$200 red dot for an AR carbine

Here are a few weeks Primary Arms red dots that are under $200: https://www.primaryarms.com/Primary_Arms_s/586.htm

None are 1MOA, but dot size isn't that important with red dot sights.

BSW

1 MOA dots are kind of hard to pick out real fast which would kind of defeat the whole purpose of a red dot. Eotechs solve this by having a larger outer ring around the 1 moa dot but they're at least double your limit.

You should check out some of the 1-4X options out there like the Millet Dms-1 or up your budget a little and get a Burris Tac-30. These scopes on 1x have a great field of view for two eyes open shooting but also have a little magnification if you need it.
I was in the market for a red dot until I went to Academy Sports and actually looked through some of the offerings. One of the guys handed me the Burris Tac-30 and suggested I take a look through it.....decision was made as soon as I did.

I've got a Lucid on my AR and I've been happy with it.

nathan said:

What are the good choices nowadays

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Aimpoint

Barring that, EOTech

I've got a mil-spec SightMark on my AR. I like it. Got it for $169.

Decide the mission(s) of your weapon. Then if more than one mission, prioritize your missions. Then select the type optics best at handling your primary missions.

Quickly, red/green dots do best for 200 yards in. Scopes are best, depending on power, can handle close in well, but not as well as a red/green dot. Scopes are much more expensive for any near type quality too. An under $200 scope will most likely not stand up very well, and the glass will most likely be of questionable quality.

One can use a multiplier lens to 2X or 3X power the red/green dot but it is most often not as good a quality view as a good to great quality scope.

But go back to the beginning, and decide what the mission requirenments are for the optic you want on your rifle.

Go to your local range and ask to look through the different optics the shooters in your area are shooting. Go to a three gun match and see what the go fast boys are using. (Note: Best in competion often isn't best in a fire fight) Stick to your own mission statement, not someone elses.

Good luck, and most importantly, have fun.

Fred

Warp said:

Quote:
Originally Posted by nathan View Post
What are the good choices nowadays
Aimpoint

Barring that, EOTech

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Not for $200 they're not.

$200?

For that money, I'd check into the Burris FastFire III.
I have a couple (one on a SIG 1911 22) and another mounted on a 22 AR on an offset mount (poor man's 3-gun practice rig). I got the optional protective wings for the one on the AR.
http://burrisoptics.com/fastfire.html

They seemed to get good reviews, but when I bought mine they were hard to find (everybody sold out) - I actually got both of mine from Overstock.com - got 15% discount on one, 20% on the other (you'll have to sign up for their e-mails for the discount offers).

No 1 MOA here - I got the smallest MOA model, which is 3MOA.

If you shop at Overstock.com, use the pull-down box to select the model you're interested in.

Don't know how prices / inventory are running at other vendors these days?

There's also the much overlooked (but highly rated) Bushnell TRS25 & TRS25 HiRise.
http://www.bushnell.com/all-products/rifle-scopes/ar-optics/trs-25-hirise

About half the price of the FastFire III, but also highly rated - I also have a couple of these.

Yeah, they're not EOTechs (of which I have a few, along with a few Trijicon SRSes), but so far I'm pleased with both the FastFire III and TRS25.

EDIT: Forgot to add another choice, this time a scope / red dot combo - check out the Bushnell Throw Down PCL!
http://www.amazon.com/Bushnell-Illu...qid=1414202584&sr=8-1&keywords=Throw+Down+PCL

tiamat said:

Not for $200 they're not.

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At this point in time there are no good, cheap red dots.

I'd love to buy a good AR for $400 and a good red dot for $200, and a good heavy duty diesel 4x4 truck for $15,000 new, but that isn't how it is

I have a Redfield Counterstrike on my AR. $180. 3 MOA red or green dot, 1x, adjustable brightness. Also has a laser below the optic on centerline. It sits low enough that you need offset iron sights to not block the laser, even a folding sight is too high when folded. It uses a CR123 battery. Works great, I zero'd the laser at 75 yards, and the dot at 125. Closer than that, I use the offset sights.

Not a true red dot but folks have already suggested other scopes so you may want to try a Vortex Crossfire II (1-4) with V-brite reticule. I purchased them for 199.00 online to try out on AR15's and check accuracy of loads . I have these mounted with quick releases to allow the remounting of EoTech 512's. If you shop around now you can find EoTech's for 339.00 or so as they go on sale or have rebates periodically. If you set on a red dot sight. If your budget is truly set a 200.00 then get the Sparc sight as they seem to have many good reviews and appear to made nicely.

Given the limited budget of $200, you might try the SPARC-2. The dot is 2 MOA, I believe.
The SPARC-2 was a product upgrade from the first-gen version and has better controls and uses the more common CR 2032 battery.

I watched a Burris FF II (not their III model) go t.u. during a tac training course a few years ago, and, frankly, none of the products that Burris markets for the tactical AR crowd impresses me.

But I agree with Chieftain's point, in that you first need to determine what the primary "mission" or intended use is for your optic/rifle set-up.

In other words, it is just intended for use on a low-round count, weekend range-toy? Or, to be run on a fast-handling carbine for 3-gun matches? Or, is the optic intended to ride on your high-round count, hard-use AR in tac training courses?

Or, will it be the optic on your one & only home defense, duty use, and/or SHTF AR?

And all that said, $200 still doesn't get you very far toward any kind of durable optic that you typically see on tactical ARs.

1 MOA? That is going to be a pretty small dot for shooting. If you plan to shoot long distance, you are better off with a magnified optic. That being said a 3MOA red dot can be pretty accurate at 3 and 400 meters. If you are lucky enough, you might find a Aimpoint PRO for 200 or just under.

The new Primary Arms MD-ADS is likely the best of the budget dots. Under $200, 50K hour battery life and their prior versions were very rugged. Provided the new model proves reliable in the field, it will emerge as the top budget RDS IMO. I'd buy one today if I needed another RDS.

http://www.primaryarms.com/Primary_Arms_Advanced_Micro_Dot_with_Push_Buttons_p/md-ads.htm

strambo said:

The new Primary Arms MD-ADS is likely the best of the budget dots. Under $200, 50K hour battery life and their prior versions were very rugged. Provided the new model proves reliable in the field, it will emerge as the top budget RDS IMO. I'd buy one today if I needed another RDS.

http://www.primaryarms.com/Primary_Arms_Advanced_Micro_Dot_with_Push_Buttons_p/md-ads.htm

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I E-know multiple people that have had primary arms dot sights fail and primary arms themselves recommends against using their (cheap Chinese knock off) red dots on a duty or defensive rifle.

Sometimes you get what you pay for, this is one of those times.

FWIW

Warp said:

I E-know multiple people that have had primary arms dot sights fail and primary arms themselves recommends against using their (cheap Chinese knock off) red dots on a duty or defensive rifle.

Sometimes you get what you pay for, this is one of those times.

FWIW

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If I was buying for a duty rifle, I'd definitely look at the high end red dots, but for the average user a Vortex Sparc, Bushnell TRS-25, or Primary Arms Micro Dot will meet most of their needs. Not saying you might not have issues (like the people you mentioned you e-know) with the occasional unit but for the most part the units mentioned above have a good history.

Are they Aimpoints or Eotechs, heck no. But unless your definition of "good" is absolute top end quality (to me that is more "best" than "good"), there are certainly good options under $200.

BigBL87 said:

If I was buying for a duty rifle, I'd definitely look at the high end red dots, but for the average user a Vortex Sparc, Bushnell TRS-25, or Primary Arms Micro Dot will meet most of their needs. Not saying you might not have issues (like the people you mentioned you e-know) with the occasional unit but for the most part the units mentioned above have a good history.

Are they Aimpoints or Eotechs, heck no. But unless your definition of "good" is absolute top end quality (to me that is more "best" than "good"), there are certainly good options under $200.

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I don't know what the average user is.

If the average user keeps the rifle unloaded and stored in a safe most of the time, only occasionally shooting a few round at the range slow fire off the bench, and they either don't have an HD long gun or their HD long gun is not the rifle in question, then a cheap RDS makes sense. No need to spend the money on quality/reliability/durability, if and when it fails just get it fixed/replaced before you go to the range again.

Warp said:

I don't know what the average user is.

If the average user keeps the rifle unloaded and stored in a safe most of the time, only occasionally shooting a few round at the range slow fire off the bench, and they either don't have an HD long gun or their HD long gun is not the rifle in question, then a cheap RDS makes sense. No need to spend the money on quality/reliability/durability, if and when it fails just get it fixed/replaced before you go to the range again.

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For under $200, the Primary Arms is as good as any. If someone wants a red dot sight that they can depend on for a defensive rifle, then they should be willing to drop about $400+.

Seeing as the OP here isn't wanting to spend that, the recommendation of the PA is just fine. PA has a reputation for products that the company stands behind and are worth the price that they are sold at.

Warp said:

they either don't have an HD long gun or their HD long gun is not the rifle in question, then a cheap RDS makes sense.

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Really, I think that's what it comes down to. I didn't feel the need to spend a lot on an RDS (I have a Bushnell TRS-25 on my AR, for $85 it's very nice) because all things being equal, it's my third option as a defensive firearm. I'd put both my handgun and my shotgun ahead of it as my preference for a defensive firearm. If it was my first line of defense, I'd fork out more and get an EOtech or Aimpoint. As it is, for what I use it for that's $200-$400 more I can spend on ammo instead and be perfectly happy.

For $200 I don't think you can beat the bushnell throwdown 1-4x IR. I bought one but before it got here I got a deal on a trijicon.

I'm surprised to see that no one has mentioned the 1-4 Vortex Diamondback.
This will be going on my AR very soon and are only around $160

If you can live without illumination, consider the Vortex Crossfire II 1-4x24mm with the V-Plex reticle. They offer it with an illuminated reticle, but it adds to the price.


Crossfire II 1-4x24mm

Outstanding warranty on the Vortex products.

Mark H.

ive had excellent service out of the two vortex strikefires I own. Don't have the battery life of an aimpoint but then what does. But they seem to be real ruggedly built.