When it comes to Reddot's, it's like high school graduates and integral calculations: Either they can get the job done or they can't.

And in the past we have often had products in our hands, especially optics, that could not deliver what they promised. Regardless of price range. Adrian and Chris were skeptical. But neither of them got disappointed. Let's start with the most important facts:

*The glass has a slight magnifying effect, but more on that later.

“Not another MRDS.” That was definitely NOT my first thought when the Falke C arrived in my letterbox. In recent years, this growth market has brought more and more innovations that we find exciting. This is due to the developments in the US market in recent years. The days when red dot sights on handguns were only available in the high-speed IPSC/USPSA sector are gone. [More on this here, where we looked at current trends regarding service (hand)guns]. 
RMR and co. on handguns have made it into the masses. Yes, you could even say that they have abolished the rear sight and front sight as the gold standard. If you want to start from zero when it comes to handguns in 2025, you should go straight for the Reddot. Why? Because the learning curve is much steeper. But is the Falke C suitable for this? We say: Yes. For beginners and avanced shooters, it is perhaps even the best micro-reddot in that price range. 

Packaging and first impressions

The Falke C comes in a black, compact plastic box lined with custom-fit foam. Falke really surprised us with this, because even with other well-known manufacturers this is not a common practice. Of course, it's not always necessary, but everyone wants to take something out of a custom-made foam compartment like in "John Wick". Falke definitely impressed in this aspect. The packaging is careful and well thought out, and the materials look absolutely high-quality despite the attractive price. Included in the package are adapter plates, mounting screws and some tools for installation and click adjustment. The milled adapter plates in particular caught our eye. The Reddoot itself looks extremely sturdy and we absolutely like the design. The battery compartment could be a bit more flat to avoid the need of supressor height iron sights. The matte black finish and the high quality +/- buttons round out the package nicely. 

Picture above: The Falke C mounted on a shotgun. Large buttons, a good mount, robust design: features that convince us. The adjustment of the dot intensity works perfectly. 

Price and performance of the package

Of course. The relatively low price has to come from somewhere. The Falke C is not waterproof to a depth of 20 meters like a Trijicon RMR is. We don't have a 50,000 hour battery life like an Aimpoint ACRO. But in the price range we are in (around €350.00), the Falke C is right at the top. For the price you pay, you really do get “a lot of a red dot”. While the adapter plates often have to be purchased separately from other manufacturers, Falke supplies them at the same time - and made from the same material as the Reddot itself, which is no longer a matter of course these days.

Picture above: The scope of delivery of the Falke C. You can clearly see the bottom side of the milled adapter plate, which does not hide the origin of its production. But at this price it's acceptable. You wont see it anyway when mounted.

The battery life of the Falke C is around 35,000 hours, which puts it in the middle of the pack compared to the Sig Sauer Romeo Zero (20,000 hours) and the Acro (up to 50,000 hours). This is where Falke scores. Why is that? Well, one of the features we don't like so much about the Falke C is that it is a so-called "top-loader" - similar to the RMR. This means that the battery is located under the red dot. Once the battery is empty, the red dot has to be reloaded after changing the battery, because it has to be removed. However, with a long battery life, this is not as often necessary compared to other reddots.

We really liked the Reddot's finish. The fact that we have a double frame above the glass shows that a lot of thought and engineering has been put into this. Because on handguns, the Reddot has to be able to withstand a harder "handling". The Reddot is often used as an aid for one-handed shooting. For example, the "RACK" after the "TAP" can be performed with a hard edge and the Reddot when clearing malfunctions with one hand. On the Falke C the glass, which is a very fragile part, is protected twice. Which makes it quite protected from incoming shocks. We like that.

The "Falke C" on the range.

In practical application, 4 points have stood out that we want to address: The glass, the dot, the adjustment and the “toughness”, i.e. the general robustness of the optics. We started with the first thing every red dot must do: Zeroing. This went as expected: flawlessly. The click adjustment are soft and clean, perhaps a bit too soft and quiet. We would like to see a harder click adjustment here. The 0.3 MRAD adjustments fits the concept.

Picture above: The robust construction is clearly visible. The Falke C is definitely a Reddot, which was designed for “tough” applications.

The only drawback.

Where there is light, there is shadow. The only drawback from our perspective is the dot.  The dot is not quite as sharp as the ones we are used to from the "FALKE LE" series of reddots. With the FALKE LE, we had really sharp, well-defined dots that made quick precise target acquisition at both short and medium distances possible. The RMR footprint also makes it an perfect choice for use on a short-range rifle, where a slightly blurrier dot doesnt really matter. It is also possible that we simply had bad luck.  Another point we noticed: the glass seems to increase the objects looked at slightly. This phenomenon is not uncommon and also affects some high-end manufacturers. As a result, the target appears slightly enlarged, which can be confusing for the eye and brain. Nothing serious and you can get used to it quick, but it should be mentioned. Nevertheless, we are still talking about a utility red dot for well under €400 list price. That's complaining at a very high level. What stands out: The "C" looks like it could be used to break windows. When we first unpacked it, we were amazed at its sheer ruggedness. Even in tougher drop tests, the previously mentioned tap racks, and other abuse, the "C" performed excellently!

Guys, come to an end: Does the Falke C get a recommendation or not?

Whether the Falke C can prove itself under extreme "authority conditions" remains to be seen - the future will show. The competition in this field is enormous and the established top dogs have been there for years - and for good reason (in our opinion). However, the Falke C is a very attractive alternative for sport shooters and hunters. Not everyone crawls through mud every day and not everyone jumps out of airplanes with their guns. The Falke C offers an good price-performance ratio and will not create a hole in your wallet. The Falke C is a great choice as a backup sight for a rifle with a scope or for newcomers to the world of micro red dot sights. Solid performance and a more than affordable price make it a worthwhile option. Despite its small size, comparable alternatives often cost over €600. We would like to emphasize the design of the red dot. And we all know that: "looking cool matters", guys.

If you're interested now in Falke and their products: We got you. Click HERE to visit the official "FALKE" website.