Anyone ever try out $100 and less red dot optics in a hot vehicle during the summer?

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Shipwreck

Shipwreck

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Getting a cheap AR15 to be a vehicle gun. I previously had a CX4 Storm with a Mepro 21 doing that job for a couple of years. The Mepro 21 is battery and electronic free - perfectly suited for the summer heat in a vehicle.

This time, I don't want to spend so much on an optic - especially more than the gun costs.

Anyway - has anyone tried a Bushnell TRS-25 or similar $100 or less red dot in a hot vehicle? I am concerned about the electronics standing up to the 160F+ internal tempos that a vehicle can reach (inside the vehicle) during a hot Texas summer day.

I was about to order a Bushnell, but backed off and decided to just go with iron sights for now. But, I would prefer a red dot.
 
If I were going to buy an under $100.00 red dot it would definitely be the TRS-25. Texas heat has killed Iphones in vehicles, I'm skeptical about the Bushnell.
 
Leave the car running with the AC on :)

Kidding aside, I don't think I would trust a lower end red dot for that use. Finding it is dead at the worse possible moment would be unpleasant.
 
Well, at Ar15.com, I asked the same question. Some claim to do what I want to do, and they are using that optic.

Ar will have iron sights. I'll give the optic a go. I can always use the iron sights.

I'll check it periodically to see if it still works.
 
I think an important factor would be how the rifle would be stored. If it is in a soft bag or cheap case then the heat will penetrate more, but if it were to be stored in a manner that had more insulation then the heat could potentially be negated some. The drawback is the insulation could take up quite a bit of room.
 
I left my ar with my trs-25 on it sitting in the sun for a few hours while i napped with no issues. besides my ar being hot enough to be uncomfortable to hold.
 
I don't leave guns in vehicles for extended periods of time, but I have gone on trips in Arizona summers with my CZ Scorpion EVO S1 with mounted TRS-25, and it still works just fine, that is for trips of, usually, 4-5 hours turn around time. No worries so far. I do say my TRS-25 has ridden on several longs for me for some years and has never failed, plus I also have it set where the red dot and the co-witnessed iron sights line up JUST right, so even if the dot failed I can still shoot. I have the AR Optics TRS-32 Bushnell on the BREN 805 and it is also proving to be quite robust for an inexpensive red dot. Honestly, I had far more trouble with my old EOTech than any of the Bushnell dots.
 
Thanks. I ordered one. So, we will see. Still waiting on AR to ship from PSA
 
TRS or one of the Primary Arms offerings are what i would consider at this price point. Primary Arms recently came out witha 30mm one similar to the Vortex Strikefire 2 for only 129.99 if you could stretch your budget a little. It has a 14k hour batery life wich is a big improvement over the TRS. It has a larger body though and is not a micro sight http://www.primaryarms.com/pa30mmrd-ad
 
I looked at the Primary Arms ones. I did see some crappy reviews. But what made me skip them is that you have to remove the optic to change the battery.
 
I don't know why I didn't remember until now, but in the summer of 2015 I kept a .22 mag bolt rifle with a Bushnell TRS-25 in a compartment in my car.

I never did a temperature measurement of the gun, but I'm sure it got above 120 degrees for many days in a row. Normally I park in a garage, so maybe 5 days a week the gun and red dot experienced mid day heat.

I never did notice an accuracy shift, but I usually kept shots at 50 yards or less. I still have that red dot, but now it's on a handgun. That TRS-25 still works great.
 
Shipwreck said:
I'll check it periodically to see if it still works.
Click to expand...

I tell all of the students in my CCHL classes the following mantra:

If your defensive weapon collects dust, you're doing it wrong.

So a little modification to and expansion on that theme:

If you ever left your defensive AR in the car long enough without shooting it such you didn't know if it was still functioning, you're practicing enough to stay proficient with the firearm.
 
Varminterror said:
I tell all of the students in my CCHL classes the following mantra:

If your defensive weapon collects dust, you're doing it wrong.

So a little modification to and expansion on that theme:

If you ever left your defensive AR in the car long enough without shooting it such you didn't know if it was still functioning, you're practicing enough to stay proficient with the firearm.
Click to expand...

I have a SCAR and other rifles. And, I've owned other ARs. I bought this carbine for a specific reason. I will relube it regularly
 
chicharrones said:
I never did a temperature measurement of the gun, but I'm sure it got above 120 degrees for many days in a row.
Click to expand...

I have a thermometer in my car. On a sunny 90 degree day, the interior temperature can exceed 140F. On a hot day it will go up to 160F.

I had a thermometer on my motorcycle as well. In city traffic, sitting on blacktop in direct sunlight and with the heat wash from the engine and nearby cars, it would also exceed 140F on a 90F day.

Underhood temp on my truck was surprisingly low; generally in the 150-160F region when idling at a stop sign, as low as 120 when rolling. The fan apparently pulls a *lot* more air through than I expected. After shutting the truck off at my destination the temperature would spike above 250; that's as high as the gauge went. Lots of hot stuff under there with no more air being pumped through.
 
I have red dots that spend the day in the car waiting for a range trip here where the car temps get well over 100 degrees. I have had a cheap dot crap out, but I can't say I blame the heat, they always worked when I got to the range. So, hard to say.
 
Slightly off topic, I was looking at a laser rangefinders a few years ago. In the specification data several of them said they were not to be used in temperatures in excess of 30C, which comes out to 86 degrees.

I don't know what country they were designed in, but here in Arkansas just taking it outside would exceed their temperature limit for half the year...

Some electronic engineers apparantly live in some air-conditioned la-la land. If you're going to start attaching electronics to your gun, it'd be a pretty good idea to check the maximum temperature range first.
 
Shipwreck said:
Getting a cheap AR15 to be a vehicle gun. I previously had a CX4 Storm with a Mepro 21 doing that job for a couple of years. The Mepro 21 is battery and electronic free - perfectly suited for the summer heat in a vehicle.

This time, I don't want to spend so much on an optic - especially more than the gun costs.

Anyway - has anyone tried a Bushnell TRS-25 or similar $100 or less red dot in a hot vehicle? I am concerned about the electronics standing up to the 160F+ internal tempos that a vehicle can reach (inside the vehicle) during a hot Texas summer day.

I was about to order a Bushnell, but backed off and decided to just go with iron sights for now. But, I would prefer a red dot.
Click to expand...
To be honest, I had never seriously considered getting a red dot, but y'all convinced me to grab a TRS25- very nice optic, thanks for the heads up!
 
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