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Hands On: Sig Sauer Romeo MSR & Juliet3-Micro Combo Review


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The Romeo and Juliet combo kit are proof of catchy and ingenious marketing. But is there more to them than just marketing hype?

Sig Sauer Romeo and Juliet Combo Kit
Image by Tina Fa'apoi (Own Work) for Target Tamers

The oft-seen low prices for the Romeo MSR & Juliet3-Micro combo kit means it can be acceptably categorized as a budget pair. Sig Sauer kept things simple but generously supplied quality where it matters: illumination, glass, and mounts.

Target Tamers bought the combo kit and put it through its paces. There are great things about the pair and some not-so-great things about each.

Here is my hands-on review of the Sig kit that gets mixed reviews across the board.

Quick Overview...

What We Like: 2 MOA daylight dot

What We Don’t Like: Illumination knob

Best Uses: CQB, Close to Mid-Range, Hunting, Target Shooting, Limited Competition, Heavy Recoil Resistance, Fully Waterproof

  • Magnification: 1x
  • Coatings: FMC
  • Eye Relief: Unlimited
  • Reticle: 2 MOA dot
  • Adjustments: 1 MOA
  • Battery Life: CR1632 20,000+ hours
  • Dimensions: 3.1 x 1.5 x 2.6”/4.9 oz
  • Mount: 1.41” Absolute Co-Witness

Our Verdict: The Sig Sauer Romeo and Juliet combo kit is well worth the buy when it can be found on sale. They’re both well-made and high-performing but not without flaws. For the sale price, the benefits and quality overwhelm any downsides for the hunter and target shooter.

Why Trust Me?

After hundreds of hours of hand-testing red dot sights in the field and on the hunt, and thousands more hours researching, writing, photographing and creating videos about them, I feel I have earned the title of expert when it comes to optics!

Optics are not just my passion, but also my full-time job!

I get my hands on as many of the optics I test as possible (through buying, borrowing or begging!) and run them through their paces to make sure they will perform out in field.

Check out our optics testing process here.

Over a decade of experience CQB, target shooting and hunting has been integral in putting together this Sig Sauer Romeo MSR & Juliet3-Micro Combo review.

How Does the Sig Sauer Romeo MSR & Juliet3-Micro Combo Perform?

YouTube video

This Sig Sauer pair are a match that is meant to be. The Romeo MSR is an extremely easy red dot sight to zero and shoot with. The daylight bright dot is impressive. The Juliet provides 3x power and certainly brings an edge to a shooting match between pals.

The Romeo performed well transitioning between one-eye and two-eye shooting. It was a lot easier to do this than any other red dot I’ve worked with yet. The dot is highly visible and does not wash out in daylight bright conditions.

The Juliet does what magnifiers do well – bring magnification to the field and shooting range. The optics are clear, and the adjustable diopter allows you to get a crisp red dot. Due to the additional lenses, you do lose some brightness and you may need to increase the dot illumination on the Romeo to compensate for this.

Diopter on Juliet
Adjustable diopter on the Juliet3-Micro Magnifier - Image by Tina Fa'apoi (Own Work) for Target Tamers

Once the Romeo is zeroed, you can adjust Juliet’s turrets to align the dot to the center of the FOV. My biggest issue is with the 2.5” of eye relief. It’s short and feels like it.

Pairing the two is straightforward and they can seat very close together. I like the ½” hex nut tension on the Juliet a lot more than what’s on the Romeo because the Torx multi-tool is critical to mount, dismount, tighten, and loosen it every single time. However, credit must be given as the Romeo never once came close to being loose even after 400 rounds in the same day.

In the end, the pair proved to be high-quality optics, and bundled together from the same manufacturer makes it an unbeatable couple for the price.

Who is the Sig Sauer Romeo MSR & Juliet3-Micro Combo Best Suited to?

Romeo MSR and Juliet with Accessories
Image by Tina Fa'apoi (Own Work) for Target Tamers

The Romeo MSR & Juliet3 is an excellent starter red dot sight combo kit for a beginner. The two-pack is a great bundle deal that provides a lot of bang for the buck. The key features that will stand out to those with a tight budget will be the ease of use and high-quality build of both optics.

The 90-degree flip-to-side mount included with the Juliet is a very convenient and high-quality mounting option that mustn’t be overlooked. The pair are great for competition, range use, and hunting.

Romeo with see through flip up caps
See-through flip-up caps on Romeo MSR - Image by Tina Fa'apoi (Own Work) for Target Tamers

With see-through caps on the Romeo, it can be ready for instant use when you don’t have time to flip ‘em up. The catch is that you must leave the red dot activated as it doesn’t have motion activation tech. This is a compromise that those in law enforcement and other professions must consider.

Features & Benefits

2 MOA Daylight Dot

The Romeo has a 2 MOA red dot that is very bright and easy to see. It’s impressively round and was trouble-free to use right up to 100 yards. Paired with the magnifier, it makes for straightforward shots with 3x magnification.

The rotary illumination dial is located on top of the sight and houses the CR1632 battery. The battery cap conveniently has a “+” sign on the underside to indicate which side goes face up – in case you needed a reminder. The sides of the included multi-tool can serve as the battery cap tightener when you’ve installed the battery.

The single battery powers the red dot for 12 illumination levels. The first two levels are marked with “N” to indicate its night vision compatibility and are not visible to the naked eye. From there, 10 daylight levels are usable from dawn to dusk.

Battery compartment on the Romeo MSR
Battery Compartment (in the illumination dial) - Image by Tina Fa'apoi (Own Work) for Target Tamers

From field testing, levels 7 through 10 are truly daylight bright. Level 5 is barely visible but disappears against neon orange on shoot-n-see and like paper targets. Level 6 and 7 were very comfortable to sit in throughout the day.

I can’t see the dot at all in daylight even on dark targets from levels 1-4. They did prove to be visible in lowlight conditions or in dark rooms. Check out my video review above or on YouTube to see the brightness settings in action.

Accuracy & Turrets

Turret adjustments with multi tool
Turret Adjustments on the Romeo MSR - Image by Tina Fa'apoi (Own Work) for Target Tamers

The Romeo MSR has 1 MOA click adjustments for both the elevation and windage recessed turrets. The uncapped turrets are adjusted via the included multi-adjustment tool. They click audibly but are easy to overshoot.

Zeroing in the Sig red dot was uncomplicated, and barely any adjustments were needed to be made at 25 yards. During hands-on testing, I took it from 15 to 50 yards and then 100 yards on steel. The 2 MOA dot covers up ½” bull’s-eye targets as expected, but it tracks true. The rest is up to the shooter and the ammunition to acquire accurate, tight groups.

Mounting Systems

The Romeo comes installed with a 1.41” absolute co-witness riser mount. Also included is the wrench needed to tighten it to Picatinny rails. It’s frustrating to need the tool to install and remove, but it holds well and did not need re-tightening over the course of testing and zeroing.

The Romeo MSR has a T1 footprint, so it can be swapped out for a quick detach mount. It was easy enough for me to swap out mounts for a more convenient mounting option.

The mount on the Juliet 3 is a 90-degree flip-to-side mount that does so at the push of a button. It’s effortless to figure out and work and conveniently sits well out of the way when you don’t want the magnification. The aluminum metal CNC-machined build feels extremely durable, and there is zero play in either of its positions.

Unattached mount on Juliet with spacers
Juliet3 Mount & Spacers (unattached) - Image by Tina Fa'apoi (Own Work) for Target Tamers

Also included with the Juliet3 are two extra spacers for a 1.54” rise and 1.63” lower 1/3 co-witness.

Rugged Build

The Romeo MSR is very lightweight at 4.9oz and this is assuming that the weight spec does not include the weight of the mount. It’s made from aircraft-grade aluminum and fits the generic description of many closed red dot sights.

The Juliet 3 is micro-sized for a magnifer at 9.9oz, and again, assuming this is the spec without the weight of the flip-to-side mount. Both optics feel heavy duty. They’re IPX7-rated for waterproofness, and you can see the O-ring seal around the battery compartment knob on the Romeo.

Sig says the Romeo is also fogproof, and without Sig disclosing the gas, it’s likely nitrogen. The Juliet doesn’t mention being fogproof, but it’s held up well after being submerged and I have not seen any condensation yet.

Limitations

Illumination Knob

Romeo MSR Illumination knob with multi tool
Illumination Knob & Multi-tool - Image by Tina Fa'apoi (Own Work) for Target Tamers

Adjusting the illumination on the Sig Sauer Romeo MSR is an awkward experience with the rotary dial on top of the sight. What is frustrating is that it's extremely stiff. I routinely needed to use two hands to hold the Romeo with one and turn the knob with the other.

It wouldn’t be so bad to be so stiff if it was oversized and there was more meat to grab. Unfortunately, my complaints don’t end here.

Romeo MSR off settings on illumination knob
Off Setting of Romeo MSR (unfortunately placed on the left side of the optic) - Image by Tina Fa'apoi (Own Work) for Target Tamers

The actual indicator to mark the illumination setting you’re on is on the left side of the optic. Quick peeks above the eyepiece pointlessly shows you the setting that you’re not on. You must leave your sights to look on the left side to see what setting you’re actually on.

Does the Sig Sauer Romeo and Juliet Co-Witness with Back-up Sights?

The Sig Sauer Romeo MSR and Juliet 3 are preinstalled with 1.41” riser mounts for absolute co-witness. Included with the Juliet3 are two additional spacers for a 1.54” height and 1.63” lower 1/3 co-witness mounting option.

Does the Sig Sauer Romeo MSR Have Auto-Off?

The Sig Sauer Romeo MSR does not have an automatic shut-off feature. Sig calls this MOTAC (Motion Activation Illumination) and the MSR does not have it. To compensate for the lack of this popular feature is a long-lasting 20,000-hour runtime during normal use. If you want MOTAC, you could consider the Romeo 5 instead. For a full run down of the differences and similarities between the Romoe MSR and Romeo 5, check out this article.

What Comes in the Sig Sauer Red Dot Combo Kit Box?

The Sig Romeo MSR comes installed with a 1.41” direct-to-rail riser mount, multi adjustment tool, see-through flip caps, and CR1632 battery. The Juliet3 comes installed with a 1.41” flip-to-side mount, two spacer kits, hex tool, bikini lens cover, and a lens cloth.

What is the Warranty on the Sig Sauer Combo Kit?

The Romeo MSR & Juliet3-Micro are warrantied with Sig Sauer’s Infinite Guarantee. It’s an unlimited lifetime guarantee. The recommendation is to register the products with Sig Sauer. Additionally, there is a 5-year warranty from the date of manufacture on the electrical components on the Romeo MSR.

Final Verdict

The Sig Sauer Romeo & Juliet package isn’t perfect. But you can always find better if you’re willing to spend more – that’s the truth of the matter.

YouTube video
See how the Sig MSR compares to 6 other budget red dot sights in the video above!

Looking at both optics for what they are, what they offer, and how they perform, I’m a big fan - I would even go so far as to say they are the best red dot and magnifier combo. The build quality is unquestionable, the dot and illumination will not fail you in daylight bright or lowlight conditions, and you can switch out the well-made mounts if you feel the need to.

When the combo kit goes on sale as it does frequently, it would be very difficult to pass this up. My advice? Grab it while you can.

Further Reading

Photo of author

Tina Fa'apoi - Expert Optics Tester

Tina is a renowned expert in optics, having written hundreds of articles for Target Tamers over the past eight years and owning an extensive collection of optic's including binoculars, rifle scopes, red dots, spotting scopes and rangefinders. With years of experience in creating instructional videos and field-testing various optics, Tina brings a wealth of practical and theoretical knowledge to the field.

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2 thoughts on “Hands On: Sig Sauer Romeo MSR & Juliet3-Micro Combo Review”

  1. Well done you! Good article, balanced critique, and well-written -- which is all too rare in this field and in general with the proliferation of on-line 'bloggers'. Kudos!!

    Reply

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