Put a mini-red dot on my Ruger Mini-14 (Ranch Rifle)

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1KPerDay

1KPerDay

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before, crappy Tasco scope
click for larger if you want
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Took some pics with the scope removed just because it looks so cool, then put on the Burris FastFire II on a GG&G mount (which I got second hand; one of the mounting screws may or may not be stripped... we'll see if it holds).

I can say that at first blush the Burris is approximately 5892.49% better than the POS chinese Target Sports mini red dot version I got first... I never learn. You never can get quality optics for a low price. Some are okay, and some are absolute garbage. That one was completely worthless. I'm sending it back. But the Burris looks to be really high quality.

The auto-brightness sensor is cool, too. In bright light, the red dot is bright, but it automatically dims in a dark room.

I hope this setup works. I'm going to try it in a 3-gun match this winter. If it doesn't work... I can use the optic on various other guns I guess. This is my first "real" quality reflex type sight. Gonna take a bit of getting used to.

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That's an excellent choice of optic for that gun, IMO. That cantilevered bridge mount is pretty clever...I like how it puts the optic forward of the ejection port instead of over it.
 
I just bought a GG&G mount for my ranch. It looks like you have a solid bolt for a strut. The clamps look like they are Accu-strut clamps. Is the solid bolt better than the hollow aluminum rod that is the Accu-strut ?
 
Well my enthusiasm was short-lived... I switched on the optic today and it didn't work. Uh oh... racked the bolt, and it flickered on. Racked again, goes off.

:uhoh:

So I remove it from the mount. With my thumb on the battery it works fine. If I push the battery flush with the housing (like it will be when tightened to the mount) it shuts off.

Any smart guys know what the issue is?

Here's a vid if it helps

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3yTu4IaIkek

I tried re-mounting it onto the picatinny mount it came with... same results. Tried a different battery, same results.
 
Seems to. I haven't done formal bench-rested shooting but my offhand shoting went from about paper-plate size at 50 yds to minute-of-pop-can. I can hit the 200+ yard steel torso every time, braced against a barricade.

Or I could, before I removed the scope that worked and replaced it with the Burris red dot that apparently doesn't.
 
Couldn't see a crack, checked all solders, looked okay, tried taping off the 3 small contacts below the metal spring/plate, made no difference.

I sent it back to Burris for repair today... hopefully they don't charge me more than what a new one would have cost... :rolleyes:
 
Yeah, the Burris ain't that quality of a optic.

I'd get a refund and get either a Trijicon RMR or a Aimpoint Micro.

BSW
 
Did it work when you bought it?

I'd be having some words with the guy that sold it to me.

Burris doesn't have all that good of a reputation. Personally I'd rank them a little better than NC Star or BSA but worse than Primary Arms.

BSW
 
It worked okay while I was installing it, trying it out, but I only racked the bolt a couple of times. Next day it didn't work after racking the bolt.

I choose to believe the seller was forthright, and just hadn't used the sight enough to know whether it was defective (or that it's just a coincidence that it failed after I installed it.).

Helps me not feel all stabby.
 
If its a FastFire II there should be a rubber gasket that fits between the base and the battery. Without it the battery my not stay put.
 
Is it a Burris that says Hencho en China? I'm so sick of these formerly well reputed companies sticking their name on Chinese junk. Make it law that China has to be printed the same size as the company logo and maybe made in the USA might get popular again.
 
wally said:
If its a FastFire II there should be a rubber gasket that fits between the base and the battery. Without it the battery my not stay put.
Click to expand...
Yes, there's a rubberized metal plate sandwiched between the optic housing and the mount. As noted, when everything's tightened down and the battery is flush, it shuts off.

Brian smith... is the PA $75 one really better than the $200+ burris one? :uhoh:

I've bought inexpensive red dots (I have a BSA and a couple Target Sports... only one of the three didn't turn out to be total crap). I'm done buying the cheap stuff.:fire:
 
Brian smith... is the PA $75 one really better than the $200+ burris one?
Click to expand...

Well, it will work. And if it doesn't PA will take care of you.

I stripped a screw out of one of their mounts. They sent me a new one for free.

I've yet to kill one of their red dots, including after it was on a AK and Uzi.

BSW
 
... is the PA $75 one really better than the $200+ burris one
Click to expand...

No its not, although I liked the green dot better than the red, but mine wouldn't hold zero on my Glock 17L (hardly a fierce recoiler). Primary Arms is local so I stopped by on my way home from the range and traded it the Burris which has worked great (I've also the older Fastfire model on my RIA and its held up for many thousands of rounds).

The owner of PA told me he gets about 1 in 25 of the reflex type sights back, he's trying to get the supplier to improve QA/QC even if he has to raise the price a bit. He says maybe 1 in 100 of the tube type dots come back to him, but so far they keep coming back to him "we can make it cheaper" when he wants them to make it better.

It's true PA will take care of you, they are in it for the long haul and just moved across the street to a larger space.

I've no relationship with PA other than being an early customer they've kept happy. I really hope they can get the green dot sights made a bit better, I'd love a serviceable reflex type dot sight for ~$100.


Sorry if this is a stupid question, but since you got it used, are you sure the correct battery is in there? Its a CR2032, there are a zillion similar batteries that are just a little smaller and/or thinner, it'd be pretty easy to grab the wrong one at Radio Shack or Fry's if you don't have the old one with you or CR2032 written down.
 
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Update: Burris replaced the faulty one with a new one!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_1r5FJckLTc

Burris has a customer for life... they replaced my Fastfire II which I got second-hand and wasn't working properly. Way to go, Burris! I wish more companies would realize that excellent customer service more than pays for itself in good will, future purchases, and word of mouth.

BUY BURRIS! woooot! :cool:
 
That's a good ending. Hopefully this one will work out a little better. Let us know how that mini shoots with it on there. Sure is a cool looking setup.
 
I surely will. I'm thinking I'll eventually have to tap/thread the base for larger screws... the PO apparently overtorqued them and at least one is questionable. But we'll see.
 
That is a slick setup, I like how it doesn't ruin the lines of the rifle (IMO) as much as a scope does.
 
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