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Need suggestions for AR optic


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Decided my AR needs a sight, but I'm I thought I'd ask some of the more experienced people here for what I should be looking at. Looking to spend 600 max- but I'm happy to spend way less if it meets the criteria. Basically I want either a red dot or a lower magnification scope, something durable and light. Not trying to shoot a mile or anything, 0-500 yard range probably.. maybe less.

An extra bonus would be if it was trijicon with biblical references on it (are they on the civilian versions?). I'd love to give them my support, but it doesn't need to be any particular make.

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I'd go with a 4x acog, for a good one you are going to be at or above your range but it is totally worth it. I believe there's a few places that even have an accidental damage ins deal you can get if you want some piece of mind. But also a proper optic is going to be rugged, thus why spending the coin is going to be worth it.

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The burris is a great optic, but they are not very hardy, I've seen them explode after a small drop. You can sometimes spot a 2ndhand trij acog for $600-800 or sometimes for whatever reason I see new ones for $750-850.

 

get an EOTech, aimpoint, trij, and meprolight are your best bet for holo/red dot. I like the meprolights a lot, as they have multiple power sources.

all are really hardy, great quality, and around your price range.

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Looks like they start at about 1000. Maybe its the route I'll go but I'll need to hold off in that case.

 

 

if you go that route, buying a ACOG, be very very wary, there are counterfeits of them out there, complete with ACOG, registered trademark symbol, MADE IN U.S.A. and even the bible verse cast into body. read where a lot of guys bought these 80 dollar counterfeits for a cool $ 700 bucks , and was so proud of a great deal for that price, they posted a picture of it, only to have their balloon busted.

 

there are also counterfeit BURRIS, EOTECH, AIMPOINTS, LEOPOLD etc.. out there as well.

Edited by Matthew Hopkins
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Mm thanks for the heads up. And I can cross fastfire off the list if it's not solid. I'm looking to go for quality and if holding off for an acog is my best bet, may go that route- if anyone has a reputable source around 700-800 id be interested in knowing.

 

Having said that, anyone good on the pros and cons of holo/red dot vs acog? Past 200 yards I'm very inexperienced

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the CR-123 battery is the better option between it and AA, esp if you plan on using it for HD, being able to hold a charge for longer is a plus, if the costs of 123 are the hold back than you can get some QUALITY rechargeable ones, but I am not sure if EOTech is set up to handle the higher voltage of the 123 rechargeable batteries. If you go for those Panasonic is the preferred rechargeable 123.

 

The fastfires are not bad, but I've seen them break pretty easily.

 

If batteries are the issue, get a mepro, it has a 20 year "battery" lol

Also Aimpoints can be left on for a year, change your smoke detector battery, change your aimpoint battery, easy as that.

Edited by Syndicate
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If you want ridiculous battery life the aimpoint comp m4 has an 8 year battery life of constant use on a single AA battery. The trijicon srs has a 3 year battery life by combining the battery and a solar panel on top. Both run around 800 though. Compine these with a flip to side magnifier if you want but these have small dots so you should be able to hit silhouettes at pretty good range without it. (M4 is a 2moa dot and srs is a 1.75 dot) although these are pretty expensive you could also go with the smaller t1 that has a 5 year battery life on a cr2032 it's also cheaper and it is offered in a 2 or 4 moa dot.

Edited by Ethan M
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yeah.. 8 year constant use seems a bit unnecessary, most batteries seem to die natural deaths before 8 years are up. Having said that, not having to worry at all is pretty cool with the acog.

 

Ok so basically my remaining decision is acog vs red dot..

 

I live in an area without many opportunities to shoot over 500 yards unless your going to a range specifically to shoot that far, and there's only like 2 within an hour and a half.

So, does a halo/red dot have what it takes to do 500 yards, or should I go with an acog? does the 4x mag on the acog mess with 25-50 yard target acquisition? I haven't used either. My experience is pretty much limited to a PK-A in close range, and I like it a lot.

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I've never had an issue with an acog because of 4x.

if you can find a place that has a rental gun with an EOTech and maybe at the range buddy up with someone that has an eotech or acog, I get asked by a lot of people if they can shoot my guns and the like, pretty good community atmosphere.

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Haven't seen many at the range unfortunately. The range I go to tend to be divided into three types:

A) cool person on a budget (either rocking a bolt action hunting rifle or iron sights or a tasco on an AK or AR) who's enthusiastic about everything, but isn't likely to have a scope I want to play with

B ) "operator" dentist/lawyer with the eotech/trijicon/aimpoint on a colt AR who asks what sort of mods I have to my AR... when in fact I'm just using an AK with black furniture.
C) "Gangsta" with the cheapest gun who can't shoot his crappy pistol and can't keep his hands off his gun while the range is cold (luckily these are rarer, I tend to leave the range if they are around)

 

As for gunstores with ranges, my buddy went to the most reputable one to test and xd-40 with them and they handed him a 45 and some overpriced .40 ammo. Just to give you an idea of the quality/credibility.

 

It's one of the reasons this forum is so great for me. Very good people around here with good experience to learn from.

Edited by volkov
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So you regretting the EOtech? that's a boat I really don't want to be in, I fit in the former category of sort of budget shooter, so if I spend money ona nice scope.. I don't want to be regretting my choice later. May be years before I can spend 500 on a scope again, let alone 900.

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Not regretting, I liked it a lot, just got to shooting with an acog and really liked it. Just decided to go irons on the gun it was on and get an acog for a flat top with flip ups I bought from a guy that messed up the build.

 

I just trained for both eyes open irons for a while and decided the light on it and the irons were what I was more comfortable with for HD

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alright, so I'm gonna go without the ACOG for now- got some needs for the my ak-47 that would be delayed too far if I spent 1000 on an acog. So- red dot or halo it is. Aimpoint, EOtech, or Trijicon. Durability is my biggest concern followed by battery life.. I like low maintenance. Weight and accuracy also important obviously.

 

I could really buy any of a large number of models but I would prefer something someone has some experience with and loves- I'm great at making the wrong choice.

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well that's two pretty reviews on the eotech, definitely learning that way, I had been thinking aimpoint, but unless someone changes my mind, think I'm ordering an eotech tomorrow. Really appreciate all the help so far.

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Mm thanks for the heads up. And I can cross fastfire off the list if it's not solid. I'm looking to go for quality and if holding off for an acog is my best bet, may go that route- if anyone has a reputable source around 700-800 id be interested in knowing.

 

Having said that, anyone good on the pros and cons of holo/red dot vs acog? Past 200 yards I'm very inexperienced

 

Advanced Combat Optical Gunsights (abbreviated ACOG) are a series of telescopic sights manufactured by Trijicon. The ACOG was originally designed to be used on the M16 rifle and M4 carbine, but Trijicon have also developed ACOG accessories for other firearms. Models provide fixed power magnification levels from 1.5× to 6×. ACOG reticles are illuminated at night by an internal phosphor. Some versions have an additional daytime reticle illumination via a passive external fiber optic light pipe.

 

 

On the other hand, a red dot sight is a common classification for a type of non-magnifying reflector (or reflex) sight for firearms that gives the user an aimpoint in the form of an illuminated red dot. A standard design uses a red light-emitting diode (LED) at the focus of collimating optics which generates a dot style illuminated reticle that stays in alignment with the weapon the sight is attached to regardless of eye position (nearly parallax free). They are considered to be fast acquisition and easy to use gun sights for target shooting, hunting, and in police and military applications.

 

 

Go the extra mile and pick up a Trijicon ACOG TA31F

4x32 USMC ACOG, and add the Trijicon RMR (RM04) Dual Illuminated Red Dot later when funds allow.

Best of luck!

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Edited by redrocker35
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oh also if you go EOTech you can just get a magnifier later

Very true, and a solid choice there as well. Scopes are a lot like everything else in life, if only you got to test ride all the super models available, you would know which one really turns you on. EOTech is definatly one the super scope models on today's market. Getting a quick release mount should be easy enough too, with the folding system on the G23 Magnifier allowing you to fold left or right, leaving your irons ready to use if needed in mere seconds.

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I'm an Aimpoint guy but have run EOTechs on weapons in the Military. We had EOTechs on SAWs that held up fine. We also had some ACOG TA-NSNs that had ranging reticles which are real quick to determine your hold over. If you start with the red dot, then add a magnifyer later, you'll be above the cost of a bare ACOG. The ACOG setup with a mini RDS on top is a good setup but I find it too high to my liking. I tried my buddy's SPR setup which is a 1-4x scope with a mini RDS in a 45° offset mount. That will probably be my next setup on one of my ARs.

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