Good red-dot optics have come a long way in the last decade or two. They used to be fussy, fragile things that went on the fritz unexpectedly while eating batteries like popcorn. Now you can leave them on for years and they're practically tougher than the guns they're bolted to.
The problem is that the good ones are expensive. About the price of a decent AK expensive, or half the tariff of a good AR expensive.
Aimpoint's new-for-'11 PRO (Patrol Rifle Optic) is basically their older Comp M2 sight (adopted by the military as the M68 CCO) with new circuitry for the dot, giving a 30,000hr claimed battery life, and the whole package, mount and all, looks like it'll have a street price a lot closer to four bills than five, which is a relative bargain in this market segment.
I really like my Comp ML2, but that 30,000 hours of battery life sure does look cool. That's... hang on, let me pull off my socks... like more than three years. You could just leave it on and change the sight batteries when you change your smoke alarm batteries.
"pull _off_ my socks"
ReplyDeleteThanks!
ReplyDeleteThe typo checker doesn't catch some typos.
I've just handled my first red dot, an Aim Point conraption on a 1911 clone. I didn't hate it and just grinned when the Gander Mountain clerk explained that I could bore-sight it by "looking through the barrel" while adjusting the doodad screw.
ReplyDeleteFoot note: The clerk didn't point the pistol at me, so I didn't point it at him.
Another foot note: I did have to explain to some one that you might have to shoot even if your foe happen to spot the red dot on his chest.
The LaRue mount is still pricey but they always kick in some neat swag.
ReplyDeleteGerry
My stepdad had his first experience shooting with an Aimpoint yesterday. When he was done, he turned to me and said, "this is almost like cheating."
ReplyDeleteI have never used dots, but the rule of thumb used to be to spend 50-75% of the price of the rifle on the scope.
ReplyDeleteThere are certainly exceptions to that, a $200 Burris will do just fine for many things- but if you shoot in low light or similar conditions you want as much light gathering ability and the best optics you can get. At dusk, I'd always rather have a leu or a Swar than a Burris, especially at distance.
it makes very good sense to me that the dots are coming down in price, as much of the cost of the dot is not optics, the way a scope is, but electronics.
if I ever do get to put together a decent AR, I will be able to afford to put a decent dot on it, now, and not have to settle for a FACOG.
Check out Primary Arms for inexpensive cantilever mounts. Even thier micro dots are getting battery life in the thousands of hours nowadays, so I was wondering when the cost of US-made dots would start coming down. I just had to replace the batteries in my ML2 clone yesterday b/c I accidentally left it on.
ReplyDeletelast time I checked, Aimpoint was cracking down on those selling these to non-LEO's.
ReplyDeleteTomcatTCH,
ReplyDeletePlease tell me that they haven't got a case of the dumbs about this.
You'd think the entire freakin' industry could have learned a lesson from Colt.
If they are, I'd wonder if they were being pressured by the feds to do so?
ReplyDeleteIt'd be either that, or high-level stupid.
Firehand,
ReplyDelete"If they are, I'd wonder if they were being pressured by the feds to do so?"
I can't see any reason why. They sell a lot higher-speed, more expensive models to anybody with the right bank balance.
Aimpoint doesn't want to sell to me? Fine. They can keep all their damn dots and I'll get an EOTech instead. Or who knows? Just keep shooting irons? Always worked fine for me so far...
ReplyDeleteDo what you want.
ReplyDeleteMe, I think I'll email Ampoint and see what the scoop is before I go off half-cocked.
(And, yes, irons work fine. But optics work better.)
Bought mine about 2 mos ago, no problems with this nonLEO.
ReplyDeleteTam-
ReplyDeletehttp://www.skdtac.com/Aimpoint_PRO_Patrol_Rifle_Optic_p/aim.310.htm
Sometimes I think these notices are just to make the LEOs feel like high speed MFers.
It's a re-wired 2, but they'll be happy to sell me a 4 with a 2 MOA dot? Wow - my T-1 must make me super-duper high speed! It's just drag I need to work on now....
ReplyDeleteWV: unomagg - Oh crap! The zombie horde is coming over the hill and I've got unomagg left!
When I put an EOTech on mmy AR, my first comment was the same as the one above. "This isn't fair,,,to targets." I love it. I also highly reccomend the quick detatch mounts from GG&G. Rock solid, and mine stays zeroed when I remount it.
ReplyDeleteDiscobobby,
ReplyDeleteIt's the price point that's attractive.
If you've already shelled out the shekels for a T1, disregard all previous: Your speed is higher and your drag is lower than this sight. :p
But I'm already high-drag/low-speed.
ReplyDeleteWait a minute..
It's nice to see Aimpoint with a "value" priced optic (compared to the Micro and CompM3 or M4 variants, it is practically a steal).
ReplyDeleteWhile I love my T-1 and CompM4 (they're on different rifles...), the fact is that they're WAY overkill for us regular folk. No way would I sell mine for a PRO, but if I were out buying optics for a new rifle, I don't see any reason to spend that much more over the PRO.
I've seen the notice at a number of e-tailers.
ReplyDeleteEven Botach is now posting it, and they ignored Aimpoint's minimum advertised price for years.
I wonder what the rationale behind it is?
ReplyDeleteA low-production-rate loss-leader trying to get some market penetration in the LE market segment, or what? Like I said earlier, it's not like Aimpoint is noted for hostility to the commercial marketplace: They'll happily sell you a swoopy top-of-the-line Comp M4 or T1...
I really need to shoot off an email.
(Maybe the reduced price is possible due to a lower tariff based on .gov being the end user? Now I'm really curious...)
ReplyDeleteYou email now! No talk back! Email!
ReplyDelete