Why Can’t America Make Good Red Dot Sights?
BY Herschel Smith
5 years, 2 weeks ago
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22 Oct 2021
You are currently reading "Why Can’t America Make Good Red Dot Sights?", entry #28459 on The Captain's Journal.
This article is filed under the category(s) Firearms,Guns and was published October 22nd, 2021 by Herschel Smith.
If you're interested in what else the The Captain's Journal has to say, you might try thumbing through the archives and visiting the main index, or; perhaps you would like to learn more about TCJ.
This article is filed under the category(s) Firearms,Guns and was published October 22nd, 2021 by Herschel Smith.
If you're interested in what else the The Captain's Journal has to say, you might try thumbing through the archives and visiting the main index, or; perhaps you would like to learn more about TCJ.
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Good question. Tim at Military Arms Channel had a DRS that quit working in very a very few rounds. The upper end Holosuns are getting rave reviews.
I have acquired a Sig Romeo T8 recently. I have had it out twice. It seems solid. No issues yet. It is advertised to have an Aimpoint like battery life. I like the donut of death reticle it has as one of the selections. Very Eotech like. It is a red dot and not a holographic sight. It also has the shake awake feature. It does not seem to have excessive parallax.
So far the downsides: It is big and heavy. About 2 ounces heavier than an EXPS3. The windage and elevation adjustments could be a bit more tactile.
I will report in if I have any problems with it.
Vortex Optics makes a decent red/green-dot sight – their Strike-Fire II line – which is affordable and seems robust. It comes with a cantilever-style mount ready for an M1913 standard/P-rail. The dot is 4-moa, and battery life is 80,000 hours on the position 6 setting. Water-proof, fog-resistant.
Ten brightness settings, dot can be selected as green or red, and eye relief is unlimited. 30mm main tube. All backed by the Vortex VIP warranty.
Elevation/windage adjustments are 1/2 moa/click, and the adjustment knobs are capped. True 1x but a swing-out 3x magnifier is offered separately.
Slightly bulky in comparison to an Aimpoint, and the markings on the turrets are very small and tough for some to see. Vortex does not offer the variety of mounting optics available with an Aimpoint, but then again, the SF II retails for around $200-250 less than an AP Patrol Optic, its nearest competitor in terms of price.
Back when I was working in the retail FA industry, we sold a lot of them and our customers seemed to like them.
@Georgiaboy61
Yes; I agree on their Strike-Fire, but I’m not altogether sure it’s all USA (internal and external parts).
The big problem for me is my strange astigmatism, which essentially flares any fine dot/holo. It’s even worse with my 5x Vector swing-out behind their (or other, like Sightmark) products on an AR9. It takes me at least 10x as long to get my eye position in alignment to reduce the flare, as compared to perhaps a going with a pistol scout scope LER set up. But, when it’s dark…yeah. If you’re getting vertical stringing, you have eyes like mine.
@ Russell G.
Sounds like you ought to investigate one of those sights with an etched reticle, since those are not subject to such effects. Primary Arms makes some that fit the bill, and probably others as well. And the advantage of an etched reticle type of optic is that if the battery goes, you still have a visible aiming point.
Getting old beats the alternative, but it is a pain in…well, you know where!
Why Can’t America Make Good Red Dot Sights?
Because America isn’t American.