Description
The Sightmark Strikon SM23002 is a pistol red dot from Sightmark (model Strikon) with a Illuminated Etched Red / Green Dot Frame reticle.
Sightmark Strikon SM23002 Overview
A pistol red dot sits low on the slide and puts an illuminated aiming point on the target plane, so you can stay focused on the threat or target instead of juggling rear sight, front sight and target. Most shooters find it faster and more precise once they have trained the draw to find the dot consistently.
Expect a learning curve: the first range sessions are often spent hunting for the dot. Dry practice presenting the pistol to the same index point fixes that quickly, and backup iron sights help you find the window.
Reticle and Brightness
The reticle is listed as Illuminated Etched Red / Green Dot Frame, and the sight offers 9 Day / 3 Night brightness levels. A smaller dot covers less of the target for precise shots at distance, while a larger dot or circle-dot reticle is faster to pick up up close. Set the brightness just high enough that the dot is crisp against the background; too bright makes it bloom.
Mounting and Fit
It mounts via Aimpoint Micro. Set your zeroing distance to match how you use the gun: 50 yards is a popular rifle zero for a red dot, and 15 to 25 yards is common for pistols.
Power and Battery
It runs on a CR2032 battery, with the distributor quoting 10,000 hrs of battery life. Battery life varies a lot with brightness setting and temperature, so replace the battery on a schedule, such as every birthday or every season, rather than waiting for it to fail.
Build and Durability
The housing is aluminum, and the distributor lists it as dust proof / shock proof / waterproof. Listed weight is 6.87 oz Diopter Adjustment -2 / +2 and dimensions are 2.42″ x 1.73″ x 2.80″. Check the mounting screws after the first range session and use the thread locker the maker recommends.
Honest Limitations
Shooters with astigmatism often see a red dot as a starburst, comma or cluster instead of a clean dot; a prism sight, a different dot color or corrective lenses can help, so try one before you buy if you can.
Budget and mid-priced sights are fine for range, hunting and home use, but they are not built to the same abuse standard as top-tier duty optics, so match the sight to the job. Open emitters can also collect rain, snow, lint or debris that blocks the dot, so check the window before you rely on the sight, and keep lens caps or a cover on it during transport. Clean the glass with a lens brush and microfiber cloth rather than a shirt tail.
Sighting In
Start close, at 10 to 25 yards, to get on paper, then move to your final distance and refine. Keep a consistent eye position and cheek weld while you shoot groups, adjust windage and elevation in small steps, and confirm the zero with the ammunition you actually carry or hunt with.
Before You Buy
Confirm the mount, footprint or rail on your firearm, the battery type, and whether you need co-witness height with your iron sights. Optics are not firearms and ship without an FFL transfer.
Choosing Dot Size and Color
Dot size is a trade-off. A 2 or 3 MOA dot covers about 2 or 3 inches at 100 yards, which suits precise rifle work, while a 6 MOA dot or a circle-dot pattern is quicker for the eye to find at speed, which is why it is popular on pistols and home defense carbines. Green dots look brighter to many eyes in daylight; red dots usually run longer on a battery and are the traditional choice.
Care and Storage
Store the optic with the illumination off, or rely on auto shut-off if it has one, and keep a spare battery with the gun. After wet or dusty days, blow debris off the lenses before wiping them, and check that the mount is still tight before the next trip to the range or the field.
Specifications
- Brand: Sightmark
- Model: Strikon
- Magnification: 1x
- Reticle: Illuminated Etched Red / Green Dot Frame
- Brightness levels: 9 Day / 3 Night
- Objective: 18mm
- Mount: Aimpoint Micro
- Battery: CR2032
- Battery life: 10,000 hrs
- Material: Aluminum
- Color: Black
- Weight: 6.87 oz Diopter Adjustment -2 / +2
- Dimensions: 2.42″ x 1.73″ x 2.80″
- UPC: 840284904034
Who It Is For
The Sightmark Strikon SM23002 is a great fit for concealed carry, home defense and competition shooters who want a dot on their handgun.
Buy the Sightmark Strikon SM23002 at MAG5 Firearms
MAG5 Firearms is a family-owned FFL in Collegeville, Pennsylvania. Order the Sightmark Strikon SM23002 online, or browse our red dot sights and optics for more. For factory details, visit Sightmark.
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