dot sight for AR15

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Aimpoint PRO.............runs $375 delivered.
Turn it on today, turn it off when you replace the battery in 2017.

This. ^^^

You want an Aimpoint (for good reason), so the only less expensive alternative you are going to be happy with is an Aimpoint. So get the PRO. As far as red dots go, it is probably the best value on the market today.

I have a PRO that has been turned on constantly for over 3 years now on its original battery and still running strong.

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I'm a big fan of 1x4x scopes as well. The one I have is a lot heavier than my red dots. However I think it's far more versatile and just about as fast as a red dot at close range.

If you go with a 1x4, and you figure on using it with both eyes open, then absolutely go for as close to a true 1x as possible. Even a little bit over that 1X mark and it can mess with your binocular vision a lot. You need real adaptive eyes to use even a 1.1X with the same speed as a red dot.

I also have a SPARC and a Bushnell TRS25 and they are great, inexpensive optics. The SPARC has had the crap kicked out of it for four or five years now and it's never missed a beat. I think it has two downsides. First, it's large for a red dot and using a both eyes open sighting, I think it slightly obscures left side vision. Second, it takes an odd sized battery that I can't find locally.

The TRS25 is a new addition and it's nice and it's small, but I don't know about it's durability yet.

You can turn the brightness up a lot on both and the dot does get bigger as it gets brighter, and a bit fuzzier too. No problems viewing either in bright sun.
I wonder how a scope even true 1X can be so fast when no one talks about the eye relief / eye box issue which is small and must be right to see . A pistol scope to me mounted forward is faster because it don't matter where your head is you have a full picture. I tried it and it works but irons are my first choice
 
Bushnell TRS-25 is a great red dot. I installed one on an AK and couldn't be happier. I forgot to turn the sight off two weeks ago and pulled it out for a weekend trip and it was still good to go. If you read the reviews they rate quite high with gun owners. Alot of value for the money.
What mount do you use for this optic and what type of co-witness does it provide (i.e. absolute or lower 1/3)?
 
FYI: With an astygmatism, you will need corrective lenses.

I like Eotech for sight picture.

Astigmatism affects how you focus on objects. It results from an irregularly shaped cornia or lens that affects prevents light from properly focusing on the retina. This causes varying degrees of blurriness at any distance. Depending on how severe it is, you might even see double at times. I have astigmatism and when corrected I see 20/15. Without correction I can see but cannot clearly focus and shooting accurately is difficult at best. My left eye is worse than my right by a small amount.
 
If you're looking for a close to medium range optic it's hard to go wrong with an EOTech. The 512's can be had for a reasonable price. Slap a flip to side mount and magnifier on it and you'll get surprising accuracy out to at least 300 meters. I have one on my SHTF rifle which is an LMT AR in 5.56 and I absolutely love it. I haven't shot it beyond 300m yet but center mass accuracy is very easy with a 3x magnifier from the prone.
 
I have mild astigmatism and I can shoot a red dot just fine without my lenses being specifically designed to correct for it. I guess it depends on how bad it is.

This and how much seeing a dot that is not round bothers you, but remember with a red dot you need to be looking through the dot and at the target instead of focusing on the dot!

This is why they rule for CQB -- damn hard to not look at the threat and find the front sight or reticle instead!
 
What mount do you use for this optic and what type of co-witness does it provide (i.e. absolute or lower 1/3)?
The Ak is a WASR and has the mount lugs on the left hand side of the receiver. I bought a UTG MTN-978 mount and it fits the lugs extremely well. I stoned the sharp edges off and it repeats location.

The TRS25 has a 1/3 co-witness but I rarely notice it because I always shoot with both eyes open.


I can post some pics if you want to see it. Might take a day or so to get them up as I work later than normal this week.
 
i highly recommend the vortex sparc, great reddot for the price. had it for about 2 years now, and mounted on various caliber rifles i own and till this day all i did was change the battery once. i like it so much i ordered the new vortex sparc 2 to mount on my ACR, and still at $199
 
The Ak is a WASR and has the mount lugs on the left hand side of the receiver. I bought a UTG MTN-978 mount and it fits the lugs extremely well. I stoned the sharp edges off and it repeats location.

The TRS25 has a 1/3 co-witness but I rarely notice it because I always shoot with both eyes open.


I can post some pics if you want to see it. Might take a day or so to get them up as I work later than normal this week.
I had AR in my head for some reason, thanks.
 
I have some of the same issues. For short range hunting a red dot is perfect. I can use it without my glasses and it is quicker than a scope. I do have more trouble with the red dot in very low light as my night vision is going away and all I can see is the dot. But daylight only like deer hunting it should be ok. For very precise target shooting or hunting over a couple hundred yards a scope is better. The red dot can be a couple MOA. I have a 1-4 scope on my AR now but not sure I like it as my shot placement is not any better than the red dot.
 
I have 2 of these and am very happy with them.

https://www.primaryarms.com/Primary-Arms-AA-Battery-Multi-Reticle-Red-Dot-GE-p/pa-aamrg3.htm

•Magnification: None
•Eye Relief: Unlimited
•3 MOA Dot
•Optical coating: Anti-reflective
•Uses 1 standard AA battery
•battery life 8,000 hrs at medium setting
•11 brightness settings
•Aluminum body
•Length: 5.5-Inch
•Width: 2 1/2-Inch
•Height: 2 7/8-Inch w/mount.
•Weight: 12 1/8 oz w/mount
•Flip up caps included
•Mount height gives lower 1/3 co-witness
 
quote: There can be slight alignment differences between reticles.

This would annoy me.

M
 
Lucid M7
Primary Arms Holosun Micro Red Dot

And about two dozen others, mostly coming out of the same Chinese plant making Eotech and Aimpoint parts. Basically, you get what you pay for in terms of quality. Visually, there are a lot of dots, reticles, etc., on the market, some have a variety of colors and switch from one to another.

Basically, you get the scope type, or the square view reflex, it can be more a matter of taste than any directly superior function. I boils down to having a red dot that you can see in full daylight. That also goes to the lens size, smaller optics tend to constrict the view. Maybe automatic intensity control to prevent flaring in low light, a battery you can find available to purchase, and battery life that is accommodating. Most are. The mount may - or may not - be included. If the optic doesn't include the mount, add $40 - $80 more for it's installed price to make a valid comparison. Many don't and that can be a budget buster. A recreational shooter doesn't need a tactical double throw lever scope mount with co witness and other bells and whistles if it costs as much as the optic itself. There is really nothing morally wrong with having the mount included in the construction of the optic. Despite all the chest thumping.

I avoid large format expensive batteries, or button cells, and pick one with AAA power as you can find them and use a rechargeable, to boot. Get it with the mount included, as that cuts the cost substantially. Auto light adjustment is a nice to have if out shooting on a day where it's sunny one minute and dark clouds the next, which isn't uncommon in hunting or moving from outdoors to indoors in home defense. Much after that - pick the one that you like the looks of. If you have to force yourself to choose it against your sense of taste, you won't enjoy it. Let the optic prove to you whether you made a good decision. If it doesn't work out so well, then you have reasons why and what to look for in the next one a few years down the road - when they will be offering a better version yet again.

That said, I own a first generation Aimpoint with base adjustments, runs a size N battery which is nearly impossible to find locally, and which has 8 hour run time. And, it's still a wonderful red dot. And still, I've been shopping for what I described above, while using scopes and a reflex which hasn't proven to be any problem.
 
I have two SPARC's and an old and well worn Eotech. The Eotech is clearly superior and from what I've seen, is preferable to the Aimpoint as well. The reticule and holographic style of projection in the Eotech draws my eye more quickly and presents a better picture.
But none are great solutions for older eyes, save for one use case. That is, if the firearm is being set up for close range HD/SD, the Eotech would be my first choice, followed by Aimpoint and then others. But for range and hunting work it is sub-optimal.
For more general use, a 1-4X or 2-8X optic is much appreciated by my near-60 year old eyes. Yes, I can resolve things quickly with the Eotech but the accuracy is not as fine. So if I have more than a moment, I can get off a more accurate shot with the 4x optic.
B
 
1st advice: Ignore the "go with the x" and "get the x" suggestions. Idiots will try to get you to buy what works for them. It might not work for you.

2nd advice: It very much comes down to how you see the sight picture.

3rd advice: Try each option out in real life and decide for youself. There are too many variables (effect of possible astigmatisim, sight picture, weight, etc), which makes an "internet choice" similar to shooting with both eyes closed.
 
Depends on your intended use.The Aimpoint Micro H-1/T-1 or the PRO,Comp M3/4 series are all excellent top of the line red dots. These are really the ones you want for HD/SD if you want a red dot.

If you just want a range toy many of the chi-com units will work well.The Vortex Spitfire that recently came out looks nice,and is even better IMHO than the Strikefire and Sparc.

Smaller RMR type sights are popular with hunters for close range work.Trijicon,Docter are nice but yes they do cost.

Balance your real world needs with your budget.

Optics Talk forum may help you.

http://www.opticstalk.com/
 
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