Affordable Red Dots?

[Furncliff]

For my Marlin 1894c i bought a Bushnell 1x30 Trophy. ~$100. Has 4 reticules (2 dot sizes a cross and large circle w/ dot). Has 11 intesity levels. The batteries have lasted very well and I have forgotten to turn them off. Also the batteries are cheap. Comes with rings. I like it.

 

[bulltaco]

Meprolight?

Has anybody got any experience with this reflex sight?

 

[Dave Markowitz]

http://www.bushnell.com/general/rifl...hy_73-0134.cfm

I had an older version of this I got for $70...it works fine, 1 m0a dot, iirc. I had it on my AR for years before I got my eotech, now it's on my camp 45.

I have two of these. One is on my Marlin Camp 45 and the other on my Rock Ola M1 Carbine. I've been pleased with them.

 

[Legionnaire]

I'll throw in another good word for the Millett red dots. I've had one for a couple of years and it has worked like a champ.

Word of caution on inexpensive electronic dot scopes. They may hold zero, but they often have horrendous parallax problems. Stick the scope on a stand and move your head around and the dot wanders all over the target. That shouldn't happen! Seemed to be particularly noticeable with BSAs and TruGlow 30mm units. Maybe the ones I looked at were atypical, but they turned me off of inexpensive electronic dots.

 

[rbernie]

I've had TASCO and Bushnell and TruGlo red dots as well as Aimpoints. I'd still rather buy a used Aimpoint than a new anythingelse.

 

[Glockfan.45]

I took the BSA off my 10/22 once and mounted it to an AR while I was waiting for a EOTech to arrive. It did not hold zero for more than 40 rounds. I wonder what the legalities are of those companies that sell clonepoints and bogus K.A.C mounts and such? I does alot to shake my confidence in buying a legitimate product. If I were Aimpoint, K.A.C, or A.R.M.S I would seek legal action pronto against the makers of those products.

 

[johndoe1027]

Whoa, I let my thread get away from me, sorry. I was visiting the pops in ICU at the VA last night (scary place ). Let me try to catch up here.
M2, thanks for all of the pics and advice. That really helps a lot. Nice targets too. And I'll take anyone's advice especially when it's someone that has used several of one item. I'd rather hear that "a few of mine have been fine" as opposed to "the one I bought sucked, never again". Simple batting average to me.

geekWithA.45, I think I looked at that one yesterday and I was very impressed. Thanks for the link.

I like the idea of being able to use the irons though the red dot to save a little space and make the rifle a bit thinner. I'm always afraid that the only time I'll ever need my gun is the only time the battery will die on me. I hope I never need it but I will still make provisions anyway.

jlbraun, you are temping me but I did notice the parralax problems that Legionnaire was referring to. I thought that was okay since the dot stayed on target but did move a little when I moved my head side to side. Somehow I knew to test that before I knew to test that...

rbernie, I think that will be the way for me to go, still affordable but a step up from the BSA style dots. I might also get the used BSA for the Hi-Point 9mm carbine that MAY be joining the family soon... :crosses fingers:

Plink said it in a way that makes me not want to get the BSA for the AR at least, maybe the range plinker will be okay with it though. Thanks Plink. I like to hear a balanced review. Makes me feel like the whole story is being told.

Mass Mark, thanks for the link, looks good (I like the flip up covers). I wish selectable reticles were more reliable, I like options wherever I can get them. I assume this is the same one Talon refers to. :scratches head, looks more and more confused:

All in all I am thrilled with the advice I've received. Thanks a bunch everyone! I am more confused than ever but I will digest it all soon enough. I have a lot of ammo to buy before the red dot gets mounted anyway. I want to get good with the irons first then I can really see the difference the dot will make.

 

[tbeb]

"One of my new cheapo favorites is Leapers. The optics quality is a light year above BSA, there is no parallax error and the dots are precise and clear. I'm torture testing 2 of them now to see how well they hold up, but they seem very solidly built. Leapers used to make junk optics, but they've picked up the quality considerably in the last couple generations of their optics."

Mike,
Please send me an email or pm telling which scope, on the Leapers web site, you're talking about? Thanks.
Tom