Senior Buying my First AR15 Dot Sight-Red or Green Dot?

[gerrym526]

Finally decided I need a dot sight for my AR15. As a senior shooter, with astigmatism, I've read that green dots are easier to acquire at my age than red dots
Appreciate any opinions on this from those who chose green vs. red and liked better-or vice versa.
Primary will use for target shooting, and if needed, home defense.
Leaning towards the Sig Sauer Romeo line because I'm staying within a budget (<$300), but open to suggestions of other manufacturers around the same price point (Vortex, Holosun, etc.)
Thanks in advance for the help guys.
Gerry

 

[12Bravo20]

Everyone's ye sight is different and what works for one might not work for another. That being said. I find that I get less bloom when using a green reticle vs a red reticle. Another trick is to keep the brightness level turned down some.

Another option is using one of the light weight 1X prism sights that are available. Prism sights use an etched reticle that will not bloom.

 

[marvin02]

I pretty much think @12Bravo20 is dead on.

Since dots bloom for people with astigmatism a smaller dot may work better.

A friend wit astigmatism tells me that green works better for him and that the Chevron reticle in the Holosun 507c-gr ACSS works best. It has a fine lined triangle shaped reticle.

Prism scopes do have an eye box so check the eye relief if you go that way.

Check out as many options as you can before you invest.

 

[12Bravo20]

Eye relief should not be an issue on an AR.

I personally have a hard time using any type of optic with a chevron. Another thing to consider is going with an optic with a circle dot reticle in red or green. I have identical optics in red and green with a dot only and circle dot reticles. I don't notice the bloom as much with the circle dot reticles.

@marvin02 made a good suggestion to check out as many different optics before making a final decision.

 

[chicharrones]

I'm 58 and I see red more distinctly than green. Whether red dot, fiber optic, paint, whatever. Green can wash out to yellowish white, to my eyes.

If you can't look through display red dots at gun shops, be sure to read online reviews deeply. And ask opinions here at THR of whatever model you're interested in.

I started out trying dots with rings around them and found that unless the ring is a 65 moa size, that smaller circles just interfere with what I'm trying to see. So, all of my current firearm red dots just simply have a dot.

 

[Elkins45]

https://www.amazon.com/Sig-Sauer-SG...o+msr&qid=1688099250&s=hunting-fishing&sr=1-1

Sig Romeo MSR 2 moa green dot at Amazon for $79. Seems like it would be worth a gamble at that price.

 

[12Bravo20]

The Sig Romeo MSR is a pretty decent optic especially when on sale for under $100. Though I will say that I prefer the Swampfox Optics sights since they have buttons to adjust brightness and On/Off versus dials. And yes I own several Sig Romeo MSR's and Swampfox Liberator's. I like both of them over the Bushnell TRS-25 and Primary Arms Classic. And yes I own at least one TRS-25 and PA Classic too.

 

[armoredman]

I have tried both. With the SIG MSR green dot, even at highest setting, it was hard to see in bright sunlight. The SIG ROMEO5 red dot has worked very well for me for some years now, even with astigmatism.

 

[Hikingman]

I think we have a couple of professionals that work with patient's eyes in their career on THR. Maybe they will chime in.

 

[cdahl383]

I have a couple red dots on my rifles. I can see them just fine. The key is to use as little brightness as needed to see them. If you turn it up way too much it starts to get blurry/starry. Maybe higher quality ones are better, but I just have basic cheap ones on mine.

 

[CapnMac]

Both the Holosun and Romeo sights fit your bill nicely.
Red versus green may be something that just wants experience.

Which is complicated as few places have "open stock" to eyeball through.
Further that there's a vast difference between hold in a sight in your hand, and having it mounted up and shouldering it.

Given that there's no eye relief on 0x RDS (oh may, writing GDS, feels very strange), the "where on the rail" winds up a very personal preference, too.

For my 2¢ of personal experience (which includes moderate amounts of astigmatism in both eyes, and cataract surgery, and age-related magnification issues), I find I prefer "thing in circle"--whether a dot or a chevron. I do as well with red as with green. (There are fewer green types out there--for no obvious reason.) I own more Holosun 5nn that nay other kind, with a pair of 508s being the installed RDS. I swapped the goofy no-name Dot Scope S&W put on my MP 15-22 with a RomeoZero and have been happy with that.

Your mileage will vary.

 

[drobs]

Go over to Bass Pro Shops and ask to see some of the ones they keep in the glass case.
Buy the one you like somewhere else for significantly less $.

 

[powermad]

I have a Romeo5 XDR Predator with a green dot and a triangle, works well with my astigmatism.
If I was to be buying another red dot in the $300 range it would be an Aimpoint ACO for $350

20 years ago a red dot would have been awesome, now days for me not so much, tried a 4x magnifier with a Romeo5 and then went with a 1-6 LPVO to start with. Then a PA 1-8 and now a 2.5-10.
The Primary Arms 1-6 is $289 and a decent optic for the price.
https://www.primaryarms.com/primary...-gen-3-illuminated-acss-5.56-5.45-308-reticle

The 3x micro prism sounds like it works well for $319 with mounts included.
https://www.primaryarms.com/primary...illuminated-acss-raptor-556-308-reticle-meter