The Mepro M22 Self-Illuminated Reflex Sight: Ultimate Survival Optic?

As soon as electro-optics were invented, the question of battery life immediately followed and has kept following ever since. It’s a reasonable question, though, as the best red-dot or electronic reflex sight is only as good as its battery. Every electro-optics manufacturer is racing to advertise the greatest battery life in their electro-optics offerings, with some even claiming to have options that will last more than 10 years. However, whether one uses that battery’s entire charge or it just sits in the safe, it will eventually go bad. Reflex sights are still remarkable tools, though, but what can be done about the battery? Meprolight came up with an interesting solution; they opted for non-electronic illumination sources, namely fiber optic and tritium. With a little engineering, the Meprolight Mepro M22 Self-Illuminated Reflex sight was created, no batteries needed!

Now, I didn’t forget about the M21, which was Meprolight’s first big-news self-illuminating reflex sight. The M22 is simply the modern, upgraded version of the M21. The M21 has years and years of battle-proved effectiveness behind it from use in Israel’s military, so this optics platform has some impressive credentials behind it. There is so much potential for use-case scenarios for the new Mepro M22, but before we dive into “what ifs,” let walk through the specs that make these optics unique.

Mepro M22 Breakdown

Let’s start with the obvious features of the new M22, which are also the optic’s main draw. No batteries are needed for the Mepro M22. If you look around the top, sides and front of the objective, you’ll see a number of wires surrounding the lens. These are the fiber optic wires that are illuminated by an external light source, usually the sun. Looking at the top of the main housing of the unit, you’ll see a groove that runs inside the house. From here, the light gathered from external sources is projected onto the lens, much like any other red-dot sight. For nighttime use, there are internal tritium capsules that emit light, which is projected onto the lens like the fiber optic source. So, no matter what situation you’re in, you have a usable, illuminated reticle to aim your firearm.

There are no buttons or switches to worry about, either. The M22 is always “ON,” and the brightness level is dependent entirely on how much external light is available. You will find windage and elevation adjustments on the top and right side of the main housing, and these operate as any other reflex sight would. Shoot a group, adjust your reticle accordingly, then confirm zero. Easy!

So, what’s the difference between the M21 and the new M22? Size is the first thing that will stand out. The M22 is substantially smaller than the M21, and while the M22 is still a bulky sight compared to most other red dots on the market, the reduced size offers some new advantages over the original M21. The M22 is now much more compatible with magnifiers and night-vision devices (NVDs). While it wasn’t necessarily impossible to put a magnifier or NVD behind the M21, part of the rear housing would’ve blocked the objective when looking through an NVD or magnifier. The M22’s housing sits slightly lower, offering a more unobstructed view when looking through a magnifier. And again, while the M22 is still a bulky optic, it’s much less so than the original M21, to the point that Meprolight was able to remove one of the quick-detach (QD) mounting levers. Instead of two QD levers, the M22 only needs one, which is still more than secure enough to keep it solidly mounted on your rifle.

Another upgrade you’ll find is in the reticle color. The original M21 was limited to amber-colored reticles, but the new technology inside the M22 allows for red, which was one of the biggest complaints from the M21. Like the M21, the M22 is available with either a 10-MOA triangle reticle or a circle/dot (3.5/40 MOA) style reticle, both available in red.

What’s the Catch?

Having spent some time behind the new Mepro M22, I can say it does work as advertised. However, there is one issue that has carried over from the M21, which appears if you’re inside are darker space looking outside. If you are inside a building, the fiber-optic cables obviously have less illumination to work with than being in direct sunlight. While everything may appear bright to your eyes, the reticle is going to wash out if you’re aiming outside, especially on a lighter background. Meprolight acknowledges this issue, and the solution is a polarizer device that will mount to the objective. The polarizer is not available at the time of this publication, but they already have the technology from the M21, so that should be available in time. This issue will also come up if you are in low light and using a flashlight. If the flashlight is too bright, you’ll also get some washout with the reticle. Turning the light on a lower setting, or “splashing” the light of a wall helps a lot with this.

One solution I found in the meantime, if you don’t have the polarizer, is to use a magnifier should you ever find yourself in need to shoot from a darker position to a lighter target. The magnifier does not increase the brightness of the reticle, but it does make it a bit easier to see, though you will have to use the 3X or 4X magnification setting. How much of an issue is this for most users? For most users, not much. While operators and law enforcement may often be in a position to shoot from inside a building to an outside target, that’s a situation civilians will rarely, if ever, see. The vast majority of the time behind this sight will be outside, where the reticle is as bright as any red dot I’ve used, if not brighter, in full sunlight. If you ever had to use the M22 in a defensive fight indoors, odds are you’ll be aiming at a target indoors, so the washout won’t be an issue. If you start shooting from inside a building to outside targets, odds are you’re going to have some tricky legal questions to answer.

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It should also be noted that the internal tritium capsules that offer illumination in the dark do have a 10-year shelf life. This is not unique to the Mepro M22; all tritium sights will eventually lose their charge. Fortunately, you’re not going to run into that issue with the fiber optic illumination. The M22 would also be categorized as an open reflex sight, meaning that the reticle emitter is susceptible to blockage from debris. This is not inherently a bad thing, as there are many great open reflex sights; you just need to ensure to keep dirt or other debris from blocking the emitter with hard use.

Mepro M22 Use-Case Scenarios

The short version on how best to use the new Mepro M22 is to basically use it exactly as you would any other reflex sight. With that being said, I almost immediately go into a survival mindset when I look at uses for the M22. I love reflex sights, but batteries are always a concern for any survival situation. What do you do when they run out? The great question pops up once again, but the M22 is a true, set-it-and-forget-it optic that requires much less maintenance than a red dot once it’s mounted to your gun.

The M22 is always ready because it is always on, so it has great potential as a home-defense optic, too. I’m pretty zealous about swapping out batteries on my optics, but there are many who set up a home-defense rifle but don’t check the gun’s ready status as frequently as they should. Put the M22 on your defense long gun of choice, and it’s ready to go whether you keep it in a safe, under the bed, against the nightstand or anywhere. The M22 would also be a great choice for general plinking and practice. You won’t get to the range and realize the batteries died in your optic from the last range session.

Whether you see the M22 as a survival optic, home defense option or just fun plinking companion, I highly recommend getting a magnifier to match. The Mepro MMX3 (3X) or MMX4 (4X) magnifiers greatly advance the capabilities of the M22. Both options feature an integral side-flip adapter, and the magnifiers can quickly be snapped into action. MSRP on the Meprolight Mepro M22 will set you back $499.99, but I’ve seen it consistently for sale off the shelf for $449.99. That’s pretty comparable to most other quality electronic reflex sights on the market, plus think of all the savings in batteries! I still love my electronic optics, and they’re not going anywhere, but the Mepro M22 is one useful tool to keep in your wheelhouse. In any situation where battery life is going to be an issue, the M22 will be there and ready to go.

Mepro M22 Specs

• Type: Self-illuminated reflex sight
• Magnification: 1X
• Objective Diameter: 1 in. x .8 in.
• Illumination Source: Fiber optic (day), tritium (night)
• Unit Dimensions: 3.9 in. x 2 in. x 2.7 in.
• Weight: 9.1 oz.
• Reticle: Circle/dot (tested), 10-MOA triangle available
• Mount: Integral QD Picatinny mount
• MSRP: $499.99
• Manufacturer: Meprolight