Best red dot sight/scope under $100 for my 15-22?

[SW01SS]

Hi guys, I am having a hard time deciding what optic to get for my rifle. There are so many choices and I feel like it's impossible to confidently pick a single one without having them all in front of me and trying them back to back... Which isn't possible. I've looked at a few different UTG scopes in the $50-60 dollar range, and in the $70-100 dollar range the Bushnell trs-25, Sightmark Ultra, and Primary Arms has several that look very appealing and have great reviews. Actually they all (including the UTGs which are the cheapest and include some extras and cool features) have pretty good reviews. Can I go wrong with any of these? And I'm sure theres even more options than what I listed so I'm just confused and wanted to get some feedback and see what you guys are using on your 15-22s

[BigWaylon]

I considered the Bushnell and the PA red dots for my recent builds and also my 15-22. I ended up going with the Vortex SPARC (actually bought a dozen of them in the last year).

They're a little more expensive, but not bad. Mainly because a SPARC 2 has been recently released, but the original is a very nice unit.

I like the smaller 2MOA dot, and you just can't beat the Vortex Warranty:

Our VIP warranty is about you, not us. It's about taking care of you after the sale.
VIP stands for a Very Important Promise to you, our customer. We will repair or replace your Vortex product in the event it becomes damaged or defective—at no charge to you. If we cannot repair your product, we will replace it with a product in perfect working order of equal or better physical condition.
You see, it doesn't matter how it happened, whose fault it was, or where you purchased it. You can count on the VIP Warranty for all Vortex Optics riflescopes, prism scopes, red dots, rangefinders, binoculars, spotting scopes, tripods, and monoculars.
•Unlimited Lifetime Warranty
•Fully transferable
•No warranty card to fill out
•No receipt needed to hang on to
If you ever have a problem, no matter the cause, we promise to take care of you.

The VIP warranty does not cover loss, theft or deliberate damage to the product.

You can get one now from Tiger Outfitters for $124.99 after $20 coupon and free shipping.

Or, you can get one and a stripped lower from PSA for $159.99 (so cost of RDS is really <$100).

If that doesn't work for you, I'd flip a coin between the Bushnell and PA. I don't have any experience with the Sightmark.

ETA: here's an obligatory pic:



(Won't look like that after tomorrow...when barrel comes back from ADCO after being cut down to 4.5" and threaded to SiCo's o-ring engagement specs )

[harrym]

I have the UTG [around $60 at the time] on a 15-22. I like the QD mount -- it's sturdy and returns to zero. The red dot is OK for a plinker. Wouldn't put it on my AR15, though. I'm not really sold on the red dot system. Can't get used to having both eyes open.

[dstepatl]

I was told by the guy at my local range to just buy airsoft for a 15-22, the recoil isn't near strong enough to screw it up. That's his word, not mine, so I can't tell you. What I can say is I just bought the 15-22 a week ago today and shot it for the first time yesterday and from 50 yards with only a slight adjustment to the wind knob(before shooting) on the rear sight I was able to hit the 10(not in the 10, but literally the 10) on my first shot. Outstanding accuracy, though I'm only 25 and still have great vision at 20-10 in one eye and 20-15 in the other, so that might help.

[SW01SS]

The Vortex sounds appealing but $100 is really my max budget. In response to dstepatl, my iron sights are a mess. It seems so simple for everyone else... They just take the gun out and shoot and just like that they're nearly zeroed in without hardly doing anything. I have never zeroed in anything prior to owning this gun and I know you are supposed to take a shot, and then adjust your sight so its right on the hole you made, then aim for the center and repeat. However I aim for the center and the round doesn't even hit the target, so I have no idea what adjustments need to be made so I'm just blindly wasting ammo turning the knobs hoping I can land one on the target so I can adjust from there but I never succeeded... I'm a newb I know. But thats an issue for a whole different thread.

I bought a 30 dollar aimsports red dot. Worked good and I was able to get that one zeroed in unlike the iron sights. Held zero for 500-600 rounds between range visits and everything and at the range today it lost zero and started getting really bad. Turning off, started seeing a 2nd lighter dot under the main dot and the dot would go out after every shot towards the end of the day and I'd have to give the gun a firm tap and it would light back up. So I'm assuming the recoil became too much... So I am staying away from the airsoft stuff from now on.

If there was a good Eotech replica I could find that would be cool. Otherwise I'm leaning towards the Primary Arms at the moment.

[Vinney47]

It would be hard to beat this for your $100

Vortex StrikeFire Red/Green Dot Optic

[SW01SS]

Originally Posted by Vinney47

It would be hard to beat this for your $100

Vortex StrikeFire Red/Green Dot Optic

Thats a killer deal thank you for sharing. Battery life isn't listed there but after looking around on other sites it seems to be about 2000 hours vs PA's claimed 10,000 hour life for their sight. However I like that the Vortex has the option for a green dot and also automatically shuts down after a certain period of time. I also like how it looks. Such a hard choice...

[bburnette252]

Not under $100 but close enough, I couldn't be happier with it. Chances are your local walmart has them

Bushnell TRS-25 .... $110


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Vinney47]

Originally Posted by SW01SS

Thats a killer deal thank you for sharing. Battery life isn't listed there but after looking around on other sites it seems to be about 2000 hours vs PA's claimed 10,000 hour life for their sight. However I like that the Vortex has the option for a green dot and also automatically shuts down after a certain period of time. I also like how it looks. Such a hard choice...

10,000 hours is just over 400 days. So as long as you remember to change the battery once a year you could just leave it on.

Still... I really really like the green dot option. Among the things I shoot at are bulls eye paper targets and clay pigeons. They along with others have red or very reddish centers that the red dot can get washed out on. It's still visible, but green is MUCH easier to see. It's easier on the battery life as well.

I have had experience with the sightmark ultra shot as well. It's held up really well, and I really like the clean view you get with it - no knobs or battery compartments are in your view at all, views like an EOTech. The metal shroud over the glass gives it extra durability also. The green dot version of it (Z series) runs around $100, but goes on sale at Cabelas a couple times a year for $75. Battery life is much, much less, however. Quick detach mount option is a plus IMO.

[BigWaylon]

OP...if you can't zero in the factory sights, you need to aim at a closer target. Once you get it lined up left/right, proceed to shoot further distances adjusting elevation until you're where you want to be.

The Vortex Strikefire is a nice unit as well, just a little bigger than the other ones you posted.

Once you pick on and get it sighted in, you can start adjusting your irons to hit the dot, and that should get you close.

Some of the RDS units out there have an extreme long battery life due to the fact they're intended to be left on...so when you grab the rifle in a HD situation it's ready to go. The others have the auto-off mode.

[RO73]

I'm a big fan of the primary arms micro dot. I've had quite a few on different rifles and they have never let me down.

[cyphertext]

You have two issues here...

1. Iron sights. What distance are you shooting at while trying to zero? Also, what type of iron sights are you using?

2. Optics. Your first decision needs to be what type of optic you want to shoot, red dot or magnified optic (scope). This will depend on the type of shooting you want to do. For close range shooting where the name of the game is fast target acquisition and a hit is a hit, the red dot is great. It allows you to get on target quickly. However, for longer distance, or trying to shoot small, tight groups, a scope is the better choice. Some will run a red dot with a magnifier, but to me that just says you should have bought a low power, variable scope.

If you go the red dot route, the Bushnell TRS-25, Primary Arms, and Vortex SPARC are all very popular. These have been tried and selected by many users. They are the cream of the crop of the budget optics. If budget is the issue, I would not venture outside of these three.

As far as inexpensive scopes, I like the Simmons .22 mag with adjustable objective, or the Bushnell Banner 4-12x40 AO. These are not AR, tactical style scopes... but they are fairly decent rimfire scopes.

[SW01SS]

Originally Posted by Vinney47

10,000 hours is just over 400 days. So as long as you remember to change the battery once a year you could just leave it on.

Still... I really really like the green dot option. Among the things I shoot at are bulls eye paper targets and clay pigeons. They along with others have red or very reddish centers that the red dot can get washed out on. It's still visible, but green is MUCH easier to see. It's easier on the battery life as well.

I have had experience with the sightmark ultra shot as well. It's held up really well, and I really like the clean view you get with it - no knobs or battery compartments are in your view at all, views like an EOTech. The metal shroud over the glass gives it extra durability also. The green dot version of it (Z series) runs around $100, but goes on sale at Cabelas a couple times a year for $75. Battery life is much, much less, however. Quick detach mount option is a plus IMO.

My only issue with the Sightmark is that the adjustment dial for elevation is right in the center on top right in the way of the dot. I have the same problem with my **** Aim sports red dot I can't look down the sight and make elevation adjustments at the same time. Perhaps I'm not going about it correctly but I noticed the real Eotechs aren't like that. Otherwise I love the quick detach, and looks of the Sightmark although a 25hr battery life is extremely weak. It's the only Eotech replica I've been able to find.

[SW01SS]

Originally Posted by cyphertext

You have two issues here...

1. Iron sights. What distance are you shooting at while trying to zero? Also, what type of iron sights are you using?

2. Optics. Your first decision needs to be what type of optic you want to shoot, red dot or magnified optic (scope). This will depend on the type of shooting you want to do. For close range shooting where the name of the game is fast target acquisition and a hit is a hit, the red dot is great. It allows you to get on target quickly. However, for longer distance, or trying to shoot small, tight groups, a scope is the better choice. Some will run a red dot with a magnifier, but to me that just says you should have bought a low power, variable scope.

If you go the red dot route, the Bushnell TRS-25, Primary Arms, and Vortex SPARC are all very popular. These have been tried and selected by many users. They are the cream of the crop of the budget optics. If budget is the issue, I would not venture outside of these three.

As far as inexpensive scopes, I like the Simmons .22 mag with adjustable objective, or the Bushnell Banner 4-12x40 AO. These are not AR, tactical style scopes... but they are fairly decent rimfire scopes.

I was attempting to zero at 25 yards with the iron sights and they are the factory iron sights that come on a non-MOE 15-22.

Thanks for the explanation between scopes and red dots. I think a red dot would be better suited for me now and I can buy a scope later down the road.

What are the differences (if anything besides looks and battery life) of the microdots like the trs-25, and PA microdot, compared to the Vortex Strikefire and larger PA red dots?

[cyphertext]

Originally Posted by SW01SS

I was attempting to zero at 25 yards with the iron sights and they are the factory iron sights that come on a non-MOE 15-22.

Thanks for the explanation between scopes and red dots. I think a red dot would be better suited for me now and I can buy a scope later down the road.

What are the differences (if anything besides looks and battery life) of the microdots like the trs-25, and PA microdot, compared to the Vortex Strikefire and larger PA red dots?

For zeroing those sights, set the sights to mechanical zero...
Turn the front sight post until the bottom is flush with the front sight base. On the rear sight, turn the elevation drum (the one on the bottom of the rear sight) to the Z marking and turn the windage knob until the line on the aperture lines up with the line on the sight base. You are now ready to zero.

Print out the target from the link below, hang it at 25 yards, and follow the directions on which sight (front or rear) and which direction to turn the sight. You will change elevation with the front, and windage with the rear. Once you are zero'd at 25 yards with this technique, I have found that I can bottom out my rear sight, (turn counter clockwise until it stops at the 5/3 mark) and I am good for 50 yards. For 100 yards, you would turn the elevation drum in the other direction, past the Z mark, but I have not shot it at 100 yards with the irons enough to work out the best setting.

Target http://www.bobdbob.com/~deneb/doc/ta...rbine-zero.pdf

As far as the dots, there aren't huge differences in operation between them. The micro dot type are physically smaller, weigh an ounce or two less. Sometimes the diode on the TRS-25 is in the way for lower 1/3 co-witness. I believe PA addressed that with their red dot.

As far as dot sizes, smaller is not necessarily better. A larger red dot is easier to pick up with your eyes, allowing you to be on target quicker. However, a larger dot will cover more of the target... it really depends what you are shooting. If you are shooting 8 inch steel plates, a 2, 3, 4, or 6 MOA dot is going to let you see some of the target and make hits.

I have a Bushnell Trophy red dot on one of my rifles that has 4 different reticles. It has a 3 MOA dot, a 10 MOA dot, cross hairs, and a circle with 3 MOA center dot. I use the circle reticle on that one the most. Easy to pick up with my eyes. The newer version of this sight has red and green, and can also be picked up for less than $100.

Oh, don't forget mounts in your budget. They can run from about $20 to several hundred... for what you are looking at though, a $20 mount from Primary Arms will probably fit the bill.

[TheMaineEvent]

Primary Arms or Vortex. Nuff said.

[SW01SS]

Originally Posted by cyphertext

For zeroing those sights, set the sights to mechanical zero...
Turn the front sight post until the bottom is flush with the front sight base. On the rear sight, turn the elevation drum (the one on the bottom of the rear sight) to the Z marking and turn the windage knob until the line on the aperture lines up with the line on the sight base. You are now ready to zero.

Print out the target from the link below, hang it at 25 yards, and follow the directions on which sight (front or rear) and which direction to turn the sight. You will change elevation with the front, and windage with the rear. Once you are zero'd at 25 yards with this technique, I have found that I can bottom out my rear sight, (turn counter clockwise until it stops at the 5/3 mark) and I am good for 50 yards. For 100 yards, you would turn the elevation drum in the other direction, past the Z mark, but I have not shot it at 100 yards with the irons enough to work out the best setting.

Target http://www.bobdbob.com/~deneb/doc/ta...rbine-zero.pdf

As far as the dots, there aren't huge differences in operation between them. The micro dot type are physically smaller, weigh an ounce or two less. Sometimes the diode on the TRS-25 is in the way for lower 1/3 co-witness. I believe PA addressed that with their red dot.

As far as dot sizes, smaller is not necessarily better. A larger red dot is easier to pick up with your eyes, allowing you to be on target quicker. However, a larger dot will cover more of the target... it really depends what you are shooting. If you are shooting 8 inch steel plates, a 2, 3, 4, or 6 MOA dot is going to let you see some of the target and make hits.

I have a Bushnell Trophy red dot on one of my rifles that has 4 different reticles. It has a 3 MOA dot, a 10 MOA dot, cross hairs, and a circle with 3 MOA center dot. I use the circle reticle on that one the most. Easy to pick up with my eyes. The newer version of this sight has red and green, and can also be picked up for less than $100.

Oh, don't forget mounts in your budget. They can run from about $20 to several hundred... for what you are looking at though, a $20 mount from Primary Arms will probably fit the bill.

Thanks for the info. For my iron sight difficulties, I currently have it set at mechanical zero and my rounds still miss the 12 inch target. I am just going to bring it in closer to 10-15 yards and work back to 25. I am leaning towards this now https://www.primaryarms.com/Primary-.../pa-aasdg3.htm 10,000hr battery life and it comes with a mount, however I don't know if it will cowitness with my iron sights. I am going to check out the Bushnell Trophy now.

[cyphertext]

Originally Posted by SW01SS

Thanks for the info. I am leaning towards this now https://www.primaryarms.com/Primary-.../pa-aasdg3.htm 10,000hr battery life and it comes with a mount, however I don't know if it will cowitness with my iron sights. I am going to check out the Bushnell Trophy now.

The description says it will give you lower 1/3 co-witness. I've never used that particular sight, but Primary Arms stands behind their products, so I wouldn't have any issues with ordering one!

[ChattanoogaPhil]

We ain't fancy around here. To zero an optic first start out by shooting at a small object on a dirt bank. See where the bullet strikes the dirt in relation to the small object. Adjust accordingly. Shoot at paper for fine tuning.

Bore sighting is easy too. Remove upper from lower. Remove bolt. Set upper on something steady so you can look through the barrel, then look through the sights. Adjust sights in the direction of what you see through the barrel. Repeat till you are close. Shoot at paper for fine tuning.

If you want a red dot get a Primary Arms MicroDot or Bushnell TRS-25 with riser.

[RedNeck Jim]

Originally Posted by ChattanoogaPhil

We ain't fancy around here.

Nor here in Mississippi. Most of the time, when putting on a new sight, we just shoot at paper. If we miss the paper... we get closer. Then once we are in the ballpark, we back up & finish the job.

[JeffDeMello]

I use a TRS-25 and I picked up one of these for $60- 1x30 True Fiber Optic Green dot sight sighting system
by GRG MFG on Amazon.
I even tried it on my M&P 15TS and it worked good.

[cyphertext]

Originally Posted by ChattanoogaPhil

We ain't fancy around here. To zero an optic first start out by shooting at a small object on a dirt bank.

I don't own a piece of dirt bank that I can shoot on, so I have to go to a range. Those guys like it more when you at least look like you know what you are doing!

[gwpercle]

Take a look at Millet red dots. Midway is selling them from fifty to eighty dollars right now. Have had an SP-1 with 2 MOA dot on a Ruger Mk II 22 LR for 13 years and it's still working. Bought another last year for Model 64 S&W in 38 special (it replaced a Tasco pro point that just never did work exactly right) ... the SP-1 is compact and sweet. Easy mount, easy sight in, doesn't cost arm and a leg. Good product for the money.
Gary

[ChattanoogaPhil]

Originally Posted by cyphertext

I don't own a piece of dirt bank that I can shoot on, so I have to go to a range. Those guys like it more when you at least look like you know what you are doing!

I was at a range called Prentice Cooper a few years ago. 50 yard paper target area with dirt backstop. A guy was a couple shooting stations down from me rattling the fillings out of my head with a 7mm mag. On and on and on... must have gone through two boxes. I was about ready to pack up leave but he took a break and had a puzzled look on his face, so I said hey how ya doing? He starts telling me how he just can't hit the paper with his new scope. So I ask if he would like some help to which he gratefully replies yes. I point to a small weed on the bank and say shoot at that. He missed it by about a foot low and left. He's got a .25 moa scope so I tell him to crank it 96 clicks. He looks at me like I'm nuts but does it anyway. Now I tell him to shoot at his paoer target. He again looks at me like I'm nuts. Bang. Hole in target. Then he looked at me like I'm a genius.

We all need to keep in mind how puzzling this simple stuff was our first time.

[imashooter2]

At 25 yards, remove the upper and the bolt. Put the upper on bags and look down the barrel to center the bullseye in the tube / aperture. Without disturbing the upper on the bags, move the sights to the bullseye. Confirm by looking through both apertures several times. Reassemble. Shoot. Make the final adjustments to get your bullet strike where you want it.

[trololol]

Scope for under $100 - Nikon Prostaff rimfire 4x32. You can usually find them for around $89, sometimes cheaper. If you look around a little more, you might be able find a 3-9x40 or a P-22 within your price range.
Red dot for under $100 - Bushnell TRS-25. Price is around $80, sometimes cheaper if you're lucky. Yes it is a Bushnell but it is a pretty good sight for the money and it works well with an AR 15 too.
Irons sights - If you change your mind and want to stick with irons, I would recommend upgrading them. I really like the Magpul Mbus flip up sights. You can't go wrong with practicing with irons.

If you have trouble sighting in, I usually start off shoot close at a really large target like a giant cardboard box and work my way from there.

[cyphertext]

Originally Posted by trololol

Irons sights - If you change your mind and want to stick with irons, I would recommend upgrading them. I really like the Magpul Mbus flip up sights.

I don't consider Magpul MBUS as an "upgrade" over A2 style sights. Granted, the stock sights on the 15-22 are probably UTG, vs. LMT but they work well. Once they are sighted, you can use the rear drum to adjust for elevation and return to zero, no tools required.

Magpul MBUS are fine as a back up sight to an optic, but I would not even consider them for an iron sighted only gun. I run the fixed, A2 style sights on my .22lr AR, and on my 5.56, I have a Matech folding rear sight... still has the ability to adjust elevation for known distance. Both of these rifles also have a red dot sight.

[gotfish]

I'm a big +1 on Primary Arms for the micro red dot. I've had them on 15-22's and my 12g shotgun and they've been flawless. And very few companies offer their level of service if anything ever did go wrong.

[Rundover]

Someone here says it best and it goes something like this:

Buy cheep, buy twice.

Its true, trust me. Just get the best you can afford and if you have to spend a little more for a better product you will be better off.

[cyphertext]

Originally Posted by Rundover

Someone here says it best and it goes something like this:

Buy cheep, buy twice.

Its true, trust me. Just get the best you can afford and if you have to spend a little more for a better product you will be better off.

So what are you suggesting he buy? It is a big leap in price from a Bushnell TRS-25 or a Primary Arms micro dot to an Aimpoint or Eotech. If he stays with the tried and true budget optics, he will be fine. If he goes off the reservation and tries a budget optic that none of us have or have heard of, that is when he will get into trouble.

He has given his budget, and several have given him some options within that budget. I've always loved the "spend a little more" argument... that is what many told me when I bought my M&P 15 Sport... "spend a little more and get the Colt". Twice the price is not "a little more"...

[SW01SS]

Originally Posted by cyphertext

So what are you suggesting he buy? It is a big leap in price from a Bushnell TRS-25 or a Primary Arms micro dot to an Aimpoint or Eotech. If he stays with the tried and true budget optics, he will be fine. If he goes off the reservation and tries a budget optic that none of us have or have heard of, that is when he will get into trouble.

He has given his budget, and several have given him some options within that budget. I've always loved the "spend a little more" argument... that is what many told me when I bought my M&P 15 Sport... "spend a little more and get the Colt". Twice the price is not "a little more"...

Well said. I will buy twice, but the 2nd time it will be for my regular 5.56 AR15 whenever I get one. And at that point I'll most likely dish out the money for an Aimpoint or Eotech. For a 15-22 I don't see any problem with a budget optic. Hell my 30 dollar open style red dot off Amazon randomly started working again today and I was consistently destroying the middle of the target with hundreds of consecutive rounds. Battery has probably seen about 50 hours so far so it's already lasted well past the $100 Sightmark Ultra 25 hour life span. I don't know what was up with it last time I was at the range but today it was flawless and I am extremely pleased with it for only 30 bucks. Unless SHTF neither the gun nor optic will see any kind of serious abuse. I have decided on the Primary Arms Gen III red dot (not the micro one). However, since my current red dot is doing great again I am no longer in a rush and perhaps might save up for something in the $200 dollar range (even though I'm having a hard time justifying spending even that much for this rifle), or spend the money on a scope since as long as my cheapo red dot keeps doing it's job then I will have close range shooting taken care of. However I cannot justify buying an optic that costs more than the gun itself and even if I wanted to theres no way I could afford it. Thank you guys for all the suggestions. Really helped out.

[Vinney47]

Originally Posted by SW01SS

...my 30 dollar open style red dot off Amazon randomly started working again today ...I don't know what was up with it last time I was at the range but today it was flawless .... However, since my current red dot is doing great again...

I'm just scratching my head a little about how you can seem to be so excited about an optic that randomly works or doesn't work. That's the type of thing most people criticize about a product, and drives them to upgrade - not stick with it longer. But I digress...

The PA red dot is a solid choice, and I think you'll be very pleased with it whenever you decide to pull the trigger on it. I think once you get past the $100-$200 price point you really get hit with diminishing returns, and any gains you see don't really factor into the 15-22 the same way they might on a combat rifle.

[trololol]

Remember, you can't hit anything unless you spend at least a grand on optics
But realistically, you will be fine with the options listed above that fit within your budget. You are not going to be using you 15-22 for a HD or SHTF gun anyway. And if a $30 red dot floats your boat, then go with it (just don't tell anyone on this forum ) It really depends on where you have your priorities as to where you should spend your money. Our job here though is to make you spend as much money as you can

[trebor127]

Phew i cant even fully fill my gas tank for $100

if the $50/$100 optic goes bust, just keep buying more

an Eotech and G33 here cost over $2000

Keith

[jp223]

Can't go wrong with Primary Arms

[ChattanoogaPhil]

I've had a Primary Arms MicroDot on my 1522 going on four years. It cost about $100. PA optics are on a lot of these .22s. If folks were having troubles and having to replace them I'd think we'd be hearing about it. Maybe I missed a post, but I can't remember anyone posting about a failed MicrDot on their 1522. Anyone?

Now I bet a lot of folks have bought an new AR, put a PA MicroDot on it and eventually replaced it with an Aimpoint or EOTech. But the great thing about the MicroDot is it can be used on about anything, including handguns.

My Aimpoint H1 cost $600. Having an extra $600 (Actually $500 less the $100 MicroDot) in the stock market the last four years has returned about 65%. So now I got a working PA MicroDot and over $800. Buy once cry once? Buy cheap buy twice? There are other alternative happy endings.

[SW01SS]

Originally Posted by Vinney47

I'm just scratching my head a little about how you can seem to be so excited about an optic that randomly works or doesn't work. That's the type of thing most people criticize about a product, and drives them to upgrade - not stick with it longer. But I digress...

Well after some more thought I believe it may have been that the battery got just a little bit loose and not that there is a problem with the sight. The battery knob is part of the knob that turns on the dot and raises/lowers brightness so perhaps it came loose on it's own or I loosened it, and then retightened as I turned it on yesterday allowing it to work as it should. It's extremely accurate and holds zero, I don't feel like I should just trash it after the first and only malfunction which may have been my fault. If it were to have a problem again then I would most definitely not be excited about it anymore...

[ChattanoogaPhil]

Originally Posted by cyphertext

So what are you suggesting he buy? It is a big leap in price from a Bushnell TRS-25 or a Primary Arms micro dot to an Aimpoint or Eotech. .

That's a really good question.

I like the small MicroDot style red dot, so I've chosen both the $100 PA and $600 Aimpoint for different applications-- recreational reliability and military grade reliability. Who is making a $300 MicroDot, and what application does it serve that is worth paying 3 times the price of the PA but not require the utmost reliability of an Aimpoint?

Vortex has a new SPARCII that is somewhere between $200-$300. Rastoff recently bought the previous version SPARC but posted a less that glowing review. What else is there in the MicroDot style world?

[SGT_Lindy]

Originally Posted by RedNeck Jim

Nor here in Mississippi. Most of the time, when putting on a new sight, we just shoot at paper. If we miss the paper... we get closer. Then once we are in the ballpark, we back up & finish the job.

Yeah I take a white sheet of paper and draw a small black circle on it and put it at 25 yards with a 22 rifle. Move sights/dots/scope until they are in the black. Rocket science its not especially at 25 yards and with a 22.

My vote is for the TRS-25, I got it and a UTG 1/3 co-witness mount for $85ish off of Amazon.

[Vettely]

Originally Posted by gotfish

I'm a big +1 on Primary Arms for the micro red dot. I've had them on 15-22's and my 12g shotgun and they've been flawless. And very few companies offer their level of service if anything ever did go wrong.

P.A. Is a great company that stands behind what they sell.

[micocyco]

This is what I put on mine when I first got it thinking I would get something better down the line, that was 2 years ago still works just fine for $48 you can't go wrong.
I am now looking for something with a little power with an ACOG look.

[PJazz]

Try his:139.99 free shipping !
Amazon.com : Vortex SPARC Red Dot Scope : Rifle Scopes : Sports & Outdoors@@AMEPARAM@@http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/512d4AImL0L.@@AMEPARAM@@512d4AImL0L

[checkkmate]

I am in the same boat. Just bought my AR-15 at a gun show last week and stumbling through countless forums and google searching which is the best for medium to close range scopes/sights. So far, I am in between an Eotech sight or a regular red dot. I think I may pull the trigger on the Eotech. Here is the one I may buy...

EOTech 512 Tactical Red Dot AA Battery 512.A65

About the same price as I've seen on amazon but $10 flat shipping. I'll let y'all know how it goes.

[johncal]

I have the version like this but with the laser. This is essentially the same thing w/o. I am very happy with the quality and accuracy. Plus you have a choice of 4 different reticles by flipping a switch.

Amazon.com : Sightmark Ultra Shot Pro Spec Sight NV QD : Laser Sights : Sports & Outdoors@@AMEPARAM@@http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41he92CXHzL.@@AMEPARAM@@41he92CXHzL

If you look around you can find the one with the Laser like I did for another $25. It's pretty cool.

[gabe221]

Same as the one I have, and I like it.

[little_airwolf]

Trs -25 simply awesome and great price. I cant justify putting a rds that is worth more than the gun. So the bushnell fits the bill fine.

[hangnoose]

Even if you have to start at 10 yards. with your age & vision you should be able to hit well out to 75 yards anyway. Practice/practice/practice! Paying a "little" multiple times until you FINALY find what you want, can add up quickly to more than the cost of a "better quality optic", that you only buy once. I hear good things about the C-mores. My vision is WAY NO LONGER 20/10 at 57 y/o & I use the stock peeps for steel challenge with no difficulty & get better times than with the Nikon p223.

[mayhemworks]

Primary Arms micro dot! I just sighted mine in today, and it was flawless. Best bang for your buck.