Budget Red Dot Comparison

TxAggie · Feb 18, 2014

Just found this on MAC. Very interesting article for those of us who can't afford BOCO and still afford to feed our pets.

http://www.thebangswitch.com/budget-red-dot-sight-comparison-part-1/

erwos · Feb 18, 2014

Part 2 is even better:
http://www.thebangswitch.com/budget-red-dot-sight-comparison-part-2/

Spoiler: winner is the TRS-25, PA Micro coming in very close at second. SPARC was third.

I would have loved to have seen the new PA Advanced Reflex Sight included in the round-up - it's about the same price as the SPARC.

JDove · Feb 18, 2014

Interesting... I have the Vortex SPARC/Strikefire and the Primary Arms MD-06L (Have the 30mm Red Dot as well). Although the SPARC/Strikefire have given me no issues, I think the Primary Arms red dots are just as nice. In the future, I don't think I would spend the extra money on the Vortex when looking for a budget optic. The MD-06L is on my 522 SBR and the 30mm on my 556R. Neither have given me any issues after a couple thousand rounds through each rifle and I've never had to re-zero either. Vortex does have awesome customer service though, I had to have the tension screw on my mount replaced and they sent me a new one very quickly.

glendonboy · Feb 18, 2014

Just bought a Lucid from Brownells $189. Nice scope.

Bafflingbs · Feb 18, 2014

Great article.

TxAggie · Feb 18, 2014

JDove said:
Interesting... I have the Vortex SPARC/Strikefire and the Primary Arms MD-06L (Have the 30mm Red Dot as well). Although the SPARC/Strikefire have given me no issues, I think the Primary Arms red dots are just as nice. In the future, I don't think I would spend the extra money on the Vortex when looking for a budget optic. The MD-06L is on my 522 SBR and the 30mm on my 556R. Neither have given me any issues after a couple thousand rounds through each rifle and I've never had to re-zero either. Vortex does have awesome customer service though, I had to have the tension screw on my mount replaced and they sent me a new one very quickly.

I have the Strikefire and was surprised by their results, so I'm looking forward to Part 3.

I don't know much about Primary Arms, how does their warranty stack up to Vortex?

erwos · Feb 18, 2014

Depends on the optic. Most of them are one year, the new PA Advanced stuff is lifetime.

JDove · Feb 18, 2014

TxAggie said:
I have the Strikefire and was surprised by their results, so I'm looking forward to Part 3.

I don't know much about Primary Arms, how does their warranty stack up to Vortex?

Yeah most of the PA models are just 1 year, but the new Advanced Series have a lifetime warranty. I have no experience with those or dealing with PA customer service, so I can't comment there. Like I said earlier, Vortex does have great customer service. But the 1 year warranty doesn't bother me with the PA models at that price point.

DC-W · Feb 18, 2014

That SPARC is looking good.

JDove · Feb 18, 2014

Also the new SPARC II has flip up caps (SPARC has bikini cover), runs on CR2032 (SPARC used CR2354), and power control repositioned to rear (SPARC mounted on side). The Strikefire II has rear mounted power control now as well. The side mounted touch sensitive power buttons were a drawback to both the original SPARC and the Strikefire. Moving them to be rear facing and controlled by the up brightness button is a nice improvement.

CrawfishStu · Feb 18, 2014

I'm on strikefire number 2. The first one fizzled out right after mounting. Pro, you can bring them back to Basspro to have them swapped out. They even offer an extended replacement. Though they took the 60 day one back from me with no issues. Second one worked just fine. I wish it was brighter....but we were shooting at snow backed targets in full day light with my autotint glasses on. Everything short of my EoTech was washed, even my lucid.

punisher12b · Feb 24, 2014

I have a PA 4moa basicly the clone of the aimpoint m3... has held up to god. thousands of rounds. between a few rifles. and its been great. never lost zero the dot is alittle blurry at full brightness. but for bang for buck ill go PA ..

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