While looking at optics for the new AR, my eyes wandered to things in the red-dot category. They seem to be handy and fast-acquiring, which would be nice.
The problem is, I've never handled a rifle with a red-dot (I hope to rectify that shortly), so I have to lean on the experience of the intarwebmotron. My list of wants and desires are as follows:
Must be able to accept a magnifier, or have magnification up to at least 4x, as I'll be shooting out to ~300 yards.
I only need precision enough to hit a deer or silhouette target at range, I don't intend on hooting anything smaller than that with this rifle.
Can't require batteries made of unobtainium. CR123 or 2032 cells are acceptable, but nothing more obscure than that.
The more tool-free the better.
A price of <$500 for the optic itself. The magnifier, if needed, will be a later purchase with a separate budget.
With that in mind, I've been doing a bit of research, and have 2 preliminary options.
The first is an EOTech 517.A65. The big appeal of the EOTech is that it's an easy-acquisition reflex sight, and the 517 in particular because it takes readily available AA batteries. They're cheap, and they're EVERYWHERE.
The second one I've been eyeballing is an Aimpoint 9000SC. Battery life is far better, and it mounts using standard 30mm rings. The expanded battery life should more than offset the fact that it uses a coin-cell type battery, which is more expensive and harder to find in a pinch.
I'm fully open to suggestions on other sights, though.
Thanks in advance.
Lokidude
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I love my EOTech! Look here for detail:
ReplyDeletehttp://themillermeister.blogspot.com/2011/01/eotech-512.html
I have an Aimpoint T1 with the LaRue mount which is looking for a good home - very minimal use on it, and comes with the original mount as well. If interested I can cut you a GBC deal on it sir...
ReplyDeleteShoot me an email sinapu at gmail if interested.
While I don't have any direct experience with them, I've heard pretty good things about the Vortex red dots. I think if you look around you could still find one for $150.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.vortexoptics.com/product/vortex-strikefire-red-dot-scope-red-dot-only-ar15-mount
The eotech can do everything you are asking for. I don't have enough experience with the Aimpoint to say much about it.
ReplyDeleteWhile the Aimpoint does indeed have a longer battery life, the more I think about it, the more I think it is a non-issue. I've had the same set of AAs in my Eotech for at least a year, and I use it a lot.
Keep in mind that the Eotech can be put on with out any tools at all, as it has its own mount built in with a thumb screw that holds it. It can be taken off and put back on and hold zero.
Aimpoint does require an additional mount, which usually means tools to get on/off, but some of the higher end mounts like a QD from LaRue would fix that.
In the end, I think the biggest thing is going to be your preference on the retical. The Aimpoint offers a clear dot, while the standard Eotech retical appears slightly fuzzy, but is a dot with a 65 MOA ring around it for closer shot work.
I've had my Eotech for 5-6 years now and I love it. I'd probably only replace it if I got my hands on a Trijicon Accupoint 1-4x24.
New Aimpoint. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=46snSW9f7ik
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