Written by Jamie Trahan, 18-year Law Enforcement Officer and Sightmark Pro Staff Member
In this world, there is always a compromise. You can’t have this without giving up that. An item usually does one thing brilliantly and so-so at the others. Thanks to the forward thinkers at Sightmark, they’ve come up with several ways to combat this problem. Sightmark gives you three ways to attack this issue—a fixed red dot sight with a separate magnifier, a 1-4x or 1-6x variable magnification optic, or two fixed optics mated together such as the Wolfhound (SM13026LQDK.)
With this kit, you have a CQB sighting system up top with the Mini Shot M-Spec red dot sight and an extended range fixed magnification optic below with holdovers out to 900 yards via its advanced horseshoe reticle and holdovers. Truly, the best of both worlds.
Admittedly, this type of setup is not proprietary to Sightmark, as Trijicon has a similar setup with its 6×48 ACOG paired with their own RMR mounted up top. The ACOG is battle-proven from conflicts around the world and comes with a price point to reflect that—being more than double what the Sightmark’s Wolfhound/Mini Shot M-Spec kit. With the consumer in mind, Sightmark designed a combo unit that is rugged and user-customizable. They do this by having the Wolfhound’s reticle being user-adjustable with the shooter’s choice of either a red or green reticle via battery-powered illumination as opposed to the ACOG being fiber optic/tritium based which, in certain lighting conditions, may wash out. The Wolfhound is also submergible to 10 feet which means that unless you are SCUBA diving with your AR-15, the amount of water that the average person comes in contact with is absolutely no problem for this optic combo.
To quote Sightmark:
“Together, the Wolfhound 6×44 prismatic sight and Mini Shot M-Spec reflex sight kit are designed to keep shooters on target no matter the situation. Ballistically matched to .223 (55 and 62 grain ammunition) the Wolfhound 6×44 features an advanced horseshoe reticle with holdovers from 300 to 900 yards while the Mini Shot M-Spec provides an easy to find 3 MOA reticle and parallax correction for effortless transitions between short- and long-range targets. Both optics also boast impressive battery life: Upwards of 4,000 for the Wolfhound and up to 30,000 hours on the Mini Shot M-Spec. The combination offers quick target acquisition from either sight and is truly a multi-tasking optic setup ideal for professional use, competition shooting, hunting and recreational plinking.”
I can tell you, my first impression upon opening the box was that this thing is rugged and robust as everything it promises. The rubber armor on the Wolfhound offers protection from impact and helps prevent zero loss for the optical prism system. The LQD mount is solid and has zero movement when mounted on my rifle. In addition to the Wolfhound, this was my first time getting my hands on the Mini Shot M-Spec which I have been patiently waiting to test out (that separate review will come later).
As mentioned, mounting the setup was a breeze and then it was off to the range. I used a 36-meter zero for the Mini Shot and a standard 100-yard zero on the Wolfhound for the holdovers to be accurate. I used the Sightmark .223/5.56 NATO boresight (SM39001) to get me nearly there and then dialed it in with live fire. Using 62-grain Remington Premier Match (R223R6) ammo, an MOA sized group was easily accomplished from a bench. Due to my range limitations, I was unable to push it past 200 yards. I have absolute confidence in the optic’s ability to do what it says via the holdovers, but remember ammunition and skill have a lot to do in the long-range shots this reticle is designed to accommodate. If you’re going out there and using target/plinking budget ammo, you can’t reasonably expect to make 600-, 700-, 800- or 900-yard shots using a holdover. The glass is nice and clear due to being fully multi-coated to provide the highest light transmission across the visible spectrum. In addition to the quality of the glass itself, the rear diopter is adjustable for the individual shooter’s eye enabling it to be perfect for YOU. The Wolfhound’s center aiming dot is a 0.5 MOA enabling the pinpoint accuracy out to 300 yards. For anything close quarters, the horseshoe also allows quick target acquisition in the event you do not choose to transition to the Mini Shot.
Now, the Mini Shot M-Spec is the business. The dot is crisp even on the highest setting which, for some red dot sights, causes issues, but not on this one. The transition from the bottom-mounted Wolfhound to the top-mounted Mini Shot is about an inch of eye movement. It is nearly seamless moving from one to the other and using the top-mounted Mini Shot, such as in a building clearing type environment, allows a comfortable head position as you’re moving through the structure. It really is the best of both worlds neatly packaged together.
The overall length is 2.3 inches shorter and over a 1 pound lighter than its competition and provides more comfortable eye relief. It comes with a separate mount for the Mini Shot, rubber lens covers, a honeycomb filter (kill flash) for the front lens of the optic, a battery and a limited lifetime warranty.
If this type of setup has been something you’ve been looking for, go to https://sightmark.com/ and check this kit out. You owe it to yourself to check it out before looking at the competition. There’s a LOT of training ammo available for purchase with that extra cash you will be saving.