Warp said:Quote:
Originally Posted by nathan View Post
What are the good choices nowadays
Aimpoint
Barring that, EOTech
Not for $200 they're not.
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
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.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
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.
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+.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.
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.