The RD3-002 is designed for any firearm with a standard Picatinny or Weaver-style rail. It is particularly popular on Ruger Mark III, Mark IV, and 22/45 pistols, as well as .22 LR training rifles and shotguns with accessory rails. It is not compatible with pistols that lack a rail and cannot accept removable mounting adapter plates.

ADE rates the RD3-002 for light to moderate recoil. It performs well on .22 LR, .22 WMR, and similar rimfire calibers, as well as shotguns used for sport shooting. For centerfire pistol calibers like 9mm or .45 ACP — especially on high-recoil platforms — ADE recommends their RD3-012 or other optics specifically rated for centerfire handgun recoil.

The RD3-002 uses a simple 3-position manual switch located at the rear of the housing. Cycling the switch moves between Off, Low brightness, and High brightness. There is no auto-brightness mode; the user selects the setting that matches their lighting environment.

The CR2032 battery can last up to 50,000 hours under normal use — that equates to over 5 years of continuous operation. In practice, most users will get several years of regular range use before needing a replacement. CR2032 batteries are widely available at any electronics or hardware store.