Best "Budget" Red Dot for Pistol

[Redcoat3340]

Just picked up a S&W 22s and it's got a rail on the top. Would like to try my first "red dot" or reflex or whatever they call it.

As this is pretty much a range toy, my first foray into non-iron sights, and it don't compete I'm not looking to spend a lot, less than $100 and prefer less then $50. (I only paid 275 for pistol and don't want the optics to cost more than the gun.)

If anyone can recommend a "budget" (read: cheap, low cost, inexpensive) red dot with Weaver mount I'd be grateful.

 

[Muss Muggins]

I've bought a bunch of red dots in my time, and you're gonna be unhappy with the cheap stuff. With optics, under about $100, you get what you pay for, and usually less . . .

Here's a list of what Outdoor Life thinks are the best ones, and I agree. The Bushnell can be had for under $200. You'll be disappointed with anything cheaper . . .

5 of the Best Handgun Reflex Sights | Outdoor Life

 

[Gunna1day]

Save your penny's and get a quality red dot like the Burris fast fire 3 or a vortex Venom.

 

[andy52]

Save your penny's and get a quality red dot like the Burris fast fire 3 or a vortex Venom.

^^^^^^^^^^^^
X2, or a trijicon rmr.

 

[Kiwi cop]

Okay I'm gonna go against the above advice as all you are looking for is a red dot to play with for the first time on a .22, not a 100 yard precision scope to punch the centre out of the X ring.

Download the Ali Express app onto your smartphone. Type "Red Dot sight" into the search function then start scrolling and take your pick.

I am currently using an unbranded 30mm red dot on my 15-22 and it is as accurate as I can shoot, hitting a 9" steel plate at 50 meters as fast as I can squeeze the trigger. Cost was under NZ$30 (US$20) posted to me from China. This has reversible 11mm and 20mm rails.

On two of my .22 rifles (Chiappa lever action and Stirling M16 style action fitted to an M14 stock semi auto) as well as my Browning Buckmark and 9mm pistol Roni style carbine chassis, I am using unbranded red/green dot reflex sights. Again on the rifles they are as accurate as I can hold. On the 9mm carbine it is not subject to the movement of the slide and so far is holding up very well (5 rounds inside the 8 ring on an ISSF 25/50 meter target). I have yet to sight in the Buckmark but expect it to serve me well on steel challenge events as again it is not subject to slide forces. The cost? NZ$23 (US$16) each and again delivered to my home address from China. These need to be ordered with either the 11mm or the 20mm rails (rifles 11mm, Buckmark and carbine chassis 20mm).

At those prices if they don't work out I can just throw them away after saving for a more upmarket scope. But so far I don't think that'll happen.

As an aside, one of my pistol club members brings the same reflex sights into the country 20 at a time and resells them. Quite a few club members have bought these for their .22 pistols and rifles. So far he has not had to take back a single one due to the sight failing.

 

[JimBianchi]

I bought a few of the sub $20 reflex sights on eBay. All have worked perfectly. Great range toy.

Also have a fast fire. Really great sight for serious work.

 

[Wise_A]

You haven't said, and nobody's asked, what you plan on doing with it.

If you want to shoot some sort of speed game with it, I would suggest the Vortex Venom. I own a FF3, and while I enjoy it a lot (and still wouldn't put a Venom on the gun it's on) the Venom's far superior manual brightness options make it better for competition.

If you want to shoot Bullseye, or care about shooting groups smaller than about 3" at 50 feet, I would look at a Primary Arms tube-style red dot. The open "reflex" style has noticeably more parallax than most tubes. If you want to spend more than about $90, your next stop is an Ultrdot-25.

I would also suggest that reflex sights cost far more than tube 'dots of the same quality and performance. I think my FF3, despite costing more than my Ultradot, doesn't quite match it.

Yes, I ignored your budget. Sue me. Look, optics aren't guns. If you buy a quality red dot, you'll find guns to put it on. I use an Ultradot on my Bullseye .22. What happens if I quit Bullseye? Well, maybe I stick that 'dot on my 629. Or I could put it on my dad's Mini-14. Who knows! But I'll always have a use for that thing.

We're well past the days of "spend as much on your optics as you did on your rifle". But there's a wide gap between airsoft-grade Chinesium and something decent. Spend the $90.

 

[lefty_jake]

I am not sure why this thread is in the gunsmithing section, but I'll answer it anyway.

I use a red dot on any pistol that I want to shoot very accurately. I can still do close quick work with iron sights, but I can no longer see iron sights well enough to hit small things at substantial distances.

I have only found two red dot sights under $100 which I am satisfied with, They are the Primary Arms Microdot (SKU: MD-RBGII) for $90, and the Bushnell TRS-25 which costs about $60. Primary Arms also makes several sights that cost more money and have additional features, but the $90 sight is sufficient. Note that both the Primary Arms and the Bushnell are small tube styles sights. Many people prefer a smaller reflex style sight on a pistol, but I find that a small tube style sight is very reasonable on a target pistol like the S&W .22 Victory.

For the smaller reflex style sights, I have not found anything cheaper than the Burris Fastfire 3 to be satisfactory. With a mount included, this sight will cost a bit over $200. I have been keeping an eye out for a good quality but less expensive sight in this category, but so far, I have not seen one.

 

[Eddietruett]

Again, against the above advice, but I've had really good success with the Simmons Red Dot Tube. I think I got a couple from Natchez and they are on sale now for $35. It is a 1X24 Tube with Rings. Has 3 different MOA Size Dots. I've had one mounted on a 8 3/8" Model 686 that I hot hunt with and its probably had 300-400 Max .357 Loads and still holding up great. I also have a Bushnell Trophy that I like better but for a "bargain" red dot, I don't think the Simmons can be beat

 

[ACORN]

I put a Barska on my Ruger Mk III SS Competition Target because it's the only one I could find in my price range in silver. I use it for informal target practice and after about 3 years it's holding zero and doing fine. As far as dot size I sight it in at a 6 o'clock hold so it really makes little difference.

 

[Doug44]

Hey Readcoat 3340 , I have some inexpensive red dots lying around not being used. Send me an email and I will send you one at no cost.