UKWildcatFan
Member
I'm building my first AR in .556 for sporting around, plinking, etc. I'd like a red dot for it as I don't have enough for holographic. Budget is $100. What would you get?
Thanks!
Thanks!
Help with red dot choice for AR build...
- Thread starter UKWildcatFan
- Start date
- Status
For $100? The only decent option in that price range is Primary Arms. I spent a bit more money and bought a Strikefire. It's a good little optic for the money. I hear a lot of people saying good things about Primary Arms optics, though.
Lol. If a guy says he has 10,000 to spend on a gun or a scope someone always says save a little more and get the 12,000 dollar one.
wally
Member
Love the Vortex Strikefire, love the Primary Arms MD-09 with QD riser mount. Both have held up very well for me on a variety of guns. I like the red/green dot choice on the Strikefire, but prefer the smaller size of the MD-09. $100 would get you the MD-09, the Strikefire is about $60 more.
Unless you are planning to head to Iraq, either of these should meet your needs. Better starts at 2X the price and goes up quickly from there. Don't matter how good your optic is if you don't have money for ammo.
Unless you are planning to head to Iraq, either of these should meet your needs. Better starts at 2X the price and goes up quickly from there. Don't matter how good your optic is if you don't have money for ammo.
Yeah, more versatile too, but you won't find a decent one for much under $250 Millet DMS or its cousin from Primary Arms) and these tend to be large, the sky is the limit above this. Nikon M223 is a nice size and usually available in the ~$250 range but I'm not fond of the reticle which is why I don't have one, YMMV.
Last edited:
Spending $100's on a build is a necessity, but do not cut back on an optic, it is one of the most important accessories on any firearm. I would save at least another $100 minimum, I agree with jmr40. Also Sightron has some pretty good inexpensive red dot optics at a decent price and a great warranty.
jpwilly
Member
I really like Primary Arms for sub $100 red dots and mounts for the AR platform!
Last edited:
chriscw81
Member
I bet you'd be happy with the primary arms. Seriously, I bet you would.
Check out ebay for older Aimpoint 2000 and 3000 models. They might be old but are quality optics for their day. I've bought a silver 2000 for 75$ (including shipping) and a 3000 for $135, free shipping. Generally rings come attached. I trust those more than a bargain basement, Chinese product.
Laphroaig
Laphroaig
I would keep shooting iron sights. There is no red dot sight that you could buy for $100 that is worth the money or the aggravation. Even some of the higher end RDS are hit & miss according to first hand reports. Some shooters have had good luck with them, some have had nothing but bad luck.
If my rifle is a tool, an optic is there to make it a better tool. Whether or not I'm heading of to Iraq or some other war zone is irrelevant to me. Having to stop what I'm doing to fix my tools is aggravating. A good example is the loose piece of trim I needed to fix in my house. Pull out the electric nail gun and pop a few nails and done, right? Except the dem gun keeps jamming and today, it jammed up so hard I had to pull the whole thing apart. It took me two hours to pull it apart, clear the jam and put it back together. Not worth it. I'd rather use a hammer & nail set. They always work
If my rifle is a tool, an optic is there to make it a better tool. Whether or not I'm heading of to Iraq or some other war zone is irrelevant to me. Having to stop what I'm doing to fix my tools is aggravating. A good example is the loose piece of trim I needed to fix in my house. Pull out the electric nail gun and pop a few nails and done, right? Except the dem gun keeps jamming and today, it jammed up so hard I had to pull the whole thing apart. It took me two hours to pull it apart, clear the jam and put it back together. Not worth it. I'd rather use a hammer & nail set. They always work
jpwilly
Member
Yea, well that is kind of the point of having a nice little red dot and co-witnessing it to the irons. And my experience with a few $100 scopes and red dots says your wrong. There are $100 optics that are worth the money.
I've always lost money buying cheap optics. They either break or I end up hating them because they aren't clear or don't track consistently when making windage & elevation adjustments or have some other problem. Ammo is too expensive to have to keep verifying zero or sighting in a new replacement sight. A $100 RDS in particular isn't worth the money or aggravation. Too many problems
SEE IT LIKE A NATIVE
Member
I have used a Millet red dot for about 4 years on my Ruger SRH in 454 casull ! It should hold up to AR service ! Kevin
TexasPatriot.308
Member
cant see going cheap optics....spend some money for quality.
You are right red dots are fun to play around with but I love the ghost ring peep and I think it is faster and gun is nice and trim without scope/ red dot
show_me_2nd
Member
Vortex Sparc
Just bought a Vortex Sparc. It comes with the hardware for absolute and lower 1/3 co-witness. I've read many good reviews and a few not so good but am trying it anyhow. Price is just below $200.
Just bought a Vortex Sparc. It comes with the hardware for absolute and lower 1/3 co-witness. I've read many good reviews and a few not so good but am trying it anyhow. Price is just below $200.
Jackal
Member
I vote for the Bushnell TRS 25. Aside from its lower brightness and more positive clicks on the brightness adjuster, its almost indistinguishable from my Aimpoint H1. Works just as well too under normal circumstances (the Bushnell likely wont survive being dropped from a helicopter like the Aimpoint can, but its also 1/6 the price
).
).Livnoutdoorsxd9
Member
- Joined
- Aug 5, 2011
- Messages
- 121
There's a difference between cheap and inexpensive. I've been running one of the primary arms m3 clones for about 3 years now. It had held it's zero over 1000 rounds of 6.8 and hard freckling through the Wisconsin woods. Marshall at PA is a great guy and stands behind everything he sells. I think you'll be very satisfied with one of their red dots.
I have a Primary Arms dot I use on my .22 AR for Steel Challenge and general plinking, and it works very well.
W.E.G.
Member
The Primary Arms unit looks interesting.
Has anybody left one outside in the rain to see what happens?
Has anybody left one outside in the rain to see what happens?
needmorecowbell
Member
The Primary Arms and Bushnell's will work perfectly for you for your stated purpose.
- Status
Similar threads
