Romeo Zero Pricing?

[Ben]

I'm just now finally getting around to buying the Romeo Zero for my P365XL. I was planning on using Cabelas bucks to get it for free, and saw that Cabelas has it for $199. Then I saw Amazon has it for ~$135. Primary Arms has options from $159-$200.

I haven't been able to positively find any data on if perhaps, there is an "economy version" of the sight or if it's just randomly different pricing. If the $135 one is the same as the $199 one, I might as well buy that one and use the Cabelas bucks for a free Ruger Wrangler, which I have also been meaning to get. Seeing something cheap on Amazon always gets my "counterfeit" hackles up, but it looks legit there.

[MechAg94]

I thought they were $199 when I looked a while back. 

I don't know how much I would trust Amazon with the way they do inventory.  I have always had good service from Primary Arms.

[WLJ]

Jeff said there are no counterfeits sold on Amazon.
He also said he's got a rocket that's better than anything SpaceX has.

[MikeB]

The Romeo Zero is not great. It has some major draw backs.

You have to remove it from the slide to change the battery, this can affect Zero.

Changing the brightness of the dot is just plain stupid. There is a tiny button that sits just in front of the glass that you have to press. It goes up or down, then more of whichever direction it is going, then off, then back down or up depending on the previous cycle ... So you can't just lower or increase the brightness a bit easily, it will either go down or up when you press the button. Since the button is right in front of the glass, you cannot see the dot while pressing the button. Press the button, remove finger, look through site, repeat. Sometimes it isn't real obvious with one press if it is going up or down or changed at all since the button is a little hard to press to begin with. I have fairly small fingers, I'm not sure how someone with large fingers would even fit a finger into where the button is, I've heard of people needing to use pens or other things to push the button.

The screws for zeroing the dot have no feedback, there is not a click as you adjust them so it is fairly easy to over or under adjust vs what you want to do.

I was however mostly happy with mine until I started having to adjust the dot a few times at the start of some IDPA stages, and also until I had to change the battery right before a match and I'm pretty sure my Zero is off a bit now. While I'm fairly slow at IDPA I rarely am down more than Zero, maybe down One or Two on many/most stages. This last match I seemed to miss every target until I started using a little Kentucky windage on where I think Zero is off.

I'm looking at a Holosun 507, this seems to be the consensus of a number of owners of P365/Romeo Zero combinations that I know personally. Your mileage of course may vary.

[Ben]

Thanks for that write-up, Mike. I have an HE507C on my FNX45, but it seems kinda big for a P365. Is there a smaller version of the 507 that's a direct fit on the 365? I actually like the 507C quite a bit. It seems very well-made.

[MikeB]

I think it is the 507K. I was waiting to see it on one of the other guys P365’s before I ordered one. I should see one this weekend hopefully at a range workday or IDPA match.

[Lennyjoe]

I’m kind of on the fence with red dots.  I have a Burris Fastfire on my FNX45 and a Swampfox on my G17.  Both shoot great and hold zero just fine.

I had the Hex Red Dot on my Springfield XDM Elite 3.8 10MM but I’m more accurate with the iron sights so the Hex red dot sits on the shelf.

[Ben]

I’m kind of on the fence with red dots. 

I know where you're coming from. The future for pistols seems to be optics, kind of reinforced from all corners of the shooting world. I've been an old timer dragging my feet, but I'm trying to dip my toes in the water and train.  At least on my pistols that are already cut for optics. I think my 1911s will be the last holdouts. 

[dogmush]

My Romeo Zero has been fine on my 365xl. Mike is right that adjusting it is a pain, but I never do that so whatever. It just sits on a mid level on my edc. 

I changed batteries with no zero shift, but it might happen.

It makes up for it IMO by being the correct size.  If I was going to get something else I'd look at the RMSc. I like it's housing design and being metal, but really the Rzero works fine for my application.

I don't but a ton of rounds through my 365 compared to some other guns.

[MikeB]

My Romeo Zero has been fine on my 365xl. Mike is right that adjusting it is a pain, but I never do that so whatever. It just sits on a mid level on my edc. 

I changed batteries with no zero shift, but it might happen.

It makes up for it IMO by being the correct size.  If I was going to get something else I'd look at the RMSc. I like it's housing design and being metal, but really the Rzero works fine for my application.

I don't but a ton of rounds through my 365 compared to some other guns.

I had the same experience initially. It was when I started using mine in IDPA that I really started to notice the difference with brightness. Sometimes the medium setting was great in the early day, but was washed out in the early to late afternoon when the sun was brighter or at the right angle. I never noticed the issue shooting at my normal indoor range prior.

Now I do have one other issue that others may not experience as much, I have astigmatism and if the dot is too bright I get the starburst effect and the dot covers too much of the target so I'm a little more limited on that mid range setting that is bright enough, but not too bright. That may not matter quite as much for real defensive shooting vs. trying to shoot the 0 down body and especially head target area on a standard IDPA target.

[Ben]

I guess I have some more thinking to do. The Romeo Zero would be the perfect size for me, which is a big check in the "pro" column for me. I don't compete and only practice defensive shooting with my pistols. So I'll need to decide if any of the listed drawbacks outweigh the "fit" of the optic on the 365 for my particular uses, or if other than changing batteries, I'd kind of be leaving it on "one and done" settings, which then wouldn't matter much on the mentioned drawbacks.

[Ben]

Well, I ended up ponying up for the Holosun 507K. One of the big selling points for me was the circle dot, which I have been using in my AR rifles and pistols. My old eyes are just sold on that.

I should have it in my hands in a few days, and will install it on my P365XL Spectre when it arrives. Though the way the mount on the Spectre is set, I might have to start holster shopping again, dammit.

[Hawkmoon]

Jeff said there are no counterfeits sold on Amazon.