Aimpoint pro

[trackskippy]

I dont have a problem trying the cheaper stuff to see if the general concept is sound. Its nice to have the option actually. These days too, even some of the cheaper stuff is actually pretty good for general plinking and blasting and what most will probably only ever do with them.

As long as you understand that you have what you have and if things go south with it, don't hold that against what they are trying to imitate. Youll still get a good idea as to whats what with them. If you figure out its how you want to go, buy a good one and religate the cheap one to the 22's.

 

[Walkalong]

Sorry, Dan, but some of us will not agree with you. A $43 knock-off can't answer any questions about a proven, quality RDS that's been used in the real world by a multitude of LE agencies and citizen enthusiasts.

It can answer if he likes using that style dot……

 

[DustyGmt]

Oh and in case this question wasn't addressed:

Will this setup work put of the box, or will a riser be required?

Yep it will come with everything you need to rock and roll right out of the box and a riser is included. The riser can be used in your instance putting your front sight post out of the way in the lower 1/3 part of your vision looking through the optic, your dot will float independent of the front sight post but should you need to use your backup sights you can co-witness your irons through the optic. The included mount is of high quality as well.

 

[jobu07]

I couldn't make up my mind about it but may it be wise if only to get a rough outline about how this particular reflex optic works? He's not testing long term longevity or whether it holds zero and other quality aspects, I think he just wants to get a sense for how RDS or reflexive sight works on his AR, just to see if he likes looking at a projected dot. I get the idea the OP has never used an RDS.

Plus, if he decides he likes it he will only love it all the more when he gets the aimpoint on his rifle and sees that it's in another galaxy quality wise compared to the offensive Ozark whatever he picked up.

If he gets a cheap specimen that doesn't hold zero he may not fully get to understand how they work either.

 

[CraigC]

I fully support the idea of getting a cheap one as a proof of concept. I did this with a $30 BSA, 20-25yrs ago. Now I've probably got 20 good ones and that BSA is decommissioned but it still works.

Aimpoint is the OG for red dot sights and theirs are considered the best on the market. I've had a PRO on my primary AR for several years now. The battery life is rated at 50,000hrs. Mine has been on for at least three years, probably four. I probably should go ahead and change it but battery life on this model is exceptional.

Though I might suggest to the OP that he look into some a little more affordable as his first "good" one. You don't have to spend Aimpoint money to get something that works well. I'm a total slut for the SIG red dots but those from Bushnell (first T1 clone), Holosun, Primary Arms and others are perfectly serviceable. I recommend one with push button controls.

 

[jobu07]

Aimpoint Carbine Optic (ACO)™ Red Dot Reflex Sight

Developed with the modern sporting rifle owner in mind, the ACO red dot sight is ready to mount and shoot directly out of the box. Completely waterproof.

aimpoint.us

This is a pretty darn affordable option for a real Aimpoint. Granted $350 is a lot of money, but this is arguably better than any Sig Romeo or Holosun. Caveat, I have a couple Sig Romeos as filler optics for new builds and they work but the power settings, both push button and dial, are not perfect and one went back to Sig for warranty work.

 

[DustyGmt]

IMO there is no reason to buy the ACO, it has 1/3rd the battery life, chintzy mount, no captured turret caps, no lens covers and less dot settings (no NV).

If you bought the ACO and the lens covers separately, you'd have basically just made up for the price difference and wound up with an inferior performing dot. I wouldn't let $100 get in the way of a superior package. If it was just NV I wouldn't care, but I don't like the looks of that mount at all. It looks beneath Aimpoint standards.

 

[jobu07]

I've been wondering what the difference between the ACO and PRO and why the price difference. Is it the difference between the T series and H series, absence of NV compatibility? Less waterproof rating? $350 certainly is a good deal for an aimpoint.

From the website:

PRO:

• 2 MOA dot size
• 30,000 hours (over 3 years) of constant operation
• 4 night vision compatible settings and 6 daylight settings
• Weight 7.8 oz / 220 g (sight only)
• Submersible to 150 feet (45 meters)
• Front lens opening is threaded for addition of killFlash® anti-reflective device
• INCLUDES: QRP2 Mount & Spacer, Flip-Up lens covers, DL1/3N battery, Allen key

ACO:

• 2 MOA dot size
• Up to 1 year of constant-on use on a single battery
• 10 position rotary intensity settings
• Weight 6.7 oz (190g) sight only
• Submersible to 15 ft (5 m), Legendary Aimpoint quality and ruggedness at an entry level price point
• Fixed height mount configuration provides absolute co-witness with AR-15 backup iron sights
• INCLUDES: AR-15 Ready mount, DL1/3N battery, Micro tool

Sounds to me the Patrol Rifle Optic has a longer battery life (30,000 hours), NV settings, and has the vaunted killflash adaptability as well as an adjustable height mount from the factory whereas the ACO requires a spacer to bump up the height. So I would agree in your assessment of T vs. H series applying to these two optics also. I have both and they function great.

I don't think I've ever had a service issued CompM2/M4 that still had the killflash installed. So that's a moot point I suppose. I think the NV settings are also not taken advantage of by most users.

 

[Buzznrose]

I too bought and installed an Aimpoint Patrol Pro on my AR. Love it, and batteries last a long time, if you remember to turn it off after use.View attachment 1185909

I’ve had the original PRO on my Daniels Defense V2 since I bought them both new in 2012. Zeroed for 50 yards in 2012, I’ve never had to re-sight it. I used to change batteries every year but now change them every other. I keep the optic brightness set about midway(which is bright enough to see in daytime but not glowing bright at night.

This is the rifle I’d grab to defend my home. Totally trust this Aimpoint optic!

 

[DustyGmt]

From the website:

PRO:

• 2 MOA dot size
• 30,000 hours (over 3 years) of constant operation
• 4 night vision compatible settings and 6 daylight settings
• Weight 7.8 oz / 220 g (sight only)
• Submersible to 150 feet (45 meters)
• Front lens opening is threaded for addition of killFlash® anti-reflective device
• INCLUDES: QRP2 Mount & Spacer, Flip-Up lens covers, DL1/3N battery, Allen key

ACO:

• 2 MOA dot size
• Up to 1 year of constant-on use on a single battery
• 10 position rotary intensity settings
• Weight 6.7 oz (190g) sight only
• Submersible to 15 ft (5 m), Legendary Aimpoint quality and ruggedness at an entry level price point
• Fixed height mount configuration provides absolute co-witness with AR-15 backup iron sights
• INCLUDES: AR-15 Ready mount, DL1/3N battery, Micro tool

Sounds to me the Patrol Rifle Optic has a longer battery life (30,000 hours), NV settings, and has the vaunted killflash adaptability as well as an adjustable height mount from the factory whereas the ACO requires a spacer to bump up the height. So I would agree in your assessment of T vs. H series applying to these two optics also. I have both and they function great.

I don't think I've ever had a service issued CompM2/M4 that still had the killflash installed. So that's a moot point I suppose. I think the NV settings are also not taken advantage of by most users.

I edited my post before I realized you grabbed a quote. I went and looked it up real quick and pretty quickly formed the opinion that the ACO should be a lil cheaper than it is or the PRO should cost a lil more than it is. They give you alot for that extra $100 into the PRO vs the ACO, but I'm certainly aware that nobody ever really gets to put these optics through what they're designed to withstand and an ACO sitting atop your rifle next to the bed is more than adequate in most scenarios. I would just lay out for the extra $80-$100 for the bombproof optic. (Little hyperbole there, but you prob get it).

Upgrade one thing out of pocket on the ACO like the mount or getting lens covers, captured turrets or whatever and you're basically touching the PRO.

 

[Buzznrose]

Full disclosure, while I stand by my opinion that Aimpoint is THE BEST red dot company for rifle red dot optics based on the stuff I’ve experienced and seen, I have chosen less expensive options on other rifles with good results. I have a Vortex StrikeFire Red Green dot on a .22 AR training rifle that has been very good. It did do a round trip back to Vortex a few years ago as the batteries were draining fast, but has since been a good performer.

I also have a newish Swamp Fox Liberator on a Ruger PCC that is good but very few rounds so far.

When I set up my grandkids AR’s in a few years, they will get a “no compromise “ rifle made by either SOLGW or Daniels Defense, and their rifles will have Aimpoint red dots on them.

 

[Buzznrose]

FBI Chooses Aimpoint

FBI Selects Aimpoint Duty RDS and CompM4s for Rifles

Aimpoint has been chosen by the FBI to supply Aimpoint Duty RDS and Aimpoint CompM4s optics for their Red Dot Sights and Mounts Program.

www.ammoland.com

 

[DustyGmt]

I’ve had the original PRO on my Daniels Defense V2 since I bought them both new in 2012. Zeroed for 50 yards in 2012, I’ve never had to re-sight it. I used to change batteries every year but now change them every other. I keep the optic brightness set about midway(which is bright enough to see in daytime but not glowing bright at night.

This is the rifle I’d grab to defend my home. Totally trust this Aimpoint optic!

Same here, except I think I've had my PRO on for 5 or 6 years, put it on my rifle, made like maybe or two adjustment clicks for a 50yard zero and have never had to make another adjustment and this rifle has been banged around and shot a fair bit. It's been out in very cold, very hot and humid, rain, snow, etc....

 

[jobu07]

I edited my post before I realized you grabbed a quote. I went and looked it up real quick and pretty quickly formed the opinion that the ACO should be a lil cheaper than it is or the PRO should cost a lil more than it is. They give you alot for that extra $100 into the PRO vs the ACO, but I'm certainly aware that nobody ever really gets to put these optics through what they're designed to withstand and an ACO sitting atop your rifle next to the bed is more than adequate in most scenarios. I would just lay out for the extra $80-$100 for the bombproof optic. (Little hyperbole there, but you prob get it).

Upgrade one thing out of pocket on the ACO like the mount or getting lens covers, captured turrets or whatever and you're basically touching the PRO.

Dollar spent to optic gained, the ACO is the way to go. My personal opinion is the things you gain with the PRO are nice to haves but not need to haves.

I would argue the OP should dip his toes into the red dot world with the exceptionally affordable ACO, which he may never need to upgrade from again.

 

[Buzznrose]

There are several threads on “High Round Count ***”
on the AR15.COM web forum started by a guy named Ron who owns Battlefield Vegas, a scenario and experience shooting range in Las Vegas. One thread is in pistols, another on rifles. He also has a thread on optics. They are a rental only range. They go through many many thousands of rounds per month. He started this thread over 10 years ago. I won’t link it but you can search “high round count optics ar15” and you will find it. Great info!

This is an excerpt from a post back in 2017:

Other than a few ACOG's on the line, almost all of the optics are Aimpoint PRO's. They run and run and when they are finally beat up enough so that battery caps no longer stay on, Aimpoint backs up the warranty. For the guy on a budget, that should speak volumes. V/R Ron

 

[DustyGmt]

Dollar spent to optic gained, the ACO is the way to go. My personal opinion is the things you gain with the PRO are nice to haves but not need to haves.

I guess I don't agree. Dollar spent to everything gained, like a rock solid mount and lens caps, more brightness settings and 3x the battery life (probably means it's a superior circuit vs the ACO) etc etc..... just saying. If I thought more about it I could come up with a better analogy but if you could get 500rds of ammo for $350 or 1000rds for $450 I would pony up the extra hundred bucks. Not a perfect analogy but whatever. Buy once cry once. He's probably not trying to buy a plethora of optics on an optic exploration, just wants the best bang for his buck with a duty grade, proven optic and if he's prepared to pony up the dough, why discourage it or try to steer him toward a lesser optic for a few dollars less.

 

[tazbigdog]

What's different about your PRO. Is that a PRO?

Patrol Rifle Optic (PRO™) Red Dot Reflex Sight - QRP2 Mount

The Aimpoint PRO red dot sight comes in a ready-to-go kit at a budget friendly price, a concept that appeals strongly to Law Enforcement units.

aimpoint.us

 

[CraigC]

The ACO looks like the CompM3, which I always thought was the best looking of all red dots. It just has 20% the battery life. If this is going on a defensive rifle, I'd spend the extra hundred for the PRO.

 

[DustyGmt]

I too bought and installed an Aimpoint Patrol Pro on my AR. Love it, and batteries last a long time, if you remember to turn it off after use.View attachment 1185909

Just looks fatter in the middle. Like a Comp or something, didn't realize the rubber housing thing made it look so different.

 

[Walkalong]

Big dot Aimpoint, forget the model designation, should have bought two, they discontinued the big dot version. Fast.

 

[gotboostvr]

The ACO looks like the CompM3, which I always thought was the best looking of all red dots. It just has 20% the battery life. If this is going on a defensive rifle, I'd spend the extra hundred for the PRO.

I really like my CompML3. Got it, LNIB with a LaRue mount and all the kill flash, lens caps and rubber scope jackets (in black and tan!) for just ~$250 a year ago and couldn't ask for a better red dot.

 

[CraigC]

I really like my CompML3. Got it, LNIB with a LaRue mount and all the kill flash, lens caps and rubber scope jackets (in black and tan!) for just ~$250 a year ago and couldn't ask for a better red dot.

Nice! I would've jumped on that too.