Unlicensed Dremel
Moderator
I've been wondering this for a year or so now.
There have been lots of good and innovative 1x ESDs (electr. sighting devices, or dot sights) on the market now for many years, with really good ones out there like the Leupold Prismatic, Zeiss, several from Trijicon, Aimpoint, Meprolight, Eotech, etc. With Aimpoint generally setting the standard for most people.
And then in the last few years several cheap gadgets that combine an ESD with a light, and some with light, ESD, and laser sight all in one. Ya know, Leapers and such.
The concept has appeal because you can share batteries and save space. You can justify a bigger battery if it's powering multi doodads, if you'd otherwise have a good light anyway.
My question is, why isn't there a good quality, high-end gizmo from Trijicon, Leupold, Aimpoint, etc., that combine at least the two things (ESD & light), if not all three (those two plus laser sight)? Or is there anything soon forthcoming that you know to be in the works? Or is there something already here that I've missed?
The wisdom for fighting rifles in the last few years anyway, is to have your light on the top, looking over it with the sight, rather than on the bottom or either side, so such gizmos would jibe with that 'tactic'.
I really look forward to something from say, Trijicon, which has battery-illum ESD, with an FO (no-batt) backup for the reticle, like a Tri-Power or some such, but with a powerful light that shoots the beam either directly over or under the line of sight - probably under, since your line of sight on say, an AR15, is high to begin with.
Nobody wants junk (almost nobody), but this concept has merit, seems to me. Maybe a Trijicon/ Surefire joint venture, if Trijicon isn't comfortable with ensuring a quality light. But hey, lights are simple nowadays - just use the drop-in LED bulbs of choice, then quality electrical components - not complicated is it?
In fact, this concept isn't limited to 1x ESDs - it could be done with magnifying optics as well. The economies of scale vis a vis battery weight and space could allow for a lighter rifle, a lower cost (than two separate items - a good sight and good light), and the light beam in the *right* place. Throwing on a laser would be icing on the cake that would make it sell better. Honestly, products that throw on a laser from a cheap maker are deemed gimmicky, and rightly so, but if done well, from a known trusted brand like Trijicon, it won't seem gimmicky and thus will help sales, not hurt sales. Because a laser really adds no extra weight to speak of, so what's not to like? If you don't want to use it, don't use it. But there are situations when a laser could actually come in handy, even with serious gunners, so I think sales would be there. Doesn't cost much to manufacture lights and lasers, so adding X to the cost, while adding X*5 to the sale price, over and above a light, seems win-win to me (consumer and seller).
At least a Burris or Vortex minimum-level quality one would be nice.
I'm probably missing something. But I've bit on the NCStar / Barska / BSA / Leapers thing before, and always sorry for doing so - the glass and general quality are junk.
Here's an example of a cheapie with ESD & Laser:
http://ads.midwayusa.com/product/22...atinny-style-mount-matte?cm_vc=ProductFinding
I could have sworn I saw some cheap off-brand doodad with light and sight in Academy the other day; possibly all 3 devices...Might have been a Tru-Glo - and Tru-Glo optics are certifiable fecal matter by the way - I can attest to that. They really should stick to pistol FO sights.
Here's a cheap BSA that has the components just cobbled together cheaply - separate units packaged and stuck together:
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/49...th-laser-and-light-matte?cm_vc=ProductFinding
But what I'm talking about, in addition to being a high quality piece/brand, not junk, the other big difference from that BSA there is that it will be a monolithic unit, sharing batteries, designed to work together from the ground up -- with the beam under the line of sight as I said. As for battery reliance issues, seems like this would be more positive than negative, because, running two or three functions, you can justify more AAs or CR123s (or whatever type is used), and thus reduce the chance of complete battery failure (due to the fact that if there's say, 2 AAs or CR123s, even if one goes TU, juice can be drawn from the other through the system)... and if you almost never use your light, then your ESD reticle/dot battery life will be off-the-charts high. Of course, ideally, as mentioned, it will be from Trijicon with BAC reticle choices such as triangles, chevrons, and dots, illuminated by FOs, so that no batts are even needed, *except* for the light. But in rare bright light conditions, the reticle can also be lighted with the battery, such as on the Trijicon Tri-Power, if that makes sense.
There have been lots of good and innovative 1x ESDs (electr. sighting devices, or dot sights) on the market now for many years, with really good ones out there like the Leupold Prismatic, Zeiss, several from Trijicon, Aimpoint, Meprolight, Eotech, etc. With Aimpoint generally setting the standard for most people.
And then in the last few years several cheap gadgets that combine an ESD with a light, and some with light, ESD, and laser sight all in one. Ya know, Leapers and such.
The concept has appeal because you can share batteries and save space. You can justify a bigger battery if it's powering multi doodads, if you'd otherwise have a good light anyway.
My question is, why isn't there a good quality, high-end gizmo from Trijicon, Leupold, Aimpoint, etc., that combine at least the two things (ESD & light), if not all three (those two plus laser sight)? Or is there anything soon forthcoming that you know to be in the works? Or is there something already here that I've missed?
The wisdom for fighting rifles in the last few years anyway, is to have your light on the top, looking over it with the sight, rather than on the bottom or either side, so such gizmos would jibe with that 'tactic'.
I really look forward to something from say, Trijicon, which has battery-illum ESD, with an FO (no-batt) backup for the reticle, like a Tri-Power or some such, but with a powerful light that shoots the beam either directly over or under the line of sight - probably under, since your line of sight on say, an AR15, is high to begin with.
Nobody wants junk (almost nobody), but this concept has merit, seems to me. Maybe a Trijicon/ Surefire joint venture, if Trijicon isn't comfortable with ensuring a quality light. But hey, lights are simple nowadays - just use the drop-in LED bulbs of choice, then quality electrical components - not complicated is it?
In fact, this concept isn't limited to 1x ESDs - it could be done with magnifying optics as well. The economies of scale vis a vis battery weight and space could allow for a lighter rifle, a lower cost (than two separate items - a good sight and good light), and the light beam in the *right* place. Throwing on a laser would be icing on the cake that would make it sell better. Honestly, products that throw on a laser from a cheap maker are deemed gimmicky, and rightly so, but if done well, from a known trusted brand like Trijicon, it won't seem gimmicky and thus will help sales, not hurt sales. Because a laser really adds no extra weight to speak of, so what's not to like? If you don't want to use it, don't use it. But there are situations when a laser could actually come in handy, even with serious gunners, so I think sales would be there. Doesn't cost much to manufacture lights and lasers, so adding X to the cost, while adding X*5 to the sale price, over and above a light, seems win-win to me (consumer and seller).
At least a Burris or Vortex minimum-level quality one would be nice.
I'm probably missing something. But I've bit on the NCStar / Barska / BSA / Leapers thing before, and always sorry for doing so - the glass and general quality are junk.
Here's an example of a cheapie with ESD & Laser:
http://ads.midwayusa.com/product/22...atinny-style-mount-matte?cm_vc=ProductFinding
I could have sworn I saw some cheap off-brand doodad with light and sight in Academy the other day; possibly all 3 devices...Might have been a Tru-Glo - and Tru-Glo optics are certifiable fecal matter by the way - I can attest to that. They really should stick to pistol FO sights.
Here's a cheap BSA that has the components just cobbled together cheaply - separate units packaged and stuck together:
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/49...th-laser-and-light-matte?cm_vc=ProductFinding
But what I'm talking about, in addition to being a high quality piece/brand, not junk, the other big difference from that BSA there is that it will be a monolithic unit, sharing batteries, designed to work together from the ground up -- with the beam under the line of sight as I said. As for battery reliance issues, seems like this would be more positive than negative, because, running two or three functions, you can justify more AAs or CR123s (or whatever type is used), and thus reduce the chance of complete battery failure (due to the fact that if there's say, 2 AAs or CR123s, even if one goes TU, juice can be drawn from the other through the system)... and if you almost never use your light, then your ESD reticle/dot battery life will be off-the-charts high. Of course, ideally, as mentioned, it will be from Trijicon with BAC reticle choices such as triangles, chevrons, and dots, illuminated by FOs, so that no batts are even needed, *except* for the light. But in rare bright light conditions, the reticle can also be lighted with the battery, such as on the Trijicon Tri-Power, if that makes sense.
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