Optic help

[steven0150]

Okay guys I need some help. I'd like to buy a nice optic. I thought I'd want the strikefire but I don't know yet. My range only has 100 yards at the furthest.

Okay these are what I've been thinking:
Burris AR-F3
Vortex strike fire

A primary arms mini red dot or a red dot scope.

How durable are the primary arms scope.

I don't know which one I want haha. Can anyone give me advise.

Why a red dot scope, and not a red dot sight. You'd get more field of vision with a red dot sight.

Thanks everyone with dealing with me. When I'm done with my AR I'll post a pic.

And if I get a scope id like the xtr-14.

 

[JaPes]

The best advise on a budget red dot I can give is to read these two web blog comparison tests.

?Budget? Red Dot Sight Comparison ? Part 1 | The Bang Switch

?Budget? Red Dot Sight Comparison ? Part 2 | The Bang Switch

The Primary Arms and Vortex are in the reviews and rankings.

 

[steven0150]

I mean I'm not really budgeting. If I find something I'll buy it. Just don't want to spend 600 on an aimpoint micro. Thinking on a bushnell xtr-14

 

[steven0150]

Or 1300 on a trijicon acog. If I had the money I would. Nice optic

 

[SiGfever]

If you want a quality red dot that will be there when the cows come home, Aimpoint PRO, H1, or T1.

 

[ChattanoogaPhil]

A primary arms mini red dot or a red dot scope.

How durable are the primary arms scope.

I have two PA MicroDot on my 15-22 and Ruger pistol. About three or four years. Work perfectly.

Will you require more durability than this?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TMosefuud0I

I have an Aimpoint H1 on my AR, but there are endless positive reviews from AR owners on Primary Arms. If your AR is a range toy and not expected to handle heavy abuse then the Primary Arms should serve you well.

 

[JaPes]

I mean I'm not really budgeting. If I find something I'll buy it. Just don't want to spend 600 on an aimpoint micro. Thinking on a bushnell xtr-14

So what is your budget? You can get an Eo-Tech 512-A65 for under $400.

 

[Ohsheepdog]

If you plan on doing any shooting outside plinking or casual shooting I'd recommend an Aimpoint. Drop any of the cheap ones once & you'll see what I mean. Buy cheap & buy twice...

 

[thecatch8]

didn't take this thread long to turn into Aimpoint vs EOTech.....

 

[Rastoff]

As much a fan as I am of Vortex, I had parallax issues with the SPARC. I haven't tried the Strikefire. However, I will say what I always say when it comes to optics; don't try to save money on them.

More fun will be had if you hit the target. The target will be hit more if your optic works well.

I've run through several optics trying to prove my hypothesis wrong; I've failed every time. Spending more money to get the better optic has always resulted in a broader grin on my face.

EOTech and Aimpoint optics can be found used for under $400 fairly easily. The Primary Arms stuff seems to get good revues, but I'd be concerned with parallax. Of course, the parallax might not be bad enough to cause you any real trouble depending on distance.

 

[Ohsheepdog]

Wasn't slamming EOTech at all. I just have experience with the Aimpoint & find it works for me.

I was referring to the lower price point sights like Tru Glo, etc, on 223 & up rifles. The $50-$200 sights are great for plinking on 223s & 22s of all kinds, but not for duty or field use. I have a Tru Glo red dot on my M&P-22 AR & it's perfect for it's purpose , but I wouldn't put it on my 223s.

I'm not willing to chance my life or a hunt with cheaply made equipment, whether it's a sling, sight, sight/scope mount, or even the rifle itself. I've seen too many fail in training & in the field.

Like others have posted here, I've tried the cheap route & the product has failed every time.
I'm NOT an equipment snob, just a realist.

 

[PPCSHOOTER]

I'M SORRY TO THROW A WRENCH INTO THE WORKS. BUT THE BEST VALUE IS THE BUSHNELL TRS-32. I HAVE EOTECH'S, AIMPOINT'S ,A STRIKE FIRE, PRIZMATIC. THE LEUPOLD PRIZMATIC IS MY FAVORITE BY FAR. BUT IT'S EXPENSIVE. I BOUGHT THE TRS-32 USED JUST TO PLAY AROUND WITH IT. I WAS AMAZED WITH THE PRODUCT . IT'S THE ONLY THING FROM BUSHNELL THAT I LIKE. CHEAPER THAT A STRIKEFIRE BUT MUCH BETTER. JIM P

 

[gunny4053]

There are a number of optics mentioned here that I have no experience with, so I won't attempt to sway you away from them. I do, however, have experience with Primary Arms. I got their 30mm red dot and absolute co-witness mount, and have been very happy with it. It's held zero, I haven't seen any parallax issues, and battery life being between 800 and 1000 hours ties it all together for me.

Good Luck with your choice, and good shooting.

 

[steven0150]

Thanks guys. I went to cabelas and they had a strike fire and they price matched it for 100. I just want to get used to red dots before I drop 500+ . I just bought the AR and still getting a feel for it. It's a nice solid rifle and happy with the purchase. If I buy any, probably the aimpoint. Just something about eotech I don't like. That micro is pretty cool.


Thanks everyone. I'll post a pic of my rifle when I finish building on it

 

[Rastoff]

I just want to get used to red dots before I drop 500+ .

I completely understand this. The Strikefire has good reviews. While you'll hear someone like me complain about things like parallax, most people won't see it at all. Keeping the dot away from the edges will make parallax almost nil. Just don't expect bench rest precision from a red dot and you'll be fine.


The Aimpoint, any Aimpoint, is a great optic. They have the longest battery life and are super tough. Turn it on when you buy it and forget it. Replace the battery(s) every 4 years or so, just to be sure they don't die on you, and you're good.

The EOTech Holographic Weapon Sight(HWS) is also a super tough optic and worth every penny, in my mind. I like the 65MOA circle and how it helps at close range. However, the HWS, due to the laser, does burn through batteries a lot faster. It is, as ChatanoogaPhil likes to say, a boat anchor. They are larger and heavier than the Aimpoint.

The Trijicon ACOGs are scopes and not red dots (Trijicon does make red dots too). So, they are really in a different class. The advantage of the red dot or HWS over a scope is they have infinite eye relief. This helps is quick acquisition. Of course, the scope rules when shooting at further distances.

In the end, this stuff comes to a Ford vs Chevy debate with the Dodge crowd hanging on the fringe. As you grow used to your gun, you'll find where you want to be. Or, you'll turn out like me and have a scope on one gun, a red dot on another and an HWS on still another. I'm so conflicted.

 

[Rastoff]

Just to be completely anal....

This is why I like the EOTech reticle:

 

[ChattanoogaPhil]

Parallax can be more of an issue for pistol shooting, but if you have any kind of a consistent cheek weld on a rifle there should be little perceivable parallax.

Here is a vid of a PA MicroDot at 50yds. I took the optic off the rifle to allow for more camera movement. Notice the extreme amount of camera movement while the dot barely budges (you'd have to be a car rear windows bobblehead to duplicate ). The dot shows more and less bright which is an effect of the camera. Best if you adjust settings to 1080p HD or 720p HD (the little gear icon at the bottom right of the vid screen) and full screen mode.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xvLmPbkbsd0

 

[JaPes]

Thanks guys. I went to cabelas and they had a strike fire and they price matched it for 100. I just want to get used to red dots before I drop 500+ .

That almost described me. I tried to get used to red dots and find the "just as good as" dots too. By the time I figured it all out, I spent more in various low cost optics than a single Eo-Tech 512.

For me this expensive discovery led me to my preference in budget dot = Primary Arms M3 Clone or Microdot.

After that Eo-Tech or Aimpoint, they're both worth the price they command. There's nothing to complain about with either of them.

 

[Rastoff]

John makes a good point about learning from others experience.

This is a common thread in the gun world. Guys want to start "low dollar" and then get better stuff as time goes on. I see it the most in the shotgun realm. The say, "I can't afford that gun so I'm going to buy this cheap $200 one to get started." Most of the time, that $200 one just puts them $200 further from a gun they really want/need.

I'm nervous about the Primary Arms stuff because the price is so low and I've yet to have a low dollar optic perform well. However, Phil's video is very compelling. I may have to pick one up just to play with.

 

[JaPes]

Price doesn't always directly correlate to quality. On the flip side, quality is dependent on the entire manufacturing process. There's a grey area in there that's the sweet spot.

The one place where quality does correlate to price is optics. I learned this the hard way. You can't just cheat the price for optics, though the rule isn't absolute. There will always be a standout that balances budget and quality to hit that sweet spot. The Primary Arms red dot optics hit that sweet spot.

I think of it as being like my Hi-Point JHP45. I didn't expect that much out of it for the price, and was pleasantly surprised that it functions better than the price alludes.