Author Topic: Maybe as bad as 9mm vs .45 --- AR optics (Read 2452 times)

Hutch · « **on:** October 07, 2015, 09:58:46 PM »

I have several .556 and one 9mm AR, and they all have some version of the Eotech Donut of Death_TM. I consider the other acceptable option to be the Aimpoint. I chose Eotech. Is there a more recent entry into this holographic, no magnification arena that I should consider? All the eotechs run on AA batteries, and are well accepted by the .mil guys. I'm pretty much stuck on AA power.

Boomhauer · « **Reply #1 on:** October 07, 2015, 10:05:33 PM »

Not that I see. I'm an Aimpoint man myself.

AJ Dual · « **Reply #2 on:** October 07, 2015, 10:10:54 PM »

Nope. Trijicons 1x options, maybe, like the SRS.

The only new player I'm really aware of is Browe, and they're making a run at the ACOG market segment, not the 1x red dot/holographic market.

I'm not sure anyone can even make a holographic sight other than L3/EOTech until the patents expire.

vaskidmark · « **Reply #3 on:** October 07, 2015, 10:12:51 PM »

I want to see pics of your .556 barrel - muzzle and chamber views.

stay safe.

Hutch · « **Reply #4 on:** October 07, 2015, 10:30:36 PM »

Quote from: vaskidmark on October 07, 2015, 10:12:51 PM

I want to see pics of your .556 barrel - muzzle and chamber views.

stay safe.

D'oh! I musta left it by the Glock 7. Sorry.

freakazoid · « **Reply #5 on:** October 07, 2015, 10:54:18 PM »

I really need to get an optic for mine. Just need to do some research, and be willing to drop a load of money on one instead of on more guns or ammo.

Fitz · « **Reply #6 on:** October 07, 2015, 11:09:36 PM »

one of these days when I win the lotto, i'll get an acog

Fly320s · « **Reply #7 on:** October 08, 2015, 07:35:32 AM »

Quote from: Fitz on October 07, 2015, 11:09:36 PM

one of these days when I win the lotto, i'll get an acog

Get one from Monkeyleg. He practically gives them away. I have a credit card and address you can use.

MechAg94 · « **Reply #8 on:** October 08, 2015, 02:37:15 PM »

Quote from: Fly320s on October 08, 2015, 07:35:32 AM

Get one from Monkeyleg. He practically gives them away. I have a credit card and address you can use.

Of course, we would use a different shipping address.

MechAg94 · « **Reply #9 on:** October 08, 2015, 02:43:07 PM »

Primary Arms has their own branded red dot that supposedly has 50,000 hour batter life for about $180. I have one of the $89 versions that seems to work well enough. I have not put it to any testing though. Meprolight has an Israeli red dot, but it isn't any cheaper than the AIMpoint patrol optic. It is sort of a cross between an AIMpoint and an EOtech.

Meprolight does sell a cheaper Trijicon subsititute that is under $500. It is the one you see on the Tavor rifles a lot. It isn't a fine tuned target scope, but the "X" fits right on top of the black dot of an offical 100 yard target.

There was another brand I saw a short blurb about in Shotgun News that the author called an "AIMpoint killer" with a lot of the same options and a cheaper price, but I never have heard of it much since.

AJ Dual · « **Reply #10 on:** October 08, 2015, 03:21:18 PM »

Might be "Lucid" you're thinking of. They're kind of going after the Primary Arms biz model. a.k.a. "Chinese, but with good QC..." etc.

http://www.mylucidgear.com/

bscl · « **Reply #11 on:** October 08, 2015, 06:26:47 PM »

Trijicon just released their new MRO. The comments I've seen (Lightfighter) put it between an Aimpoint Micro and an Aimpoint Pro in size and price.

https://www.trijicon.com/na_en/products/product1.php?id=MRO

I've also seen mention of using smaller non-magnifieds like the Trijicon RMR or Docter min-red dot on an AR. Unfortunately I don't think any of them use AA batteries.

Monkeyleg · « **Reply #12 on:** October 08, 2015, 08:10:37 PM »

Quote from: MechAg94 on October 08, 2015, 02:37:15 PM

Of course, we would use a different shipping address.

Wiseguys.

MechAg94 · « **Reply #13 on:** October 09, 2015, 09:36:07 AM »

I watched that movie Soldier with Kurt Russel the last couple days. I noticed they were using red dot sights. It came out in 1998. I was thinking EOTech and others were just getting started then.

AJ Dual · « **Reply #14 on:** October 09, 2015, 12:27:19 PM »

Quote from: MechAg94 on October 09, 2015, 09:36:07 AM

I watched that movie Soldier with Kurt Russel the last couple days. I noticed they were using red dot sights. It came out in 1998. I was thinking EOTech and others were just getting started then.

Yeah, the military academy when they were just kids, they had flattop AR's with C-More reflex sights on them, which in 1998 looked exotic enough to be plausible as a near-futuristic rifle I guess.

Hutch · « **Reply #15 on:** October 11, 2015, 10:02:10 PM »

Went to the range today. Both Eotechs were deader'n chivalry. Damn.

BryanP · « **Reply #16 on:** October 11, 2015, 10:42:55 PM »

Quote from: Hutch on October 11, 2015, 10:02:10 PM

Went to the range today. Both Eotechs were deader'n chivalry. Damn.

I have a used eotech I got for a ridiculous low price on my AR. The only problem I've had with it turned out to be operator error. But I still don't trust the batteries. I start it up and check them at least twice a week just because.

Boomhauer · « **Reply #17 on:** October 11, 2015, 11:27:09 PM »

Quote from: Hutch on October 11, 2015, 10:02:10 PM

Went to the range today. Both Eotechs were deader'n chivalry. Damn.

Eotechs are bad about batteries. Both in the not being dead when needed department and in some models with the contacts. Which is why I favor Aimpoints...10k to 50k+ hours of battery life i.e. over a year to several years

lupinus · « **Reply #18 on:** October 12, 2015, 12:41:54 AM »

Quote from: Monkeyleg on October 08, 2015, 08:10:37 PM

Wiseguys.

Using a forwarding service to their comrades

Sent from my iPhone. Freaking autocorrect.

MechAg94 · « **Reply #19 on:** October 12, 2015, 01:41:41 AM »

Quote from: Boomhauer on October 11, 2015, 11:27:09 PM

Eotechs are bad about batteries. Both in the not being dead when needed department and in some models with the contacts. Which is why I favor Aimpoints...10k to 50k+ hours of battery life i.e. over a year to several years

I didn't appreciate that battery life at first.

The EOTech I have takes N style batteries. I had trouble with finding batteries locally that weren't already half dead. I mail ordered some last time and found a couple sets of lithium N batteries recently at Best Buy. They are supposed to last hundreds of hours, but batteries get old.

MechAg94 · « **Reply #20 on:** October 12, 2015, 01:44:31 AM »

I mentioned a meprolight red dot above. Mine failed to turn on this weekend. Tried three different batteries. No dot. I will have to see if they will fix it. It is probably 8 months old.

Boomhauer · « **Reply #21 on:** October 12, 2015, 10:32:25 AM »

Quote from: MechAg94 on October 12, 2015, 01:44:31 AM

I mentioned a meprolight red dot above. Mine failed to turn on this weekend. Tried three different batteries. No dot. I will have to see if they will fix it. It is probably 8 months old.

And now you see why I say Aimpoint is the way to go. Trijicon maybe a second but until the MRO their stuff was either frickin huge or smaller/more delicate (like the RMR)...and the non-red dot reflex sights are pretty outdated. Overall their stuff tends to be reliable and rugged.

I would love to have the Eotech reticle with the Aimpoint reliability and battery life but I just don't see it happening so in that case I'll just go with an Aimpoint.

Quote

The EOTech I have takes N style batteries. I had trouble with finding batteries locally that weren't already half dead. I mail ordered some last time and found a couple sets of lithium N batteries recently at Best Buy. They are supposed to last hundreds of hours, but batteries get old.

The N-battery models are friggin ancient. If I was to buy an Eotech today it'd be the CR123 models. Transverse battery to allieviete some of the contact issues that the AA models had and the light and sight share the same batteries. CR123s are available and long lasting and not that much more expensive than a quality lithium AA battery.

Quote

I'm pretty much stuck on AA power.

I wouldn't marry myself to the AA battery but if you insist Aimpoint makes the CompM4 but it's not going to be as cheap as the other Aimpoints.

HeroHog · « **Reply #22 on:** October 12, 2015, 11:13:59 AM »

I have an Oooooooooooooooooold AimPoint someone gave me years ago and it was old then! No batteries and still works great!

It's mounted 90 degrees out as I don't have the base adapter needed to mount it to a Weaver mount.

Because I know some will ask: She started out as a $5.00 yard-sale box of parts with no wood. Everything was there but the stock. I took it to my shop and fabricated the pistol-grip receiver and "wire" folding stock out of sheet steel, and exhaust pipe and a 1/4" steel rod and scrap nuts, bolts, a fender shim and brazed it all up with an oxy/acetylene torch. The Mag-Light mount I later machined out of aluminum at the Louisiana Tech University Machine Shop. The sight is an old Aim Point off of a shotgun.

Believe it or not, she shoots GREAT and I can ring the 9" gong 18 out of 18 rounds @ 100 yards off a bag with her!

freakazoid · « **Reply #23 on:** October 12, 2015, 01:47:34 PM »

That is just awesome.

dogmush · « **Reply #24 on:** October 12, 2015, 03:15:20 PM »

Ahhh Optics. Might as well be cornbread.

Every optic is a compromise. Only you can decide which features are most important to you.

I have an EOtech. It sits unmounted on my workbench. I really want to like it. I love the reticle design, and the idea behind a HWS, but it does kinda eat batteries, and in practice it's slower for me than a normal red dot. Perhaps if I trained more.

I also have one of the Primary Arms Advanced Red Dot's. (I have a couple PA red dots actually, but only one of the "advanced". Battery life is what they say. I bought it when it first came out, and haven't turned it off yet. At last check it was still on and bright. They are undeniably not as durable as an Aimpoint. PA says this themselves. But it is afforadble and decent quality for a sight when lives aren't on the line.

I have, have had, or have had issued, several Aimpoints. (sadly none of the small ones) They are the standard for a reason. Always on, nigh on indestructible, precise dot. Good stuff. Expensive. The M68 I had (CompM4, i think?) does give you a little tunnel vision. You are after all looking through a tube.

Had an issue ACOG on my SAW for my second deployment. Also a great optic. Indestructible. light for 10(ish) years, good glass. Mine was the 4X. They are a little unforgiving on the eyebox though.

For my "General Use" rifles. (Defined by me as 0-500 yd use against threats less than 300lbs) I have been slowly transitioning to low powered variable optics with etched reticles and BDC's. My PTR-91, 16" 5.56 AR and 300 BLK AR all wear some version of that. 1-4x or 1-6x (I like 6 better). Zero the optic for my load, then I can ID, range, hold over and shoot all in the scope. I lose a little speed to red dots inside of 75M or so, but pick up a lot of precision past 150-200 or so. If the electronics die, the reticle is still there. Durability and glass quality is as good as your wallet can handle.

Pays your money, Takes your choice.

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Author Topic: Maybe as bad as 9mm vs .45 --- AR optics (Read 2452 times)