Holographic sights

[Cash Duckett]

I'm just getting started with some black guns and was wondering what the difference is between a $58 holo sight and a $1,500 sight is? They all seem to have red and green dots and multiple reticles.

Thanks,

Cash

[Flashpowder Hal]

I'm just getting started with some black guns and was wondering what the difference is between a $58 holo sight and a $1,500 sight is? They all seem to have red and green dots and multiple reticles.

Thanks,

Cash

 

Like most things,

 

Ya' gits wat ya pays fer.

 

Many cheaper sights won't stand up to constant use, especially high-power loads. Then the "Dot" you aim with may look more like a smear or a comet, than a "Dot", making it hard to define your shot. Some of the expensive sights are solar-powered and/or use easy to find AA or 123 batteries that last 10,000 hours, while the cheap ones take button batteries that aren't easily found and don't last long.

 

I recently got inta one of those evil-black rifles , and have an EOTECH holo-sight on order for it. I'll only use my cheap red-dots for shooting .22 LR's and wouldn't trust one with my life. Of course, the AR has flip-up sights, just for backup

[Sodbuster Brown]

EOTECHs are only 450-500

[Silver Sides]

Depending on your budget the three most popular around here seems to be the EOTECH, AIMPOINT CompM4, and the ACOG. All three are great but have there respective limitations. For full out run and gun ie; typical multigun out to 200 yards all three are competitive. After that you might have to choose one or the other depending on the size of dot you want. Most have a 2moa dot but some feature a 1moa dot. 1moa has an advantage past 200 yards as it does not block out targets as bad. I believe all three may accept doubler/tripler magnifiers.

Just my opinion all three are great for fast target shooting..., for percision shooting under 1moa start looking for glass to top you rifle with.

My budget allowed for an EOTECH and I love it's quick target aquisition on close (under 200) targets.

[Apache Hawk 60642]

Well Cash Duckett........Aint got no ideaer what dem fellers is jawin' bout.

 

 

 

 

I'll just take my ole trusty iron open sights.

[Sgt. C.J. Sabre, SASS #46770]

Well Cash Duckett........Aint got no ideaer what dem fellers is jawin' bout.

 

 

 

 

I'll just take my ole trusty iron open sights.

 

 

Same here. I don't have to worry about batteries, or a smear.

[Pulp, SASS#28319]

I had a cheap BSA green dot sight on a S&W 22-A for awhile, seemed to me it was slower to find the green dot, then put it on the target than shooting with iron sights. But with practice I'm sure I could have probably gotten faster with it.

 

I put it on my granddaughter's deer rifle, and I can pick it up faster than I could with a pistol.

[Captain Woodrow Cahill, SASS # 54363]

The cheap sights will be a disappointment. They're OK for .22 rifles or airsoft guns, but nothing heavier.

The glass will be inferior, and the holo projector will most likely go out of focus or break entirely.

 

That said, if you have the spare funds, you could buy a cheap one to see which you like better - the open style or the tube style.

 

Besides the projected dot & circle style, there's also the illuminated etched reticle style to consider.

Even if the battery gives out, you still have a working optic instead of an obstruction to sighting.

They also have the advantage, in some models, of being variable power from 1X to around 5X for everything from up close to long range work.

 

As far as brands, it's something of a crapshoot. Most of the companies out there have their low-end products, and as the price point goes up so does the quality ... sometimes.

[SASS# 23321 Canelo Kid]

Cheap vs expensive? How many shots are you expecting it to last for? The cheaper stuff won't hold up and can be hard to keep zero. It's pretty much the same for any rifle optics in the fact you pay for the better stuff and you won't usually be disappointed. Be wary as there are unscrupulous outfits selling holo sights on the market that are passing off air-soft sights as real gun sights. Lots of fake EOTECH's and such out there.

 

EOTECH, Aimpoint, and the Trijicon ACOG. Three of the best. I would prefer the ACOG but the Aimpoints are closer to my budget line.

 

Safe trails,

CKid

[Iron Pony]

Cash I got to try an ACOG on a friends AR the other day and like my Millett DMS 1-4 just as much. Might check it out as well.

[Happy Jack, SASS #20451]

I learned many years ago that you never put a cheap sight on a good gun. I run EOTECH and Aimpoint Comps on some of my guns. (I prefer the Aimpoint, but most of the guys seem to like the EOTECH better. I don't really care for the ACOG's too big and heavy for what you get. I have had 5 scopes on my 3gun AR but finally got the right one for me. I've used EOTECH, Aimpoint, Burris 1X4, Millet 1X4, Nikon 1X4 & 2X8 and finally got a Leupold Mark 4 1.5X5 MR/T M2 (30mm tube)with the special purpose reticle. AWESOME !!! We regularly run rifle out to 300yds at our matches. (sometimes further) I set targets where I can hit them with open sights and figure the young guys should be OK shooting Tactical class. Off a rest "E" silhouettes at 300yds. are pretty easy with open sights on an AR.

[Bucky Buscadero, SASS #73085]

I have had an Eotech for years and am happy with it. Also purchased a Vortex SPARC last year for my wifes AR. Darn good red dot and you can find them for about $200. Researched it and read a lot of reviews before ordering one and we have not been disappointed.

 

Vortex SPARC

 

Bucky

[Red Logan #12252]

I dont have dawg in this, but if ya have time look at these, I've used one for years

 

http://www.cmore.com/

[Sneaky Gun Runner SASS 79775]

My son and I are both running the Millet 1x4 DMS glass on our AR's.

 

Using M855 (62 gr. Ball)we were both able to put 8 of 15 onto a 6" square last Tuesday at 300 yds.

 

I have used the EOTECH and I was able to make a lot of hits out to about 150 yds with it.

[Buckshot Frank]

Not to be a stickler, but Eotechs are holographic sights, Aimpoints (and most of the inexpensive ones) are red dot sights;, and ACOGs use fiber optics and tritium; different technologies. A red dot sight is just that, a red dot projected from an LED; great for battery life. A holographic sight projects the reticle with a laser; quicker reticle, less battery life. Sights that use fiber optics or tritium to light the reticle don't have any batteries to worry about, but can suffer blooming when looking into a brightly lit area.

 

For a decent holographic sight, Eotech is the only game in town. The cheap clones actually use LED's and will not hold up well. Eotechs are battle proven, but not as reliable as Aimpoints or ACOGs simply due to the less robust technology.

 

There isn't such a thing as an inexpensive fiber optic battlesight. ACOGs are magnified. Mepros are not. Both are expensive but battle proven. The downside of this type of sight is reticle blooming when viewing a bright area.

 

Red dot sights are probably the most popular of the non-magnified optics. Aimpoints have a battery life of a bazillion hours and are battle proven. There are some cheaper alternatives that have proven to hold up well on centerfire rifles: Primary Arms, Bushnell, Vortex Sparc. These do not have the battery life of the Aimpoints, and I certainly wouldn't advocate anyone using one on a duty rifle, but they will work fine for the average range warrior. I have a Primary Arms micro on my Noveske AR. It has held up well for a couple of years now. The stock QD mount wasn't very nice, so I replaced it with a Larue. No problems since.

 

Then there is the low power variable scope with illuminated reticle category that has become increasingly popular. This one is kind of the "does everything well, but nothing great" compromise solution. At 1X with illumination, they can be used like a red dot sight (both eyes open), but have a tighter eye box and less field of view. At magnification (usually 4X), they can aid in target aquisition and more precise distance shooting.

 

So there you go- a not so quick overview of AR optics...

[Cash Duckett]

Thanks to everyone. I'm going to keep my eyes open for an eotech, but I may try something cheaper right now. It sure is great having access to such a wealth of information!

Cash

[Buckshot Frank]

Thanks to everyone. I'm going to keep my eyes open for an eotech, but I may try something cheaper right now. It sure is great having access to such a wealth of information!

Cash

 

In that case, look for the EXPS2-0. The transverse battery fixes the battery contact issue with the earlier models and takes up less space on the rail. It also has an integral QD mount built in which raises the height for lower 1/3 cowitness with iron sights.

 

If you just want something cheap to hold you over, I'd suggest one of the micro red dot sights (Primary Arms, Vortex Sparc). In fact, with a quality mount, either should do anything that you need it to unless you are kicking down doors for a living...