Red dot sight that cannot get knocked out of zero.

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SCAR333

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I am not sure if what I am looking for even exists, but I am looking for a red dot sight that cannot get knocked out of zero. It is not like I am going to be throwing my rifle around, but I always have to wonder if my scope on my hunting rifle gets knocked a little off of zero when the gun gets bumped, or God forbid the scope does.

Is there such thing as a red dot (one that would go well on an AR15) that does cannot get knocked out of zero?

I think what I am looking for is a sight that is adjusted with the housing, not the actual dot being adjusted, if that makes sense...
 
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You're looking at Aimpoint or Trijicon. There are others but those are even more expensive.

A good basic Aimpoint is around $450. If you want smaller and lighter the micros are around $700.

Check YouTube for videos where they show damaged (drops, fire, shrapnel, bullets) aimpoints that still work even after all that

Sent from my XT1650 using Tapatalk
 
SCAR333 said:
How bad of a hit does it take for a red dot to actually be knocked out of zero?
Click to expand...

There is no answer for this question. I've seen inexpensive red dots fail from something as simple as falling off the bench at the range, and others survive being bounced off a four wheeler.

Kinda like a boxer... he may be able to take many hits, but then there is that one blow that lands just right and knocks him out cold.
 
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No optic, regardless of how much you spend, will guarantee what you seek. I will say, however, high end brands such as aimpoint and trijicon will perform better than any other out there. There is a reason these are used by the military. Depending on your budget I'd recommend the aimpoint aco or pro or trijicon mro. These are all ~$400 red dots that will get you damn good reliability from the start.
 
As others have said it is almost impossible to obtain 100% what you are asking for but brands like Aimpoint & Trijicon are a good place to start.

You can get an Aimpoint as low as $300 for a ACO or a $400 for an Aimpioint Pro. The Trijcons MRO starts around $400.

One thing I would add is your sight will only be as good as the mount you use. Do not cheap out on the mount if you are looking at a quality sight.
 
The Sun failing to rise tomorrow and this optic failing to hold zero are about on par. Well... maybe give a slight edge to the Sun. :D

Seriously though... if you want a red dot to depend on with your life... Aimpoint.

Aimpoint / LaRue mount.

 
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SCAR333 said:
How bad of a hit does it take for a red dot to actually be knocked out of zero?
Click to expand...

I just watched a YT video last night of a guy beating on a red dot sight with a filled water bottle. These weren't light taps either. I cringed as he hit it on both sides and top and then proceeded to fire and hit a target. (I think it was 100 yds.) The price of the sight was about $20 so high dollar branded sights don't mean squat as far as I'm concerned. He also did a water test by dunking the sight into a bowl of water. The only thing that leaked was an outside filter lens, not the optics itself.

I just bought a $15 red dot sight for the M1 Carbine to use mostly at night. It has both a red and green light, 5 light level points and 4 reticule images. On top of all that, it has a windage and elevation locking screw that's supposed to lock the adjustments after they're made. The mount for the M1 to Picatinny was another $14 so I'm into the sight change-over for less than $30 including shipping. I haven't taken it to the range yet but whatever the outcome, I figure I'm buck$ ahead. My dry-fire time sure has been fun. ;)

And my $23 tac light and barrel mount should be in this week. :D
 
Just of the fact that the sight is really small and slimline, I'll say my new Trijicon RMR would be really hard to knock out of zero.
 
Tinhack said:
I just watched a YT video last night of a guy beating on a red dot sight with a filled water bottle. These weren't light taps either. I cringed as he hit it on both sides and top and then proceeded to fire and hit a target. (I think it was 100 yds.) The price of the sight was about $20 so high dollar branded sights don't mean squat as far as I'm concerned.
Click to expand...

Actually it means quite a lot. A plastic water bottle is one thing but when Aimpoints take bullets, shrapnel, bomb blasts, dropped, broken glass, burned in fire and overall serious use and still function....that means a lot

Gun Talk TV - Ruggedness & Durability of Aimpoint Red Dot Sights - YouTube

Aimpoint Micro T-1 Durability Testing and Abuse - YouTube

Kinda cheesy but bashed with a hammer and a baseball bat....still works.

Sent from my XT1650 using Tapatalk
 
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I use a Millet Red Dot on my "K" frame. I know its only a pistol but I never had to re-zero it. It was recommended by a few of the guys at the rifle range that are using them on ARs. I purchased it from Optics Planet.
 
Tinhack said:
I just watched a YT video last night of a guy beating on a red dot sight with a filled water bottle. These weren't light taps either. I cringed as he hit it on both sides and top and then proceeded to fire and hit a target. (I think it was 100 yds.) The price of the sight was about $20 so high dollar branded sights don't mean squat as far as I'm concerned. He also did a water test by dunking the sight into a bowl of water. The only thing that leaked was an outside filter lens, not the optics itself.

I just bought a $15 red dot sight for the M1 Carbine to use mostly at night. It has both a red and green light, 5 light level points and 4 reticule images. On top of all that, it has a windage and elevation locking screw that's supposed to lock the adjustments after they're made. The mount for the M1 to Picatinny was another $14 so I'm into the sight change-over for less than $30 including shipping. I haven't taken it to the range yet but whatever the outcome, I figure I'm buck$ ahead. My dry-fire time sure has been fun. ;)

And my $23 tac light and barrel mount should be in this week. :D
Click to expand...

Ok, I am curious. What $15 sight did you buy? Link?
 
If you are on a budget I would consider a Vortex Sparc II. It almost survived this very strenuous torture test.

Vortex SPARC II: The Dot That Would Not Die | RECOIL

With all gear it really depends on how you are using it and what role it is trying to fill. For a duty gun my starting point is the Aimpoint Pro but I know that for many the price of admission it too high so I still recommend Vortex with some reservations.

If this is a range toy and you are not betting your life on it I would go as low as the Primary Arms Micro dot. Mine have always held zero when placed on a good mount.
 
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There's always the EOTech red dots which have a hard shell surrounding the sight body. Designed for and used in Iraq and Afghanistan by our troops. I have not talked to anyone about how they held up.
 
Another thing to think about is battery life. Even if the less expensive dot is able to hold up to abuse, you will still be in trouble if you depend on the rifle and the red dot isn't glowing because the battery is dead.

For a rifle that you are going to depend on, you want one that has a battery that lasts years, not days.
 
The Vortex Sparc 2 is a very nice optic for the money. It's roughly $200, comes with multiple bases for different height mounting options and has one of the best warranties out there. The only negative, if you consider it a negative, would be the battery life which is listed as 300-5000 hrs depending on the brightness setting with one cr2032 battery.
 
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