Good Red Dot and magnifier systems

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TexasEric
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Good Red Dot and magnifier systems

Post by TexasEric »

I tried a search, but the terms were too common.
I am still looking at the sig Romeo 5 xdr with Juliet 6x magnifier. The Sig red dot will run about $210. The magnifier will be about $425, before tax. Equals $635, before tax.

What do you guys like for this price range? What red dot combo do you like for this range?
Last edited by TexasEric on Fri Aug 10, 2018 10:14 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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smustian
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Re: Good Red Dot and magnifier systems

Post by smustian »

$425 for a magnifier, it better say Aimpoint on the side. Unless you are a special forces guy, use it daily for a living or someone else is buying it, why spend that much unless you want bragging rights about how much money you have? Go to Primaryarms.com and get a good magnifier for 1/3 the cost.
TexasEric
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Re: Good Red Dot and magnifier systems

Post by TexasEric »

smustian wrote:$425 for a magnifier, it better say Aimpoint on the side. Unless you are a special forces guy, use it daily for a living or someone else is buying it, why spend that much unless you want bragging rights about how much money you have? Go to Primaryarms.com and get a good magnifier for 1/3 the cost.
That is why I post my thoughts on here. So I be talk out of stupid things, I was trying to stick with the same manufacturer for both optics. But I am still newish, so I am not sure what is worth it or not?

Thanks

If I remember correctly they have a good red system as well. Any more input for me?
golfindia
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Re: Good Red Dot and magnifier systems

Post by golfindia »

smustian wrote:$425 for a magnifier, it better say Aimpoint on the side. Unless you are a special forces guy, use it daily for a living or someone else is buying it, why spend that much unless you want bragging rights about how much money you have? Go to Primaryarms.com and get a good magnifier for 1/3 the cost.
I have a "long eye relief" primary arms magnifier. The eye relief is not as good as more expensive ones, but for the price and just shooting at paper, it's acceptable. Primary arms has put out more recent generations of them, so I'm not sure if they are better now than the version I have from a few years ago.
alamo5000
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Re: Good Red Dot and magnifier systems

Post by alamo5000 »

I won't get into the specifics of magnifiers just yet but I have had two experiences with red dot optics.

The first experience was with cheap off brand stuff. I had an extremely bad time with those to the point that I hated 'red dots'. The cheapo junk stuff won't hold zero, the battery will last a few hours probably, and in the daylight the dot washes completely out.

On the flip side of that I bought an Aimpoint T2 but it was not to 'show off' as I don't use public ranges and there is nobody to show my guns off to. The battery lasts for YEARS, its always held zero, and more than anything that dot is never going to wash out in any conditions at all--ever.

I am now an Aimpoint pimp. The last reason there is enough reason to spend a little extra on a dot that will work in any conditions you happen to be in.

I have experience on the junk end and never wanted to see another red dot in my life, then I had experience at the top tier and it made my opinion change.

The bottom level stuff, say the bottom half, in my opinion has no value and no use. It tends to be cheap Chinese junk that does not perform it's job. If I gave you a set of screwdrivers where the handles broke off after a few uses that tool would not be the right tool or worth the investment at all. You could buy 5 sets of cheap screw drivers for what one good set will cost. And the thing is that's exactly what will happen.

I don't really look at stuff in terms of 'brand name' but rather price vs performance. If you are making a range toy that's one thing, but if you need something that works when it's hot/cold, or sunny and bright, or wet, or rainy, and it holds zero under fire--that's the minimum bar of performance I can accept.

Price is only an indicator but not the final statement of quality. Some stuff is just flat out over priced brand name 'marketing' stuff. Other stuff lives up to the hype. My advice is when you are look at red dot type optics start in the middle and work your way up. Spending an extra $100 on something that you can realistically get 10 or 20 years of use out of is in the grand scheme of things worth it to me.
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smustian
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Re: Good Red Dot and magnifier systems

Post by smustian »

alamo5000 makes some valid points. You have to decide what you require for the conditions you will be in. Battery life, toughness, lens coatings, warranty, etc start racking up the cost. Sig seems to be targeting the common man wallet vs Aimpoint where things are built for "combat conditions" and soldiers depend on them to survive. That said, I have not heard anything bad about a Sig Romeo series and would put one on a home defense, range or hunting rig but I would not want to take it to battle.
TexasEric
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Re: Good Red Dot and magnifier systems

Post by TexasEric »

All good info and food for thought. Thanks for the input.
bearcatrp
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Re: Good Red Dot and magnifier systems

Post by bearcatrp »

Take a look at this 5x prism. Could work that you won't need a multiplier.
https://www.burrisoptics.com/sights/tmp ... sight-5x32
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Re: Good Red Dot and magnifier systems

Post by Roverhound »

bearcatrp wrote:Take a look at this 5x prism. Could work that you won't need a multiplier.
https://www.burrisoptics.com/sights/tmp ... sight-5x32
These may be a little more in his price range,
https://www.burrisoptics.com/sights/ar-sights
I have the AR-332 on my 300 pistol and absolutely love it.
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Re: Good Red Dot and magnifier systems

Post by Smurky »

All valid points above, I have 2 aimpoints a T1 and a T2. I bought some time ago but I think they priced themselves out of the commercial market. A lot of good optics out there for the $$. IMO Vortex is hard to beat for the $$ and the guarentee is second to none. Strikefire, Crossfire and Spitfire are good red dots for the $$ and their 3x multiplier is pretty good for the $$.
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