The Viridian RFX 15 is built on the Shield RMS footprint and comes with a base for a Picatinny rail. The sight features a green three m.o.a. dot and has auto-off/motion-on.
March 01, 2023
By Jeff John
Viridian Weapon Technology’s RFX 15 reflex sight is light, strong and versatile. Sturdy enough for powerful defensive pistols, it is perfectly at home on rifles and rimfires as well. The three-m.o.a. green dot is easy on the eyes, easy to pick up and small enough for precision shots. The dot fits comfortably inside a Birchwood Casey two-inch Shoot-N-C bullseye at 15 yards.
Designed for pistol slides with the Shield RMS footprint, it also comes with a Picatinny base. This sight doesn’t dominate the Ruger 22/45 Lite I mounted it on or mess with the balance as did older tin-can red-dot sights.
The RFX 15’s three-m.o.a. dot appears in a 17x24mm window (roughly 5/8 inch high by 15/16 inch wide) and runs on one CR2032 battery. From sight base to window top, the sight is only about 7/8 inch high, and the auxiliary Picatinny base adds only about a quarter-inch more. Made from 6061-T6 aluminum alloy, the sight weighs a scant 0.65 ounce.
The RFX 15 powers up on movement and turns off after a couple of minutes at rest. The eight daylight brightness levels include two for night vision gear.
Intensity is adjusted with the “+” and “-” buttons on either side of the viewing window, ensuring you can find a level with no flaring. These buttons turn the sight on (+) or off (-) when held for two seconds. The RFX 15 is rated with a water resistance standard of IPX6.
The battery sits underneath the sight, so it must be removed to be installed or replaced. This may seem a handicap, but with a life of 30,000 hours, it’s a worthwhile tradeoff to keep the weight and size down.
In the slide footprint of most pistols, the sight sits low enough that the iron sights are visible through the window. The elevation adjustment sits between a pair of projections that can double as a rear sight on some guns.
If your irons are visible and zeroed, zeroing the RFX 15 is as easy as turning the adjustments until the dot is right over the front sight. Windage (right side) and elevation (top center) adjustments are at the rear of the sight.
Installation is simple. Ensure the pistol is unloaded, and the sight is tight on the Picatinny base. If you’re using the base, loosen the Torx through-bolt on the base with the provided wrench. You don’t have to remove it. The left side of the Picatinny mount is spring loaded, and when the screw is loose enough, the lip can be started under the left side of the rail and the sight rotated and pulled over to engage the right-side rail.
Now tighten the mounting screw. Whether mounting the sight to a gun or the base, Viridian recommends applying only 12 to 15 inch-pounds of torque in tightening the sight body. Loctite is a must. Make sure you take the Allen wrench with you for zeroing.
Viridian RFX 15 Specification Type: reflex, green 3-m.o.a. dotActivation: ECR instant-OnSize: 17x24mm window, 7/8 in. heightWeight: 0.65 oz.Body: black 6061-T6 aluminum alloyBrightness Settings: 8 visible, 2 night visionBattery: CR2032, 30,000+ hours runtime; auto off 2 min.Mount: Shield standard footprint; Picatinny mount includedPrice: $289Manufacturer: Viridian Weapon Technology, ViridianWeaponTech.com
