Sig Sauer doesn’t need any introduction to the shooting community…
They’re well known for the quality firearms they produce, and with the adoption of the M17 by the US Military, they’re more popular than ever…
In fact, the first gun I ever purchased was a Sig P229, and I still love taking it out for a good time at the range…
But what many people haven’t realized yet, is that Sig also produces a pretty respectable line of optics…
They’ve got a bunch of scopes and red dots on the market, and they run the gammet in terms of price-point…
Now, two of their most affordable red dot sights are the Romeo 5 and the Romeo MSR…
| Image | Product |
|---|---|
 | Romeo 5 – Click Here To Get Best Pricing (Over 10,426 Customer Reviews) |
 | Romeo MSR – Click Here To Get Best Pricing (Over 2,224 Customer Reviews) |
And in this Romeo MSR Vs Romeo 5 comparison, we’re going to put these two affordable sights up against each other, and see how they stack up…
In the end, I’ll share with you which of the two that I prefer, and you should have all the information you need to determine which is going to work best for you…
Romeo MSR vs Romeo 5 – Quick Summary…
Both the Romeo 5 and MSR optics offer 2 MOA red or green dots, 1x magnification, and are parallax free. They’re also both compact sights that come with a high and low mount. They differ in that the MSR has around 20,000 hours of battery life versus the Romeo 5 which has around 40,000 hours of battery life and uses Sig’s MOTAC system to help save battery power…
There are other similarities and differences between these two Sig optics, and below, I’ll cover much of that information in greater detail…
Sig Sauer Romeo MSR Vs Romeo 5 – Similarities…
What’s immediately apparent between the two sights is that the MSR is slightly larger and just looks a little less attractive than the sleeker Romeo 5…
Also very evident is that the MSR is an all manual operated sight using rotary adjustment dials for all its brightness settings, whereas the Romeo 5 makes use of push buttons…
But that being said, there are a lot of similarities between these two little red dot sights…
Both optics have sight housings and mounts that are made from aircraft-grade aluminum and are both suited for use on shotguns, submachine guns, AR 15s, carbines, and even full-size handguns…
On top of that, both optics offer red and green dot options and feature a 2 MOA dot reticle which I think is a great size for fast target acquisition and for accurate shooting…
They also both come with co-witness mounts that attach onto Picatinny rails, and the tools provided makes attaching either sight a quick and easy job…
Additionally, they both sport a multi-coated lens, a 20mm objective lens, and 1x (parallax free) magnification which makes them great to use for fast shooting and suitable for recreational and professional applications…
The table below compares the Romeo MSR and Romeo 5’s vital specifications…
| Romeo MSR | Romeo 5 | |
| Dot size – MOA | 2 | 2 |
| Dot Color | Red or Green | Red or Green |
| Optic Mount | Torx 1.41-inch Skeletonized riser (Picatinny rail) | T10 Torx Low profile & 1.41-inch riser (Picatinny rail) |
| Dimensions inch / mm (L,W,H) | 3.14” x 1.53” x 2.60” (79.9 x 39 x 66.17mm) | 2.46” x 1.5” x 1.51” (62.7 x 38.1 x 38.6mm) |
| Weight | 4.9 oz. | 5.1 oz. |
| Windage Travel – MOA | 100 | 100 |
| Elevation Travel – MOA | 100 | 100 |
| Illumination settings | 10 Day / 2 Night | 8 Day / 2 Night |
| Illumination Adjustment | Manual Dial | Push Button |
| Objective Lens Diameter | 20mm | 20mm |
| Adjustment Increments – MOA | 1 | 1 |
| Integrated Lens Covers | Yes | No |
| Color | Black | Black |
| Battery Run Time – Hours | 20 000 + | 40 000 + |
| Battery Type | CR1632 | CR2032 |
| Motac (Motion-activated illumination) | No-Always on | Yes |
| Waterproof Rating | IPX-7 | IPX-7 |
Differences Between The Sig Romeo 5 And MSR…
There are six key differences between these two sig red dot sights that you should be aware of, and understanding these differences will help you decide which will work best for you…
1. Illumination Adjustment
The first major difference between the Sig Romeo 5 And MSR is that the MSR is an all-manual sight…
Apart from its manual on or off function, all other adjustments are made by turning a dial…
The ten daytime and two nighttime illumination adjustments are selected by turning the turret cap on the top of the sight, and this cap also houses the battery…
Push button controls have become the norm, but there are still folks out there that prefer rotary knob adjustments and they might like the controls on the MSR…
On the other hand, the Romeo 5 features the more popular system over the MSR and has two push buttons that easily control the dot brightness levels…
It includes eight brightness settings for daytime use and two for use with Night Vision equipment.
2. Optic Mounts
The Romeo MSR and Romeo 5 optics are both fitted onto 1.41” risers made from aircraft-grade aluminum…
…but the Romeo 5 comes with an additional low-profile mount that increases the versatility of the sight because you can easily mount in on non-AR-15 type platforms such as the AK and pistol caliber carbines.
On the other hand, the MSR just comes with the standard 1.41” riser that is made for use with the MSR or modern sporting rifle (which is another name for an AR-15)…
Now like I said, both sights feature this 1.4″ mount which will give you a co-witness with iron sights on an AR-15, but the MSR’s riser is skeletonized to save a little bit of weight…
Both sights will easily fit the standard Picatinny top rail on an AR, and mounting is quick and easy using the tool supplied with the optics.
3. Lens Covers
The lens covers that come standard with the Romeo MSR and Romeo 5 are worth mentioning as they’re pretty different designs…
The MSR covers feature clear lenses (so you can see through them when their installed) and are of the flip-up type…
On top of that, they’re completely removable if you choose not to run them…
The Romeo 5 covers are of the bikini type connected with a thin rubber strap and which wrap around the lenses…
These are completely removed from the sight when you want to shoot with it, and they can be placed back on when the rifle and sight are in storage…
Both lens covers do an excellent job at keeping dust and grime off the lenses, but they work in compeltely different way…
The MSR covers add to the optic’s tactical look, but they are bulkier than the slimline covers of the Romeo 5.
4. Battery Life Expectancy
Battery life on both of these sights is very good…
The Romeo MSR has an advertised 20,000 hour plus (just over two years) lifespan, which is excellent given that the sight doesn’t have an auto on feature…
To get the most out of the battery, it makes sense to keep it running and remember to replace it once a year (in fact I recommend this for all of your red dot sights)…
The Romeo 5 uses a slightly larger battery than the MSR, and because of that, the battery life expectancy is better at over 50,000 hours (almost six years) which is incredible…
In addition to that superior battery life, the Romeo5 also features a battery saving technology called MOTAC which we’ll discuss further in a little bit.
5. Windage and Elevation
The Windage and Elevation turrets on both of these sights work in the traditional way by turning the dial in the appropriate direction, and adjustment can be done with a coin or a small flat screwdriver…
However, the Romeo MSR has dials that are completely recessed into the sight housing to ensure they can never be damaged or inadvertently adjusted…
On the other hand, the Romeo 5 has standard windage and elevation turrets that have screw caps…
They still sit really low into the sight housing and are well protected from bumps and damage, but it is a difference design to the MSR.
6. MOTAC (Motion-Activated Illumination)
Sig refers to its motion-activated illumination function as MOTAC, and it is only offered in the Romeo 5, not the MSR…
Other manufacturers call it Shake Awake or Shake N Wake technology, but it’s basically means that the sight will automatically turn off whenit’s not being used and automatically turn on as soon as it senses motion…
This is an excellent feature because it goes a long way towards saving battery power when you’re not using your gun…
But at the same time, your rifle and optic are always at the ready because as soon as you pick up your gun the optic will turn on before you can even look through it…
So this is a feature that I personally really love, and it only comes with the Romeo 5 (no the MSR).
Sig Romeo 5 Vs MSR – Final Thoughts…
So in the end, both of these sights are excellent affordable options in the optics market…
They both have solid battery life and a fast 2 MOA dot reticle, and they both come with plenty of brightness settings, waterproofing, and lens covers…
But which of these 2 optics do I prefer…? I prefer the Romeo 5…
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I prefer the Romeo 5 for a few reasons. First of all, it has longer battery life and the MOTAC system which will save you battery life and keep the optic ready to go at the same time…
Aside from that, I trust the Romeo 5’s durability a little more than I do the MSR’s just because of the fact that it has been on the market longer and proven it’s self in the arena of ruggedness…
I also like that it comes with a high and a low mount rather than just a high mount like the MSR because that means I can easily put it on other guns like AKs, shotguns, and PCCs rather than just on AR platform rifles…
Last, I just like the look of it a lot better than the MSR, and for me, the price difference between the two ins’t that big of a deal…
Now if you’re getting a red dot for an AR-15, want to save a little bit of money, and are happy with the MSR’s features then feel free to go for it because i think it’s still a worthy optic…
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Either way you go, I think you’ll be happy because both of these sights are affordable and offer great performance for the money!