I'd like some feedback on Red Dot Sights. Here's my little bit of experience,
Last year I bought a large caliber rifle (the current impetus being for hog) and a $60 BSA 50mm 4 MOA red dot. I just love it, so far I've had no problems with it, and while I've done more target and practice shooting with it than hunting I've had no problems with parallax and once it was zeroed (@ 100) it shoots right where I put it.
So this year I picked up another rifle this time in 5.56mm and I'm beginning to think of a red dot for it. My FFL happened to show me the Aimpoint Comp ML2 w/Butler Creek covers recently he's selling for $325. Among the standard specs it's listed as 100% parallax free. It's in a standard 30mm tube and pretty much functions just like any other.
American Rifleman recently had a small blurb on the Ultradot 4 suggesting it's common in competition pistol shoots so I looked that one up online. It reads just like you'd expect but you can find this one for about $135.
Then of course I fell prey to the many Leupold Mark 4 CQ/T ads in the gun mags and had to look that one up. Again, except for a slightly different reticule (circle and dot) and a 3x magnification it's pretty much just like I might expect however this baby is around $750 or more. Whew! Is that a difference!
I took a brief look at the Trijion ACOG and it's family but I didn't look up a price. Again, with the exception of its unique housing and the fiber optic luminescent, I would fully expect this baby to pretty much /function/ the same as any other.
Then at last I ran into another 30mm BSA tube that again looks normal and is listed around $70.
The last point here is that the Aimpoint and ACOG have military contracts which among other things means it has durability. environmental and submersible requirements and the suggestion is that these specs are higher than standard although I've not been able yet to compare these type of specs and confirm this. Anyone know anything on this? Is there anything here justifying spending more?
Ok, one more point. And a tip to anyone else in a similar situation about any equipment, don't start at the high end when it comes to actually handling the equipment.
I happened in a gun store two days ago and passed by the Leupold Mark 4 behind the counter, but when I next passed it the pressure was too much, I caved and asked to see it. All I can say is, don't do it this way. Start at the bottom and work your way up forcing yourself to see and properly evaluate any positive differences there might be, not make them up as you go the other way! I can't get the Mark 4 off my mind. But I just can't shake the feeling that it's just not worth the price tag. Ok, that's not accurate. I have no doubt the Mark 4 is excellent, but I can't shake the feeling that the lesser priced items are every bit as excellent and what am I buying beyond that for the price of the Mark 4?
It's not completely about the price tag so much as in knowing I've spent well. I've always said I'm willing to spend more wisely than spend less and find out it wasn't a wise choice. But the range of price tags is significantly wide and I can't unravel myself from the fact that I've really enjoyed my $60 50mm BSA. So maybe there is something I'm missing.
I like the reticule on the Mark 4 very much. I like the 3x magnification. In fact, playing with it in the store I noticed that at least at close range the 3x didn't significantly seem to affect my ability to use it with both eyes open. Whether that would hold in practice I don't know. Anyone? I don't know of any other red dot sights that feature a magnification.
I'm tending toward that Leupold. Since I just bought the new rifle and it was a bit more than the Mark 4 price tag, I just may try out the BSA or the Ultradot 4 for now since I certainly have other toys I wouldn't mind putting a red dot on and in a month or so go for the Mark 4.
Are there any other worthy options I'm missing? Anyone actually been behind some of these and have any direct thoughts? I'd much appreciate any feedback you can provide here. Thanks for reading this far... and thanks for any help.
/jim/pearland/tx
Last year I bought a large caliber rifle (the current impetus being for hog) and a $60 BSA 50mm 4 MOA red dot. I just love it, so far I've had no problems with it, and while I've done more target and practice shooting with it than hunting I've had no problems with parallax and once it was zeroed (@ 100) it shoots right where I put it.
So this year I picked up another rifle this time in 5.56mm and I'm beginning to think of a red dot for it. My FFL happened to show me the Aimpoint Comp ML2 w/Butler Creek covers recently he's selling for $325. Among the standard specs it's listed as 100% parallax free. It's in a standard 30mm tube and pretty much functions just like any other.
American Rifleman recently had a small blurb on the Ultradot 4 suggesting it's common in competition pistol shoots so I looked that one up online. It reads just like you'd expect but you can find this one for about $135.
Then of course I fell prey to the many Leupold Mark 4 CQ/T ads in the gun mags and had to look that one up. Again, except for a slightly different reticule (circle and dot) and a 3x magnification it's pretty much just like I might expect however this baby is around $750 or more. Whew! Is that a difference!
I took a brief look at the Trijion ACOG and it's family but I didn't look up a price. Again, with the exception of its unique housing and the fiber optic luminescent, I would fully expect this baby to pretty much /function/ the same as any other.
Then at last I ran into another 30mm BSA tube that again looks normal and is listed around $70.
The last point here is that the Aimpoint and ACOG have military contracts which among other things means it has durability. environmental and submersible requirements and the suggestion is that these specs are higher than standard although I've not been able yet to compare these type of specs and confirm this. Anyone know anything on this? Is there anything here justifying spending more?
Ok, one more point. And a tip to anyone else in a similar situation about any equipment, don't start at the high end when it comes to actually handling the equipment.
I happened in a gun store two days ago and passed by the Leupold Mark 4 behind the counter, but when I next passed it the pressure was too much, I caved and asked to see it. All I can say is, don't do it this way. Start at the bottom and work your way up forcing yourself to see and properly evaluate any positive differences there might be, not make them up as you go the other way! I can't get the Mark 4 off my mind. But I just can't shake the feeling that it's just not worth the price tag. Ok, that's not accurate. I have no doubt the Mark 4 is excellent, but I can't shake the feeling that the lesser priced items are every bit as excellent and what am I buying beyond that for the price of the Mark 4?It's not completely about the price tag so much as in knowing I've spent well. I've always said I'm willing to spend more wisely than spend less and find out it wasn't a wise choice. But the range of price tags is significantly wide and I can't unravel myself from the fact that I've really enjoyed my $60 50mm BSA. So maybe there is something I'm missing.
I like the reticule on the Mark 4 very much. I like the 3x magnification. In fact, playing with it in the store I noticed that at least at close range the 3x didn't significantly seem to affect my ability to use it with both eyes open. Whether that would hold in practice I don't know. Anyone? I don't know of any other red dot sights that feature a magnification.
I'm tending toward that Leupold. Since I just bought the new rifle and it was a bit more than the Mark 4 price tag, I just may try out the BSA or the Ultradot 4 for now since I certainly have other toys I wouldn't mind putting a red dot on and in a month or so go for the Mark 4.
Are there any other worthy options I'm missing? Anyone actually been behind some of these and have any direct thoughts? I'd much appreciate any feedback you can provide here.
Thanks for reading this far... and thanks for any help./jim/pearland/tx