What is the best Red Dot sight for an AR-15? It will be used for home defense purposes and I'd say the upper limit price wise will be around 800 dollars. Thank you.
What is the best Red Dot sight for an AR-15?
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Can get a heck of a red dot for that.
I think you'll find the Aimpoints and Eotechs to be among the most popular high end unmagnified optics.....although which particular model suits you best is entirely a matter of personal preference.
I think you'll find the Aimpoints and Eotechs to be among the most popular high end unmagnified optics.....although which particular model suits you best is entirely a matter of personal preference.
jmorris
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For an always on, no buttons auto adjusting to ambient light, I always liked the Acog reflex but the battery in my aimpoint comp3 is 7 years old and it still works.
The Eotechs are good sights but slower than either of the two above to "get into action" and battery life is much less than the aimpoint's.
I messed with a Cmore railway once, I still have them on my open pistols but just don't like it as a primary, still use one as a secondary offset at 1:30 on the handguard. They have better glass than the Jpoint for that job but are much larger and eat up the special battery much faster than the JP.
The Eotechs are good sights but slower than either of the two above to "get into action" and battery life is much less than the aimpoint's.
I messed with a Cmore railway once, I still have them on my open pistols but just don't like it as a primary, still use one as a secondary offset at 1:30 on the handguard. They have better glass than the Jpoint for that job but are much larger and eat up the special battery much faster than the JP.
IMO: A red dot at home Defence distance is a big mistake.
You are talking bad breath in your face distance.
Point it over the iron sights and start shooting.
No Switches to Switch, no Battery's to Pitch.
Just grab it up and shoot the Son o ------- Ah, never mind.
Rc
You are talking bad breath in your face distance.
Point it over the iron sights and start shooting.
No Switches to Switch, no Battery's to Pitch.
Just grab it up and shoot the Son o ------- Ah, never mind.
Rc
Best? I dunno. But the Trijicon MRO is where my money's going when it comes time to buy another red dot. Good battery life, excellent field of view, no turret adjustment caps to lose or worry about, no special wrenches needed. On top of all that, they can be had for less than half of your budget (mount excluded of course).
rbernie
Contributing Member
Aimpoint - class leading battery life, extremely robust, and superbly easy to get into action in the dark by feel if you choose to turn it off.
chicharrones
needs more ammo
Considering the headaches EOTech is going through, it sure is hard to recommend an EOTech these days. I have an EOTech I like very much, but if I had to replace it today, I'd likely pick an Aimpoint.
Bobson
Member
Wouldn't look any further than Aimpoint. T1 is awesome; T2 is an "upgrade" but I can't tell you what's better about it for $200 more.
I have an Aimpoint H1. It cannot be turned off and I don't even bother turning the illumination down. Change the battery one a year just to be safe. It's always ready to go
AzShooter1
Member
Aimpoint is the best but you will pay a good deal for it. Today the Reflex sites are smaller and batteries seem to last forever. Look at the Bushnell Fast Fire III or II
also the C-More RST.
I've gone through so many red dot sights over the years. I currently am using a C-more railway on my competition revolver. That's going to change to a Fastfire III next week do to the ease of battery changes and availability.
also the C-More RST.
I've gone through so many red dot sights over the years. I currently am using a C-more railway on my competition revolver. That's going to change to a Fastfire III next week do to the ease of battery changes and availability.
Bobson
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jmorris, isn't the ACOG only available with magnification? How is it in very close quarters, in your experience?
Thimk he means a Trijicon (they make the ACOG, and specialize in tritium/fiber optic illuminated optics). They have some called RMR that I've played a bit with. Also some smaller reflex sights. They ARE handy. Always on, self-adjusting to ambient light. Very nice for close, rapid engagement.
I forgot about those, myself.
I forgot about those, myself.
IME three words:
Aimpoint
Meprolight
Trijicon
Yeah they are expensive. When it comes to optics I believe in buy once, cry once. This is an optic that you might have to trust your life, your loved ones lives, or a complete strangers life to one day.
Do you want to do that with a RDS that costs 99.95?
Just my .02,
LeonCarr
Aimpoint
Meprolight
Trijicon
Yeah they are expensive. When it comes to optics I believe in buy once, cry once. This is an optic that you might have to trust your life, your loved ones lives, or a complete strangers life to one day.
Do you want to do that with a RDS that costs 99.95?
Just my .02,
LeonCarr
RcModel makes a good point. At home defense ranges, you can just point shoot. (Paintball guns don't have sights at all, and we hit out to 200' all the time)
I asked a Marine Recon bud if his ACOG sucked at CQB? He said: "Yes, but if you need an optic at CQB range, you just plain stink at life."
That being said:
Aimpoint Pro in a LT129 (still the most durable longest lasting most proven optic out there, and cheaper than the new stuff)
Aimpoint H2 or T2
Eotech XPS
Trijicon MRO
All in a Larue lower 1/3rd cowitness mount of course. No Larue mount for the MRO yet. Note that a Qr mount is an absolute must have. I've had to rip mine off in the middle of a 3 gun run many times due to rain, fog, or mud. (Even alcohol mixed with johnsons won't stop fog from a 240 pound man trying to run in snow)
I asked a Marine Recon bud if his ACOG sucked at CQB? He said: "Yes, but if you need an optic at CQB range, you just plain stink at life."
That being said:
Aimpoint Pro in a LT129 (still the most durable longest lasting most proven optic out there, and cheaper than the new stuff)
Aimpoint H2 or T2
Eotech XPS
Trijicon MRO
All in a Larue lower 1/3rd cowitness mount of course. No Larue mount for the MRO yet. Note that a Qr mount is an absolute must have. I've had to rip mine off in the middle of a 3 gun run many times due to rain, fog, or mud. (Even alcohol mixed with johnsons won't stop fog from a 240 pound man trying to run in snow)
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ACOG is an excellent optic, in the desert or great plains areas. Own a farm?
I recommend models that have black lines, and fiberoptic lines for the reticle. That eliminates the problem of the sight washing out when going from indoors to outdoors and vice versa. You'll always see one or the other, even if one washes out.
The only time the ACOG suffers is improvised positions. If you're laying down across a staircase, shooting under a car, etc. etc. Getting your head lined up with the scope can be a pain. And then you get scope shadow. Red dots are better for such.
So the ACOG is more of an outdoors optic. But since I can hit out to 500yards with a simple 2moa redot, I just use red dots on fighting carbines.
An ACOG is handy for combat, and Coyotes. But not at night with nightvision, that's back to redots and IR lasers again. So with the serious $$$$ of the ACOG, and it's specialized niche, we're starting to see less and less of them.
TA11 is still the best one IMO:
http://www.laruetactical.com/scope-...reen-horseshoe-dot-223-bdc-and-lt100-qd-mount
jmorris
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The Trijicon ACOG reflex uses tritium low/no light that gets brighter by using fiber optic to capture ambient light, all done automatically without user input. No magnification and similar FOV to other dot style optics.
They sell several styles but this is the closest to the one I have.
They sell several styles but this is the closest to the one I have.
MachIVshooter
Member
An $800 budget gives you lots of options. That is the majority of offerings from Aimpoint, EOtech and Meprolight, and a few from Trijicon.
I'm an Aimpoint fan, but each has their pros and cons. Aimpoints are tanks with incredible battery life. ACOGs are tough to beat if you want a combat tough magnified optic. EOtechs are heavier and battery hungry, but IMO are faster than sights with tubes; it's hard to beat a holographic sight for rapid target acquisition.
There are also several mini red dots in your range, including the very good Trijicon RMR, as well as Leupold Deltapoint II and others.
I think you just need to go handle a few and see what you like. At $800, it's a personal preference matter, not a quality issue.
I'm an Aimpoint fan, but each has their pros and cons. Aimpoints are tanks with incredible battery life. ACOGs are tough to beat if you want a combat tough magnified optic. EOtechs are heavier and battery hungry, but IMO are faster than sights with tubes; it's hard to beat a holographic sight for rapid target acquisition.
There are also several mini red dots in your range, including the very good Trijicon RMR, as well as Leupold Deltapoint II and others.
I think you just need to go handle a few and see what you like. At $800, it's a personal preference matter, not a quality issue.
Good advice given above. Check out your local gun stores and look at (and through) the different optics within your price range.
Over the years I've owned numerous Aimpoints, Eotechs, Trijicons, etc.
While Eotechs have that wide FOV through the optic & circle-dot reticle, controls are un-ergonomic, battery life is relatively poor and they have more reported problems (wandering zeros, battery drain while off, delaminating HUD's, loss of nitrogen purge, electronic glitches requiring battery removal to fix, etc).
Aimpoints are excellent. Period. The Pro is a great value if you don't mind the greater size/weight (compared to their Micro line), Micros if size/weight are important (but you have a more limited FOV through the optic as well).
Trijicon DI optics are very tough/KISS, but an older tech that can cause reticle washout under certain lighting conditions (like aiming from a dark room out a window into bright sunlight or when using a bright taclight at night at close range).
Personally, I've been using several of the Meprolight RDS' for over a year and really like them: Eotech-style wide FOV through the optic, 15K hrs on a single AA lithium battery, integral QD mount, lighter than the 30mm Aimpoints (but heavier than the Micros), simple/KISS control (Off, High, Medium, Low, NV) and a motion-sensing auto-on/off feature that turns the optic off after 30 minutes of no movement yet turns it on again w/the slightest touch. IIRC, Amazon is currently selling these for $310.
HTH...
Tomac
Over the years I've owned numerous Aimpoints, Eotechs, Trijicons, etc.
While Eotechs have that wide FOV through the optic & circle-dot reticle, controls are un-ergonomic, battery life is relatively poor and they have more reported problems (wandering zeros, battery drain while off, delaminating HUD's, loss of nitrogen purge, electronic glitches requiring battery removal to fix, etc).
Aimpoints are excellent. Period. The Pro is a great value if you don't mind the greater size/weight (compared to their Micro line), Micros if size/weight are important (but you have a more limited FOV through the optic as well).
Trijicon DI optics are very tough/KISS, but an older tech that can cause reticle washout under certain lighting conditions (like aiming from a dark room out a window into bright sunlight or when using a bright taclight at night at close range).
Personally, I've been using several of the Meprolight RDS' for over a year and really like them: Eotech-style wide FOV through the optic, 15K hrs on a single AA lithium battery, integral QD mount, lighter than the 30mm Aimpoints (but heavier than the Micros), simple/KISS control (Off, High, Medium, Low, NV) and a motion-sensing auto-on/off feature that turns the optic off after 30 minutes of no movement yet turns it on again w/the slightest touch. IIRC, Amazon is currently selling these for $310.
HTH...
Tomac
Jackal
Member
PSA had a sale on the Aimpoint H1 on black friday for $400 with mount. Aimpoint always trumps Eotech for me, as its always on. Simply buy it, turn it on and change the battery every couple years. I refuse to use ANY sight that has an auto shutoff.
A lot of miss-guided advice about point shooting and RDS sucking or not being needed for CQB IMO. (I am also a big PS advocate and have practiced it extensively, so I'm not anti-PS by any means)
There is absolutely zero downside to having a rugged, battle-proven RDS with always on battery life measured in years like an Aimpoint. Both eyes open, it is just as fast as point shooting with the added benefit of being able to place precise aimed shots in any light condition. If against the odds the dot is not there, then point-shoot or use the irons outlined by the weapon light. All potential gain, no downside.
To directly answer the OP, the Aimpoint M4s is probably the best you can get, up to 7 years battery life always on from a common AA (use a lithium so it doesn't leak), and the must rugged RDS on the market.
There is absolutely zero downside to having a rugged, battle-proven RDS with always on battery life measured in years like an Aimpoint. Both eyes open, it is just as fast as point shooting with the added benefit of being able to place precise aimed shots in any light condition. If against the odds the dot is not there, then point-shoot or use the irons outlined by the weapon light. All potential gain, no downside.
To directly answer the OP, the Aimpoint M4s is probably the best you can get, up to 7 years battery life always on from a common AA (use a lithium so it doesn't leak), and the must rugged RDS on the market.
AK103K
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Ive been running Aimpont Comp M2's/ML2's (I have 5) since they were the current models, about close to 15 years now, and they have never missed a beat. I leave them on, 24/7/365 and change the batteries once a year.
One advantage to the Aimpoints with the covers is, you can close the front cover, set the dot to a level you like, and youre good to go, in any light, and you dont need a "kill flash". You do need to shoot both eyes open (but who doesnt?), and the sight now works like the original "red dots", the old Armson "OEG" type sights.
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