Bushnell TRS-125

The Bushnell TRS-25 was a legend among those in the know, providing a quality red dot at a high of $125 and a low of $56. The -25 was a strong contender for years, before finally being superseded by the TRS-26. Now, Bushnell has revamped the original TRS-25 with the TRS-125. Is this an upgrade in name only, or has Bushnell put in the engineering to keep up with the times?  Read on.

Tech Specs

• Adjustment: +100 MOA
• Brightness settings: 10
• Reticle:  3 MOA dot
• Waterproofing:  IPX7 rated monolithic main housing
• Weight:  5.4 oz
• MOA per Revolution:  28
• Mount: Low- and High-rise Weaver mounts
• Battery life:  Up to 15,000 hours
• Battery type:  CR2032
• Auto shutoff:  Yes. 12 hour, user selectable

Where To Buy

The TRS-125 is in a funny place. I loved the TRS-25, and the TRS-26 was a good addition as well. The -125 has both the goodwill garnered by its predecessors, as well as the crushing expectations of keeping up with a high-quality, low-cost line of optics.

The battery life of the TRS-125 is 15,000 hours, which is triple the original TRS-25. This is about 1.7 years per battery. While many competitors have RDO’s with battery life exceeding four years, pretty much all of them are coming in significantly more expensive than the TRS-125’s approximate $115 price.

Installation

Mounting the TRS-125 is as easy as tightening two allen keys after you’ve selected, which Picatinny slot you want the optic in. The adjustment bolts aren’t captured in any way, so when they’re loose take care that they don’t drop out.

A high-rise spacer was included, which you may have noticed in the photo, I used when installing this onto a Ruger SFAR chambered in .308 Winchester (and later on a 5.7-chambered Ruger LC Charger).

Make sure you unscrew the battery cap and remove the small, clear plastic disc preventing battery discharge. Use a proper tool so you don’t immediately mar the cap (like me).

Brightness adjustments are made by hitting the up/down buttons on top of the housing. Holding the “down” button shuts the optic off. The 10 brightness settings are plenty sufficient, even in the midday glare of a 105-degree day. This is in stark contrast to another sub-$200 optic I reviewed recently, which wasn’t bright enough to see the reticle on white targets.

Windage and elevation adjustments are sharp and tactile. The caps covering the turrets are bare, lacking the protrusions that are more and more commonly found on optics that made adjustments a bit faster. So, plan on grabbing a spent piece of brass to make your adjustments.

Range Time

The 3 MOA dot is big enough to catch the eye quickly, but not so big that it blots out most targets. A 1- or 2-MOA dot might be a bit better for precision shooting with a red dot, but 3-MOA is absolutely great for reflexive shooting.

After a couple mags of reflexive fire on a rubber target from Infinite Defense, I started working on steel at 100 yards, putting the mini E-type target through hell in a hurry. I shot a bit at a 6-inch gong hanging at 200 yards, the SFAR and the TRS-125 kept the shot as easy as it should be expected to be.

The TRS-125 hasn’t failed to hold zero yet. That’s expected for every optic of course, but for a budget optic running on a 7.62 SFAR rifle, it certainly inspires a lot of confidence as to the quality of this design and its construction.

I took the optic off of the SFAR a while ago, and I’ve run the TRS-125 on a Ruger LC Charger chambered in 5.7 since then (Ruger review coming soon). After the .308, I expected no drama and I’ve gotten none. The light weight and small profile of the TRS-125 pair well with the LC Charger, to the point that I want to try it on my Mp5K and Kriss Vector next. I love a simple red dot.

In fact, when reviewing it’s easy to get lost in the debate of features and brand loyalties. For just over a hundred bucks, I only want a few basic features, but they’re not negotiable. I want my RDO to present a clean dot. I want decent battery life. I want my optic to hold zero and for the mount to not come loose.

So far, the Bushnell TRS-125 does all those things. The SFAR is a bit of a jackhammer, being so much lighter than most AR-10s means there’s a good amount of shock going through the system during the recoil pulse. If the TRS-125 is gonna shrug that off, I’m a believer.

Bottom Line

The Bushnell TRS-125 isn’t an Aimpoint, nor is it trying to be. The TRS-125 provides a good optic at a great price. If you’re looking to top off the spare “loaner” rifle in your safe, finish your 10/22 build, or just want to try out an inexpensive dot optic, the TRS-125 is worth the money. With an MSRP of $120, (and a street price that’s within a couple bucks of that) Bushnell is gunning for the competition.

Check out more articles from Jens “Rex Nanorum” Hammer or visit him on Instagram @Rexnanorum.

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