AR15 OPTICS POLL

[nitesite]

Irons are superb when there is good light. Sometimes there is none.... so....

I voted EoTech.

I'm not so sure I will ever shoot for accurate hits beyond 200 yards any more. I've done it well beyond that with irons in the Army (and WAY beyond that when I was on the US Army Post Rifle Team shooting NM M14s when I was young). Back then using irons we were making hits at unbelieveable distances (but face it they were REALLY large targets). Realistically, for the rest of my life I'm pretty much committed to maybe being faced with RARE situations under 200 yards, and at work often times only 35-50 yards. Or even as close as twenty feet when I probably don't even need sight alignment.

So I rock a good rear BUIS on my A2 fixed front sight RRA and a co-witnessed EoTech XPS-2. Out to 150-yards from a decent rest I've made 2-MOA hits (4-MOA is more average but that is me not the 1-MOA dot on the EoTech or the irons) and at 50-150 feet the EoTech is spectacular in all lighting.

At room distances I love the EoTech 65-MOA circle cuz I shift the aiming point to the 6-o'clock tick on the ring and I'm GTG if I have to hit a 1"x1" mark looking thru the glass.

The Aimpoint CompML3 or the PRO is a good dot sight if you are shooting 50-yards out to about 300. Nearly indestructible. But for me it's hard in bright daylight to pick out the 2-MOA dot and keep concentrated on it. The EoTech circle keeps my eye on the dot much easier.

The TRIJICON TriPower is maybe the best instinctive CQB (non-magnified) optic with it's inverted chevron aiming point. I LOVE that thing! It doesn't compensate at <75-feet as well as the EoTech but it really is the ballz.

Great thread, AK!!!!!!!!!

 

[aksavanaman]

This could be an alternative to the TA31... it's got an extra inch of eye relief ... I'm sorry, these optics look so damn sexy! Details on it are HERE

 

[Joe57]

I'm a big fan of the ACOG TA31F to be specific. Pretty tough to deadline it. Its handy having the magnification in my experience, not just for shooting. Also you can shoot just as quickly and accurately in "CQB" as with your comparable electronic optics. I think the price tag is ridiculous on them though. I managed to get one used in a trade for some rich(owned a Ferrari) guy in Austin that didn't mind he was losing out monetarily in a trade.

Aimpoints are durable and the best part is you can just leave them on the battery lasts so long. Also a good PRO is fairly inexpensive compared to others.

Eotech I wasn't a huge fan of, I liked the reticle but the battery life atleast on the xps-2 and 512(?) weren't great and I didn't like the buttons. I've seen more people break them as well but that was more of a testament against the individual than the optic.

Magnifiers are pretty cool but they add a lot of weight real quick. For those on the market, I'd suggest you seriously consider a Vortex brand one, alot of bang for your buck.


My opinions are based on my experience using them for work and on personal weapons. At one time or another I've owned all 3 on my personal weapon as well.

 

[Joe57]

I'm surprised no one has chosen Iron's for "other"... now I'm a fan of making life more simple so an optic makes sense, but there's a good portion of guys that just run their AR's with irons.

Mine sits currently without optics (haven't decided what I want... can you believe that??? ) and just a set of Daniel Defense fixed irons, and I forget how accurate iorns can be if you know what you're doing... low light is of course another story.

Hey bud have you checked out the Vortex Sparcs?

Stellar reviews from the looks of it.. I'm thinking about getting one for my SPX one it comes in.

Had one of these guys too:

http://swfa.com/Millett-1-4x24-DMS-SWFA ... 42148.aspx

They are pretty nice for the money, It was heavier than I wanted though.

 

[LAZY EYED SNIPER]

Aside from irons, I have to go with EOTech.

I've run many different types of optics on my rifles and have found nothing with as crisp and clear a reticle as the EOTech. There are three of them mounted on my rifles at the moment and my current favorite is the EXPS2-0. As John pointed out, target acquisition is super fast and the ring draws my eyes right to the dot.

Next best thing for me is a 1-3x or fixed 3x scope. I've been so damn close to pulling the trigger on a Trijicon several times, but I just can't go through with it considering the other options out there. Picked up this fixed 3x a while back and it's served its purpose well...

iTac Defense: 3x Prismatic Scope Review

Looks like SIG SAUER bought ITAC Defense and all of their stuff is SIG branded now. The price has gone up since I posted the review and the product link is dead, but here's the new one...

SIG SAUER: CP1 Optical Scope

 

[aksavanaman]

Hey bud have you checked out the Vortex Sparcs?

Didn't I ask you about your Sparc not so long ago? Yeah, I have done some research on the vortex optics and they seem to be holding a pretty good reputation for themselves. And if I decided on a red dot, and didn't wanna spend $500+ on it.... the Sparc would probably be my option.

But I haven't decided yet... I'm letting you guys do the research for me

 

[nitesite]

I hear great things about the SPARC. Also the Burris FastFire.

 

[zagmp03]

Have a Vortex Sparc on mine, so I'll give a quick rundown of it...Had it about a year, done some 3Gun with it

Pros:
2MOA dot - nice and crisp
Lots of mounting height options
Good battery life and shut off options
Decent extras available (ARD, Butler Creek caps, etc)
Awesome Warranty (probably top PRO - lifetime without question)
Awesome customer service - no issues whatsoever
NV capable
Sturdy build
Good brightness adjustment ranges 1-6
auto shutoff to maintain battery life (6 hours I think)
Included adjustment ends on w/e caps - no extra tools/coins to adjust
comes with screw in doubler

CONs: This is purely based off my preference - I don't like the on/off button. Seems like it gets switched on too often without me touching it. Its located on the side of the optic and is easily turned on. Also, the NV button also gets bumped easily, which effectively makes your dot disappear. Just have to know this so you know to go and push that first if it seems like its not turning on.

Overall, very impressed. I don't use the doubler much because I have to screw it in. Very solid, has always held zero and the round has always gone where I've put the dot (which puts the onus on me to put the dot on the spot). Very lightweight and seems comparable to the PRO for much less money. I have this cowitnessed with a Matech buis adjustable to 600, and they witness very well together. Will get pictures at some point to add to the thread.

Unfortunately, this optic will be going up for sale soon to fund the purchase of a Bushnell PCL Throwdown. I want ranging marks and magnification - that is not a knock on the Sparc at all, but a capabilities based decision for ranging out at 300-500 in a magnified optic.

I would absolutely buy this again for a red dot, no questions asked. The warranty itself is worth it. Vortex could sell these based on capabilities alone, adding the warranty makes them a no-brainer IMHO.