Sponsored by Steiner Optics
By Jerrod Fraley for Police1 BrandFocus
Since the moment I first saw Steiner’s MPS advertised to hit the market I couldn’t wait to get my hands on one. Now that I have, I’m incredibly impressed with everything about it. From its industry leading innovative design to the impeccable standards of quality Steiner put into it, this optic is, for me, definitely standing firmly at the top of the field of pistol mounted optics.
The Steiner tradition
When considering the purchase of an optic, no other company has the reputation that Steiner does. Steiner originated from within the ruins and effects of war in 1947 only to rise up and become a worldwide optical icon with their binoculars, rifle scopes and continual industry leading innovations. Earning their position as a member of the elite Beretta Group (the world’s oldest weapons manufacturer), Steiner’s legacy of producing combat-tested and proven products has been a testament to their mission of always being stronger, more versatile, and more innovative than ever. When they say their products are fogproof, waterproof, or even shockproof, you can trust they won’t fail even in the harshest conditions when your life or the success of your mission depends on it.
The new pistol-mounted optic
At the conclusion of 2021, Steiner introduced their option for a pistol-mounted optic, the Steiner MPS (Micro Pistol Sight). This optic is compact, rugged, and lightweight, exuding Steiner’s second-to-none standards of quality in order to stand up to even the harshest elements of any law enforcement or military operation. The new MPS displays an all-metal construction design (apart from the soft rubber +/- buttons) with enhanced sidewalls to give its enclosed emitter superior protection. The innovative design also utilizes a recessed 20 x 16 mm objective lens protected by a metal hood to prevent objects from striking it. As the demands of daily law enforcement patrol work, SWAT missions, and military operations continue to push the requirements of pistol mounted optics, Steiner knocked it out of the park with their enclosed emitter design for the MPS.
Along with the emitter being completely enclosed within the all-metal housing and enhanced side walls, the MPS is water-pressure tight, making this optic fogproof and waterproof up to 10m, and nearly indestructible in the harshest of elements. Steiner developed a roof-mounted emitter system for the MPS, allowing it to be mounted as low as possible onto the slide of the pistol for incredibly quick sight acquisition and presentation onto target. All other pistol mounted optics on the market have an emitter that is seated in the bottom of the optic housing, causing the optic to sit higher on the pistol, require taller backup iron sights, and obstruct more of the shooter’s vision when acquiring the appropriate sight picture.
Battery / Red Dot Illumination
The Steiner MPS utilizes a micro CR1632 coin battery (or button cell) in its easy-to-access top-mounted battery compartment. Steiner once again leads industry innovation, becoming the first company to develop an enclosed-emitter micro-pistol sight with a top-mounted battery compartment. The decision to incorporate a top-mounted battery compartment allows the user to change out batteries without requiring removal of the optic from the pistol and confirming the optic’s zero after re-installation.
The MPS uses a CR1632 coin battery and capitalizes on a battery life of up to 13,000 hours on a medium setting. It also has a low-battery indicator (the illuminated red dot blinks) notifying the user to replace the battery. The MPS is also designed with a user-selectable auto-off, allowing users to select between continuous operation or an automatic shut off after 13 hours.
The MPS utilizes a 3.3 MOA-illuminated dot in red. The size of this dot seems to fall right into the sweet spot for rapid acquisition and appropriate brightness in any condition. There are eight brightness settings, six daylight settings and two nighttime settings, which can be easily adjusted, changed and manipulated by the raised rubber buttons on the side of the housing. The MPS uses a 1x magnification on its objective and ocular lenses with virtually zero discoloration or distorting, allowing for a both-eyes-open approach to shooting, which is highly conducive to competition shooters, law enforcement officers and military/tactical operators alike.
Mounting Options
The MPS is designed to fit directly mounted onto any platform with an ACRO slide cut, but also works incredibly well with all available third-party adapter plates. The purchase of an MPS includes a base plate adaptable to a Docter footprint.
Currently, I have the MPS mounted to a Glock G45 MOS using the CHPWS adapter plate specifically designed for the MPS footprint. I have only had this setup for a couple of weeks, but within that time frame I have run it through several SWAT courses and range sessions, putting over one thousand rounds down range, as well as performing hundreds of draws from a triple-retention duty holster.
The MPS fit on the CHPWS adapter plate is nothing short of perfect. It is incredibly tight and low to the pistol allowing for optimal use and compatibility with most, if not all, RDS holsters on the market. There was never a shift in the zero and the clarity of the objective/ocular lenses on the MPS was crystal clear.
The MPS has far outperformed all my expectations and assumptions already in this short period of time.
Other Notable Mentions
The windage and elevation adjustments on the MPS are slotted for usability with flat-headed tools, and ─ in a pinch out in the field ─ the rear of a 9mm casing will also work. The adjustment dials also have an audible and tactile response as the user makes adjustments.
The MPS is covered by Steiner’s Heritage Warranty. Their Heritage Warranty covers their binoculars, riflescopes, battle sights (including the MPS), rings and mounts for the life of the products (three-year warranty on the electronic components). This is more than what most other industry companies are offering for their products.
My final analysis
If you are looking for a compact, lightweight and rugged pistol-mounted optic able to withstand the most extreme conditions and tests, the Steiner MPS is, to me, a clear choice. Rooted deeply in their industry leading innovations, proprietary technology and second-to-none quality standards, Steiner’s MPS firmly secures its spot among all of the other leading pistol mounted optics in the market today.
About the author
Jerrod Fraley is an active-duty patrol officer in Ohio. His assignments have included patrol, detective, FTO, regional SWAT team member and training coordinator, as well as serving as a member of his department’s training staff. In addition to his primary duties, he is also a member of the (Ohio Tactical Officers Association) Red Team Instructor Cadre, where he teaches basic and advance SWAT and firearms courses across the state.