Best AR-15 Laser Sight [2022]

Chances are, if you own an AR-15, you have a lot of tactical needs in mind for your rifle. One of the most useful accessories to a weapon like this is a red or green AR-15 laser sight. It is useful in home defense, law enforcement, military purpose, and even target practice.

Thanks to my dad, I’ve handled over 177 firearms since I turned 21. That’s a good number, but the AR-15 remains my top pick. It’s a nifty baddie to use. However, with a few small accessories and you can achieve another level of shooting.

Below is a list of the best AR-15 laser sights that I’ll cover in this review:

	AT3 LEOS Red Dot Sight with Integrated Laser Sight	4.3 x 2.3 x 3.1 Red/Green Scratch-resistant lenses Sight is a bit difficult to calibrate	$129 Shop NowClick to read my review
Best Budget Buy	Souforce Green Red Dot Laser Sight	4.72 x 1.54 Red/Green Is water- and shock- resistant Need to make a separate buy for CR123A battery	$44 Shop NowClick to read my review
Top Pick	Holosun Visible & IR Laser Sight	3.6 x 2.2 x 1.6 Red/Green All-in-one visible and IR laser Pricey	$769 Shop NowClick to read my review
	Streamlight TLR-4 Tac Light with Laser	2.73 x 1.2 x 2 Green Very compact and lightweight Only lasts up to 1.5 hours of continuous use	$136 Shop NowClick to read my review
	TruGlo MICRO-Tac Tactical Micro Laser	1-1/16 x 1-1/8 x 5/8 Red/Green Can pair with a wide variety of pistols, rifles, and other firearms Doesn’t emit the brightest laser glow	$61 Shop NowClick to read my review
	Viridian X5L Green Laser Sight and Tac Light	0.5 x 0.5 x 0.5 Green High-intensity laser reaches up to 2 miles at night Needs constant readjustments after every shot	$249 Shop NowClick to read my review

Which is the Better AR-15 Laser: Red or Green?

As you know, lasers come in two colors: red and green. Each laser color has its own strength. This often causes a lot of confusion for amateur and veteran shooters on which to pick. As such, how can we differentiate between the two?

Red Laser

Red lasers are more readily available in the market because they are cheaper. Of course, their cost reflects on the features they could offer to a user.

While they make excellent add-ons for night shooting, red lasers don’t do well in the daytime. You’ll notice that they aren’t very noticeable when used in broad daylight, especially from a distance. Despite the setbacks, red lasers win in terms of longer battery life.

Green Laser

Green laser beams come at a higher cost–and it’s all for good reasons. First, they let out stronger light glows. This makes it easier to spot them in bright and dark places alike. Though, this high brightness also shortens their battery life span.

AR-15 Laser: What To Look For

So you want to buy an AR-15 laser? There are several factors you should consider when picking the one for you.

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The Best AR-15 Laser Lights 

For this review, I picked six of the best AR-15 laser sights to buy this year. I included a personal favorite in the list, as well as a best-buy option. Now, on to the list.

AT3 LEOS Red Dot Sight with Integrated Laser Sight

This AR-15 laser is one made by AT3 Tactical. It has a 2 MOA red dot and an adjustable laser sight. The 6061 aluminum housing secures this add-on, making it waterproof in nature. It is made to last long, so you don’t have to worry about recoil beating it in the long run.

Like most lasers, the AT3 LEOS comes in both red and green light beams. The integrated laser is very bright, allowing you to line your shots in quick succession. Also, the red dot’s interior is fog-proof and is full of nitrogen to keep it that way.

Another thing to note about the AT3 LEOS is its battery strength. For instance, this laser accepts a CR321 battery for its power. This counts as one of the AT3 LEOS’ top attributes. You can keep this laser turned on for up to 50,000 hours of continuous use.

Moreover, the red dot has six separate brightness settings that you can adjust. But take note that higher brightness settings will reduce its battery life. To achieve its 50,000 hours of battery life, you need to configure its brightness to the lowest settings.

The AT3 LEOS has more parts that you can use for installation. This includes lens caps, tool-free windage, and riser mount housing. What’s even sweeter is that it comes with a lifetime warranty from the manufacturer itself.

Overall, the AT3 LEOS is a laser sight with high durability. Using it lets you fire several easy shots that are right on target.

Souforce Green Red Dot Laser Sight

If you’re looking for a cheap yet superb green/ red dot laser, the Souforce Laser Sight will surely meet your standard. For starters, the body is made out of durable metal. Furthermore, it is resistant to elements such as water and shock. Also, this item weighs only 4.5 oz. Because of this, you are likely to feel less of a difference when it is on your weapon. Mounting it is also a quick job.

This sight emits a light glow of less than 5mw. With such brightness, this enables you to spot this laser both at night and day hours. Pretty useful for hunting and home defense, I should say.

Another thing worth mentioning about the Souforce Laser Sight is its reaching distance. Since it has around 5mw brightness, you can use this laser up to a distance range of 300 meters. You can tweak its windage and elevation adjustments to your liking and comfort. Not to mention, Souforce improved on its on/off cap switch which you can operate with just a press of your finger.

Like many AR-15 lasers, the Souforce Laser Sight uses a CR123A battery as its chief power source. This prolongs the laser’s battery life by up to 3 years amid modifications. You can enjoy all this laser’s high-quality features for only $49.00. This is the most affordable on this list.

Holosun Visible & IR Laser Sight

The Holosun IR is a high-performing laser for the AR-15 rifle. Aside from the laser, it also comes with infrared (IR) with night vision capability. This feature could aid you in scanning over dark places and corners. It’s also handy in shooting intruders and aggressive games.

Like the AT3 LEOS, the Holosun IR has a machined aluminum housing. This material protects the lasers from getting broken or scratched whenever mishandled. You can operate the aluminum with the use of a cable switch.

To add, the Holosun IR has elevation and windage adjustments which makes it a coaxial unit. Using these parts lets you change each laser to your liking. It also comes in two available colors of your choice: red and green. 

This laser sight consists of a few helpful components. For instance, it uses a premium CR123 battery and a Torx tool. The latter helps adjust the tension screw on the QD mount. All mentioned parts make up this laser’s super strong and sturdy appearance. You can find Youtuber Craig Summers’ quick Holosun IR review in the review below:

Like most AR-15 lights, the Holosun IR also goes well with any Picatinny tail. The manufacturer also added a manual that’s simple to read and understand. Hence, shooters can attach this laser sight to their guns with less hassle.

Streamlight TLR-4 Tac Light with Laser

Compact-sized laser lights make perfect accessories, and Streamlight produces the best few. One example is the Streamlight TLR-4. Like most lasers for the AR-15, this item has an all-black body. But what makes it unique from the others is its polymer material construction. This gives the Streamlight TLR-4 its smooth and slick finish. To add, this laser only weighs under 3 ounces.

One of the Streamlight TLR4’s highlights is its various light modes. You have three options to choose from: laser only, light only, or laser and light combo. This feature saves you a lot of money to buy a separate flashlight for your gun. 

This laser sight’s on/off switch is ambidextrous, so you can use it with whichever hand you prefer. Below is an unboxing video of the Streamlight TLR-4 and how it works:

The Streamlight TLR-4 comes with a battery upon purchase. Its battery life could last up to one and a half hours of continuous use. Also, its compact size allows you to even attach it to compatible handguns like Glocks. 

Mounting the laser is as easy as it is straightforward. To install, you only need to snap it in place and tighten it with a knob. What’s more, is that the C4 LED comes in 125 lumens. This can light up most walkways and trails.

TruGlo MICRO-Tac Tactical Micro Laser

Another contender for the best AR-15 laser lights is none other than TruGlo’s MICRO-Tac Laser. Like the Streamlight TLR-4, this compact item also fits as a pistol laser accessory. You can choose between red or green laser colors depending on your preferences. With a weight of only 1 ounce, this product is the lightest laser in this review.

Speaking of weight, the MICRO-Tac Laser’s best point lies in its small size. Because of this, it takes up very little rail space once mounted on your firearm. Its small structure allows you to mount other add-ons to your gun like flashlights. As with other lasers, you could attach this item to any Weaver or Picatinny rail.

Watch how the Youtube channel Firearmsguide unboxes and installs this little laser:

MICRO-Tac Laser’s push-button activation is ambidextrous by default. Again, it shares this feature with the Streamlight TLR-4. This makes it easy for anyone to operate, especially left-handed shooters. Also, its operation system consists of two modes: pulse and solid.

As for battery life, this laser sight has a battery-saving feature to prolong its usage. After five minutes of inactivity, the item would experience an automatic shutdown. This attribute is handy when you switch your laser light by accident. Not to mention, the MICRO-Tac Laser is also shock and water-resistant.

Viridian X5L Green Laser Sight and Tac Light

Viridian crafts a lot of high-quality gun accessories and the X5L is solid proof. The green laser comes with a high-intensity tac light. This light comes in 178 lumens that can also operate in strobe mode.

In the daytime, the light reaches up to 100 yards. This distance extends up to 2 miles during night hours. From this, I’d say that the X5L is a great laser and light combo for long-distance shooting in the dark. You can browse our best laser light combo article to see more available choices like this one.

The X5L’s construction consists of black-grade aluminum that gives it a heavy-duty appearance. Also, Viridian used Zytel polymer to craft the sight’s front and rear covers. This adds to the X5L’s scratch resistance, maintaining its pristine condition.

You can configure the windage and elevation adjustments of the X5L with either your right or left hand. The rail mount is also universal. As such, you can fit it in any railed pistol of your choosing. To see how it performs on the range, you can click on the video below:

To summarize, the X5L is one of the best AR-15 lasers to exist out there. The green laser’s light is strong and the body is pretty much sturdy. The incredible long-distance capacity is perfect for field and home defense use. The sight is also accurate and clear which fares well for precision shooting. Since it’s the second most expensive laser on this list, you might need to spare more bucks to get it. Still, the X5L is a fantastic buy for anyone who can afford it.

Conclusion

Using the AR-15 is smoother with some laser sights on it. For night vision, I recommend the Holosun Visible & IR Laser Sight. Talking from experience, its infrared feature is such a huge advantage when navigating the dark. But if you want a low-cost yet reliable option, then the Souforce Laser Sight is your best bet.

Do you prefer red or green lasers? Which lasers do you have or would you like to buy next? Share your thoughts by dropping your comments below!

Relevant Readings/Posts:

• The 4 Best AR-15 Tool Kits
• The 4 Best AR-15 Foregrips
• Best AR-15 Triggers [2021]