Side profile shot of the Micro I was sent.
For the install, I used a Felo T-Handle and Milwaukee Torx bits, no Loctite because I knew I had to take it apart to send it back, but I would have used Loctite on it if I was going to be keeping it on the gun for a longer period of time.
T15 Bit is what I used for the install.
As you can see the install is pretty straightforward. You put the small sight channel piece into the rear sight channel, this one slid right in and did not need the use of a Glock rear sight tool. The two T15 screws are screwed into place and tightened. I usually do a hand tight plus 1/4 turn, with or without Loctite. The battery is a CR1632 which isn't a standard battery often used in the firearms world so you'll have to order them specifically. Why not use a CR2032 which is one of the standard batteries in the industry? It's not that much bigger, but that's one of the many questions that seem to come up with the Micro.
The button is big and you can feel it when you click it in, but there is no audible click. Holding it for a few seconds turns it on or off. When you click it several times it goes up in brightness and then flashes a few times to signal it at max, then you can click it again to bring the brightness back down.
Another closeup.
On the left side, there are the zero adjustment screws, I don't remember what size of allen wrench you need to use, but the adjustments are easy to make and it's got a pretty wide range in case you mess up on the install and don't center it.
Another shot of the pieces you need to put together.
Close-up shot of the emitter.
One of the first issues I encountered was that you need to remove the battery compartment in order to attach the slide back onto the pistol. This isn't an issue but creates a situation where you need to remove the battery compartment every time you need to remove the slide.
What it looks like without the battery compartment attached.
Another shot of the contact.
As you can see the Micro fits in any optic cut holster kit, like the Seraph AIWB holster kit. It doesn't fit into a standard full sweat guard holster, which is a bit confusing since it's billed out as an optic that doesn't require any type of modification to the gun, except you'll need a new holster if yours wasn't already designed for an optic, to begin with.
Profile photo.
Another shot to gauge the overall size.
Bob focus at max brightness and low light.
Bob focus on dot at normal light.
Dot focus on Bob.
So how does it stack up against the rest and how does it do in actual use? / Opinion:
The Micro is not designed to replace optics like Trijicon RMR or SRO, and definitely not to replace enclosed optics like the Aimpoint ACRO. It is, in my opinion, designed for the very casual pistol user who wants to dip their foot into the red dot pool but doesn't want to commit. In this category are people who may have eyesight problems and/or may have an older Glock (or S&W since Leupold makes it for them as well) and want to try a red dot to see if it's worth investing in something more permanent and substantial like a MOS (which I don't recommend) or a milled slide (from top tier places like Maple Leaf LLC, who has done many of my slides perfectly) down the line. Great concept to appeal to as it's an untapped market segment, other than the Dueck RBU (which I reviewed). The issue is that, well, there are lots of issues.
First and foremost, I carry a Glock with an SCD (Striker Control Device from Taudevgroup.com - review here) so that means I can't use the SCD with this RDS because it covers the gadget. You can leave the SCD installed if you want to, it'll still fire as it's not completely pressed down but it'll "click" during firing and will probably cause issues down the line so I wouldn't recommend it.
For those who carry AIWB, like I do, you quickly realize that the moment you bend down to tie your shoes or to pick something up you immediately feel the Micro sticking you in the gut. I did a very short session of combatives which included rolling on the mat and it became immediately clear that with enough force you'll likely break something and since this wasn't mine to keep I did not want to find out what will break. The battery compartment is just too obstructive and placed without regard for concealed carry or any type of physical confrontation or activity.
Not being an engineer means I don't know the justification for placing the battery in the location they did, however being an educated, and experienced, end-user tells me the engineers were not. If this Micro was designed to be put on a gun that sits in a drawer or safe only to be shown once a year, then mission accomplished, if it was designed for real-world application in a concealed or combative way, then well, they missed the market by a mile.
The closed emitter is actually a good idea, and I was able to do pretty decent work up until the 20-yard line and given the statistically likely range of pistol shooting is 3-5 feet, this is probably ok to use for the average person on the range or for non-holster related shooting. When I shot out to 25 yards doing a 100 drill on a B8 target, I quickly realized that you cannot see the 5 ring on the target. That means you won't be able to see a person's hands through the small sight channel at 25 yards or so if aiming center mass. It also means you won't be able to see their hands if they are chest level if you are aiming at their head. This is a problem because it restricts situational awareness and for any fighting pistol setup, you need SA.
At around $400 for this setup, it just misses the mark for what I would have wanted this type of design of RDS to be priced at. If they moved the battery lengthwise, allowing the rear plate to be exposed, maybe using a more streamlined battery like an AAA battery in some way, that would have been a cool development that I'd have given a little bit more time on testing out, maybe even purchased one for myself. Unfortunately, the way it is designed right now is a no-go for me, and I would only recommend the Micro to anyone who wants a no effort red dot install on a non-holstered or carried gun. This is a great example of a good theory executed improperly, would be great if Leupold asked educated and experienced end-users for input, or sent them to those users for testing pre-production, but that didn't happen, and if it did they are sending them to the wrong people who will provide feedback they want to hear, but that's a different discussion for a different post.