Leupold DeltaPoint Micro Red Dot Sight Review

Reflex optics are the hottest trend in handguns, and that has prompted several optics manufacturers to throw their own red dot pistol sights into the ring. While different reflex sights may have their own unique features, most follow a similar design recipe and look much like clones of one another.

Enter Leupold’s groundbreaking DeltaPoint Micro, which doesn’t look like anything seen in the red dot market to date. It’s small, even by micro red dot standards, measuring just 2.25 inches long and 1.25 inches high. DeltaPoint Micro rides on the rear of the slide and locks in place using the existing rear sight cutout, and about half of the sight’s overall length lies behind the slide.

On my test gun, a Glock 17, the DeltaPoint Micro rose just a half-inch above the top of the slide, which is similar to most iron sights. Currently, the DeltaPoint Micro is available for Glock and Smith & Wesson M&P pistols, but additional versions of the DeltaPoint Micro are likely to follow.

The DeltaPoint Micro’s battery is housed under the power button at the rear of the unit, and the power button also serves to control the brightness of the three m.o.a. red dot reticle.

The sight body is constructed from lightweight, durable aluminum, and the optic’s overall weight is just a hair over an ounce. The sight tube has a diameter of just over 0.4 inch, and when power is turned off to the unit, it acts very much like a ghost ring sight.

A touch of the power button, which is located on the bottom rear of the sight, activates the red dot, and the DeltaPoint Micro offers eight different brightness settings for any light conditions. The sight also features Leupold’s Motion Sensor Technology that puts the optic to sleep when the gun/optic remain still for five minutes. It automatically powers the unit on when motion is detected.

The Leupold DeltaPoint Micro is powered by a single CR1632 battery with a constant runtime of 3.5 years at half-power (level four). You don’t have to remove the sight to replace the battery, so no need to rezero. The optic is IPX7 rated, meaning it can be submerged in water up to a meter deep for 30 minutes and still function properly.

“As our team designed the DeltaPoint Micro, they knew it needed to be three things: low profile, easy to use, and tough as nails,” said Tim Lesser, Leupold’s vice president of product development. “It delivers on all counts.”

To install the DeltaPoint Micro, I removed the rear sight from my Glock 17 using a sight pusher tool, and after cleaning the rear sight dovetail with alcohol and allowing it to dry, I inserted the provided mounting bar into the slot. Two holes in the metal mounting bar align with holes in the sight body, and screw tension holds the optic in place. Installation took about five minutes start to finish.

The aluminum body extends beyond the front objective lens, and the diode is housed inside the sight—protecting it from dirt and moisture. The lens has Leupold’s Double DiamondCoat scratch-resistant coating.

The rear tube design mimics an aperture sight and co-witnesses with the front sight on your pistol, meaning you’ll still have iron sights even if the Leupold’s battery dies. If you look closely at the sides of the DeltaPoint Micro’s tube, you’ll see a pair of milled holes on the back of the sight that act like traditional three-dot irons.

The unit is activated via the rubber power button, and pressing it also toggles through its brightness levels. The dot flashes when you reach the extreme high or low settings. Even in low light it’s easy to pick up on the sight and make accurate shots. With the dot on its highest intensity level, I could effectively shoot targets at midday in full sun.

There are two recessed adjustment screws on the left rear portion of the sight, and Leupold provides a hex wrench for adjusting the sight for both windage and elevation. With 100 m.o.a. of elevation adjustment and 180 m.o.a. of windage, there should be no problems getting the sight zeroed on your firearm.

Getting used to shooting through the small sight tube may take some time, especially if you’ve never used an optic on a handgun, but since the DeltaPoint Micro rides at the same height as traditional iron rear sights, there isn’t a dramatic learning curve. With practice the sight is fast and intuitive to use.

The DeltaPoint Micro’s compact dimensions allow it to fit easily in most factory holsters without modification. My Blackhawk T-Series L2D holster fit perfectly, and in fact, of the five factory Glock 17 holsters I had on hand, all of them fit my gun properly with the sight attached without modification.

The sight performed really well for me on the range. I was able to shoot five-shot groups ranging from 1.2 inches to 1.9 inches at 25 yards from the bench. At 21 feet offhand, I emptied a magazine at a torso target and placed all 11 shots in the 10-ring of the target, which is better than I typically do when shooting that same Glock 17 with iron sights.

Next, I turned to two other test shooters: my father, who recently had cataract surgery and has trouble seeing iron sights; and my wife, who is cross-dominant. Both conditions can create issues when selecting sights for firearms, and I was particularly interested in their take.

My father found it much easier to see the red dot sight than with traditional iron sights, and my wife, who has had struggles shooting accurately because of her cross-dominance, called the DeltaPoint Micro the most natural pistol sight she’s ever used.

The Leupold DeltaPoint Micro is breaking new ground in the pistol optics market. Never before has a red dot been this small, and its low-profile design will appeal to hardline iron sight fans more than larger optics. It’s a great option for concealed carry pistols, and like other Leupold products, it’s covered by the company’s lifetime warranty.

Suggested retail price is $520, but with on-the-shelf pricing more likely to be around $400, this sight is a bargain, considering all the quality engineering that’s packed into such a tiny package.

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