Sights are important for tactical shooters. They are also important for hunters that hunt in short range. Finding good sights for short-range has always been a challenge. Some of them perform well in a certain distance and fail in the other. While some may feature bad lenses altogether.
Holosun has problems with none of those. Holosun Sights are some of the best you could purchase right now. However, choosing the right Holosun is a bit of a challenge.
Holosun 403 vs 503 is such a challenge. Both of these lineup looks so identical, it’s hard to differentiate them.
Holosun 403/ 503 – Outlooks
Holosun 403/ 503 – Specs
| Specs | Holosun 403 | Holosun 503 |
|---|---|---|
| Magnification | 1X | 1X |
| Weight | 2.82 Oz | 3 Oz |
| Waterproof | Yes | Yes |
| Battery | CR2032 | CR2032 Lithium |
| Adjustments | Windage, Elevation, Brightness | Windage, Elevation, Brightness |
| NV | Yes | Yes |
Holosun 403 VS 503 – Differences
- 403c is slightly lighter than 503c.
- 503c is slightly bigger than 403c.
- 503c features multiple reticles whereas 403c features only one.
- 503c features super LED.
- 503c has shake-awake feature.
Quality
Holosun 403C: Lenses used here are fully multi-coated. Aluminum anodization is also on point. QC issues regarding this sight are rarely heard of. But if somehow you manage to get a QC issue unit, Holosun will replace that. Both the build quality and feel of this sight are simply great.
Holosun 503c: The texture on the body of this sight is something else. Anodization doesn’t feel cheap at all. Lenses are fully multi-coated and it has a glass-etched reticle. The reticle gets insanely bright at maximum magnification. You also have brightness settings for the night.
Durability
Holosun HS403c: Made out of high-quality aluminum, HS403c isn’t something you can break from a single drop. Unless you have real hatred against the sight, it’s nearly impossible to break the sight by mistake. The entire construction is shock and waterproof. To make the internals fogproof, the inside of the sight is also nitrogen-purged.
The sight is also treated to be bright and color-accurate during the day and night. Brightness control and other adjustments are on point with the sight as well.
Holosun HS503C: This is also made out of the same durable material used in other Holosun sights. High-quality aluminum protects the sight from outside harm. It also protects the lens from getting misplaced. As the sight is waterproof, moisture can’t get inside the sight to fog it from inside.
Overall, build quality is as expected from Holosun. Top of the line.
Performance
Holosun 403C: It performs as well as you expect a red dot to perform. Highly accurate in short-range. Somewhat accurate in long-range and med-range is the grey area. You can tune the sight till you are satisfied with the result on your gun. Tuning the sight is super easy as well. Even a newbie can do it by reading the manual.
Holosun 503C: 503c and 403c are basically the same when it comes to performing on the field. There is no difference whatsoever. What 403c can do, 503c can do the same as well. With equal efficiency and grace.
Both of these sights are optimal for hunting or competitive shooting. They are good with small firearms and automatic rifles.
Size
Holosun 403c: It’s a small sight. It doesn’t look that big at all. Overall dimensions are 2.45×1.43×1.6 inches. As you can see, from height to length, this sight is quite tame. I know the mounting system looks extremely tall, but it really isn’t. It sits flush on the rail and its height is perfect to use the sight from a good distance.
Holosun 503C: And this is slightly bigger than 403C. Not by much, but it’s slightly bigger. Overall dimensions are 2.6×1.43×1.6inches. As you can see, the difference is almost non-existent. You won’t even notice how different they are.
They look nearly identical.
Weight
Holosun 403C: It’s a lightweight red dot sight. The total weight of this sight is 2.82oz. It can vary depending on your scale. But the weight is pretty constant throughout.
It’s not too heavy, nor too light. Weight balance is perfect as well. This sight uses a single CR2032 battery towards the back, but that doesn’t sway away too much weight towards the back. Holosun balanced the weight quite nicely.
Holosun 503C: Surprisingly, 503C doesn’t weigh as much as you would expect it to. Afterall, it looks exactly the same as a 403c. But weight difference still exists.
Weight of 503c is 3oz. Just a tad bit heavier than 403C. Honestly, weight balance is so good on this sight. You won’t even notice you have a slightly heavier sight.
Holosun 403/ 503 – Videos
Holosun 403 VS 503 – Summary
Both Holosun HS403c and HS503c are great sights. They look alike and they perform alike. It’s more like do you want that second reticle or not? If your answer is yes, then go for 503c. If your answer is no, then go for 403c.
Otherwise, the rest of the differences play little to no role whatsoever.
If you don’t care about reticles, either is fine.
Hi, I’m Brent Hansford. A writer turned hunter & now sharing my love for the sport through writing. As I practically breathe weapons, I firmly believe I’m capable of providing you with new knowledge about firearms and hunting. My mission is to help more people get better at hunting & master the weapons. Let me help with unleashing the beast within you!
