
Exit Pupil: 9.1- 3.5 mm
Weight: 19.4 oz (approx.)

Mounting and Zero

I mounted the Guardian using the Gideon 30mm cantilever mount, which of course was a perfect fit for my AR15 rifle. ThenI leveled the scope and torqued everything down before I boresighted it. I did this using my traditional method, looking down the bore of the secured rifle, and adjusting the reticle to coincide with the boreline. After adding a suppressor to the rifle, I was ready to head to the range.

Shooting with the Guardian

My first trip was to a public range, where I typically don’t go. But this was an opportunity to do some good testing of the scope on paper. But before I even fired a shot, I spent a good deal of time simply looking through the scope, and getting a feel for it. I was quite happy with the optical presentation of the Guardian 1-6, at all magnifications it looked very bright and clean. I didn’t notice any significant blurring around the edges or other aberrations. And the bright illumination of the dot stood out with great contrast against the downrange view.

gideon optics, guardian, 1-6x24, lpvo, low power variable optic, riflescope, scope, reticle, illumination, — It’s hard to get a perfect picture through a scope, but it does look better than these pictures portray

I removed the caps of the turrets in preparation for some adjustments, and fired a few shots. It took very little adjustment to get on target, this rifle typically shoots around 1 MOA patterns. And with a zero confirmed at one-hundred yards, we went to shooting. With distances as far as two-hundred yards on the range, it was simple and fun to engage small targets holding over with the Guardian reticle.

Later the rifle would come along with us on various trips into the open country of the wintery Rocky Mountains. For fun we typically set up a variety of shooting drills and transitions, this allows plenty of opportunity to shoulder the rifle and adjust the scope. We did shoot as far as four-hundred yards using the Guardian 1-6, holding over the targets using the reticle. Most of it was done using 55-grain ball ammo.

Optical Quality

The Guardian 1-6 had great transmission of the target image, with sharp detail. I am a big fan of adjustable parallax scopes, but I understand that it doesn’t always make sense for scopes in this power and price range. And that said, I found the fixed parallax of the Guardian to be perfectly serviceable. Picking out things as small as tiny birds on the hillside 200 yards away was easily done, even allowing identification of them. Using this scope for sport shooting inside the effective range of a 5.56 carbine would make target acquiring and engaging very doable.

Controls

The controls of the 1-6 Guardian are simple and effective. The resistance on the magnification ring is just right. I don’t like it when they are too easy or hard to turn. And only the ring turns, not the whole eyepiece.

Illuminating the center dot is done by turning the left-side turret. There is an “off” setting between each of the 12 brightness settings allowing you to keep it close to ready but not powered up.

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Value

Optical quality is very subjective, as my eyes age I seem to notice a little more between glass qualities. I have several other 1-6 LPVO’s that I have used quite a bit over the years, and so far I feel like the Guardian 1-6 stands up to the same useability as my others. Sure there might be some in my collection with an optical quality higher than the Guardian. But it usually comes down to the users choice.

For the price of $299 I think the Guardian is an easy choice for those looking for a good LPVO for their carbine. Any of the big names in optics are going to cost you more for a comparable scope, and lower cost will only come from other bargain brands. Gideon’s warranty mirrors what has become the standard in the optics industry, with a lifetime warranty against defects. So you can count on their products being there when you need them.

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Pros and Cons

I really like the optical quality of this scope, it has a forgiving eye-box, and I found it easy to focus for clear reticle definition and target clarity. The textures of the controls surfaces are not too flashy and they work perfectly. Capping the turrets was a good choice for a scope like this, as I don’t anticipate doing much dialing. I’ll throw in an honorable mention for Gideon’s cantilever scope mount, the four bolt caps are just right for properly clamping down your scope, and the foot makes excellent contact with your picatinny rail. I especially grateful they didn’t put the cheap protruding nut fasteners on the foot, which alway get hung-up in things.

gideon optics, scope mount, scope rings, cantilever, mount, — **Gideons Guardian Mount** was a perfect fit

The only things I would like to add to this scope would also drive it’s cost way up. And that would kind of defeat the purpose of an affordable 1-6. But I’d love to see an option with MRAD exposed turrets, and adjustable parallax. But those are features probably better suited for the 1-8 or 1-10.

Last Thoughts

Having used various Gideon Optics products over the last few years, I feel pretty confident that they will be around for a while. And providing additional options for those looking for quality sighting products. The Gideon Guardian 1-6 is a great choice for a short to medium range rifle like the one I used here. The variable power gives the shooter dexterity in aiming options. Whether you are after a fast shooting sport rifle optic, or something for defensive situations, the Gideon Guardian 1-6 gives a great value and performance.

-CBM

Gideon Optics Alpha Red Dot

February 13, 2024Optics, Product reviewalpha, gideon opticscoldboremiracle

Red dot sights have become more and more popular, and mounting them to pistols has become more than just a trend. As an optics nerd, I find myself squarely in the middle of all the activity. Which has allowed me to bring you another optics review, this time of the Gideon Optics Alpha red dot sight.

Years ago a curious development in the optics market occurred; a new brand popped up that offered all the good features folks were after. And not only did the brand present these features at a competitive price, they stood behind it. And thus a new star was born. Those of us who’ve been around the industry for a while have seen this cycle repeat itself over and over again. And these budding brands continue to battle for the same section of the market.

The Gideon Alpha

Gideon Optics is a more recent brand on the optics market, I was made aware of the brand through a friend who showed me some of Gideon’s red dot sights. They produce several different red dots of various footprints, so there is likely one that will fit your needs. Gideon is a sister company to JSD Supply, well known for a variety of firearms products.

The Alpha red dot uses the very popular Trijicon RMR footprint. This gives you the advantage of a great variety of mounting options due to aftermarket support. In addition to the RMR footprint, the Alpha comes with a Picatinny rail mount option as well. This comes in handy for mounting to your favorite carbine.

Function

Since a plain dot has become a little boring, I really appreciate the circle dot reticle that comes standard in the Alpha. The large window of the Alpha allows maximized use of the circle dot red dot, it is also available with a green circle dot. Another popular feature incorporated into the Alpha red dot is the motion sensing illumination, which helps increase battery life. When motionless for a time, the red dot automatically shuts down. As soon as the weapon is moved, the red dot resumes illumination instantly ready to use.

the **CR1632 battery** for the Alpha is centrally located, so you don’t need to re-zero after battery changes

Like most red dot sights, the Alpha comes with two small adjustment screws for elevation and windage corrections. The included tool allows you to turn the screws which equate to one MOA per click of movement. And speaking of included, besides tools the Alpha also comes with a couple different screw sets for different mounting. This is always a welcome practice.

The **Sig Sauer P320 X5 Legion** and **Surefire X300** made a good host for the Alpha

Mounting the Gideon Alpha to a Sig Sauer P320

Of the many hosts that awaited the Alpha, the first pistol was my Sig Sauer P320 X-Five. The X-Five has RMR cuts and threads from the factory, making the drop-in easy. After lining everything up, and torquing down the screws everything looked fantastic. A few simple turns on the set screws to get the reticle zeroed and we were ready for the range.

I carried the P320 Legion with the Gideon Alpha for a month or so, and used it for a variety of range trips. I found that the combination to be very comfortable to shoot. The reticle of the Alpha was very effective for shooting, and helped naturally move the aim onto target.

With the motion setting on, the Alpha was on everytime I presented it. Drawing from a holster dozens of times a day for weeks at a time, I got more and more accurate with my presentation. I really grew to like the Alpha on my pistol.

Swapping Optics On My Pistol

After a good deal of shooting with the Alpha on my P320, I decided to swap it over to my Shadow Systems DR920. Both pistols allow mounting of RMR footprinted sights without an adaptor plate. Which made them ideal for testing the Alpha.

After torquing the screws down holding the Alpha to the slide, I made a couple simple adjustments to co-witness sights. Once again, it made a fantastic sight picture every time I presented the pistol. The lighter weight of the DR920 changed a little bit the way I presented the pistol, but the different grip angle made it seem faster and cleaner every time. And like I experienced with the Sig, the large reticle of the Alpha made it very easy to bring the aimpoint on target.

Concluding Thoughts

Normally I feature a Pros and Cons section, but I couldn’t really find anything I didn’t like about the Gideon Alpha. It has been reliable for the past few months carrying it daily, it’s always on when I look through it. It’s easily zeroed and has stayed zeroed since I put it on. The popular RMR footprint means it will fit a wide variety of popular pistols. And all this comes in a box for a street price under $200, which I think is a pretty good deal compared to other optics on the market.

As I continue to build an army of red dot sights, I am glad to have this Gideon Alpha in my collection. The refreshing selection of affordable quality optics we enjoy today sure makes it feel like the good old days. As always, if you’d like to see how this red dot endures, follow me to see how it performs over time. If you too are looking to broaden your red dot selection, check out the red dots from Gideon Optics, you’ll be glad you did.

-CBM